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For centuries, humanity has turned to knowledge to understand itself. Evolutionary biology has traced the arc of our physical becoming; psychology has mapped the terrain of the individual mind; the social sciences have examined the intricate webs we weave between one another; and history has attempted to understand the consequences of our collective action through time. Each discipline offers a lens, a partial illumination, yet there remains a dimension of human experience th

Introduction The Museum of Anthropology and Ethnology in Florence is currently owned by the University of Florence. It was the first anthropological institution established in Europe in 1869. The history of its establishment and following years of expanding its collections remains controversial and linked to the increase of colonizing strategies by Italy in the late 1800s. The first chair and founder of this museum, Paolo Mantegazza was an Italian politician, physiologist, an

This critical review takes a closer look at a mixed media exhibition titled “Silent Meander” by artist Aparajita Jain Mahajan displayed at Vida Heydari Contemporary Gallery in Pune, India from February to April 2025. The title discloses the exhibition's theme, which explores the essence of human life subtilised by the flow of time by using intuitively crafted abstract works acting as emotive topographies. Aparajita’s practice is rooted in personal meaning and an inspiring sen

(Excerpt from my dissertation, Plants for Politics: Mehendi & its Socio-Political Impact on Indian Cultures.) Henna is culturally perceived as a feminine form of expression and women across Asia, Africa and the Middle East are generally credited for its discovery and development. Beauty rituals are frequently categorised as "for women" and Henna, being a type of body art that enhances appearance, is also subject to this gender politics. The designs themselves are floral and d

The Surrealists viewed themselves as agents of social change who taught people how to get beyond societal constraints. In its most basic form, surrealism was a way of life.