Whitney Biennial highlights; the designers behind Carti's new custom pieces; inside Slawn's exhibition; and more
Welcome Digest [3.9.26]
Welcome To March 9th
Today’s Important Headlines
Slawn built a recording studio inside his exhibition (an inside look)
Slawn has been recording an album inside of his exhibition at London’s Saatchi Yates Gallery. The album, titled Not an Artist, feels very much in the same vein as a Nigo-style compilation project, and dropped on streaming last night with features from Yuno Miles, Blackhaine, Cochise, and a wide roster of UK underground rappers. Check out welcome’s glimpse into his creative process here. The studio in which the album was recorded is currently listed on eBay for £100,000.
Standout works from the Whitney Biennial
2026 marks the 82nd edition of the Whitney Biennial. Some of our favorites include works from Sula Bermudez-Silverman, Pat Oleszko, Emily Louise Gossiaux, Nour Mobarak, and Young Joon Kwak.
Meet the designers behind the 1/1 pieces Playboi Carti commissioned last week
This week we saw two interesting 1/1 pieces designed for Playboi Carti. The first being artist Slumpy Kev’s boots, airbrushed with the YVL hand gesture and a fanged dog on Goatfarm shoes. The other is a pair of flared leather pants from designer Andreas Aresti, the mind behind the cult brand Lourdes NYC, featuring parallel zippered upside-down crosses above the knees.
Scientists are getting close to replicating consciousness
Not only have scientists digitally recreated a fly’s brain, they have also taught a petri dish of 200,000 human brain cells on an AI chip how to play the 1993 game DOOM after just one week. The implications are far-reaching, ranging from optimistic use cases such as lowering the cost of LLMs, since the cells use hardly any energy, to more unsettling ones. As one online user pointed out, if a clump of cells can play a video game, it could theoretically pilot a drone. In the end, the answer to the long-asked question is yes, it can run DOOM.
The next rap super-project was just announced
After teasing a Surf Gang-produced project in a Pitchfork interview earlier this year, MIKE has announced that the release will also be a collaboration with Earl Sweatshirt. The project, titled POMPEII // Utility, is set to be produced by Surf Gang producers evilgiane and Harrison, with potential features from Xaviersobased, Zeeloopers, and Na-Kel Smith. One online user called it, “Watch the Throne for folk that read Bell Hooks”.
Headline curation and words by Mikail Haroon (@mvkail)
Moodboard 042
Today’s inspiration supplement. Click through to view.
From The Archive
An extra piece of content from the Welcome Archive for Magazine subscribers only.
Ice Box 360 by Philip Wells (2010)
The work refers to the infamous “red ring of death” phenomenon that plagued 360s during this era. A common fix was to place the console in a freezer, an internet workaround meant to shrink internal components and temporarily reconnect cracked solder joints inside the Xbox 360.
