The world is full of extraordinary. Join me in exploring all that sparks creativity and change.
Until reading this book, I was unaware of how truly critical sleep is, not only for the basic health of our bodies, but also for our problem solving, creativity, learning, memory, logic, and inspiration. Essentially, sleep is one of our greatest allies in reaching our goals in our personal lives and in our businesses. A must-read, especially for us workaholics that may be convinced sleep is a waste of time.
Effective communication is everything. In times of crisis, in everyday relationships, and especially as a business leader. Rosenberg’s revolutionary text is one of the most insightful books of our times, offering stories, information, and exercises to change your approach to communication and help you get what you need in a peaceful way.
Aimé Mpane is a Congolese artist who splits his time between Brussels, where his studio is based, and Congo, where he grew up and continues to do research for his work. Originally trained in sculpture before moving onto painting, Mpane’s pieces are a mixture of sculpture, painting, and installation that speak to the legacy of colonialism—something that Mpane has experienced firsthand. Because of this, he felt convicted to address these issues through his work. Despite the atrocities of colonialism and globalization, Mpane infuses his work with hope and a sense of endurance, appealing to human solidarity and courage. He does, however, remind viewers that colonialism and racism are not simply things of the past, they are very much alive and present in the experiences of people in Congo and those who are living in the diaspora. It is not just scars from the past, there are still wounds being inflicted. When asked how he manages to remain so positive, despite his experiences of racism and colonialism, Mpane responds that it is important that people are able to understand one another, to see the experience of the other and put oneself in their shoes. If people don’t have dialogue, if they are unable to speak to one another openly, then there will be no advancement. Mpane has created works that are on display in public spaces and in museums, such as his sculpture in front of the Belgian Embassy in Kinshasa and the monumental sculpture he designed especially for the re-opening of the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium. He also creates exhibitions and aims to work with galleries that are not African-art themed. Mpane’s reasoning for this is that he wants his work to be viewed by American and European curators so that his reach and messaging can go beyond the classification of “African art.”
Written as a portrayal of the future of humanity that is coping with the devastating effects of global warming, this book doles out a large dose of reality by describing our possible future in terms of what our daily lives might look like. While guiding us through how we might make sense of such a crisis, Wallace-Wells ends the book by suggesting we find empowerment in our ability to contemplate and act upon what might otherwise be the demise of our existence.
I rarely dabble in fiction, but this book is beautiful and well-written. I really loved it. Through the death of the main character, Aljaz, the reader is taken through a journey of his ancestors, his life, and most of all—his resiliency and ability to push through despair and start over. Other important themes touch on immigration, culture, and imperialism.
A provocative artist whose work I admire is Jerrell Gibbs. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, he was self-taught. Despite never completing a bachelor’s degree, he earned a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2020. When he was still a student, four of his paintings were chosen to be part of the 2019 exhibition “Blackface: A Reclamation of Beauty, Power, and Narrative” at Galerie Myrtis. This was a significant turning point in his career. His first solo exhibition was Sounds of Color: Recorded Memories at the Mariane Ibrahim Gallery in 2021.
What causes me to get out of bed every morning is driven by inspiration. Ever since I was a little boy, I was inspired by my insatiable curiosity, which caused me to be a reader, a thinker, and a dreamer.
I can remember being inspired by seeing Bobby Kennedy on TV and watching videotapes of Martin Luther King Jr., and being deeply saddened by their assassination even though I was only 10 years old when I experienced all of this.
As a little boy, rocket flight was a big thing. I remember being fascinated by the moon and the stars and the astronauts exploring them.As humans we are achieving remarkable things that only a handful of years before were just in the imagination.