Blake Matich
Monocle’s writer and researcher.
Has the art world forgotten how to feel? Museums need less explanation and more emotion
Critics might accuse the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and Switzerland’s Fondation Beyeler of eschewing art-world academicism. But by prioritising emotional and sensory experience, these institutions offer visitors something that galleries have been missing.
Civic architecture done right: Nine exciting new public spaces, from Brisbane to Geneva
Theatres, schools, arenas, a lighthouse and a city hall – here are some of the world’s newest buildings and landscapes that are reshaping how communities gather.
A Brazilian trend forecaster on why real-world research always beats algorithms
Iza Dezon, the CEO of strategic trend consultancy Dezon, on why on-the-ground-research is invaluable to accurate market predictions.
The best of October’s cultural offerings – from bright, bold beats to art showcases to visit
This month’s highlights include an irreverent novel about contemporary art, an exhibition of one of today’s most exciting fashion photographers and a Tom Cruise disaster movie.
Six films that world leaders should watch, from ‘De Gaulle: Résistance’ to ‘Idiocracy’
As a five-hour historical biopic fills French cinemas this summer, Monocle considers what other titles politicians could learn from.
When it comes to quality of life, three Aussie cities are better than one
What we want out of a city changes as we age. Sydney, Melbourne and Perth show that quality of life means being in the right place at the right time.
There’s a place for your backpack on the train – it’s not your back
If Dante’s journey through the underworld had been conducted on the London Underground, he would have reserved a special circle in hell for people who wear backpacks on a crowded Tube. And yet if…
The biggest contest of the 2026 World Cup is off the pitch
Spread across Canada, Mexico and the US, this year’s tri-nation tournament is the stage for a clash between multilateralism and unilateralism.
Off the wall: How Frank Bowling painted his way to prominence
Frank Bowling has spent seven decades doubling down on colour. Now, despite an ever more achromic age, the nonagenarian artist is celebrating exhibitions at Hauser & Wirth Hong Kong and Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
Australia wants tech giants to fund journalism – but is it too little, too late?
The country’s efforts to rein in the tech giants and safeguard journalism for the sake of democracy is a noble endeavour – but the dice are stacked in the social-media giants’ favour.
