Mention Kuwait and you elicit talk of oil wealth, desert sands, and Iraq's invasion of the emirate in 1990. Interestingly, it's been a center for art and culture since before the aggression.

Architect and urban designer Jan Gehl has dedicated a significant proportion of his career to making cities better places for people by studying public spaces and their impact on civic society.

One of Japan's most celebrated cultural treasures, "Colorful Realm: Japanese Bird-and-Flower Paintings" by Itō Jakuchū (1716-1800) is on view at the National Gallery of Art in Washington through April 29.

James Lukoski, a New York-based photojournalist, has covered numerous domestic and international events during his storied career. Some of his most no...