Laila Gohar Thinks Beauty Can Save Us - The New York Times

The winners in the attention economy are good at world-building. They construct alternate universes — with a recognizable voice, space and aesthetics — and invite you inside. Think of Hannah Neeleman’s whimsical, if unrealistic, farm life in Utah. Or the kitchens of food influencers like Meredith Hayden, Molly Baz and Nara Smith. Or the interview sets for viral podcasts (Alex Cooper’s pink sofas, Hasan Piker’s bookshelf and Theo Von’s armchair). Each, in their own way, is a portal. One of the most intense appeals of religion, too, has always been that it constructs a world in which people can find meaning. Religions have, for a very long time, created whole cosmologies, cathedrals and communities to help people escape, even just for a moment, their everyday. I talked about that link — between religion and world-building — with the New York artist and designer Laila Gohar. She creates surreal experiences by getting creative, really creative, with food: a dangling installation of Babybel

The winners in the attention economy are good at world-building. They construct alternate universes — with a recognizable voice, space and aesthetics — and invite you inside. Think of Hannah Neeleman’s whimsical, if unrealistic, farm life in Utah. Or the kitchens of food influencers like Meredith Hayden, Molly Baz and Nara Smith. Or the interview sets for viral podcasts (Alex Cooper’s pink sofas, Hasan Piker’s bookshelf and Theo Von’s armchair). Each, in their own way, is a portal. One of the most intense appeals of religion, too, has always been that it constructs a world in which people can