Link List #68: The inexplicable lure of unwatched YouTube videos, an illustrated journey through icy tundra, and the trouble with this year’s Documenta - Friends of Friends / Freunde von Freunden (FvF)

Link List #68: The inexplicable lure of unwatched YouTube videos, an illustrated journey through icy tundra, and the trouble with this year’s Documenta

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This week saw us electronically move between terrain and climates—from the ochre-tinted landscapes of Djibouti to the rugged, remote glaciers of the Arctic Ocean. Here’s what we have been watching, reading and ruminating on this week at the FvF office.

Links

    • 1 Samuel Beckett wrote much of his work in French rather than his native English tongue, believing that this offered freedom to write ‘without style’. This fascinating essay over at LitHub probes at the idea that we might be different people in different languages, and looks at the benefits of polyglotism.
    • 2 Friend of FvF Christoph Niemann has created a beautifully illustrated travelogue of his trip through the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. Encounter polar bears, walruses and reindeer in this most remote and chilly region, over at National Geographic.
    • 3 Already the most controversial Documenta yet, this year’s edition—taking place in both Kessel and Athens—has been met with criticism ranging from ‘poverty tourism’ to cultural myopia. Catch up on the discussion with this article from The New York Times.
    • 4 We’re living in highly visible times, and it’s easy to forget that there are still some unseen corners of the internet. Astronout.io gathers together the unwatched videos of YouTube and creates random juxtapositions—from grainy footage of street parties to living room dance practice. While away the hours this weekend with this oddly serene website.
    • 5 Tucked into the crook of the Horn of Africa, the tiny nation of Djibouti is prone to drought and resource scarcity. Commissioned by charity SOS Kinderdorf, architect Urko Sanchez’s new medina is designed specifically for children and families, with the local climate and traditions in mind. Take a look over on Architecture Daily.

Thanks for reading! We hope our links inspire you and give you a small window into what the FvF office is enjoying this week.

For a visual update, check out our Instagram, full of stunning images from the FvF community.

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Text:Siobhan Leddy

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