In this Thursday, May 25, 2017 photo, Donte, a musician who only gave his first name, straightens out dollar bills on his first day in a brand new Chewbacca costume purchased from eBay for $441, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. Donte said he replaced the old one because he wasn't making any money with it. (Photo by Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)

Daring motorists entertain spectators by dangerously driving cars and motorcycles on a vertical “wall of death” in Manikgonj, Bangladesh on January 17, 2023. Performers travel without any protective gear at speeds of up to 80 km/h so that their vehicles can balance on the 25 feet high wooden plank. (Photo by Syed Mahabubul Kader/ZUMA Press Wire/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Invasion (laser girls) 2017. “I’m always thinking about my art practice, so any experience I have may spike a visual when I have an idea in mind. An example is that, when I was thinking about the Invasion series, I was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s movie The Birds (1963). I love Hitchcock’s other movies and have been contemplating a series based on Rear Window (1954). I also find inspiration outside the cinema in music clips and magazines”. (Photo by Michael Cook/Perimeter Books)

Do you think that history is a science? Well, not exactly. First, and foremost, history is the state's “legend of wars”, it’s official regalia. Of course, public historians are not interested in scientific truth – quite the opposite. In this respect, any attempt to present a state’s history as altruistic and benevolent as possible is welcomed and encouraged – as opposed to any revisionism attempts that may be more accurate. In this matter, Chinese have surpassed us all – they revised in highly creative manner (but rather shamelessly) the technology already invented by Europeans, a process that resulted in oldest state on the planet. Here is an interesting paradox: ask any sinologist about the Middle Kingdom during second century B.C., and he will describe it to you in such a vivid manner as if he has been living there all his life – but as soon as you will ask him to describe Chinese history in the 19-20th centuries… let's say, his eagerness will be greatly diminished. However, we will discuss China in a different article, and in the meantime we will try to understand how exactly historic “legend of wars” is formed and functions – based on a specific and well-known example. A great example is Ferdinand Magellan's first voyage around the world.

lasgow-based artist Jim Lambie can transform any space into a visual delight with his geometric tape designs. Using everyday vinyl tape, he creates angles and lines of contrasting colors that suggest movement and optical illusions. He can convert a once empty and quiet room into a space filled with energy. As viewers enter a converted space, they instantly have a visual interaction with the artwork.

South Korean military soldiers take part in the South Korea and U.S. joint military exercise to commemorate the 63th Korea Armed Forces Day at the Seungjin firing drill ground on September 30, 2011 in Pocheon, South Korea. The exercise is intended to prepare the South Korean defence force for any potential action from North Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

South Korean special warfare command soldiers participate in winter military training exercise on January 11, 2012 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. The South Korean troops train in temperatures below -20 degrees celsius to defend the country against any possible attacks from North Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

A guard follows participants down a hallway in “Squid Game: The Trials”, an in-person interactive competition experience based on the Netflix show “Squid Games”, on December 20, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. At “Squid Game: The Trials” in Los Angeles, fans of all ages can relive the most emotional moments of Netflix's South Korean hit show – but there is a lot less blood and no one wins any prize money. (Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP Photo)