This week in PostMag: from ‘academic bars’ to Hokkaido holidays

In 2017, the Ethiopian-American artist shot to mainstream fame as the photographer behind the most-liked image on Instagram at the time: Beyoncé’s pregnancy announcement. It’s an accolade I’d be honoured to have, were I so talented, but I can understand how being “the guy who photographed Beyoncé” might get old pretty fast. His work, before and after, encompasses so much more.

While Erizku uses his art to bring America’s social and political issues to the public consciousness, Edward Luo is making space for provocative conversation alongside a drink at Shanghai’s Bunker. Luo’s space is the pioneer in a trend of “academic bars” in China, writes Vincent Chow, where students and young graduates – or really anyone interested – gather to engage in intellectual life outside the stuffy trappings of a university. Chow paints a lively picture of enlightening lectures on social science soaked up by eager young minds.

Elsewhere in this issue, Douglas Parkes sits down with celebrated director Jia Zhangke to discuss his most recently released film, Caught by the Tides. Touching on subjects I imagine might appear frequently at Bunker, Jia’s cinematic oeuvre has documented the development of modern China with films such as Still Life (2006). His latest work is his most ambitious – filming started in 2001, when the country’s energy and atmosphere made him “want to make a movie about the journey of the new century”. No small feat.

Perhaps on a different scale, but planning a family holiday is no small feat either. Convince me otherwise. Well, Fiona Ching and Cameron Dueck almost do as they set off on a multigenerational trip – grandparents, aunties, kids and all – to Hokkaido. They claim it’s easier than you might think. I’ll let you decide for yourself, but perhaps we can consider it a vote of confidence for everyone’s upcoming holiday travel.