What’s Happening: Thousands of artifacts documenting the music mogul’s career were secretly assembled at the borough’s majestic Central Public Library, where fellow Brooklynites can chart the Marcy House native’s meteoric rise—no library card required.

The Download: Last week, “The Book of HOV,” a retrospective of Jay-Z’s innumerable accomplishments and impact on hip hop and beyond, opened at the central branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. The preview afforded close associates—and the man himself—a first look at the showcase of thousands of artifacts that tell the story of his meteoric ascent. “The Book of HOV” spans all 352,000 square feet of the sprawling Art Deco landmark, and was secretly assembled by the library, the musician’s Roc Nation enterprise, General Idea agency, and Bruce and Shelley Rodgers, the producers behind Jay-Z’s Emmy-nominated Super Bowl Halftime show.

“I know he wouldn’t let us do this,” Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez told the New York Times of the need for secrecy. “This could never happen if he was involved.” The need for stealth made the endeavor “probably the most intense installation I’ve ever been involved in,” Bruce Rodgers echoed, even as he’s in the process of overseeing his 18th halftime show. The producer went on to describe flying in West Coast “ninjas” to clad the building’s facade in the artist’s most memorable bars, and teaming with Roc Nation to create a replica of the Baseline Studios suite where he recordedThe Black Album, The Blueprint, and The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse.

A number of significant if not museum-worthy artifacts are also on display. Take Daniel Arsham’s Hov’s Hands (2023), a sculpture cast from Jay-Z’s own hands making his now-signature diamond-shaped Roc symbol, or the slew of framed multi-platinum CDs, signed footballs, and master recordings. But, by design, the overall vibe isn’t one of hands-off propriety. Visitors can head to a library of turntables to play vinyl studio samples used in Jay-Z’s music, a paper airplane-making station in the children’s wing, and a lending library of more than 300 books from the mogul’s personal collection, which can be checked out at both the Central and Marcy branches.

In Their Own Words: The show’s residency at the Brooklyn Public Library—not the nearby Brooklyn Museum—caused slight confusion as word began to spread, but “Jay belongs to the people,” according to Perez. “It’s a place that feels comfortable. It’s not intimidating. A lot of people go to the museum, but a lot of people don’t.”

Surface Says: The first line of “Empire State of Mind” says it all.

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Situated between the picturesque Silver Lake and the popular Albertstrand beach in Knokke, the tony La Réserve has endured as a sought-after hospitality destination since the mid-20th century among Hollywood A-listers and influential politicians alike. Now, the Belgian seaside staple’s public areas have undergone a meticulous makeover combining homegrown architect Glenn Sestig’s signature minimalism and deft use of materials like wood, stone, and brass that exude sophistication and warmth.

The intervention starts in the double-height lobby and into the newly opened La Rigue at La Réserve, Michelin-starred chef Peter Goossens’ seaside-inspired restaurant, where guests enjoy steak tartare, vol-au-vent, and salads with freshly peeled North Sea shrimps on classic Jean-Michel Frank and Christian Liaigre furnishings under a feature ceiling inspired by the region’s thatched roofs. Sculptural wall art, meanwhile, takes cues from shoreline sand formations and site-specific land art by Belgian sculptor Panamarenko. More is on the docket: Sestig is currently fine-tuning the hotel’s spa, wellness areas, and a floating pontoon on the lake, kitted out with shaded loungers and its very own bar.

Color exclusivity has always been artist Stuart Semple’s battle, from ownership scuffles with Anish Kapoor over Vantablack and concocting an acrylic paint in the coveted Tiffany Blue to crafting a red paint mixed with the donated blood of gay men to protest exclusionary FDA policies. (The stunts caused one critic to dub Semple the “Robin Hood of the Rainbow.”) His latest move comes in the form of Pinkie – the Barbiest Pink, a new fluorescent shade protesting Mattel’s trademarking of “Barbie Pink,” which has given the toy giant exclusive rights to the doll’s signature color.

“Nobody should own a color,” Semple told Artnet News. “Nature has already made all the colors, and corporations claiming them is just completely and utterly ridiculous. No color should be owned by a corporation, especially a corporation making billions of dollars at a time when artists and creators are really, really struggling.” The contested shade is slated to hit the market on July 21, the anticipated release day of the Greta Gerwig–directed blockbuster, whose production reportedly exacerbated a shortage of Rosco fluorescent pink paint.

When: Until Aug. 27

Where: Hotel Eden, Rome

What: Made in EDIT, a residency that connects global designers with Italian artisans, invited Patricia Urquiola to create a collection of one-of-a-kind porcelain pieces at Istituto Superiore a Indirizzo Raro Caselli Real Fabbrica di Capodimonte, a historic Naples school specializing in ceramics. The renowned Spanish architect then envisioned a series inspired by the rich history of both the school and the surrounding woodlands. The collection, called Hybrida, aims to rejuvenate centuries-old ceramic tradition by incorporating moss, lichen, and tree fragments into vases, cups, and centerpieces, all of which are available for purchase at Hotel Eden in Rome.

During a postwar boom, Frank Lloyd Wright designed 120 houses in 31 states—not bad considering he died in 1959. More than six decades later, only one of those properties still retains its original owner. Roland Reisley, a retired physicist who has spent 71 of his 99 years in a Wright house near Pleasantville, New York, credits Wright with his longevity. “Neurologists say that awareness of beautiful surroundings reduces stress,” he says, “and I see something beautiful in this house every day.” It’s unlikely the house will be turned into a museum like other Wright properties, but Reisley is looking into a preservation easement.

Studio Plow is a San Francisco–based architecture and design studio known for an aesthetic that’s restrained, yet warm and soulful. Each project is seen as a new opportunity for discovery, resulting in completely bespoke design. Working in collaboration with clients, the studio crafts a narrative that uncovers the soul of each space, mapping its full potential.

Surface Says: Studio Plow excels at creating expressive interiors with a strong sense of place. The soul of each space shines through every commission and is contextualized by Plow’s dedication to creating interiors that balance contemporary design and warmth.

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