Wednesday Wonders 3

It's that time again...

1 - The work of George Tooker

I don't remember how or when I discovered the work of American artist George Tooker, but his paintings embody something about the 20th Century that I don't think anyone else captured quite so well. His subject matter seems to be bureaucracy, and he seems to have the same attitude to it as Terry Gilliam does in "Brazil".

This piece provides some great examples and a good summary.

George Tooker: A Purveyor of Modern Alienation and Despair

Throughout a career that spanned decades, American artist George Tooker reflected on the way in which modern alienation and despair impacted on the lives of ordinary Americans going about their daily routines and became a purveyor of what the American Dream had or had not achieved.

DailyArt MagazineWendy Gray

2 - Secret Passages

Who doesn't love a great secret passage? Here are some of the best:

A Brief Compendium of Places With Secret Passages

Caynton Caves It is a well known fact that an underground tunnel connects 10 Downing Street, the British Prime Minister’s residence in London, with number 12 (we’re not sure why number 11 was left out) but it is surprising just how many residences, both old and new, are harbouring hidden passages

Messy Nessy ChicThe MNC Editorial Team

3 - John Cassavetes' old house

If you absolutely have to live in Hollywood, this place takes some beating:

An artefact of Old Hollywood goes on sale in Laurel Canyon - The Spaces

It has serious indie cred

The SpacesThe Spaces Team

4 - The Finalists of Ocean Photographer of the Year

Hard to leave this out of a piece about wonders: wonderful photographs of actual wonders.

Fragility, Beauty, and Urgency Characterize Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025

“In the midst of a deepening climate and biodiversity crisis on our blue planet, ocean photography has never been more important,” says OPY’s director.

ColossalKate Mothes

5 - How the World’s First Floating Hotel ended up as a Doomed Wreck in North Korea

This is from the vault, but it's worth revisting:

How the World’s First Floating Hotel ended up as a Doomed Wreck in North Korea

We’ll file this one under “Things that ended up in North Korea”. When it first opened in 1988 on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, it promised “paradise at sea”; a floating seven-storey mega structure with nearly 200 rooms, nightclubs, bars, restaurants, a helipad, a tennis court and a 50-seat underwa

Messy Nessy ChicMessyNessy

Enjoy Wednesday.