Need to Know
06 : 12 : 21

New Zealand – The technology giant has partnered with Indigenous communities for a more inclusive workplace in Auckland. Centring on the theme of Te Tai, which translates as ‘the tide’, the design of the Google Aotearoa office integrates influence from the natural landscape of Aotearoa – the Māori name for New Zealand – with Google’s brand identity.

Created by architects Warren and Mahoney, the space includes a wooden centrepiece made from locally sourced timber sheets, alongside an immersive digital ceiling playing footage of New Zealand. The design process was conducted in close partnership with cultural adviser Anzac Tasker and local iwi (tribe) Ngāti Whātua. By working directly with Indigenous communities, Google has sought to showcase and represent local traditions without being appropriative.

‘Google Aotearoa’s new home wears a narrative woven around place, featuring stories of land, people, and culture – each bringing the richness of Aotearoa, New Zealand to its users,’ says Scott Compton, interior design principal at Warren and Mahoney. In this way, the company shows how workplaces can be designed in a way that celebrates the identity of its workers and the area they’re based in.

Global – Demonstrating how the worlds of food, drink and entertainment are further colliding, independent film company A24’s first cookbook, Horror Caviar, is a highly stylised tome of recipes and essays inspired by its gory movie releases.

Recipes in Horror Caviar, which take cues from films such as Midsommar, The Shining and The Witch, were designed by creatives such as food stylist Laila Gohar and artist Chloe Wise. Among methods for lamb chops with marigold jelly, fish stews and herbal sipping broths are a selection of essays on film, food and culture.

In this way, the book caters for movie fans and foodies alike, and demonstrates the potential for sectors to cross over, not only as a marketing strategy, but also to highlight a more raw – if not macabre – take on elevated eating at home. Exercising creativity through cooking and film, Horror Caviar breathes new life into the Home Eatertainment trend.

Global – According to a new report from ArtTactic, just 16% of non-fungible token (NFT) art sales are of works by women artists. The report includes both primary and secondary sales over the past 21 months on digital art auction platform Nifty Gateway.

The research reveals just how pervasive existing power structures are in the art world, despite digital art offering space for disruption and diversity. Indeed, this extends beyond gender. Just 5% of artists – the equivalent of 16 individuals – account for 55% of NFT art sales, and 90% of the total value stored in NFT art rests in the work of the top 25% of artists, predominantly white men from the global north.

The findings point to the importance of young innovators such as Paul Hill and Black Beyond, who are using tech to destabilise art world elitism by democratising access and showcasing diverse talent. Their offerings are also better aligned with Gen Z’s values and principles, which will increasingly guide the global understanding of value in art and beyond.