Alex Robert Ross
The story of Steven Universe: TV's smartest cartoon
An animated revolution — Rebecca Sugar’s vision of a half−magic, half−human boy has turned into a socially conscious phenomenon. As Cartoon Network’s first female showrunner, she’s created a daring series that has fun with big topics. Now the challenge is to keep on growing.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross
Did volunteers who flocked to Calais do more harm than good?
The Jungle — A new play opening at London's Young Vic theatre takes an honest and critical look at the well-intentioned people who volunteered in the Jungle.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross
Uncovering the world’s largest collection of drug ephemera
The LSD library — A compulsive collector since the 1970s, Julio Mario Santo Domingo has accrued nearly three house’s worth of literature, knick-knacks and paraphernalia – covering everything from cocaine to opium, black magick to beat poetry, erotica to romanticism.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross
Five books to get you through another year of Trump
The Reading Corner — From Hunter S. Thompson’s scorching Nixon critiques to Ivanka Trump’s vapid self-help ventures – we round up the writing that will help you survive through to 2018.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross
British racists held another miserable rally this weekend
A damp squib — Only fifty members of far-right group Britain First bothered to turn up in Bromley to protest their leader's prosecution.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross
Magnum’s most iconic travel photography is going on sale
Great journeys — From today and Friday, the legendary photo cooperative will be joining forces with Aperture for a special ‘Great Journeys’-themed print sale.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross
Neville Southall: Twitter’s unlikely poet laureate
A surreal interview — The former Wales international footballer dislikes Tories, defends LGBTQ rights and is fascinated by skeletons. ‘I don’t like normal stuff,’ he tells us, in a world exclusive chat.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross
The woman who shares a body with 14 different artists
Kim Noble et al — South Londoner Kim Noble has multiple personalities, 14 of whom are artists with their own distinct styles. Next month, their work will hang alongside Salvador Dali, Francis Bacon and Andy Warhol in a powerful new show about mental health.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross
The harrowing story of the UK’s first openly gay footballer
Forbidden games — Justin Fashanu was a figure of fascination for tabloids until, at the age of 36, he hanged himself. A new documentary from Adam Darke looks back on his legacy.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross
Shooting the strange, uncanny death rituals of the Torajans
Life beyond death — Photographer Claudio Sieber heads to Indonesia to capture ‘Ma’Nene’ – a soothing, spiritual ritual which sees cadavers get re-clothed, polished, and given a sunbathe.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross
Spending a year undercover with the Alt-Right
Hope not hate — 25-year-old graduate student Patrik Hermansson set up a fake identity to get under the skin of the Alt-Right, putting himself face to face with neo-Nazis and white supremacists. Here, he shares his story.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross
As NFL players take the knee, English football remains colourblind
From Where I Stand — The NFL is finally waking up to issues of race, both in and out of the game. Now more than ever, British football must follow suit, explains Alex Ross.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross