THE MAGAZINE
Helene Schjerfbeck: Painting the Soul
Why does Helene Schjerfbeck’s gaze feel like it looks straight through you? In this gripping TWoA exploration of Finland’s most enigmatic modernist, discover the stories behind her haunting self-portraits, her pioneering role in shaping Finnish art, and the quiet resilience that made her one of Europe’s most radical women painters. A must-read for anyone fascinated by modernism, identity, and the art of painting the soul.
Pointe Shoe Rewind: A Brief History of Ballet’s Signature Shoe
How did a delicate pink slipper become ballet’s most powerful symbol? From flying machines and broken-in satin to Maria Taglioni’s game-changing rise en pointe, TWoA traces the wild, glamorous, and sometimes dangerous evolution of the pointe shoe. Discover the hidden history behind ballet’s signature shoe—and why its design still shapes the way dancers defy gravity today.
From London with Love: A Night at the Moulin Rouge
Soho isn’t just a postcode—it’s the pulse of London after dark. In this glitter-soaked TWoA City Letter, follow Maya into the heart of the West End for a night at Moulin Rouge: neon windmills, velvet decadence, and the kind of London chaos where theatre, food, and nightlife blur into one unforgettable story. If you want to know London the way Londoners do, start here.
Whispers in the Wings: Meet Josephine Baker, Dancer and Spy
She wasn’t just the Jazz Age’s brightest star—she was a spy, a trailblazer, and a force for civil rights. In this electrifying TWoA profile, step behind the curtain with Josephine Baker, the dancer who rewrote the rules of fame, weaponized performance against racism, and risked everything in the French Resistance. A gripping story of art, power, and unapologetic brilliance.
The Swing of the Affair: Fragonard, Infidelity, and the Art of Heedlessness
What if the most iconic Rococo painting is really a masterclass in cheating? TWoA dives into the hidden symbols, erotic secrets, and deliciously scandalous backstory behind Fragonard’s The Swing—a painting that turns infidelity into an art form. From kicked-off shoes to voyeuristic lovers in the bushes, discover why this flirtatious masterpiece still seduces viewers and exposes our own appetite for mischief.
The Mathemagical Music of Michael Maier
What if a piece of music could unlock the secrets of the universe? Step inside the strange, exhilarating world of Michael Maier’s Atalanta Fugiens, where alchemy, mathematics, and melody fuse into a single “mathemagical” code. In this TWoA deep dive, discover how Early Modern magicians used music as a tool for cosmic knowledge—and why their mystical sounds still intrigue scholars today.
From New York with Love: The New York Philharmonic
What does a night with the New York Philharmonic feel like? In this luminous TWoA City Letter, follow Olivia up Ninth Avenue into a transformed David Geffen Hall, where Gustavo Dudamel leads Varèse, Ravel, and Gershwin on a voyage that turns New York into something mythic. A love letter to the Philharmonic, to spring, and to the magic of hearing a city through its orchestra.
Chun-Wing Lam, Paris Opera Ballet: “I never danced so well before I had my wealth management firm.”
Paris Opera Ballet’s Chun-Wing Lam is probably the only dancer in the world to combine a successful dance career with running his own wealth management firm. TWoA talked to Chun about moving from Hong Kong to Paris when he was fourteen, about the unique promotion system at the Paris Opera Ballet, and about the artistic and mental benefits of having two careers at the same time.
Death in Springtime: The Uncanny Power of Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring”
When spring arrives, most composers paint blossoms and sunshine—Stravinsky delivered terror. This TWoA deep-dive unravels why The Rite of Spring still sends audiences into a primal panic: pagan sacrifice, Nijinsky’s convulsive choreography, revolutionary harmonies, and a riot that changed music forever. A visceral journey into the masterpiece that blurs rebirth, brutality, and the uncanny pulse of nature itself.
Guest Artist: Motomitsu Fujiwara, Tokyo University of the Arts
Meet Motomitsu Fujiwara, the rising Tokyo University of the Arts painter whose canvases blend spiritual memory, Indigenous history, and a belief that true art speaks beyond language. From dandelions as divine messengers to mammoths roaming sacred Uluru, Fujiwara’s work reimagines faith, childhood, and primal expression for a contemporary world hungry for meaning. A quietly electrifying TWoA spotlight on an artist you’ll want to follow now.
From Sicilian Fisherwomen to Pious Folk Hymns: Cathy Berberian’s “New Vocality” Style
Discover the world of Cathy Berberian, the trailblazing mezzo who shattered classical singing rules and reinvented what the human voice could be. From the raw cries of Sicilian fisherwomen to the airy purity of American folk hymns, Berberian’s “New Vocality” style reshaped 20th-century music and inspired icons from Luciano Berio to Laurie Anderson. A whirlwind tour of the singer who made the voice a limitless instrument—and changed music history in the process.
From Berlin with Love: The Philharmonie Berlin
Step into a rain-slick Berlin night and follow Christina Ezrahi into the glowing, golden shell of the Philharmonie, where pianist Mao Fujita turns a dark February evening into pure electricity. From the suspense of his first Chopin note to the thunder of Beethoven’s Appassionata, this City Letter captures Berlin’s eclectic audience, the hall’s legendary acoustics, and the quiet magic of a performer who’d rather play than bask in applause. A warm, luminous escape into one of Europe’s most unforgettable concert nights.
The Architecture of the Oscar Nominees
This year’s Oscars weren’t just a triumph for filmmakers—they were a love letter to architecture. From the brooding Brutalist megastructures of Adrien Brody’s Bauhaus epic to the intimate Polish memorials shaping Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain and the glittering Brooklyn mansion at the heart of Anora, 2025’s top films proved how powerfully buildings can drive story. Step inside the cinematic spaces that became characters in their own right—and discover how architecture stole the show.
Palazzo Medici: Scandal, Power, and Politics
Long before the Medici ruled Florence from behind closed doors, they mastered the art of shaping public opinion through architecture. The Palazzo Medici Riccardi became their most powerful weapon. Between Brunelleschi’s bruised ego, Cosimo’s rise to power, and Michelozzo’s tactful redesign, the story of this building is one of scandal and image-making. Step inside the palace that taught Renaissance Florence how power is built—not just held.
Choreographer Spotlight: Jean-Christophe Maillot
Jean-Christophe Maillot turns ballet into an X-ray of human longing, crafting choreography where emotion leads movement and characters unfold with startling psychological depth—making his work feel less performed than lived.
Celestial Soundtracks: Hollywood and the Music of György Ligeti
Some pieces of twentieth century classical music sound as if they've come from another planet. György Ligeti's Atmosphères is one of those pieces. And if you think that avant-garde classical music and Hollywood don’t go together, think again: director Stanley Kubrick was so intrigued by Ligeti’s music that he used it in his 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
From the Bosphorus with Love: The Istanbul Museum of Modern Art
Istanbul’s position between Europe and Asia gives it a magic all its own—captured in our correspondent’s letter from the Bosphorus and in the breathtaking works of Chiharu Shiota and Olafur Eliasson, two artists who draw directly from the city’s unique geography and spirit.
Artful Anchovies: The Art History Behind the Tinned Fish Revival
The tinned-fish revival isn’t just about flavor—it’s a visual feast rooted in centuries-old Iberian conserva traditions, where bold packaging, maritime iconography, and contemporary design have turned canned seafood into the art world’s most unlikely aesthetic obsession.
Adapting to Loss of Limbs: The Stories of Two Musicians - Django Reinhardt and Paul Wittgenstein
Two legendary musicians—jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and pianist Paul Wittgenstein—rewrote musical history by reinventing technique after limb loss, proving that artistry and innovation can flourish through radical adaptation. Read on for more.
The Wall of Memory: The Lost Ukrainian Monument
Nearly forty years after Soviet authorities buried Kyiv’s monumental Wall of Memory, the AVRM foundation continues fighting to restore Ada Rybachuk and Volodymyr Melnychenko’s forbidden masterpiece—now a potent symbol of Ukrainian resilience amid Russia’s ongoing war.