The worn-out rosary you absent-mindedly frequent when uneasy, the pair of shoes you bought with your first salary that you refuse to throw out, your mother's photograph snuggled deep in your wallet—it is interesting how much meaning we ascribe to certain objects, actualising intangible feelings through them. Instead of mere commodities, these items find credence as totems, in every sense of the word, symbolic of memories, values, identities, ideas or emotions.

When do objects become totems? This week, we survey this peculiar transformation: featuring more than 400 objects including sketches, architectural models, films, photographs and newspaper clippings, the show 'I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture' at M+ warrants a thorough peek into the seminal architect's view of not separating architecture from life.

Showcasing art on public billboards as a disruptive tool, The Gallery Season 4 presents 'A Real Woman', confronting critical themes such as the bodies of women, which are routinely objectified. We also speak with Joachim Roncin, head of design, Paris 2024, who expounds on creating the visual identity of the Olympics and Paralympics expressed through logos, torches, posters, medals and mascots. Benjamin Foucaud salvages scraps, samples and found objects in his 'Not as Planned' collection, representing socio-economic undercurrents through the beauty and worth of imperfect, ordinary things.

If totems are emblematic of life, is it possible for things to become beings?