Simone Leigh has been chosen to represent the United States at the 2022 Venice Biennale in Italy. Best known for her elegant, large-scale sculptures that pay homage to Black culture, the Chicago-born artist often explores topics such as history, race, gender, labor, and monuments, while reclaiming narratives about Black women.

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston (ICA) is commissioning the Pavilion with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. “For the U.S. Pavilion, Leigh will create a series of new sculptures and installations that address what the artist calls an ‘incomplete archive’ of Black feminist thought, with works inspired by leading Black intellectuals,” says ICA chief curator Eva Respini, who will curate the Pavilion with ICA director Jill Medvedow. “Her work insists on the centrality of Black female forms within the cultural sphere, and serves as a beacon in our moment.”

Leigh’s works will encompass a monumental bronze sculpture for the Pavilion’s outdoor forecourt, as well as a series of works in ceramic, bronze, and raffia. Her star has been rising lately—in 2018, she received the Guggenheim Museum’s coveted $100,000 Hugo Boss Prize, and joined the roster of global mega-gallery Hauser & Wirth the following year. The U.S. Pavilion commission marks another major milestone for both Leigh’s career and the Biennale: no other Black woman based in the United States has ever helmed a Pavilion at the festival.

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“One focus that has remained consistent over the decades is our core belief in People Architecture,” says Vivian Lee, executive director of Woods Bagot’s New York studio, who defines it as “a celebration of diversity across cultures, propelled by a shared sense of empathy, where the values of end-users and the values of design are one and the same.” While the multinational firm’s origins stretch back to the mid-19th century, when it was founded in Australia, the New York studio is only 12 years old.

In a conversation with Surface, Lee, along with Woods Bagot principal James Hickerson, CEO Nik Karalis, and Shane Burger, the global leader of technical innovation, discuss the studio’s philosophy and notable projects, design in the age of A.I., and the launch of their in-house experience consultancy.

When: Until Nov. 29

Where: Church of San Lorenzo, Venice

What: Commissioned by TBA-21 Academy, this multimedia show addresses the devastating effects of human-induced interferences on marine and coastal ecosystems, and reiterates the critical role of oceans for planetary survival. It follows three years of research into how oceans have changed during the Anthropocene, focusing on destructive human behaviors such as overfishing, deep-sea mining, and oil exploration, which have caused rising sea levels and melting ice caps.

There’s perhaps no better place to host the show than Venice, an Italian city at the forefront of climate change discussions in Europe. Lately, Venetians have witnessed how, without its 25-million-strong tourism industry, the city’s waters ran clear and were resplendent in rare sea creatures and colorful plants. “The oceans are changing very fast, yet knowledge of them is moving slowly and is enveloped in long-established forms of cultural separation,” says Territorial Agency. “This division needs to be rethought to address the urgent and vast transformations the seas are undergoing.”

Even though thousands of people have fled Manhattan and its towering office buildings have stood empty for months, the four companies that comprise Big Tech—Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google—are making major investments on the island. Collectively, the giants acquired more than 3 million square feet of real estate and hired more than 2,600 employees in the city this year alone, bringing their total employee counts to upwards of 22,000.

Executives cite New York’s diversity, culture, transit network, and universities as major draws that will continue to attract top-notch talent long after the pandemic subsides. Until then, all four companies are allowing their corporate employees to work remotely for the foreseeable future.

The Colombian textile studio VERDI often pairs local craft traditions with elevated materials to create stylish homewares and fashion accessories resplendent in local lore. Lately, the founder and creative director, Tomas Vera, has been captivated by the Cauca region’s rich history of raising silkworms, also known as sericulture. “We’re constantly experimenting with new techniques and material combinations from the vast Colombian repertoire,” Vera says.

Putting these material fascinations on full display is their latest offering—a capsule of aureate handbags featuring an eye-catching fusion of silver-plated metal threads with organic silk sourced from Cauca. Perhaps the lineup’s most exceptional item is the Seashell Weave Handbag. A romantic ode to Colombia’s picturesque beaches, the marine shell motif intricately fuses the two fibers—a process that can take up to ten days—to create a glimmering interplay between materials.

Gaggenau is a German manufacturer of high-quality home appliances. Founded in 1683, the company is easily one of the most important names in kitchen design and is represented in more than 50 countries with showrooms around the world.

Surface Says: There’s a reason few brands in the high-end kitchen appliance arena are more revered than Gaggenau. It comes down to an unrivaled combination of engineering and style.

An ultra-rare purple-pink diamond may soon fetch $38 million at auction.

Do Ho Suh suspends two fabric homes from an atrium in Seoul’s airport.

This leather expert reviews footwear on YouTube by slicing it in half.

Kenzo debuts a beekeeper-inspired collection as a planetary call to action.