The Ma'nene Ritual is a traditional ceremony in Tana Toraja where the bodies of ancestral family members are exhumed, carefully cleaned, and dressed in new clothes as a way to honor and show respect for the deceased
Living with the dead: Indonesian death rituals
The sacred rituals of Ma’nene in Tana Toraja
Orsolya Antoni
12 July 2025
The experience of losing loved ones is a universal aspect of life that we all confront. Whether it's family, friends, or acquaintances, the grief that accompanies death is something we all share. In my culture, the sorrow associated with death is profound, as we often view it as the end of existence, resulting in a cycle of tears and mourning. This perspective can create a heavy atmosphere that lingers long after a loved one has passed.
Tanya Gomelskaya uses rich colors and bold contrasts to enhance the visual drama of her art
A brush with emotion: the art of Tanya Gomelskaya
An artist who turns emotion into three-dimensional beauty
Orsolya Antoni
12 September 2025
In this dreamlike and hectic world, so overwhelmed by the incessant rhythm of the internet and the compulsive fascination of social media, we are ubiquitously exposed to an entire collection of bad influences that seep into our existence. However, in the midst of the chaos of this world, I stumbled upon an oasis of positive energy while scrolling randomly through Instagram. There, I discovered a great artist, Tanya Gomelskaya, whose artistic vision transcends all the traditional boundaries with her mesmerizing three-dimensional paintings. Not only is her art perception-stimulating, but it also transports viewers to a realm of a kaleidoscope of creativity and inspiration. I was attracted to her work immediately and have been a fan ever since.
Mihály Munkácsy was a Hungarian painter. He earned international reputation with his genre pictures and large-scale biblical paintings
The emotional legacy of Mihály Munkácsy
A glimpse into Hungarian art and history
Orsolya Antoni
12 June 2025
I would like to discuss the renowned Hungarian painter Mihály Munkácsy, whose influence permeates the lives of many Hungarians. Munkácsy, known for his remarkable talent and the profound emotional depth in his artworks, has left an indelible mark on Hungarian culture. His paintings often depicted scenes of everyday life and historical moments, resonating with the experiences of ordinary people and moving them with their emotional depth.
Ahead of ourPoetry Prize, which closes 30th June, we spoke to judge Rebecca Perry about prizes, publication and what she’ll be looking for from this year’s entries.
Rebecca, It’s lovely to have you as a judge, particularly as your 2012 pamphlet little armoured was published by Seren after winning the Poetry Wales Purple Moose Poetry Prize. What was your reaction to winning the Prize and how did it help you in your development as a poet?
She is a curator, who spends her time dressing the rooms of historic buildings to bring them to life. A replica pie, half-eaten, perched on a small desk in the servant's quarters. A fruit bowl, filled with artificial apples, pomegranates and pears, with one piece missing. It should feel as though her subject has just left the room; the air should be alive with their energy. But in the great halls and lush private quarters of a medieval palace, she finds herself so transfixed by the reign of an almost-forgotten King that the edges of her life begin to blur.
May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry review – a dazzling puzzle-box of a debut
This article is more than 6 months old
The plight of a reluctant medieval king is glimpsed through scattered pieces of the past, in an ingenious novel that asks how much we can really know about history
Melissa Harrinson
23 January 2026
In a medieval palace an unnamed king chafes under the new and unsought burden of power. His uncertain fate plays out in the present-day imagination of an unnamed curator of unspecified gender, who has been employed by the palace to dress some of its rooms for public viewing in the wake of an undescribed personal tragedy.
‘An author to be seriously excited about’ … Rebecca Perry.Photograph: Robin Christian/Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize/PA
Rebecca Perry wins Waterstones debut fiction prize for ‘delicious and dream-like’ novel
EMMA LOFFHAGENJuly 16 2026
Author and poet Rebecca Perry has won the 2026 Waterstones debut fiction prize for May We Feed the King, praised as a “delicious and dream-like tale”.
Chosen from a shortlist of six novels, May We Feed the King follows a present-day curator whose job is to dress rooms in historic houses. (“When you see a replica feast scene in the great hall of an old building, I am the person who placed the pomegranates beside the pie.”) They become increasingly obsessed by the subject of their latest commission, a medieval king whose own story about his reluctance to rule unfolds in parallel.
It is “a highly wrought puzzle-box of a book which deliberately wrongfoots the reader at every turn” and “richly rewards those who approach it with curiosity”,Melissa Harrison wrote in her Guardian review.
Perry will receive £5,000 and a “promise of ongoing commitment” to her writing career. The award, voted for by Waterstones booksellers, recognises the year’s outstanding work of debut fiction across all genres.
Waterstones head of books Bea Carvalho praised Perry’s “crisp, cool prose” and described the novel as “a delicious and dream-like tale steeped in curiosity and nostalgia”.
“With a poet’s eye for detail and a keen sense of humour, Perry grapples with the slippery nature of memory and the burden of power,” Carvalho said. “Rebecca Perry is an author to be seriously excited about and we can’t wait to see what she does next.”
Perry, who is from London, has published two poetry collections, Beauty/Beauty and Stone Fruit, alongside several pamphlets and a work of creative nonfiction, On Trampolining. Her poetry has been shortlisted for the TS Eliot prize, while her debut collection won the Michael Murphy memorial prize.
Writing We Feed the King, Perry wanted to explore “historical fiction as a genre, and how we narrate history” as well as “the capacities of loneliness and imagination, and ultimately what happens when a person defies what is expected of them, refusing to step into the tyranny of power”.
This year’s other shortlisted novels wereLost Lambs by Madeline Cash,Honey in the Wound by Jiyoung Han,Under Water by Tara Menon,A Private Man by Stephanie Sy-Quia andThe Infamous Gilberts by Angela Tomaski.
Waterstones launched the prize in 2022. Previous winners include Tess Gunty’s The Rabbit Hutch, Alice Winn’s In Memoriam and Ferdia Lennon’s Glorious Exploits. Last year’s winner wasLucy Steeds’ The Artist.
The Starry Night, June 1889. Museum of Modern Art, New York
My connection to Van Gogh’s Starry Night
Finding peace, beauty, and meaning in Vincent van Gogh’s turbulent world and luminous brushstrokes
Orsolya Antoni
12 February 2026
Vincent van Gogh holds a special place as my second favorite Dutch painter, celebrated for his emotionally charged and vibrant use of color. His iconic masterpiece, 'The Starry Night,' has been a constant source of inspiration in my life, with its swirling skies and deep emotional resonance captivating my imagination. Van Gogh's remarkable talent for capturing the beauty of his world, often reflecting his own struggles, strikes a chord within me. 'The Starry Night' is a culmination of his artistic journey, a representation of his unique style and emotional depth. Each time I gaze at his artwork, I uncover new details and layers that invite me to reflect and delve deeper, ensuring his presence remains a significant part of my artistic journey.
Gallery employees pose with Love is in the Bin by Banksy, photo by Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA
Banksy's 'Love is in the Bin': art vs. commercialization
Exploring the impact and meaning behind Banksy's most controversial artwork
Orsolya Antoni 12 January 2025
Banksy is my favourite street artist because of his unique way of addressing everyday life and conflicts. When I was working for a very well-known auction house, I had the opportunity to see some of his work, especially 'Girl with Balloon,' which was shredded at the auction and renamed to 'Love is in the Bin.' This incident, where the artwork self-destructed after being sold, was a bold and intriguing statement by Banksy. It was a direct challenge to the commercialization of art, a practice that often places more value on the price tag than the artistic message and the value we place on it. This incident not only made headlines but also sparked a global conversation about the true value of art and the role of the art market in determining it. The shredded 'Girl with Balloon' became a new piece of art, 'Love is in the Bin,' which further emphasized Banksy's critique of the art market's focus on monetary value over artistic expression.
