Dreams in Prison

Ahmed Awad, a photographer of Palestinian origin, presents an exhibition of his work in March and April.

Through his lens, he explores themes of memory, identity and lived realities, weaving together personal and collective histories into compelling visual narratives. His photographs invite viewers to reflect on belonging, displacement and resilience, offering an intimate yet politically resonant perspective shaped by experience and storytelling.

Why So Many MIT Students Are Writing Poetry

An essay by a literature professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology that explores a surprising creative movement on campus, where science and engineering students are increasingly gathering to write and share poetry. It looks at how these students balance rigorous technical study with a deep engagement in verse, forming collectives and using poetry to reflect on human expression, emotion, and the role of creativity in an age dominated by technology and AI. The piece also considers poetry’s enduring value as a form of memory, connection and originality in contrast with algorithmic prediction.



Bellezza e Bruttezza

This is an art exhibition that explores how artists from Italy and Northern Europe in the late 15th and 16th centuries depicted the extremes of beauty and ugliness—from refined ideals to deliberate grotesques. By juxtaposing works from Renaissance masters, the exhibition traces how changing aesthetic tastes shaped visual culture and how concepts of the beautiful and the ugly were intertwined and reimagined across regions and time. It highlights art’s power to reveal cultural values, contrast ideals and challenge perceptions through striking visual dialogue.