my theory for 2026 new aesthetics:
the thing what we've been calling ephemera, utilitarian design, micro-design, micro-industrial.
when a culture is shifting fast, language can’t keep up and we end up with different names
objects meant to be purely function suddenly become the stars of the show because they’re honest and unapologetically useful.
this language is showing up in bread tag merch of formula one, viral microsites themed on receipt labels, assembly instructions in high end design, album covers designed like care labels
we’re seeing a shift to hyperlocal (for example, each bread tag is labelled with the day, and there’s a taxonomy for when it’s produced)
we're seeing a shift to the act of noticing, of choosing your attention (when you get to decide “I like this ugly thing, thank you very much”)
when a generation is overwhelmed with polish, and now slop, they crave things that were never meant to deceive. that never had an agenda.
Nuno Loureiro was assassinated yesterday
He was a professor + the director of MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center
> 47 years old
> Studied nuclear fusion (= energy source of the Sun + stars) for 10 years at MIT
> His award-winning work focused on creating a virtually limitless, clean energy source on Earth - one that doesn’t produce carbon or radioactive waste (usual biproduct of fission reactors)
> His research was essentially a threat to companies in the energy sector (fossil fuels, wind, solar, etc)
> Nuno was vital to the development of fusion nuclear power plants, without him the path ahead is less clear + his death will set back the entire field
Nuno is not the first MIT fusion scientist to be brutally murdered, in 2004 Eugene Mallove was also shot in his home
I hope this opens eyes – there is an agenda at play
Cuando abramos un servidor público y el chat d voz no se cague encima subiremos una demo en https://t.co/yhSvlIoBUo pa k lo podais probar!! es un multijugador online asimétrico sobre vandalizar cuadros en un museo!!!