Martine Barrat’s New York: how a French photographer captured Harlem’s soul

The photographer who became family in Harlem

Martine Barrat didn’t just document Harlem and the Bronx—she lived inside them. The French photographer and actor, who arrived in New York in the 1970s, spent decades embedded in the neighbourhoods she loved, earning trust to the point where she was invited into gang apartments, child boxing matches, and even a stranger’s wedding. Her images, now on display in a Guardian photo essay, reveal a New York that is both tough and tender: block parties pulsing with life, young boxers sparring in makeshift gyms, and the quiet moments of connection that define a community.

Barrat’s work stands out for its intimacy. Unlike the fleeting street photography that often defines urban documentation, her images feel like family snapshots—because, in many ways, they were. She didn’t just observe; she participated, forming bonds that allowed her to capture the raw, unguarded essence of her subjects. In an era where photography is often reduced to viral moments or aesthetic detachment, Barrat’s archive is a reminder of what it means to truly see a place and its people.

The Parthenon marbles: a diplomatic test for Britain

Greece’s prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has reignited the debate over the Parthenon marbles with a direct appeal to Britain. Writing in The Guardian, Mitsotakis framed the sculptures as a cultural injustice, comparing their removal by Lord Elgin in the 19th century to the hypothetical dismemberment of the Bayeux Tapestry. “We cannot accept any arrangement that would require Greece to recognise the British Museum’s ownership of the sculptures,” he wrote, ruling out a loan agreement similar to the one that brought the tapestry to the UK this year.

The timing is significant. The marbles—half of which remain in Athens, the other half in London—have long been a point of contention, but recent shifts in public opinion and museum ethics have added pressure. A 2023 YouGov poll found that 56% of Britons believed the marbles should be returned to Greece, reflecting a broader reassessment of colonial-era acquisitions. Mitsotakis’s intervention is not just about the past; it’s a challenge to Britain’s cultural institutions to confront their own history. The British Museum, which has historically resisted repatriation claims, now faces a moment of reckoning: will it cling to legal ownership, or engage in a dialogue about restitution?

El Niño’s quiet hurricane season—and the climate paradox

While El Niño is typically associated with extreme weather, this year it has delivered an unexpected reprieve: a near-hurricane-free Atlantic. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted a quiet season, and so far, the forecast has held. By mid-September, the Atlantic had yet to see a single hurricane—the latest first hurricane on record since 2002.

The phenomenon is a stark reminder of how climate patterns can defy expectations. El Niño’s warming of the Pacific Ocean creates wind shear that disrupts hurricane formation in the Atlantic, offering temporary relief to coastal communities. But this silver lining comes with a warning. The same weather system is linked to droughts in Australia, floods in South America, and intensified heatwaves elsewhere. As Al Gore noted at a recent event marking the 20th anniversary of An Inconvenient Truth, the climate crisis is not a linear narrative. “We are seeing the supersizing of extreme weather before our eyes,” he said, even as some regions experience short-term respite.

The paradox underscores a broader challenge: climate adaptation is not about preparing for a single scenario, but for a world where the rules are constantly rewritten. For the UK, which has faced its own climate-driven disasters—from flooding to heatwaves—the lesson is clear. The absence of hurricanes this year does not mean the threat has passed; it means the next crisis may arrive from an unexpected direction.

What to watch

• Nene Royal’s historic win: The 16-year-old Thai rocker became the first from her country to win America’s Got Talent, blending heavy metal with a stage presence that captivated judges and audiences alike. Her victory is a reminder of how global talent is reshaping mainstream entertainment.
• Harry Potter’s shrinking spell: The two-part Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will reopen next month as a single play, with producers citing the cost-of-living crisis as the reason for the change. The decision reflects the broader pressures facing theatre, where rising costs and shifting audience habits are forcing creative adaptations.
• Angry Anderson’s legacy: The frontman of Rose Tattoo, best known for his 1987 hit Suddenly (which soundtracked Kylie Minogue’s wedding in Neighbours), died this week at 79. His career spanned rock anthems and soap opera cameos, embodying the unlikely intersections of Australian pop culture.

These stories—from Barrat’s Harlem to the Parthenon marbles—remind us that culture and environment are not separate spheres, but intertwined forces shaping our world. The questions they raise—about ownership, identity, and resilience—are not just for historians or scientists, but for all of us navigating a rapidly changing planet.