art & culture

David Bowie prophecy: “I’m afraid of Americans” and what he tells us today

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The shape-shifter, the icon, the creative genius who lived everything ahead of his time


I’m afraid of Americans — on the anniversary of David Bowie’s death, his lyrics circle back in our minds not just as a memory, but as a living David Bowie prophecy. Actually, they never left.

Here, the wind blows cold—a chill that has nothing on the gunfire echoing across America. In Minneapolis, an ICE agent killed a woman, Renee Nicole Good. Unarmed. “That’s fine, dude. I’m not mad at you,” she said. Then he shot her three times in the face while she sat in her car. This is not a lyric. It’s a clear picture of a society — the soil where the prophecy grows.

Portrait of Renee Nicole Good, an unarmed woman shot by ICE officers in Minneapolis. David Bowie prophecy resonates: I'm afraid of Americans.
Renee Nicole Good shot by ICE in Minneapolis.


Bowie remains an immense inspiration, a necessary counterpoint. In the documentary Moonage Daydream, he brilliantly defined himself as a “personality collector.” Not just a musician, but a curator of characters; a synthesiser of art, sound, and thought. He was the ultimate autodidact — his mind a voracious, discerning sponge for philosophy, painting, literature, and the jagged edges of culture. This wasn’t mere affectation. It was a formidable creative acumen: a strategic intellect that built worlds and deconstructed personas with the precision of a master artist.

Today, we are pulled not to the androgynous alien of Ziggy or the sleek Thin White Duke, but to a later, colder prophet: the one who gave us “I’m Afraid of Americans.”

I’m afraid of Americans: David Bowie prophecy


Released in 1997 (on the album Earthling), but with roots in a 1995 collaboration with Brian Eno, the song is a snarling, industrial-groove beast. It feels less like a retro relic and more like a transmission from the past that has just now reached full signal strength. In it, Bowie adopts the role of an observer, haunted by a creeping, viral anxiety. The spoken-word bridge is a chilling centrepiece:

“Johnny’s in America…
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
No-one needs anyone, they don’t even just pretend…
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah
Johnny’s in America”

It’s a portrait of a society atomising. “Johnny” isn’t a person; he’s a condition. A state of being where connection is obsolete, where even the performance of caring — “they don’t even just pretend” — has been abandoned. Loneliness made systemic. And circling this stark observation is the addictive, terrified mantra of the chorus:

“I’m afraid of Americans
I’m afraid of the world
I’m afraid I can’t help it
I’m afraid I can’t…”

The lyrics as a mirror to today


This isn’t a geopolitical statement about a nationality. As Bowie often clarified, it’s about the fear of a certain exported ideology — a hyper-consumerist, culturally imperialist, “McWorld” anxiety that homogenises and devours, leaving behind Johnny’s existential isolation. It’s the fear of a world becoming a monoculture where the only sacred truth is the self. And the self is terrified of everything else. “No tax at the wheel,” he mutters in an earlier verse — a brilliant, oblique image of unregulated power, of a drive without responsibility, hurtling forward with no one steering and nothing paid back.

Bowie saw it then. The paranoid, pulsating rhythm of his track is the perfect soundtrack to our algorithmically fuelled tribalism, our performative outrage, and our deep, unspoken dread of one another. He diagnosed the spiritual malaise that would blossom into our current climate: the weaponisation of identity, the collapse of shared narratives, fear as a default setting.

The song’s prophecy curdles into our daily reality. It echoes in Trump’s political discourse, stripped of empathy. In the relentless horror of routine gun violence. In the brutal machinery of state power. Watching the modern American horror show, the refrain transforms from artistic expression to blunt testimony: 

I’m afraid of Americans.


That was his genius. The personality collector was also a future collector. He absorbed the faint signals of the coming zeitgeist, filtered them through his unparalleled artistic sensibility, and reflected them back to us as art — sometimes beautiful, sometimes grotesque, always prescient.

On this anniversary, we don’t just miss the man. We miss his antenna. We miss the fearless, intellectual shape-shifter who dared to look into the coming storm and set it to a beat. In “I’m Afraid of Americans,” he handed us a mirror. Decades later, we’re still staring into it. This is the David Bowie prophecy.

He saw Johnny. 
A dying system. 
A system without a soul.

In Minneapolis, Johnny pulled the trigger.

The prophecy is no longer a lyric.
It’s a headline. 
It’s an obituary.

I’m afraid of Americans.

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Salone del Mobile: When design takes over Milan

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How Milan Design Week transforms the city into an Instagrammable playground


The 63rd edition of Salone del Mobile—the world’s most prestigious furniture and design event—drew to a close yesterday. For one week, Milan becomes a sprawling stage for creativity, where even its hidden corners are transformed into must-see spectacles.

At its heart, the fair unfolds within the vast pavilions of Rho Fiera, a magnet for industry professionals showcasing the pinnacle of Italian and international design. Yet beyond the trade halls, the Fuorisalone spills into the streets, inviting enthusiasts, students, and the merely curious to explore immersive installations, pop-up exhibitions, and chance encounters with the creative minds behind them.

From Tortona’s industrial chic to Brera’s artistic haunts and Porta Venezia’s vibrant energy, the city thrums with life. The accessibility of the events—most are free and open to all—adds to the inclusive buzz. Though, let’s be honest: for some, the allure of a cocktail might just rival that of an avant-garde chair.

Milano: An Instagrammable playground


One language, however, dominated: the lexicon of Instagram. Countless installations seemed conceived less as design statements and more as backdrops for the ’gram. Brands competed for viral moments, and visitors queued for hours—not for insight, but for the perfect shot.

When did the aesthetic experience become so easily reduced to likes?

Highlights amid the hype


Trying to see it all is futile—Milan Design Week practically demands a sabbatical. Still, we found moments of brilliance.

Gucci’s Bamboo Encounters paid homage to the material’s timeless elegance—though one wonders whether its legacy will outlive Demna’s show.

A standout was Design for the Moon at Università Statale, a collaboration between NABA and the Design School at Arizona State University (ASU). The project took shape as a geodesic dome inspired by lunar landscapes, inviting visitors to imagine speculative habitats beyond Earth. Part lunar refuge, part poetic vision, it urged us to reflect on design’s role in humanity’s next frontier.

Salone del Mobile / Fuorisalone: Design for the moon at Università Statale
Design for the moon – Unversità Statale


Then came NonostanteMarras—always a revelation. Antonio Marras’ Chi Ama La Maestra reimagined the classroom as a poetic tableau, blending puppets and fragmented memories into an evocative homage to knowledge. Teaching became an act of love, and the space a vessel for the collective memory spanning generations. Stepping inside felt like embarking on a nostalgic, tender journey through the emotion of learning. We knew we’d find beauty—we always do with Marras—and missing it wasn’t an option. The installation, a stunning fusion of design and poetry, stood out as something truly special: warm, unconventional, and profoundly moving.

Nostalgic, tender, and utterly transcendent—our favourite.

Salone del Mobile vs. Fashion Week: A cultural litmus test


As design takes over the town, one truth emerges: Salone del Mobile draws a different kind of crowd. The public feels more discerning, more cultured, compared to those who flood the city during Fashion Week.

And yet, as Milan returns to its everyday rhythm, one can’t help but wonder: is design itself becoming a backdrop for performative consumption?

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Edvard Munch: The Inner Fire at Palazzo Reale

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A journey into the soul of one of modern art’s most visionary pioneers


Just before Christmas, we enjoyed visiting the Edvard Munch exhibition at Palazzo Reale in Milan, open until January 26. Marking the 80th anniversary of his passing, this comprehensive monographic showcase delves into the life and work of one of the most celebrated artists of the modern era. Spanning from 1880 to 1944, the exhibition presents 100 masterpieces—paintings, drawings, and prints—all from the MUNCH Museum in Oslo.

Regarded as one of the founders of modern art, Munch’s creations transcend time, speaking a universal language of emotion and human experience. His iconic work, The Scream, solidifies his legacy as an artist-prophet, a visionary who captured profound truths about the human condition.

The inner fire – Edvard Munch


The exhibition’s title, The Inner Fire, perfectly encapsulates Munch’s artistic journey—a profound introspection and a relentless quest to analyse the human psyche. Each piece reveals a thread connecting his works, where the eye turns inward to explore the soul and project its deepest psychological phenomena onto the canvas. This burning desire to communicate his perceptions—his “inner fire”—was the essence of his creative practice.

Throughout his life, Edvard Munch confronted life’s perennial existential questions, pushing the boundaries of artistic expression. His masterful use of colour, not merely as a visual element but as a tool to evoke raw emotions and tensions, remains unparalleled. Munch delved so deeply into the human experience that his emotions resonate powerfully in his art—so vividly rendered that one can almost touch and feel them.

Pic of the painting 'Red and White' by Edvard Munch at Palazzo Reale, Milan - a blond woman wear a white dress, a brunette wesr a red dress with balloon sleeves.
Red and White – Edvard Munch


Above all, Munch’s art speaks a universal language, transcending time and place to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. While his work often stems from deeply personal experiences—marked by early struggles with tuberculosis and the mental health challenges that shaped his life—it reaches far beyond autobiography. In fact, his ability to transform specific biographical events into universally relatable themes is a hallmark of his genius.

“In my art, I have sought to explain to myself life and its meaning—I have also intended to help others to understand their own lives,” Munch once reflected.

Through his work, Munch confronts life and death, anguish and struggle, melancholy and despair. Emotions not only central to his artistic narrative but also reflective of the broader cultural zeitgeist of Northern Europe during his time. His ideas resonate closely with the works of Ibsen and Strindberg. Also, draws intellectual parallels to the philosophies of Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, and Freud. Munch’s art becomes a profound exploration of the human condition, bridging personal and collective experiences in an enduring dialogue with humanity.

Melancholy – Edvard Munch

Munch beyond paintings


Finally, Edvard Munch’s artistry extended beyond painting to include a rich body of writings. Together with The Bohemians of Kristiania—a group of young Norwegian intellectuals—he became part of an anarchic political movement that penned manifestos and critiques against established powers. They challenged the restrictive values of the middle class, gender and class biases, questioned organized religion, and advocated for sexual freedom.

As a precursor to 20th-century expressionism—and even futurism—Munch’s work continues to resonate, speaking to our inner visions and contemporary concerns. In his work, Munch endeavoured to make the invisible, visible.

This is an exhibition you simply cannot miss.

🖤 We’d love to hear from you! Whether you have questions, feedback, or just want to say hello, we’re all ears. 

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Cézanne and Renoir: Art, Beauty, Self-Improvement, and Friendship

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Revealing the importance of nature through art


On the occasion of the visit of our beloved Irish friend, we had the opportunity to visit the Renoir and Cézanne exhibition at Palazzo Reale.

Palazzo Reale pays tribute to the legacy of Paul Cézanne and Pierre Auguste Renoir, masters who contributed decisively to the birth of Impressionism, which celebrated its 150th anniversary on April 15, 2024.

So, the exhibition explores their influence on subsequent artistic movements. A journey through their most iconic paintings, from portraits to landscapes, still lifes, and bathers. Also, the exhibition ends with a section documenting how decisive the impact and influence of the two artists were on the subsequent generation of artists by comparing two Cézanne and Renoir works with two Pablo Picasso paintings.

Since our Irish friend Pauline is a painter and art teacher, she provided insights on colours and shapes, perspective and depth. Our pathway through the rooms of Palazzo Reale has been a full immersion in absolute beauty. We had the chance to discover more about Cézanne and Renoir, their different painting techniques, their life struggles, and their friendship. Indeed, their diverse traits joined them like a magnet, offering complementarity to each other. A deep connection, a shelter they couldn’t renounce. Also, despite their health issues, they remained passionate about creating art.

Cézanne and Renoir exhibition at Palazzo Reale, Milano
A reconstruction of Renoir’s studio

Some of Cézanne and Renoir memorable quotes


But the experience was so rich and profound that it’s difficult to summarise in just a few takeaways. So, we share some memorable quotes we found in the rooms:

“Art touches emotions. If it needs to be explained, it is not art.” Pierre-Auguste Renoir

“If my canvas is imbued with an undefined cosmic spirituality that moves me and makes me better, it will also move others, touching a part of their sensitivity of which they may be unaware.” Paul Cézanne

“A state of grace comes from contemplating God’s most beautiful creation: the human body. Suffering passes, beauty remains. I am perfectly happy.” Pierre-August Renoir

“Progress can only be made through nature; the eye is educated in relation to this.” Paul Cézanne

Exploring the paintings of Cézanne and Renoir has been such a meaningful experience. A lesson on art, beauty, self-improvement, and friendship. However, the importance of nature emerges through their art. Nature teaches through its form, which the artist interprets with an increasingly personal vision. Ultimately, nature is an open space to observe and contemplate the world. A space for observation, refuge, departure, and return. Therefore, a space to preserve.

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Never Too Late To Start

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The extraordinary paintings of Sally Gabori at Triennale Milano


It’s never too late to start may seem like a catchphrase. Usually, we tend to believe that there is a specific path we must follow to find what is possible for us. However, we discovered an artist we didn’t know about, Sally Gabori. Her powerful story and artistic career taught us that it is never too late to start doing something and find your way.

Last week we went to Triennale Milano to attend Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori’s exhibition. It collects 30 marvellous paintings that show intense brushstrokes of colours beautifully paired.

Never too late to start
Sally Gabori exhibition – Triennale Milano – Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain

Considered one of the greatest contemporary Australian artists of the past two decades, Sally Gabori started painting in 2005, around the age of eighty and quickly earned national and international acclaim.
Before her death in 2015, she had a few years of rare creative intensity, developing her unique work with no ties to other aesthetic currents, particularly within contemporary Aboriginal painting.

An extensive canvas, Sally Gabori painting, contemporary art
Sally Gabori exhibition – Triennale Milano – Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain

Sally Gabori’s story

Gabori was born in 1924 on Bentick Island, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, off the northern coast of Australia. She was a Kaiadilt woman who spoke the Kayardilt language. Her name, Mirdidngkingathi Juwaranda, comes from the Kaiadilt tradition by which people take their name from their birthplace. Therefore, her name indicates she was born at Mirdidingki, a small creek south of Bentinck, and her “totem animal” is “juwarnda”, or dolphin.

The Kaiadilt, a population of 125 in 1944, were the last Aboriginal people of coastal Australia to establish lasting ties with Europeans. They had a traditional lifestyle relying on their island’s natural resources.

In 1940, Presbyterian missionaries settled on Mornington Island and tried unsuccessfully to convince the Kaiadilt to join their mission. But in 1948, a hurricane flooded and contaminated their land. So, the Presbyterian led the 63 survivors, including Gabori and her family, to their mission. Once in Mornington, they housed the Kaiadilt in camps on the beach, and the children, separated from their parents, in dormitories inside the mission. Also, they’ve forbidden kids from speaking their mother tongue, detaching them from their culture.

Sally Gabori paintings, contemporary art
Sally Gabori exhibition – Triennale Milano – Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain

The revelation at 80 years old


Around the age of eighty, Gabori visited the Mornington Art Center for the first time, and the contact with painting was a revelation. Indeed, she went there whenever she could, even painting several canvases per day. Six months after her revelation, she had her first solo exhibition.

She left more than 2.000 canvases. Her paintings celebrate different places of her native island, which she had not visited for many years. Indeed, they have deep meaning for herself, her family, and her people.

In 2013, Gabori was invited to present her work at the 55th Venice Art Exhibition. And at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
In 2022, the “Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain” in Paris presented the first extensive exhibition of Sally Gabori’s work in Europe.

Bright and bold colours on large size-canvases, absolute formal freedom and boundless imagination. Impossible not to feel deep emotions. Stunning! A must-see if you are in Milan until May 14th.

An exhibition and a life lesson: whatever you want to do, it’s never too late to start!

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