The Gullah Geechee perform an ancestral ceremony on Sullivan's Island.

Summertime for Gershwin

In the South, the Gullah struggle to keep their traditions alive

Joelle Linhoff, winner of our 4th Annual Photo Contest, spent three days on a hill overlooking a New Zealand pasture before she snapped the photo that would net her the grand prize. “I just took as many photos as I could,” she says, “using as much film as I had brought. I allotted one whole roll of film to the pasture.”

Capturing the Moment

The winner of the 4th Annual Photo Contest shows off her work in this exclusive photo gallery

Mariza is gaining a reputation as the new queen of fado.

Portugal’s Soulful Sound

Often compared to American blues, fado is gaining global appeal

Portuguese King Manuel I (who ruled from 1495-1521), commissioned this Belgian tapestry to commemorate explorer Vasco da Gama's "discovery" of India in 1498. Da Gama is the figure at the left, kneeling before an Indian sultan. In the center, Portuguese sailors load exotic animals—including, strangely, a unicorn—into their ships, for transport to the Portuguese royal zoo.

Global Empire

The curator of an ambitious new exhibition explains how Portugal brought the world together

Around the world (above, Halabja, Iraq), an array of rich and varied wedding rituals exists, full of symbolism intended to reinforce a couple's marital bond and ensure their lasting happiness.

Global Weddings

How “I do” is done around the world

Julia Pierson has headed protective operations for the White House and served on security details of Presidents George H. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

FOR HIRE: Secret Service Agent

Our new series looks at the jobs you wish you had. First up, the agency’s highest-ranking woman

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Gondry’s Magic

Contemporary Art is OK

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Perfect Circles

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The Limits of Imagination

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Who the $#&% is Jackson Pollock?

Gentile Bellini

Between East and West

The first thing Terry Smith did after moving to Washington in 1977 was buy a boat and sail it on the Bay.

A Great Adventure

Terry Smith, author of “Beyond Jamestown,” sailed in the 400-year-old wake of colonial explorer Capt. John Smith

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Doodle Dandy

With a few deft strokes, Saul Steinberg turned institutional letterhead into signature works of whimsy

"I always thought of Bill as like us," says Karen Chatham (left), "until years later, when I realized that he was famous."

They Needed to Talk

And family friend William Eggleston, his camera at his side, felt compelled to shoot

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What Camera?

Look what photographer Robert Creamer can do with a flatbed scanner

Comedy group 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors has performed around the world.

Taking the Stage

The National Asian American Theatre Festival makes its debut

Foucan and Belle called their efforts "parkour," from the French "parcours," meaning "route."

Extreme Running

Made popular by a recent James Bond film, a new urban art form called free running hits the streets

“Collecting” Art on the Cheap

Matthew Barney

A Secret Performance

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