Trash treasure: In a Dutch museum, a technician unknowingly tossed a renowned piece of art into the trash, mistaking it for debris. The piece, crafted by Alexandre Lavet to resemble dented beer cans, was part of the LAM Museum’s unconventional displays that transform everyday objects into art and challenge perceptions in delightful ways. A curator, noticing its absence, retrieved the artwork just before it was permanently discarded, saving it just in time. While the technician meant no harm, the museum plans to rethink display placements to prevent such confusion in the future. This amusing mix-up reminds us how art transforms the ordinary into extraordinary, sparking curiosity, reflection, and conversation.
Rock rhythms: Lithophones, stone instruments creating sound when struck, have been played for thousands of years. One from Sudan’s Fourth Cataract region, crafted during the Kerma period sometime between 2500 and 1500 B.C.E., offers insight into ancient ceremonies. This granite slab, marked by percussion zones and cup marks, was played by tapping or dropping stones, producing resonant tones. Positioned for gatherings, it reflects the cultural significance of music in rituals. The worn surfaces reveal their enduring use, connecting us to a time when sound, art, and community intertwined in powerful ways. These melodic stones remind us that even in ancient times, music brought people and communities together.
