China's Dwarf Empire
The Dwarf Empire – or, to give it its full name, The World Eco Garden of Butterflies and the Dwarf Empire – is situated in the mountains of southern China near the new city of Kunming. Created in 2009, it is a tourist attraction boasting two daily performances by 100 dwarves, who live and work in an elaborate fantasy world ruled by an emperor and empress. To western eyes, it looks like a remnant of the Victorian freak show.
Shawn Thornton: An Artist With Pineal Cancer
During his time at art school, Shawn Thornton unknowingly developed cancer of the pineal gland. Curiously, as his condition progressed his art transformed into ever more complex and finely polished scenes that many find reminiscent to DMT experiences, often alluding to the mythology, symbolism, or biology surrounding the pineal gland. Here we take a quick look at his fascinating story and art.
