Detail of Mirthful Miscellanea (2024), resin, acrylic paint, brass, steel, aluminum, electronics, and wood, 22 x 60 x 16 inches. Photos by Jacques Bellavance. All images Chris Millar, shared with permissionA Miniature Musical Curio Shop by Chris Millar Spins Like ClockworkFebruary 21, 2025ArtKate MothesAfter he graduated from art school, Chris Millar (previously) worked in a toy store for seven years. The shop, now defunct, was calledLivingstone and Cavell Extraordinary Toys in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he tells Colossal.The store carried classics like tin wind-ups, electric trains, dolls, miniature soldiers, and teddy bears.Millars latest extravagantly detailed work was one-and-a-half years in the making and takes inspiration from the joys of toy shops and flea markets. He incorporates resin, acrylic paint, brass, steel, aluminum, electronics, and wood into elaborate kinetic spectacles. Every part of is made from scratch with the exception of a few gears.Mirthful Miscellanea channels an imaginary, fantastical curio shop run by two brothers named Wade and Snyder. Their portraits can be seen in a few areas of the sculpture, Millar says. Wade is an expert in medieval musical instruments and roast chicken, and Snyder in antiquarian circus paraphernalia.The piece follows in the footsteps of a work titled Eclipse at Arc Valleythat incorporates a clockwork mechanism, but this new sculpture further elaborates on the design with a more complex mechanism and a base that emits sound from a music box, two gongs, and six bells.Millar expresses a fondness for mom-and-pop shops and quirky destinations that have found it increasingly difficult to continue operating in our era of online global commerce. The inspiration for the sculpture is a counter to the homogeneity that our internet-based culture bestows on us, he says.The artist is represented byTrepanierBaer, and you can wander more miniature imaginary worlds on the artists website.Next article

Fellow Countrymen (2024-25), oil on canvas, 78 x 73 inches. Photos by Genevieve Hanson. All images courtesy of Tyler Ballon and Jeffrey Deitch, New York, shared with permissionIn Flying High, Tyler D. Ballons Portraits Parallel Sports, History, Identity, and PatriotismFebruary 21, 2025ArtHistoryKate MothesIn douard Manets painting The Execution of Emperor Maximilian actually a series of works completed between 1867 and 1869 a firing squad dramatically executes the Hapsburg royal and two generals. Maximilian became Emperor of Mexico at the urging of Napoleon III, following the second French intervention in the country between 1861 and 1867.For his forthcoming solo exhibition, Flying High at Jeffrey Deitch, New Jersey-based artist Tyler D. Ballon recreates the 19th-century painters work in a 16-foot-wide diptych titled Right to Bear Arms/Second Amendment that portrays two young Black men protecting three young Black women, who look directly at the viewer with dignity, in defiance of objectification. Right to Bear Arms/Second Amendment (2024-25), oil on canvas, diptych, overall 70 x 193.5 inchesSeeing a gun pointed at a person of color is something thats familiar to American history, Ballon says in a statement. But having an African American man holding a rifle is distinctively different. The work challenges perceptions of Black men bearing arms, reclaiming their image as patriots and protectors, and pays homage to the Civil War troops.Patriotism and narrative weave throughout Ballons architectonic works, drawing on the legacy of history painting, African Americans in the Civil War, and identity through the lens of contemporary sports. The artist says:While creating these paintings, I realized there is an interesting dichotomy between sports being a tool for success and having Black bodies being used to advance Americas ambition. My paintings challenge stereotypes that confine people of color to achieving success solely through physical prowess or musical talent. These works celebrate the resilience of young African Americans who carve out better lives using the resources available to them.Ballon excavates Black American history, paying homage to those who fought for citizenship and freedom. Through football, a quintessentially American sport, he evokes military ideologies that also offer young men an avenue to channel their aggression, build camaraderie, and find fulfillment, he says. Games evoke battles; coaches are likened to generals or lieutenants; and key players are assigned to be offensive or defensive captains, leading their teammates and relaying calls from the sidelines. Sound of Victory (2025), oil paint on canvas, 82 x 78 inchesChoosing his hometown of Jersey Citys Abraham Lincoln High School to represent a metaphorical and symbolic regiment, Ballon nods to Black Civil War veterans who fought for African Americans rights. Football is also channeled as a means for young people to advance to higher education and further their future prospects. The children in these paintings are a testament to progress and a source of hope for the future, the artist says. In Before the Battle, players suit up and a coach stands off to the left, looking directly back at us, as do many of the determined players. In Fellow Countrymen, we see three distinguished players who also make eye contact, geared up and ready to take on whatever the opposing team throws their way. Our perspective is always just a little bit lower than eye level with the figures, encouraging us to view them in subtle reverence, as we would with many of art historys grand portraits and battle scenes.Ballon grasps the troubled legacy of some early 19th-century history painting, which prior to the widespread use of photography was one way that the European public could comprehend their nations overseas colonial empires, all of which deeply and violently impacted Black and Indigenous peoples.History painting was seen as a form of documentation, sometimes criticized for its lack of accuracy with regard to depictions of battles, but it proved a powerful method for furthering white European imperial attitudes. For Ballon, appropriating the genre yields a powerful tool, turning the tables on both who makes and is portrayed in the monumental scenes.Detail of Right to Bear Arms/Second AmendmentBallon also celebrates marching bands, historically used to convey orders and signals to military troops, which over time assumed the role of morale- and unity-boosters. I choose to portray the marching band of Malcom X Shabazz High School for their renowned excellence in performance, their New Jersey roots, and their namesake, Malcom X, a pivotal leader during the Civil Rights Movement whose ideology helped shape African American culture and history, Ballon says.The title of the exhibition, Flying High, reflects the aspiration to rise above the adversities of inner city life. My work focuses on the lives and experiences of the people in my community, Ballon says. I believe in capturing moments that can inspire and validate their existence, extending their stories beyond geographic and temporal boundaries. I want young people to see themselves as worthy of being immortalized in arta recognition that transcends time.Flying High runs from March 8 to April 19 in New York City. See more on the artists website and Instagram.Before the Battle (2024-25), oil on canvas, diptych, overall 90 x 134 inchesDetail of Before the BattleDetail of Sound of VictoryNext article

Greg Olijnyk is no stranger to the possibilities of a single, seemingly simple material. In his ever-evolving world of robots, machines, insects, and buildings, cardboard proves endlessly versatile. He meticulously cuts, folds, and glues tiny pieces to resemble everything from rivets and windows to columns and balustrades.The Melbourne-based artists most recent works play with unexpected juxtapositions, like a classical cathedral dome with the base of a missile, a gothic tower fitted with jet propulsion boosters, and a lighthouse on a ship being guided through a craggy canal. Find more on his website and Instagram.Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article From Tiny Strips of Cardboard, Greg Olijnyk Fashions Fantastical Monuments appeared first on Colossal.

Ventura (2024), Festa da Luz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. All images courtesy of Amanda Lobos, shared with permissionFantastical Figures Illuminate Urban Buildings in Amanda Lobos Murals and InstallationsFebruary 20, 2025Kate MothesVibrant contrasts, eye-opening patterns, and mischievous creatures are just a few of the characteristics of Brazilian artist Amanda Lobos beguiling scenes. Based in Vila Velha, about an eight-hour drive up the coast from Rio de Janeiro, Lobos works extensively across a range of mediums, from graphic and product design to murals and public installations.A large-scale inflatable work titled Ventura was installed last year on the top of a building in the city of Belo Horizonte. Lobos calls upon the philosophy of Indigenous Brazilian environmentalist and philosopher Ailton Krenak, who posits that humankind should live in harmony with nature rather than trying to control it.Mural for Festival Nalata (2023), 5 x 8 meters. Av. Faria Lima n822, So Paulo, BrazilLobos all-seeing Ventura, which translates to fortune, perches on a corner of a tall building and oversees its domain, double-faced with two eyes on each side and one of its legs curled up casually on the ledge.This work is about the agony and dilemma of returning a star to the sky, Lobos says in a statement, describing Ventura as condemned to the duality of the fantastic and the real.Much of the artists work is intentionally left open to interpretation. I believe that what I want to communicate to viewers is already embedded in my work visually, allowing them to interpret it however they wishthats the beauty of it! Lobos tells Colossal. I dont like to be too literal or overly serious with my concepts; I enjoy the creative process and the freedom it gives me.In vivid murals, Lobos applies a similar juxtaposition of mystery and play, as coy characters dance within colorful panels or long walls illuminate the joys of learning. An expansive mural at a school in the Jardim Limoeiro neighborhood of Serra celebrates science, art, curiosity, and play.MC.Arte mural for the Penlope Municipal Early Childhood Education Center in Jardim Limoeiro, Serra, Esprito Santo, Brazil (2023). Photo by Ana LuzesMy favorite thing about painting muralsbesides seeing them come to life on a large scale from an initial sketch on paper or a 30-centimeter canvasis the process itself, Lobos tells Colossal. She adds:Executing the piece and watching it unfold is truly special. The feeling of applying paint with no Ctrl+Z is humbling, and working on such a large surface teaches you to embrace mistakes and adapt in new ways. Every wall is a fresh learning experience.Lobos is soon heading to Mexico to paint her first mural outside of Brazil looking forward to collaborating with two other artists on a pair of murals for the Movimento Cidade festival in August.Weve shared a handful of public art projects here, but you can head over to Behance or Instagram to see a wide range of the designers vibrant product collaborations and commissions.Three illustrated tarot cards created for the publishing company TAG Livros, referencing iconic authorsVenturaTropical Transformation mural for brand activation of Devassa beer at the Casa7 event venue, Vitria, Espirito Santo, BrazilSix illustrated tarot cards created for the publishing company TAG Livros, referencing iconic authorsInterior mural for CASACOR Esprito SantoMC.Arte mural in progress for the Penlope Municipal Early Childhood Education CenterNext article

Undercurrent (2023), stainless steel, 340 x 410 x 630 centimeters. All images courtesy of Zheng Lu and Galerie Sept, shared with permissionSplashes of Stainless Steel by Zheng Lu Embrace Philosophy, History, and TechnologyFebruary 20, 2025ArtNatureKate MothesComposed of highly polished stainless steel, the sculptures of Zheng Lu (previously) appear suspended in space and time. Whether secured atop a pedestal, installed in a public park, or hanging in midair, each piece strikes a fine balance between motion and stillness and fluidity and fixedness.The Beijing-based artist is deeply influenced by traditional Chinese philosophy and calligraphy. The energy, or qi, that courses through the universe shapes his work and is known to facilitate health, stability, and harmony in all aspects of life. Thousands of Chinese characters borrowed from historic texts additionally coat many of his sculptures, calling upon the past as a way to interface with the present.Undercurrent, stainless steelLu is also increasingly interested in the burgeoning relationship between human artistry and artificial intelligence. The advancement of technology will inevitably blur the boundaries between tools and creators, but the essence of creation remains rooted in human nature, the artist tells Colossal. Viewed as a tool rather than a stand-in for human creativity, he is interested in how machine learning prompts us to more carefully consider authorship.Through a creative approach that alternates between human and machine, Lu likens his process to a relay race, with the artwork itself as the baton. He continues:I pass the baton to the computer, and it passes it back to me, each of us shaping the piece in turn. The final outcome is not entirely predictable. The existence of the world is defined by balance, and none of us can escape this principle. Hence, I embrace this method both in my life and work, where the process of creation is akin to the growth of life.Lu is represented by Galerie Sept, and you can find more on the artists website. Installation view of UndercurrentWater in Dripping Vortex, stainless steelWhatever Journey it Takes (2024), stainless steel, 560 x 540 x 240 centimetersWater in Dripping Circulation, stainless steelColosseum Fantasy (2024), stainless steel, 120 x 100 x 242 centimetersNext article

Buffet (1972-1975), oil on canvas, 48 1/8 x 60 1/8 inches. Photo by Katherine Du Tiel. All images Wayne Thiebaud Foundation, licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY, courtesy of UC Press, shared with permissionWayne Thiebauds Passion for Art History Shines in Art Comes from ArtFebruary 20, 2025Kate MothesIf imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Wayne Thiebaud (1920-2021) knew how to appropriate most ardently. The renowned artist once said, Its hard for me to think of artists who werent influential on me because Im such a blatant thief.Next month, a major retrospective highlights Thiebauds six-decade career, featuring around 60 quintessential works spanning a range of subject matter. From his celebrated still-lifes of dessert displays and prosaic household objects to portraits, cityscapes, and expansive natural vistas, Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art takes a deep dive into the artists engagement with art history.Five Seated Figures (1965 ), oil on canvas, 60 x 72 inchesThiebaud spent time in the 1950s with abstract artists like Franz Kline and Elaine and Willem de Kooning in New York City, where he also met Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns whose mixed-media practices incorporated found objects in conceptual, proto-Pop Art paintings and assemblages. While in the city, Thiebaud made small paintings of food displayed on windows, which he further explored when he returned to California.Thiebauds career originated with a focus on illustration and cartoons, which aligned with the emergence of Pop Art in the U.S. in the early 1960s. A response to the austerity of the First and Second World Wars, the movement celebrated bold colors, repetition, and everyday objects and commodities.Art Comes from Art showcases how Thiebaud borrowed from the breadth of European and American masterworks, from Henri Matisse to Richard Diebenkorn to Andrea Mantegna. I believe very much in the tradition that art comes from art and nothing else, the artist said.Thiebaud copied, reinterpreted, mashed up, and transformed art history into his own artistic vision, viewing other artists cumulative work as a kind of archive or repositoryan encyclopedic bureau of standards that he could steal from while simultaneously paying tribute to titans of the Western art canon.Three Machines (1963), oil on canvas, 30 x 36 1/2 inches. Photo by Randy Dodson, courtesy of the Fine Arts Museums of San FranciscoIn oil paintings like 35 Cent Masterpieces, Thiebaud renders a display of artwork reproductions evocative of postcards or bookshelves in a museum gift shop. And lighting redolent of Edward Hopper, also known for depicting everyday American scenes, contrasts the subjects of Five Seated Figures. Along with Thiebaulds vibrant, buttery portrayals of meals and treats with characteristically glowing blue shadows, additional pieces reference Rembrandt, George Seurat, douard Manet, and many more.Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art opens at San Franciscos Legion of Honor on March 22 and continues through August 17. The show is accompanied by a catalog published by UC Press slated for release in mid-April. Find your copy on Bookshop.Bar-B-Qued Chickens (1961), oil on canvas, 19 x 24 inchesCanyon Mountains (2011-2012), oil on canvas, 66 1/8 x 54 1/8 inches. Photo by Katherine Du TielBetty Jean Thiebaud and Book (1965-1969), oil on canvas, 36 x 30 inchesFront cover of Art Comes from Art featuring 35 Cent Masterworks (1970-1972), oil on canvas, 36 x 24 inchesNext article

All images Tng Nm, shared with permissionFelines Evoke A Floating World in Tng Nms Whimsical IllustrationsFebruary 19, 2025ArtIllustrationKate MothesAccompanied by delicate insects and social betta fish, the cats in Tng Nms illustrations (previously) alternate between curiosity, serenity, friskiness, and determination. The artist portrays a diversity of feline natures, merging their likenesses with flowers, waves, foliage, and clouds.Nms characters are playfully anthropomorphized, donning patterned kimonos and hair ornaments. The series emerged organically from practice sketches of flowers in the ukiyo-e style.I felt like it was missing something, so I tried to add a cat as the protagonist, Nm tells Colossal. Somehow it still doesnt feel right, so I think of adding a companionfishes, butterfly, dragonflylike they were encountering each other in a specific moment. Fittingly, he called the series An encounter.An accompanying collection, A Floating World, takes further inspiration from the genre, directly referencing the Japanese word ukiyo. The term describes a hedonistic lifestyle in Edonow called Tokyoin the 1600s, spawning a style of art that captured the mood and interests of the period. Famed artists like Hokusai or Hiroshige focused on woodblock printing and painting to represent scenes from history, folk tales, kabuki actors, flora and fauna, landscapes, and more.For Nm, ukiyo-e provides the starting point for exploring a range of subject matter. Hes currently exploring ideas for further illustrations that incorporate different animals and visual cultures.Find more on the artists Behance and Instagram.Next article

Road Refrigerator (2025), cardboard, tin foil, aluminum wire, epoxy clay, and watercolor, 33 x 63 x 15 inches. All images courtesy of the artist and Moskowitz Bayse, Los Angeles, shared with permissionRooms and Buildings Have a Life of Their Own in Eamon Monaghans Uncanny DioramasFebruary 19, 2025ArtKate MothesFramed by steel I-beams, aluminum cladding, or floor boards, Eamon Monaghans chaotic dioramas appear ready to burst from their own confines. Made from everyday materials like cardboard, tinfoil, wire, and epoxy clay, his sculptures capture harried moments of disarray seemingly frozen in time.In the artists current solo exhibition, Under the Floorboards at Moskowitz Bayse, the sculptures jump off the wall, angles jutting this way and that. Beams intersect with appliances; floor boards bend; stairways emerge from nowhere and terminate in open space; and radiator steam infiltrates everything in its path.Foggy Pipes (2025), cardboard, tin foil, aluminum wire, epoxy clay, and watercolor, 34 x 70 x 18 inchesMonaghan draws on the work of 20th-century underground legends like cartoonist R. Crumb or clay animator Bruce Bickford. In the artists three-dimensional scenes, tiny figures sometimes emerge comically half-concealed, sometimes grappling with the situation at hand and sometimes simply swept up in the action.He embraces unpredictability and farce, playfully examining the relationships between stability, movement, time, and a sense of control. In Stages, for example, a series of platforms and rooms shift around in a puzzle-like arrangement, with one figure apparently taken by surprise by a steel beam, another crawling behind a curtain, and yet another passed out on a sofa while helping to pull the strings of the entire uncanny production.Under the Floorboards continues through March 29 in Los Angeles. Find more on the artists Instagram.Stages (2025), cardboard, tin foil, aluminum wire, epoxy clay, and watercolor, 44 x 67 x 15 inchesDetail of Foggy PipesTrap Door (2025), cardboard, tin foil, aluminum wire, epoxy clay, and watercolor, 25 x 30 x 10 inchesSide view of Road RefrigeratorSecure The Spaghetti (2025), cardboard, tin foil, aluminum wire, epoxy clay, and watercolor, 16 x 35 x 10 inchesA Nice Night In (2025), cardboard, tin foil, aluminum wire, epoxy clay, and watercolor, 28 x 45 x 14 1/2 inchesNext article

The Afterglow and Catch of the Day. All images courtesy of Adrienna Matzeg and Tacit Collective, shared with permissionAdrienna Matzegs Punch Needle Embroideries Conjure Nostalgic Summer Road TripsFebruary 19, 2025ArtCraftKate MothesNo matter where the map directs you, a road trip usually conjures some key elements that make it unique from any other kind of journey. Think quirky roadside attractions, diners, spontaneous snack stops, scenic views, national parksthe list goes on!For Adrienna Matzeg, summertime trips inspire a new series of punch needle embroidery works (previously) in a collection titled The Scenic Route, now available through Tacit Collective.Lick-A-TreatThe Toronto-based artist merges her interests in photography, textiles, and design to create vibrant, narrative embroidery compositions. Through reducing the subject matter in her work to simplified colours, shapes, and fragments, she explores how we recall memories, with a specific interest in travel destinations and souvenirs, says a gallery statement.In works like Catch of the Day, Matzeg evokes the timeless experience of a pint of brew and a gingham-lined basket of freshly battered fish. Lighthouse Route captures a scenic byway sign, and in The Afterglow, a grocery store sign advertises summer vacation staples like ice cream cones and pizza by the slice.Pieces in The Scenic Routehint at simple joys, brief pauses, and the fading light of day, evoking in-between experiences that may seem ordinary enough at the moment but linger in the memory long after summer ends.Explore more on the artists website and Instagram.Catch of the DayDetail of Lick-A-TreatOpenDetail of The AfterglowLighthouse RouteAt the LookoffDetail of At the LookoffNext article

All images courtesy of Matt Roussel, shared with permissionMatt Roussels Textured Woodcuts Metamorphose into PaintingsFebruary 18, 2025ArtKate MothesFrom elaborate portraits to overflowing florals to playful animals, the woodcuts of Matt Roussel (previously) tell a wide range of enigmatic stories. For his large-scale works, Roussel begins by carving wooden panels, but rather than using the blocks to make prints, he applies acrylic paint to the surfaces to create bold, textured paintings. Portraits of women wearing unique garments are complemented by goldfish that metamorphose into birds and giant scarab beetles cloaked in giant flowers.Roussels work will be on view in several forthcoming art3f fairs throughout Europe, with Strasbourg, Nantes, and Lyon coming up in late February and March. Find more on the artists website and Instagram.Three Flowers Scarab, acrylic on carved woodDetail of Three Flowers ScarabMtamorphose, acrylic on carved wood, 60 x 60 centimetersFleur de Zhou, acrylic on carved woodPoisson pipe, acrylic on carved wood, 60 x 80 centimetersLa grande fleur, acrylic on carved wood, 120 x 80 centimetersGolden dance, acrylic on carved wood, 60 x 80 centimeters3 cimes, acrylic on carved wood, 120 x 80 centimetersDetail of 3 cimesLa falaise, acrylic on carved wood, 60 x 80 centimetersNext article

On daily walks around New York City, Eric Kogan has a knack for finding unexpected moments of humor and happenstance. His playful photographs (previously) capture visual coincidences and interactions between his urban surroundings and nature.From clouds seemingly cradled by electrical wires to the moon balanced precariously on the corner of a building, Kogans scenes highlight how perspective, light, and excellent timing can capture a lighthearted, even mischievous view of the city. Find more on his website and Instagram.Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Timing is Everything in Eric Kogans Coincidental Photos of New York City appeared first on Colossal.

All images Mary Maka, shared with permissionThe Year of the Snake Slithers in Many Guises in Mary Makas Playful IllustrationsFebruary 18, 2025IllustrationKate MothesWidely celebrated in China and cultures across Asia, Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays, marked by the new moon that appears between January 21 and February 20. This year, the celebration fell on January 29, and in accordance with the zodiac, 2025 ushered in the Year of the Snake.Mary Maka (previously) ran with the motif in a new series of illustrations dedicated to the annual event, exploring character design and experimenting with a range of shapes. Combining botanical elements and an interest in animation, her dynamic creatures writhe and twist, sometimes incorporating plant-like traits like cacti spikes and flowers into serpentine compositions.Cat SnakeOf the twelve zodiac animals, the snake may be the most tenacious, associated with the element fire. People born under the sign are said to be resilient, intelligent, resourceful, and determined. Makas digital portraits capture various unexpected characteristics, from a fork-tongued green cat to a berry-tailed rattler.Through humorous depictions of serpents shaped like cats, fruit, desert flora, and creatures out of science fiction, Maka embraces new ideas and juxtapositions. Still in draft form, additional vipers try on the guises of a genie, cowboy, and others. See more on her website, Behance, and Instagram.Plant SnakeSock SnakeLove SnakeMushrooms SnakeBerry SnakeEye SnakeApple SnakeNext article

Numbers and Trees: Tanzania Series 1, Baobab, Tree #4, Maasai(2024), acrylic sheet, acrylic paint, photograph, 3 parts, 95 x 132 1/4 x 5 3/4 inches. Photo by Fredrik Nilsen. All images Charles Gaines, courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth, shared with permissionCharles Gaines Maps the Meanings of Ancient Baobab Trees in Meticulous ChartsFebruary 17, 2025Grace EbertSince the 1970s, Charles Gaines (previously) has been charting the sprawling, unpredictable forms of trees onto numbered grids. He began with walnut trees in 1975, which he photographed while barren and then plotted onto hand-drawn graph paper. A leader in the Conceptual Art movement, Gaines works ask viewers to explore the relationships between what something appears to be and what it means as it shifts from one context to the next. He also argues for a greater divide between subjectivity and aesthetics, instead emphasizing cultures immense role in shaping our experiences.Detail of Numbers and Trees: Tanzania Series 1, Baobab, Tree #4, Maasai (2024), acrylic sheet, acrylic paint, photograph, 3 parts, 95 x 132 1/4 x 5 3/4 inches. Photo by Fredrik NilsenIn his ongoing Numbers and Trees series, Gaines continues to chart differences. During a 2023 visit to Tanzania, the artist photographed majestic baobabs, which form the basis for a collection of triptychs that entwine the magnificent specimens with colorfully numbered grids. Gnarled trunks and spindly offshoots both layer atop and are masked by Gaines sequences, all viewed through sheets of plexiglass.The baobab is known as the tree of life for its longevity, myriad roles in preserving the savanna ecosystem, and ability to host entire habitats within its canopies. The specimens are often associated with folklore and myth and in the era of climate disaster, are some of the casualties of unrelenting drought. Depending on location, epoch, and community, the trees can serve a wide array of purposes and hold a multitude of symbolism.Icons of the African continent, baobabs also connect to histories of colonialism and slavery. In this context, theyre distorted and mediated by both Gaines organizing principles and the acrylic panes. What you bring to the image, adds to the image, the artist says.Numbers and Trees, The Tanzania Baobabs is on view from February 19 to May 24 at Hauser & Wirth West Hollywood.Numbers and Trees: Tanzania Series 1, Baobab, Tree #7, Makonde (2024), acrylic sheet, acrylic paint, photograph, 3 parts, 95 x 132 1/4 x 5 3/4 inches. Photo by Keith LubowDetail of Numbers and Trees: Tanzania Series 1, Baobab, Tree #7, Makonde (2024), 95 x 132 1/4 x 5 3/4 inches. Photo by Keith LubowNumbers and Trees: Tanzania Series 1, Baobab, Tree #3, Tongwe (2024), acrylic sheet, acrylic paint, photograph, 3 parts, 95 x 132 1/4 x 5 3/4 inches. Photo by Fredrik NilsenDetail of Numbers and Trees: Tanzania Series 1, Baobab, Tree #3, Tongwe (2024), acrylic sheet, acrylic paint, photograph, 3 parts, 95 x 132 1/4 x 5 3/4 inches. Photo by Fredrik NilsenNumbers and Trees: Tanzania Series 1, Baobab, Tree #2, Zanaki (2024), acrylic sheet, acrylic paint, photograph, 3 parts, 95 x 132 1/4 x 5 3/4 inches. Photo by Keith LubowDetail of Numbers and Trees: Tanzania Series 1, Baobab, Tree #2, Zanaki (2024), acrylic sheet, acrylic paint, photograph, 3 parts, 95 x 132 1/4 x 5 3/4 inches. Photo by Keith LubowNumbers and Trees: Tanzania Series 1, Baobab, Tree #5, Rangi (2024), acrylic sheet, acrylic paint, photograph, 3 parts, 95 x 132 1/4 x 5 3/4 inches. Photo by Fredrik NilsenDetail of Numbers and Trees: Tanzania Series 1, Baobab, Tree #5, Rangi (2024), acrylic sheet, acrylic paint, photograph, 3 parts, 95 x 132 1/4 x 5 3/4 inches. Photo by Fredrik NilsenNext article

Veil IV (2024), water, light, silt, 15 x 15 x 3 feet. All images Lachlan Turczan, shared with permissionWatery Landscapes Set the Stage for Lachlan Turczans Ephemeral Light InstallationsFebruary 14, 2025Kate MothesIn the dreamy installations of Lachlan Turczan, natural and perceptual phenomena combine in otherworldly installations merging technology with aquatic landscapes. Water is central to the Los Angeles-based artists work and helps shape an ongoing series of immersive projects incorporating light and sonic phenomena.Turczan is influenced by the Light and Space movement, which originated in Southern California in the 1960s and is characterized by the work of John McLaughlin, Robert Irwin, James Turrell, Lita Albuquerque, and more. The movement focused on perception, employing materials like glass, neon, resin, acrylic, and fluorescent lights to emphasize light, volume, and scale. Constellation Grid (2024), water, light, and fog. A swamp in Upstate New YorkMany Light and Space artists created installations and immersive spaces conditioned by naturally occurring elements like Turrells ever-changing glimpse of the sky through a ceiling aperture for Space that Sees. Not only does the view change as clouds roll by or the weather shifts, but the light continuously transforms the entire room.While my work shares this lineage, Turczan tells Colossal, it diverges in several key ways: rather than exploring the nature of experience, I create experiences of nature that challenge our understanding of light, water, and space. He describes his approach as complicating these elements, emphasizing the ever-changing fluidity of the environment.In Turczans ongoing Veil series, light installations unfold organically in locations ranging from Death Valleys Badwater Basin to a flooded park near the Rhine River. Lasers and beams of light are projected and submerged, capturing the movement of wind, mist, and the waters surface.Additional pieces also merge light and water, like Aldwa Alsael, which translates to liquid light, and was commissioned for the 2024 Noor Riyadh Light Art Festival.Veil I (2024), light, water, and salt. Death Valley, CaliforniaFor the most part, these installations unfold organically, Turczan says. I may discover a location in nature that seems perfect for a new Veil sculpture, but when I return, the conditions have inevitably changed. Evolving circumstances require the artist to proceed with an openness to chance encounters that strike a balance between preparation and intuition.Find more on Turczans website, and follow updates on Instagram. (via This Isnt Happiness)Death Valley Veil (2024), water, light, and haze. Lake Manly, a temporary lake that formed in Death Valleys Badwater Basin after Hurricane HillaryVeil II (2024), light, water, and steam. Mojave Desert, CaliforniaAldwa Alsael (2024), water, light, and steel tower, 25 x 25 x 50 feetVeil V (2024), water and light, 15 x 15 x 3 feetAldwa AlsaelNext article

R-KAID-RBeep Boop! Computers and Game Consoles Blink to Life in Love Hultns Retrofuturist TechFebruary 14, 2025Kate MothesFrom throwback pixelated video games to science fiction-inspired computer consoles, Love Hultns playful sculptures (previously) harken back to the birth of digital.Based in Gothenburg, Sweden, the artists explorations of video games, electronic music, and retrofuturist aesthetics continue to shape playful pieces like R-KAID-R, a mobile video game complete with a toggle, all of which can be carried like a briefcase.The SingerOne recent work, The Future Fan Stage takes a humorous approach to a fantastical fusion of live performance, science, and computers. Commissioned for Gothenburgs Way Out West, the screen doubles as a fully functional stage that played live recordings of the headliners for what might be the largest yet smallest crowd in history: sperm and eggs getting ready to rumble in a laboratory, Hultn says.The artist draws on controversies surrounding in vitro fertilization (IVF) that have reached a fever pitch during the past few years. Taking an optimistic approach to science and modern medicine, Hultn references studies demonstrating that music may improve fertilization during the IVF process.Hultns work will be on view in Liljevalchs spring salon Vrsalong 2025, which opens on February 14 in Stockholm. Find more on the artists website.LetoThe Future Fan StageDetail of The Future Fan StageY-17Detail of Y-17R-KAID-RDetail of LetoThe SingerNext article

The interior of Matt Buas cabin in Catskill, New York. Photo by Photo by Kevin Witte Productions. All images courtesy of Matt Bua, shared with permissionMatt Buas Repurposed City in Upstate New York Just Hit the MarketFebruary 13, 2025ArtDesignKate MothesOn nearly 27 wooded acres outside the town of Catskill, New York, artist Matt Bua has been hard at work on a creative compound like no other. For two decades, he has constructed an artist-built environment from salvaged materials comprising numerous living spaces and work areas. Recently listed for sale for $269,000, the off-grid property known as B-Home could be yours.Buas project originated with the idea to build one of every type of dwelling we could with materials that were easily at hand, the artist tells Colossal. From repurposed vinyl records, bottles, and reclaimed wood, a sprawling repurposed city emerged as painted signs, sculptures, and one-of-a-kind structures popped up over time.Bua describes his approach as intuitive building, working in response to the natural terrain, found materials, and vernacular structures of the northeast. He wrote a book titled Talking Walls, which focuses on the regions tens of thousands of miles of historic stone walls and considers history and material culture merge in the ways we understand place.Bua lived in Brooklyn when he purchased the property. All I wanted to do was go up there and build, he recently told Artnet. He was inspired by self-sustaining communities like Drop City in Colorado, an artists commune formed in 1960 with a reputation for remarkable hand-built homes. Incidentally, he also used to maintain Catskills quirky Catamount Peoples Museum, an installation of an enormous bobcat made from scraps of wood.Along with a cohort of friends who have contributed freestanding artworks and functional structures over the years, Bua approached B-Home as a collaborative experiment informed by the needs and desires of our surrounding community.Learn more about Buas work on his website. All images courtesy of Matt Bua, shared with permissionMap of B-HomeNext article

Detail of For the Womens House (1972). All images from Paint Me a Road Out of HereA New Documentary Traces How a Faith Ringgold Mural at Rikers Island Helped Women Break FreeFebruary 13, 2025Grace EbertIn 1971, Faith Ringgold (1930-2024) received her first public art commission. New York City offered the late artist a $3,000 grant to paint a mural atthe Womens House of Detention on Rikers Island. After going inside and speaking with those incarcerated in the notorious prison, Ringgold decided to base the work around a request from one of the women about what she hoped the piece would depict: I want to see a road leading out of here.In Ringgolds characteristically bold palette, the resulting mural features more than a dozen figures, many of whom are employed in professions unavailable to women at the time. Vibrant and sliced into eight sections, For the Womens House portrays doctors, bus drivers, basketball players, and the yet-to-be-realized vision of a woman as president. The large-scale work was a tribute to the deferred dreams of those who were locked up and a directive to reimagine the stereotypes put on incarcerated people.According to ArtNet, the artist continued her relationship with the detained women and returned to the facility each month to provide courses in subjects ranging from mask-making and theater to career counseling and drug addiction prevention.When Rikers Island transitioned to housing men in 1998, though, the Department of Corrections painted over the work, concealing it under a thick layer of white paint.A new documentary directed by Catherine Gund chronicles Ringgolds fight to regain control over the mural as it tells a broader story about the injustices of the U.S. justice system. Paint Me a Road Out of Here, released by Aubin Pictures, features conversations with Ringgold before her death last year, along with artist Mary Enoch Elizabeth Baxter, who has been commissioned to create a new work to replace For the Womens House.The film comes at a time when more artists who were formerly incarcerated are gaining attention as they point out the dehumanization and cruelty at the heart of the prison system. Jesse Krimes, for example, interrogates the material conditions of life inside as he incorporates soap bars, playing cards, newspapers, and bedsheets into his practice. And at a similarly infamous facility, artist Moath al-Alwi sculpts ships from cardboard, dental floss, and threads from his prayer cap while detained at Guantnamo Bay.For the Womens House (1972)While the film shares the story of Ringgolds nearly lost muralwhich was relocated in 2022it also speaks to the power of community and connection through art and making, particularly in places where despair and degradation are rampant. Art gives us permission to imagine a world beyond what currently exists, one interviewee in the film says.Paint Me a Road Out of Here is currently screening at the Film Forum in New York. Keep an eye on Aubin Pictures website and Instagram for additional locations.The artist with the muralNext article

Detail of Work n144 : Hot Wheels from the series Wheeling and dealing (2017), charred plane wood, 59 x 59 x 21 centimeters each. All images ADAGP, Paris, 2025, courtesy of Nne Futbol Club, shared with permissionNne Futbol Clubs Hot Wheels Drive at the Dualities of Systems and SocietyFebruary 13, 2025ArtKate MothesCombining sculpture and performative interventions, Nne Futbol Clubsometimes referred to as Nonefutbolclubexpresses conceptual messages through ephemeral objects and time-based actions. The name is the alias of Colas Claisse, who co-founded the project as a collective but now works solo under the moniker. The initiative continues to delve into potent dichotomies like tragedy and humor, vulnerability and security, disruption and calm, and politics and fiction.Nne Futbol Clubs work may sometimes make you smile, but it can also be serious, says a statement. It highlights the violence inherent in our world, where speed and productivity are seen as all-powerful. The artist describes the projects role as one that takes hold of our immediate environment, expressing social divides and examining socio-political issues with a spark of wry humor.Installation view of Work n144 : Hot Wheels from the series Wheeling and dealing (2017), charred plane wood, 59 x 59 x 21 centimeters eachAn ongoing series of sculptures assume the form of tires fashioned from wooden rings. Scorched with fire, the series Wheeling and dealing includes multimedia works all titled Work n144: Hot Wheels. The pieces appear in the guise of Cooper or Pirelli racing tires, yet upon closer inspection, they reveal their surprising composition. Layered meanings emerge through the flames, which initially create, and in some cases destroy, the works.Each life-size wooden object is made from sliced tree trunks that have been carbonized, producing the rich, black texture and facets redolent of treads. Since a tree does not grow from its core but from the periphery of its trunk, the cracks resulting from combustion are created concentrically, the artist says, describing how the resulting patterns mimic brand new, rubber care tires.A double entendre in the sense that the sculptures refer to the American toy brand of the same name and the literal temperature of the pieces as they burn, the artist plays with perception by creating a material that pretends to be another.Nne Futbol Club continues to revel in this subtle deception, trapping the spectator in the simulacrum: Subjected to form but destroying function,Hot Wheelsintroduces the silent unease of a double game: real tire or wood? Voluntary combustion or fatal car accident?Detail of Work n144 : Hot WheelsThe Wheeling and dealing series also spawns drawings made from charcoal chipped off of the sculptures when handled. Video works, such as the half-hour piece included below, chronicle the tires destruction in atmospheric landscapes. Bespoke molds cast tire shapes in plaster, aluminum, andcoming full circlerubber. And later pieces incorporate puddles of metal underneath the tires, symbolizing overheating as the rims melt and serve as a display pedestal. Literally and figuratively a loop, the pieces define the cyclical nature of much of Nne Futbol Clubs practice.The artist describes his approach as a systematic hijacking or reversal of the system, tapping into the powerful symbolism of objects that are burned or smashed amidst revolt. Faced with a sense of powerlessness, car vandals and rioters seek an accessible way to convey a radical message, he says. As the embodiment of a comfortable and cushioned system, the car is a perfect target.Nne Futbol Club is slated to show work at Iconoscope Gallery in May in Montpellier and at MacBar in September in Lyon. Find more on his website and Instagram.Work n144: Hot Wheels from the series Wheeling and dealing (2017), burnt wood on paper, 100 x 77 centimetersWork n144 : Hot Wheels from the series Wheeling and dealing (2017), charred plane wood, 59 x 59 x 21 centimeters eachWork n144 : Hot Wheels from the series Wheeling and dealing (2017), charred plane wood, 59 x 59 x 21 centimetersWork n144: Hot Wheels from the series Wheeling and dealing (2017), burnt wood on paper, 100 x 77 centimetersStill from Work n144: Hot wheels (Dompcevrin I) (2017), video, 18 minutes, 23 secondsWork n144: Hot Wheels from the series Wheeling and dealing (2017), burnt wood, 28 x 82 x 103 centimetersNext article

Of Human Feelings installation view. All images courtesy of the artist and Volume Gallery, shared with permissionAn Otherworldly Garden of Lights Emerges from Hemp and Resin by Ross HansenFebruary 12, 2025ArtDesignKate MothesEvoking marigolds, prairie clover, and milk thistle, Ross Hansens ongoing series of ethereal lighting fixtures dissect assumptions about design and function. The Los Angeles-based artist and designers unique sculptural forms combine hemp, bio-resin, and aluminum to create otherworldly floor lamps.Hansen draws on a background in landscape design, inspired by organic textures and forms found in nature. In his recent exhibition Of Human Feelings at Volume Gallery, clusters of lights resemble larger-than-life fungi or microscopic organisms. Strips of cloth are enrobed in plant-based resin for rigidity, and the illuminated bulbs diffuse within the fabric.Volume Gallery will present Hansens work at Felix Art Fair in Los Angeles next weekend. Find more on the artists website.Detail of Milk ThistleOf Human Feelings installation viewDalea (2024), hemp, bio-resin, wood, epoxy resin, paint, and lighting components, 70 x 16 x 16 inchesOf Human Feelings installation viewOf Human Feelings installation viewMarigold (2024), hemp, bio-resin, aluminum, and lighting components, 85 x 18 x 18 inchesDetail of MarigoldBase detail of DaleaMilk Thistle (2024), hemp, bio-resin, aluminum, and lighting components, 81 x 18 x 18 inchesNext article

All images courtesy of Lena Guberman, shared with permissionLena Gubermans Emotive Sculptures Call Upon Childhood Social AnxietyFebruary 12, 2025ArtCraftKate MothesFor any of us who are shy or anxious about interacting with others in the outside world, we might think of the face we put on that enables us to feel less fearful. For Lena Guberman (previously), a recent series of ceramic sculptures titled INS_IDE_OUT delves into her childhood experiences with social anxiety and the uncertainties of the unknown.The mask provides a protective shell and presents a perfect appearance to the outside world butfails to stop the fears and emotions from bursting out, Guberman tells Colossal.Each piece is modeled on the same melancholy face of a young, brown-haired girl, with painted and sculpted elements that range from spikes to arrows to a dead bird. Emotionally evocative and sometimes slightly unsettling, her sculptures explore the spectrum of feelings associated with anxiety.Guberman is currently planning a project that expands upon her use of ceramics by adding other materials. See more work on her website, Instagram, and Behance.Next article

All images Ramiro Vargas Chump Washikiat and Taliesin Black-BrownDeep in the Amazon Rainforest, I Am the Nature Celebrates Indigenous Cultural PhilosophyFebruary 12, 2025Kate MothesDirected by Taliesin Black-Brown and narrated by Ramiro Vargas Chump Washikiat, I Am the Nature poetically plumbs the human interconnection with nature through the eyes of the Indigenous Achuar people. The short documentary honors the philosophy of a culture whose ancestral lands extend across the modern borders of Ecuador and Peru, deep in the Amazon rainforest. Today, Achuar still living in the rainforest continue to practice and preserve ancestral ways of life.In the early 20th century, the government granted oil concessions that allowed industry to systematically move closer to the Achuar homeland. Further expansion and development in the region increased dramatically in the 1960s, initiating contact between the Achuar and the Western world.Washikiat chronicles a vision he had as a boy, which foretold he would travel to the U.S. to learn English. In his journey, he observed incredible cultural and societal contrasts, such as individualism in place of collectivity, and yet his experiences away from the jungle instilled an ever deeper understanding that we are all children of the earth.I Am the Nature introduces us to a way of life inextricably entwined with the surrounding environment, simultaneously reliant on and in harmony with nature. We peacefully live in a simple way, Washikiat says. Thats what we would like to share to the world.The short film was an official selection in the 2024 DOC NYC documentary film festival and the 2024 Banff Center Mountain Film Festival, among others. See it on Vimeo.Next article

Childs Olay (2023), paper collage, 32 x 40 inches. All images courtesy of the artist and SHEER, shared with permissionIntimacy Centers in Nia Winslows Nostalgic Paper Collages Highlighting Black ExperiencesFebruary 11, 2025ArtKate MothesFrom torn pieces of paper, Nia Winslow constructs vibrant scenes that evoke togetherness and nostalgia, often harkening back to the mid-20th century. The Brooklyn-based artist taught herself to create mixed-media collages using paper adhered to wood panels, which draw on narratives, moods, and memories.Winslow predominantly focuses on the African diaspora, tracing stories of the lives of Black individuals in America. Through collages made with a variety of textures, cuttings, and clippings, she illuminates young people playing outdoors, sitting with their parents, and spending time with one another.Steady (2025), paper collage on birchwood panel, 40 x 30 inchesThe artist enjoys combining her passion for style with storytelling. She draws inspiration from artists like Romare Bearden, Kerry James Marshall, Faith Ringgold, and Jacob Lawrence, often portraying Black figures during everyday activities and in informal, leisurely settings.Mundane or complex, each piece is created to capture the essence of life through the lens of someone who experiences it, she says in a statement. Cars, urban architecture, garments, and hairstyles emerge in vivid, intimate portraits of community, support, and self-love.Winslows work Steady will be on view at Affordable Art Fair from March 19 to 23 in New York City, presented by SHEER. Find more on the artists website and Instagram.Secret Keeper (2023), paper collage, 24 x 36 inchesMuvah (2022), paper collage, 40 x 30 inchesLicense to Loiter (2021), paper collage on birchwood, 24 x 36 inchesMuvah & Me (2024), paper collage on birchwood panel, 30 x 24 inchesThe Fainting Couch (2022), mixed media paper collage on birchwood panel, 24 x 36 inchesWe Real Cool (2024), paper collage on birchwood panel, 40 x 30 inchesPrevious articleNext article

Ed #13 (2023), porcelain and mason stain, 7 x 6 x 8 inches. Photos edited by Nash Quinn. All images courtesy of Joan Clare Brown, shared with permissionJoan Clare Brown Juxtaposes Anatomy and Memories in Poignant Porcelain SculpturesFebruary 11, 2025ArtCraftKate MothesDepending on how you look at them, the tendrils seemingly growing from Joan Clare Browns porcelain bases could be perceived as soft and delicate or spiny, defensive, and slightly unsettling. Dualities lie at the heart of the artists approach to ceramics, especially in her ongoing series Ed, which takes personal experience and human anatomy as starting points for a poignant study of grief.I started this series as a response tomy fathers sudden passing, Brown tells Colossal. He was diagnosed with widespread pancreatic cancer and passed away the same day, ultimately of sepsisfrom complications of a perforated bowel. In the Ed works, the cinched base, which mimics a frilly-edged textile cushion or pouch, represents a perforated organ, and the long, growing blades or tendrils emblematize infection.Ed #5 (2023), porcelain and mason stain, 6 x 4 x 5 inchesThe inherent hardness and brittleness of porcelain juxtapose with the softness of textile-like surfaces and organic, plant-like fronds. Each color reflects specific childhood memories of Browns father, like the blue and green hues drawn from his favorite flannel shirt or light pinks and purples redolent of a tablecloth used at her family dinners.Through the permanence of the ceramic form, my hope was to turn something menacing and insidious into a nostalgic and meaningful reminder, Brown says. And by making these pieces, in a way, I feel that he is still present. Explore more on the artists website and Instagram.Ed #16 (2023), porcelain, mason stain, glaze, and luster, 7 x 6 x 4 inchesDetail of Ed #13Ed #10 (2023), porcelain and mason stain, 7 x 5 x 5 inchesEd #11 (2023), porcelain and mason stain, 7 x 8 x 7 inchesEd #12 (2023), porcelain and mason stain, 7 x 5 x 4 inchesDetail of Ed #11Ed #4 (2022), porcelain and mason stain, 7 x 4 x 4 inchesEd #3 (2022), porcelain, mason stain, glaze, and luster, 8 x 6 x 4 inchesNext article

Were excited to share that were hosting an embroidery workshop next month with Chicago-based artist Peter Frederiksen. Join us atJoy Machineon March 2 for Frederiksens signature Stitch Circle. The three-hour workshop will unpack his unique approach to image-making and teach the basics of embroidery. All skill levels are welcome. This workshop coincides with Joy Machines inaugural exhibition,Light Preserver, which features Frederiksens embroideries alongside works by eight artists who cultivate and ritualize joy.There are only a handful of tickets left, so get yours before they sell out. And if youre a Colossal Member, dont forget to use the discount code in your account for $5 off.Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Join Us for a Colossal x Joy Machine Workshop with Peter Frederiksen appeared first on Colossal.

Spectrum. An Afterthought (19752014), synthetic fabric, neon lamps, colored filters, steel, aluminum, plywood, and plastic,40 x 105.6 x 53.9 meters. Photo by Antanas Luknas. Image courtesy of The Lithuanian National Museum of Art, Estate of Aleksandra KasubaImagining the Future Honors Aleksandra Kasubas Trailblazing Installations and EnvironmentsFebruary 10, 2025ArtDesignKate MothesFrom immersive fabric installations and sculptures to photography, landscape design, and architecture, the work of Aleksandra Kasuba (1923-2019) merges myriad ideas about how we experience the world around us. The intersection of technology and nature enchanted the late Lithuanian artist, and she often experimented with a variety of materials and the effects of light, hue, and tension to explore relationships between ourselves and notions of shelter and place.The first major exhibition of her work in Europe, Imagining the Future at Carr dArtMuse dArt Contemporain, explores the incredible breadth of Kasubas artistry.Shell Dwellers III (1989), paper and collage, 35 43.5 centimeters. Image courtesy of The Lithuanian National Museum of Art, Estate of Aleksandra KasubaBorn to an aristocratic family, Kasuba enrolled in art school in 1941, focusing primarily on sculpture and textiles. She married artist Vytautas Kauba, with whom she fled Lithuania in 1944 in the wake of the Nazi occupation of the country. They landed in a displaced-persons camp in Germany where they stayed until making their way to New York in 1947, and her experience as a refugee and an immigrant significantly affected her work.In the U.S., Kasuba found employment in crafts and design and began laying the foundations for her future artistic practice, which merged applied and functional arts with abstraction. Her interdisciplinary practice took shape in earnest the 1950s and 1960s and was deeply influenced by tenets of modernism and the era of space exploration, which cast humanitys existence on Earth in a new light.Mid-20th century scholarship on vernacular architecture also inspired Kasuba, and she was moved by a visit to Bernard Rudofskys 1964 exhibition Architecture Without Architects at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He took a broader view of global architecture than the field typically covered and emphasized the ingenuity and beauty of structures built by Indigenous cultures.Rudofsky suggested that modernismparticularly modern architecturehad lost touch with the real needs of society, and he urged viewers to pay attention to artistic, idiosyncratic, culturally rich local styles free from elitist design rules.Rock Hill House (2002). Image courtesy of The Lithuanian National Museum of Art, Estate of Aleksandra KasubaKasubas artistic practice blended with daily life in her own living spaces, too, from her New York City home in the 1970s to Rock Hill House, a sculptural dwelling in the New Mexico desert she completed between 2001 and 2005.The convergence of sculpture and environmental design also fascinated the artist, spurring unique material combinations in large-scale public interventions and spatial installations. Concerned with how we move through places and are affected by our surroundings, she was also commissioned to create numerous public wall installations using materials like brick, marble, and granite.Kasuba explored the relationships between transparency, color, and light in works like Spectrum, privileging organic shapes and an immersive passageway made from stretched nylon. Her Space Shelters series, composed of fabric in curving forms without ninety-degree angles, exemplifies her desire to harmonize nature, people, and technology.Imagining the Future continues through March 23 in Nmes, France. Learn more on the museums website.Dreaming III (1963), white marble, 103 x 91 centimeters. Photo Antanas Luksenas. Image courtesy of The Lithuanian National Museum of Art, Estate of Aleksandra KasubaInstallation view of Imagining the Future at Carr dArt, Nmes, France. Photo by Cdrick EymenierLive-In Environment, 43W90, NYC (19711972). From the digital archive of Aleksandra Kasuba. Image courtesy of The Lithuanian National Museum of Art, Estate of Aleksandra KasubaInstallation view of Imagining the Future at Carr dArt, Nmes, France. Photo by Cdrick EymenierInstallation view of Imagining the Future at Carr dArt, Nmes, France. Photo by Cdrick EymenierRock Hill House (2005). Image courtesy of The Lithuanian National Museum of Art, Estate of Aleksandra KasubaInstallation view of Imagining the Future at Carr dArt, Nmes, France. Photo by Cdrick EymenierShell Dwellers VI (1989), paper and collage, 35 43.5 centimeters. Image courtesy of The Lithuanian National Museum of Art, Estate of Aleksandra KasubaNext article

Kiara Aileen Machado, Katie Numi (2022), oil on canvas5 Must-See Artists at The Other Art Fair Los Angeles This FebruaryFebruary 10, 2025SponsorThe Other Art FairGet your fix of extraordinary art at The Other Art Fair, presented by Saatchi Art, from February 20 to 23. The beloved artist-centric fair is returning to Los Angeles for its 13th edition, coinciding with L.A. Art Week for the first time. Adding to the excitement, the event will be hosted at a new venue on the east side of town: 2800 Casitas Avenue in the vibrant Atwater Village. Get your tickets now for the four-day art experience thats anything but predictable.This spring edition will feature an eclectic roster of 140 independent artists at the forefront of contemporary art. Highlights include a new monumental mural depicting the 1968 East L.A. Student Walkouts by celebrated artist Judy Baca; stylized portrait sessions by artist Anna Marie Tendler, inspired by her photo series and New York Times bestselling memoir; and larger-than-life projects by local talents including Misha Libertee, Mary Lai, and Feia Studios Thomas Martinez Pilnik and Jake Cavallo.The Other Art Fair promises to be a feast not just for the eyes, but also for the ears, tastebuds, and soul. Secret Circus LA and DJ Salty will set the tone for a celebratory Opening Night, while DJ Phatrick will bring the vibe for the lively Friday Late party, for which the fair will be donating 100% of ticket proceeds to L.A. fire relief efforts and hosting the after party for Art Weeks East Side Day.Jess Lin Taroko Bao (2024), acrylic on woodHere are five must-see artists, including four Angelenos, handpicked by Global Fair Director Nicole Garton:Kiara Aileen Machado explores themes of identity, femininity, and migration through her vibrant paintings. Her work reflects on how physical and cultural boundaries shape communities.Jess Lin creates captivating pieces blending her California, Singaporean, and Taiwanese roots. Her art juxtaposes nostalgia with whimsy, and reality with imagination, offering a unique sense of belonging.Mark Rebennack, 136 Exhales in White on Pink and Blue Spray (2021), ink on paperMark Rebennack mesmerizes with wave-like patterns drawn to the length of a single breath. His hypnotic compositions celebrate imperfection and the art of pure mark-making.Nick Lopez, Skyros 2 (2022), concreteSculptor Nick Lopez transforms his observations of contemporary life into striking visual forms that span from the familiar to the abstract.Anna Shipulina, Intuitive Built Sculpture #4 (2025), modeling on ceramicAnna Shipulina crafts hand-built ceramics that mirror the fluidity of nature and the human body. Her unglazed pieces radiate raw elegance, tactile beauty, and a serene earth-toned palette.See work by all these artists and more at The Other Art Fairs Los Angeles edition, on view from February 20 to 23.Grab your tickets for an unforgettable weekend at theotherartfair.com.Next article

Detail of Fantasia (2023). All artwork photos by Kristine Funch, courtesy of the artist, shared with permissionSigne Emdals Chromatic Weavings Manifest Wonder and JoyFebruary 10, 2025ArtCraftKate MothesTwenty years ago, Signe Emdal founded a business that focused on making unique textile objects and garments, drawing on her background in jacquard weaving, fabric printing, and a range of other techniques. By 2021, though, she was feeling hemmed in and longed for a way to express herself through a more intuitive, less functional creative direction.It was time to free myself from a frame I no longer fit and make a new one, she tells Colossal. I had no idea what the new frame would look like, but I trusted that life would bring me something better if I said goodbye to a setup that didnt bring me joy anymore.Maison (2023)A self-described textile composer, Emdal views the loom as a window where warp and weft interact to create storage vessels for memories. She is also deeply influenced by exploring new locations. Art allows me to travel in a completely new way because I get to be in a creation process while spending time with or (being) in other cultures, she says. Many works she makes on-site, influenced by her surroundings.Process is central to Emdals artistic education and continues to be the primary influence in her practice. Everything is process, and everything is changing all the time, she says. Nothing is ever going to be finished! She shares that through textiles, she learned to hone her concentration on both physical and metaphysical levels, finding that the meditative methodology of weaving echoes how she views art-making and life more broadly.Emdals related series Touch and Loop comprise sculptural, loom-woven wool in vibrant colors. From radiating puffs of vibrating color to elegant, draping details, her pieces are inspired by science fiction, feminism, art history, and music. The sculptures are layers of delicate memories, she says, embodying fragility, resilience, sophistication, and joy.Emdals work will be included in the Textile Art Biennial Slovenia, which runs from May 31 to August 14 across five cities. Find more on Emdals website and Instagram.Dreams of Gaia (2024)Detail of Dreams of GaiaHeart of Nebula (2024)Fantasia (2023)Acqua 4 ever/Evigheden (2024)Spirit of Green (2024)Detail of Spirit of GreenMurex 4ever (2023)Silky Way (2023)Next article

Abi Castillo, Blooming and Blue Caterpillar (2025), ceramicAnnouncing Joy Machine, a New Art Gallery in ChicagoFebruary 10, 2025ArtGrace Ebert and Christopher JobsonAs Colossal prepares to turn 15 this year, weve been thinking a lot about what it means to be part of a creative community. During the last decade and a half, weve spoken with thousands of artists, designers, and makers and cultivated a vast network of friends and colleagues around the globe. Publishing has been one of the greatest joys of our lives and demonstrated again and again how art can connect us all.Were incredibly excited to share that were expanding our footprint right here in our home of Chicago. Our new art gallery, Joy Machine, opens on February 21.Michael McGrath, Night Ride, Spring Gods (2025), colored pencil on wood panel, 10 x 8 inchesA year in the making, Joy Machine is built around the belief that amid deep uncertainty and upheaval, joy becomes an indispensable gateway to hope.As we navigate this incredibly difficult time, were interested in coming together to expand our power to feel and process experiences good and bad.Our first exhibition, Light Preserver, features nine artists who cultivate and ritualize joy through humor, nostalgia, vibrancy, and excitement for new possibilities. Whether reflecting on childhood fun or invoking arts ability to rescue us from depression, each artist taps into our shared humanitynot to evade difficult realities but to find meaning and purpose amid chaos. In this way, joy becomes an essential antidote to despair and a fundamental lifeline to keep us all afloat.Light Preserver features work by many artists youre probably familiar with, including Moises Salazar, David Heo, Liz Flores, Peter Frederiksen, Danym Kwon, Lisa Congdon, Michael McGrath, Jeff Rubio, and Abi Castillo.Colossal will continue publishing independently as it always has, and when Joy Machines projects fit Colossals mission, well be sure to share them with you all here.If youre in Chicago, please join us to celebrate Joy Machines opening on February 21. You can follow the gallery on Instagram, and sign up for the newsletter on the website.Danym Kwon, When Small Happiness Found Us (2025), acrylic and acrylic gouache on canvas, 18 x 18 inchesDavid Heo, Mamihlapinatapai (2024), mixed media on paper mounted on panel, 11 x 28 inchesRed Boots (2025), acrylic on wood, framed in hemlock, 18 x 24 inchesPeter Frederiksen, Sharing Secrets (2022), freehand machine embroidery on linen, 6 x 8 inchesNext article

Detail of Happily Ever After (2024), oil on linen, 70.5 x 57.25 inches. All images courtesyof Harpers, New York, shared with permisisonBees and Irridescent Bubbles Infiltrate Still-Life Traditions in Marc Dennis PaintingsFebruary 7, 2025ArtGrace EbertDuring the Dutch Golden Age, vanitas grew in popularity as a genre of memento mori that emphasized lifes transience. The opulent paintings were steeped in symbolism and foregrounded the futility of ambition and worldly pleasures.Marc Dennis draws on this 17th-century tradition as he refashions the still life for a contemporary audience. In a recent oil painting, Happily Ever After, hordes of honeybees and hornets descend on a lush bouquet. Kaleidoscopic bubbles float across the five-foot canvas, reflecting the surrounding colors and distorting clear viewers of nearby flowers and fruit. Happily Ever After (2024), oil on linen, 70.5 x 57.25 inchesThe insects and glossy orbs add another layer of impermanence to the already fleeting imagery, while also reflecting on the tenuous relationship between the organic and human-made. Similar tensions appear in Allegory of the Readymade, which suffocates and warps a seemingly vibrant painting with thick layers of plastic wrap. Each of the works clings to a brief moment in time, capturing both life at its prime and serving as a bold reminder of its inevitable end.Dennis paintings are on view in Im Happy Youre Here through March 1 at Harpers Gallery in New York. Find more from the artist on Instagram.Based on a True Story (2024), oil on linen, 70.75 x 55 inchesDetail of Based on a True Story (2024), oil on linen, 70.75 x 55 inchesSuperstar (2024), oil on linen, 70.5 x 55 inchesPortrait of the Artist as a Juvenile Delinquent (2024), oil on linen, 72 x 58 inchesAllegory of the Readymade (2024), oil on linen, 48.75 x 37 inchesGiottos Fly (2024), oil on linen, 72.5 x 96 inchesDracula (2024), oil on linen, 71.5 x 56 inNext article

American Airlines Passenger Ticket 1 (after Warhol) (2023), oil on canvas, 32 x 59 inchesParadise and Precarity Merge in Jessica Bellamys Paintings of Los Angeles LifeFebruary 7, 2025ArtClimateKate MothesFor Jessica Taylor Bellamy, juxtapositions, transparency, and layers shape a way of working that evokes her family history and notions of home and landscape. Born to an Ashkenazi Jewish mother and an Afro-Cuban Jamaican father, Bellamy was raised in Whittier, just southeast of Los Angeles. In glowing oil paintings, she draws from personal mementos like photographs, sales receipts, and newspaper clippings to explore the relationships between utopia and dystopia, humans and nature, image and text, and fantasy and reality.Did She Nail It? (2025), oil on canvas, 26 x 20 inchesBellamy portrays sunsets, landscapes, trees, urban streets, flora, animals, and cloud formations in a kind of dreamy washiness, adding patterns like chainlink fences, gates, and lace curtains suggestive of boundaries. Horizontal landscapes overlaid with American Airlines tickets echo Andy Warhols 1960s silkscreen prints of SAS airline tickets merged with floral motifs.Bellamys observations are rooted in her experiences of the sprawling urban landscape of Los Angelesa meeting of nature and civilization at the edge of a precarious paradise, formed by fire, drought, flood, and wind, says a statement from Anat Ebgi, which represents the artist and opens her new solo exhibition, Temperature Check.A few works shown here, like Did She Nail It?, appear in the show, which merges landscapes and atmospheric lighting effects with references to DIY culture, whats gendered as mens work, and car and motorcycle culture. The Home Depot receipt, which typically uses the slogan Did we nail it?, is combined with an image of a rear-view mirror depicted so close that it initially appears abstract.Bellamy examines the dualities and precarity of life in Southern Californiaa seeming paradise weve witnessed can be swiftly devastated by fire and drought. The title Temperature Change is also a double entendre, suggesting meteorological readings and a figurative expression used when measuring a group mood or opinion. Through surreal imagery and echoes of mass production and consumerism, the artist invokes a noir reverie.Temperature Check runs from February 8 to March 22 in Los Angeles. Find more on the artists website and Instagram.Box Fan (AM) (2025), oil on canvas, 57 1/2 x 32 inchesAmerican Airlines Passenger Ticket 2 (after Warhol) (2023), oil on canvas, 32 x 60 inchesPlaya Larga (Coquina Combination Pill Pack) (2023), oil on canvas, 23 3/4 x 42 1/2 inchesA Subspecies of Journalism (2023), oil on canvas, 59 x 43 1/2 inchesA Splendid Paradox (2022), oil on canvas, 70 x 52 inchesCurtain of Sky (2024), oil on canvas, 57 1/2 x 48 inchesHorizontal Thrust I (Blue graffiti highway) (2025), oil on canvas, 26 x 70 inchesDriveway Moment (2025), oil on canvas, 57 1/2 x 47 inchesNext article