Courant·PinnedHow sports memorabilia went digitalSports fans have attached value to physical items — trading cards, framed shirts, cup winners’ medals — for years. But with the rise of NFT collectibles, is the business about to go virtual? — Written by Mattha Busby Illustration by Lennard Kok Collecting the ball on the edge of the key, the legendary basketball player LeBron James bounces it once and moves forward, nonchalantly leaving two men for dead.Nft7 min readNft7 min read
Courant·PinnedWhy NFTs may be revolutionary for artistsA look at the opportunities that can emerge from a new system of neoplastic scarcity — By Lisa Botos I will not waste time with a typically proffered primer on what an NFT is nor offer a well-worn tale of its magic in solving enduring art world concerns. What captures my attention and imagination is the promise of NFT technology as an innovative workhorse for artists, including those who…Nft10 min readNft10 min read
Courant·PinnedWhat String Ting did nextBy Elli Stühler — In spring 2020, Rachel Steed-Middleton’s living room was stacked to the ceiling with boxes crammed full of beads. That was right around the time that her brand String Ting was transitioning from being a lockdown fundraising project to an accessories brand coveted by Hollywood actresses, supermodels, K-pop stars and New…Fashion6 min readFashion6 min read
Courant·Sep 14, 2022How blockchain is becoming a force for goodAs individuals and companies increasingly turn to the NFT market to raise money for important causes, the metaverse is shaking off its gamer associations and proving itself to be a space where strong communities can form around social goals — and avoid the will of big tech and government agencies — Written by Mattha Busby Illustration by Morten Kantsø As the US Supreme Court decision that had enshrined abortion as a constitutional right was overturned in June, the artist and activist Molly Dickson was already fundraising for reproductive rights groups — by selling cowgirl images on web3.Blockchain7 min readBlockchain7 min read
Courant·May 24, 2022What’s next for sonic branding?What brand hasn’t used a jingle to capture our attention? But in a busy marketplace is a catchy earworm still enough? Here, we report on how big companies are taking sonic branding to the next frontier. — By Mattha Busby Illustration by Tim Lahan Whoosh! I’m lovin’ it! EA Sports. Kids and grown-ups love it so. The chances are that when you read these statements your mind added the catchy tunes that accompany them. …Sound6 min readSound6 min read
Courant·Jan 26, 2022Normandy CarnetWords by Alex Moshakis Photographs by Tex Bishop — The black and white photographs in this visual essay were taken by the British photographer Tex Bishop during the summer of 2015. They document events at the Ecole Danse Classique Chantal Ruault, a dance school in Caen, Normandy that is run and maintained by Francis Malovik, a former dancer and…Photography4 min readPhotography4 min read
Courant·Jun 9, 2021Hokshi, Messi joahaseyo?: An Outsider Observes the Allure of K-dramas for Western AudiencesBy Kunyalala Ndlovu Illustrations by Oscar Bolton Green — In series one, episode two, of the famous Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2016), our protagonist Kim Bok-joo, a young, stylish university student, walks into Doctor Jung Jae-yi’s office one morning with an odd enquiry. She shuffles in sheepishly and takes a seat in front of the doctor. …Kdrama11 min readKdrama11 min read