Antipatharians, or black corals, are named for their jet-black skeletons, but they can actually be quite colorful. Photo by ROV SuBastian Among Newly Discovered Ocean Species, a Baby Colossal Squid Is Filmed for the First Time May 16, 2025 NatureScience Kate Mothes An archipelago in the South Atlantic known as the South Sandwich Islands is home to some of the most remote landmasses in the world. Uninhabited except for occasional scientific research, their volcanic makeup highlights the geological and ecological diversity of this part of the world, and we still have much to learn. Schmidt Ocean Institute (previously) recently completed a 35-day trek on the Falkor (too) to the remote island chain and discovered new hydrothermal vents, coral gardens, and what researchers suspect to be entirely new species. During this expedition, the team also confirmed the sighting of a juvenile colossal squid, capturing one on film for the first time. “Colossal squid are estimated to grow up to 23 feet in length and can weigh as much as 1,100 pounds, making them the heaviest invertebrate on the planet,” the institute says, noting the significance of the documentation because the animals have only ever been found dead, after they’ve washed ashore or been eaten by predators. “Little is known about the colossal squid’s life cycle, but eventually, they lose the see-through appearance of the juveniles,” says a statement. “Dying adults have previously been filmed by fishermen but have never been seen alive at depth.” This recent expedition forms part of the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census program, the largest initiative working to expedite the discovery of ocean life. During the voyage, the team weathered tropical storm-force winds with hurricane-level gusts, 26-foot waves, icebergs, and a subsea earthquake. Ocean Census scientists focused on discovering new species, documenting corals, sponges, sea urchins, snails, sea stars, and benthic ctenophores—commonly called comb jellies or sea gooseberries. The team will announce the exact number of new species later this year after taxonomic experts verify their findings. This is the first confirmed live observation of the colossal squid, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, in its natural habitat. Photo by ROV SuBastian “The 35 days at sea were an exciting rollercoaster of scientific discovery, the implications of which will be felt for many years to come as discoveries filter into management action,” says Dr. Michelle Taylor, head of science and expedition principal investigator for the Ocean Census. She adds, “This is exactly why the Ocean Census exists—to accelerate our understanding of ocean life before it’s too late.” See more on the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s website. A sea cucumber recorded at 649.45 metres at Saunders East, in waters measuring +0.51°C (about 33°F) A “ping pong” sponge (Chondrocladia sp.) is documented on a seafloor bank west of South Georgia Island This isopod was found during a dive at 470 metres depth at Saunders East, with a water temperature of +0.54°C (about 33°F) A vibrant grouping of coral, documented on Humpback Seamount A nudibranch observed at 268 metres on the eastern side of Montagu Island, where temperatures hovered at +0.35°C (about 32.6°F) A Brisingid — a type of deep-sea starfish — perches on a ledge among many brittle stars (ophiuroids) at a site east of Saunders Island Basket stars, a type of echinoderm, are abundant on seamounts and rocky outcroppings; ROV pilots recorded this observation at 673 meters during a dive on a bank west of South Georgia Island A crustacean from the Antarcturidae family found at 331.61 metres at Saunders East, where the temperature measured +0.5°C (about 33°F), seen here perched on a sea pen Research Vessel Falkor (too) conducts studies off the South Sandwich Islands, including a site close to Montagu Island. The South Sandwich Islands area is extremely active volcanically Previous articleNext article

Nails by Kumi. Image © Kumi Chantrill Fresh Sets: Tembe Denton-Hurst Celebrates 35 Boundary-Pushing Nail Artists May 16, 2025 BooksDesign Jackie Andres From the birth of the first modern nail parlor in 19th-century Paris to the rise of the Vietnamese nail industry in America after the fall of Saigon, nail beautification has always been connected to the world it adorns. Author Tembe Denton-Hurst reminds us of this in her new book, Fresh Sets: Contemporary Nail Art from Around the World. Setting the scene with her own experience of falling in love with manicures as a child in Brooklyn and a brief survey of the transformative history of nail embellishment throughout time, the book showcases 35 standout artists thriving today. Nails by Kumi. Image © Kiel Wode. All photos courtesy of Prestel Publishing, shared with permission While basic sets remain timeless, there’s no doubt that in the 21st century, contemporary aesthetics have flourished in a subversive, powerful way. From birthday candle pedicures and maximalist jeweled acrylics to moss-covered fingertips and sculpted claws channeling cyber sigilism, Fresh Sets features 300 vibrant images highlighting ongoing innovations in the medium. The democratization of nail art has allowed the creative form to flourish across time and space. Extravagant designs once only seen sauntering down the catwalk, for instance, are now within reach for daily wear. The rise of nail artists has uniquely blurred this line between luxury and everyday accessory, forging paths and connecting worlds. One such artist featured in Fresh Sets is Lauren Michelle Pires. With a methodical precision, she approaches her practice as a designer, collecting extensive archives of color combinations and references images. Once a fashion student, Pires now works with designer brands such as Loewe, Diesel, Miu Miu, and more. “I view being a nail artist as a very intricate and pristine job, and I definitely try to capture beauty in my work,” she explains. “But, over time, I’ve really learned how to experiment more and to lean into the awkwardness of beauty.” Nails by Kumi. Image © Kiel Wode As the realm of nail design continues to evolve in tremendous fashion, transforming one’s own fingernails as if they were ten tiny canvases—each a site for creating an extension of self, asserting identity, and even signifying resistance—has and always will be a deeply resonant gesture for many. As Denton-Hurst shares in the introduction, “long nails have become part of me, as identifiable as the brown of my skin or my loud laugh.” You can find your own copy of Fresh Sets on Bookshop. See more from Tembe Denton-Hurst on Instagram. Nails by Iksoxo. Image © Alona Sobolevska Nails by Dxpper Acrylics. Image © Black Archives Nails and image © Tomoya Nakagawa Nails and image © Naomi Yasuda Nails by Juan. Image © Juan Alvear Nails by Yeswhat Nails. Image © Violetta Kurilenko Nails and image © Tomoya Nakagawa Nails and image © Nikki Panic Next article

Dominique Fung, “Bone Holding Fan” (2021). All images courtesy of the artists and Rizzoli, shared with permission ‘Wonder Women’ Celebrates the Dazzling Figurative Work of Asian Diasporic Artists May 15, 2025 Kate Mothes In February 2020, curator and gallery director Kathy Huang met artist Dominique Fung—a month before the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down. Their conversations, which continued throughout quarantine, served as an impetus for what would becomeWonder Women exhibitions at Jeffrey Deitch. During their chats, Huang and Fung lamented “the uptick in violence against Asian American communities, particularly against women and the elderly,” Huang says in the introduction to her forthcoming book, Wonder Women: Art of the Asian Diaspora. Mai Ta, “mirror image” (2022) The two also found it difficult to pinpoint when the last major exhibition had been staged that thoughtfully presented Asian artists, and neither could think of an instance where women and nonbinary artists had been the focus. Both of Huang’s exhibitions and her new book are the fruit of that desire to highlight the remarkable spectrum of figurative work being produced within the Asian diasporic community today. A response to racism against Asians exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Huang conceived of the shows that went on view in 2022 in New York and Los Angeles as a means to highlight the incredible, groundbreaking work made especially by women and nonbinary artists. Forthcoming from Rizzoli, Wonder Women shares a similar title to a poem by Genny Lim, which follows experiences of Asian women through the lens of a narrator who observes their everyday routines and considers how their lives relate to hers. Huang expands on this view in her approach to showcasing the work of forty artists, each represented through at least four pieces and a personal statement. These artists “subvert stereotypes and assert their identities in places where they have historically been marginalized,” Rizzoli says. Sally J. Han, “At Lupe’s” (2022) Artists like Sasha Gordon or Nadia Waheed explore identity through sometimes fantastical self-portraiture, while others highlight family, community, and colonial or patriarchal systems in the West. Some address Asian myths, legends, and visual culture, like Fung’s exploration of antique objects or Shyama Golden’s otherworldly scenes in which hybrid human-animals interact with nature or urban spaces. Wonder Women will be released on May 20. Order your copy from the Colossal Shop. Shyama Golden, “The Passage” (2022) Chelsea Ryoko Wong, “It’s Mah Jong Time!” (2022) Nadia Waheed, “Bolides/ 852” (2022) Cover featuring a painting by Sasha Gordon Next article

“Near the Military Base” (2025), oil on canvas, 72 x 96 feet. All images courtesy of the artist and Spinello Projects, shared with permission Esaí Alfredo’s Oil Paintings Merge Mysterious Narratives with ‘Miami Vice’ Noir May 15, 2025 Art Kate Mothes In an iconic 1979 episode of Saturday Night Live, Steve Martin and Bill Murray shuffle onstage dressed like tourists. Peering out beyond the camera—and thus behind us—they repeatedly ask, “What the hell is that?” Stoking our curiosity and never divulging what “that” really is, yet preventing us from ever seeing it either, the answer is left entirely to our imaginations. Beyond the duo’s characteristic absurdity, we’re enticed to consider the endless possibilities of the unknown, just out of frame. For Miami-based artist Esaí Alfredo, the confines of the cinematic screen and a sense of wonder play central roles in large-scale, enigmatic oil paintings. Male figures stand facing the distant horizon, observing dark plumes of smoke or, in some cases, events only they can see. “The Wait” (2025), oil on canvas, 50 x 72 inches Alfredo draws inspiration for his palette from Miami Vice, specifically the rich pastels and glowing contrasts evocative of the show’s stylized, 1980s New Wave aesthetics. Bright pink and teal complement the deep blacks of nighttime. “I allow myself to play with colors and lighting situations that appear surreal or impossible,” he tells Colossal, sharing that the choice of hues serve as tools for telling stories. He adds, “My biggest influences in terms of color have been old movies, science fiction, theater, and the cinematography of films by Steven Spielberg and Alfred Hitchcock.” Alfredo also likens his paintings to screenshots or freeze frames, as if plucked from an enigmatic, longer narrative. His sketchbook contains countless renderings, including drawings of settings and characters akin to storyboards for a movie. Once he translates a basic sketch into a color study, Alfredo translates the idea to photographic compositions involving real people and various objects. “Once I have all my reference photos ready, I compose an image on my iPad to see how the painting will turn out. The rest is painting,” he says, leaving enough room for the inevitable improvisation. “La Playa Lucia” (2025), oil on canvas, 10 x 20 inches A suite of new paintings titled STARLESS that Alfredo recently exhibited with Spinello Projects at EXPO CHICAGO are “snapshots of a larger story I’m still uncovering,” he says. Otherworldly magentas and teals envelop figures in a variety of natural landscapes, beneath a sky devoid of celestial objects. Instead, mysterious objects fall from above, and the characters react to the phenomena with wonder, fear, and confusion. “I love capturing those moments when we feel powerless and can only observe for a moment before taking action,” he says. Find more on Alfredo’s website and Instagram. “The Theme Park” (2025), oil on canvas, 72 x 96 inches “Moon” (2025), oil on canvas, 24 x 24 inches “The Everglades” (2025), oil on canvas, 72 x 96 inches “Antonio” (2025), oil on canvas, 40 x 60 inches Detail of “Near the Military Base” Next article

Amy Devlin, “Thalia” (2025), oil on canvas Join Artfinder: The Art Marketplace That Connects Artists With Buyers May 15, 2025 Sponsor Artfinder The online art marketplace Artfinder connects artists directly with over 100,000 customers around the world. Founded in 2011 and officially launched in 2013, we’re on a mission to make original art accessible and a viable career for artists.  As we continue to expand in the United States, already our biggest customer market globally, we’re on the lookout for new U.S. artists to work with.  Proud to be a certified B Corp, we’re committed to putting our values at the heart of what we do as we strive to meet the highest social, environmental, and transparency standards so we can leave a more positive impact on the environment and the art world. Our goal is for artists to be able to make a living from their art—and we want to enable our customers to not only discover pieces they connect with but to directly support artists to keep doing what they love.  Alex Nizovsky, “Sausalito Liberty Dock Nov’24” (2025), acrylic on canvas Artist bonuses  New for 2025, we’ve just launched an annual bonus scheme for any artist earning over $26,500 a year on top of our existing commission structure. Designed to give additional income to artists joining Artfinder (on top of commission), the bonus will be tiered from 2% of annual earnings up to a maximum of 7%.  How to apply? It’s free to sell with us, with the option of monthly paid seller plans to reduce commission on sales.  Apply to sell on Artfinder and write COLOSSAL at the top of the ‘about’ section to fast-track your application.  To learn more and apply to sell, visit artfinder.com. Rashna Hackett, “Rose Petal Dance” (2025), acrylic on canvas Next article

“Another Place,” Casart Edition, bronze, 32 x 30 x 35 centimeters Paola Grizi Adds New Meaning to ‘Literary Figures’ in Emotive Bronze Sculptures May 14, 2025 Art Kate Mothes In the emotional bronze and terracotta sculptures of Paola Grizi (previously), faces and hands merge with pages of books and manuscripts. Handwriting slides off the leaves onto skin and reliefs of eyes, noses, and mouths peer outward like knowledge and stories personified. Many of her works are scaled to sit on interior surfaces, while others, like “Inner Motion” or “Looking Ahead” take on monumental proportions. Grizi currently has work permanently on view at Marciano Contemporary in Paris, Bel Air Fine Art in Luxembourg, and Gallery Van Dun in Oisterwijk, The Netherlands. This summer, pieces will also be included in a presentation at Gallery Maner in Port-Aven, France. See more on the artist’s website. “Looking Ahead,” Casart Edition, bronze, 120 x 110 x 20 centimeters “Background,” Casart Edition, bronze, 32 x 12 x 15 centimeters “Inner Motion,” Casart Edition, bronze “Kiss,” Casart Edition, bronze, 35 x 37 x 20 centimeters “Boundless,” terracotta “Composition,” Casart Edition, bronze, 30 x 35 x 25 centimeters “Multiple Lectures,” Casart Edition, bronze, 35 x 30 x 20 centimeters Work in progress in the artist’s outdoor studio Previous articleNext article

Detail of “Otra Vez.” All images courtesy of Lyles & King, shared with permission Floral Quilted Portraits by Maria A. Guzmán Capron Cultivate Care and Love May 14, 2025 Art Grace Ebert For thousands of years, flowers have been a rich source of symbolism. Dating back to the Ottomans, floriology, or the language of flowers, blossomed in the Victorian era when a bouquet functioned as a nonverbal code. The delicate sweetpea, for example, might have been given as a thank you to a particularly generous host, while buttercups would tell the recipient that the sender thought them childish and immature. Maria A. Guzmán Capron (previously) references the timeless expressions of flowers for Solo Pienso en Volver a Verte, which opens this week at Lyles & King. Translating to “I only think about seeing you again,” the solo exhibition comprises the artist’s signature textile portraits of opulently patterned fabrics in a layered patchwork. Soft and plump with batting, the quilted characters are each unique, although Capron sometimes uses the same secondhand material on several pieces. “Déjame Llevarte” Encircled in hand-dyed fabrics, the figures in this body of work are often doubled or conjoined, as in the embracing women of “Otra Vez” or the two-faced subject of “Echa de Pedacitos.” Love, warmth, and protection feature prominently, as hands grasp for one another or emerge as a three-dimensional gesture. Capron envisions these layered, hybrid forms as a way to visualize the various identities, experiences, and memories within all of us. The artist also stitches and screenprints a wide array of flowers on faces, garments, and throughout the lush surroundings. Sometimes abstract and often indeterminate, the blooms share stories and messages of desire that might be unspeakable or better communicated through a symbol of affection. Tending to love in all of its forms is the thread that runs through each work, as Capron welcomes us into a world in which compassion and care are the most beautiful gifts. Solo Pienso en Volver a Verte runs through June 21 in New York. Find more from Capron on Instagram. “Otra Vez” “Echa de Pedacitos” “Para Que Me Mires” “Te Dejé Quererme” Detail of “Y Comencé” “También Allí” “Algo Escondido” Detail of “Otra Vez” “Y Comencé” Detail of “Te Dejé Quererme” Next article

All images courtesy of Ana Brecevic, shared with permission Recycled Materials Draw Attention to Ocean Plastics in Ana Brecevic’s Assemblages May 14, 2025 Kate Mothes As the climate crisis worsens around the globe, its effects are no more apparent than in our oceans and the communities that rely on them. Delicate coral reefs, for example, face stresses from not only rising sea temperatures but the residue of human presence—plastics, castoff fishing equipment, and other waste. Warm water is typically the culprit in coral bleaching events, characterized by algae leaving the organisms and turning them a ghostly white. The algae provides a food source and helps to protect the coral from disease, but when it goes, the host is left much more vulnerable. For Ana Brecevic (previously), this phenomenon inspires work that draws attention to this urgent issue. Her recent series, Plasticum, reflects on the ever-growing problem of plastic pollution in the earth’s oceans while contrasting the beauty of marine ecosystems with their vulnerability to human impact. The artist meticulously cuts silhouettes of bleached corals and gorgonians—also known as sea fans—and ornaments them with baubles reminiscent of debris. “I live along the Atlantic coast, where I collect marine waste that inspires and feeds into this body of work,” Brecevic says. “Everything is made from recycled paper, upcycled fabrics, and natural dyes.” The artist describes Plasticum as “a quiet echo of a reality slowly settling in,” where microplastics and waste continually threaten underwater habitats and biodiversity. She says, “Through this work, I hope to spark questions about our connection to living ecosystems and what we choose to see—or overlook.” Find more on Brecevic’s website and Instagram. Photo by Marion Saupin Photo by Marion Saupin Photo by Marion Saupin Next article

Model of ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel.’ Image © Thierry Stefanopoulos – La Cinémathèque française. All images courtesy of the Design Museum, London, shared with permission This Fall, 600+ Objects Spanning Wes Anderson’s Career Will Go on View at the Design Museum May 13, 2025 FilmHistory Kate Mothes From his earliest filmic experiments in the 1990s to international blockbusters, Wes Anderson has carved an instantly recognizable, unique, and much-memed cinematic niche. Muted hues, quirky characters, and a throwback sensibility bring off-the-wall, ensemble narratives to life. London’s Design Museum, in collaboration with la Cinémathèque française, presents the first retrospective of the film director’s creative output, from early releases like Bottle Rocket (1996) to more mainstream hits like The Darjeeling Limited (2007) and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). Rat puppet, Arch Model Studio, from ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox.’ Photo by Richard Round-Turner, © the Design Museum Including more than 600 objects, most of which will go on display in Britain for the first time, the exhibition will showcase iconic set pieces, preparatory notes, puppets, and models from numerous films. Just a few highlights include a miniature motorcycle that belonged to Mr. Fox in the titular The Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), Sam Shakuski’s Scout kit from Moonrise Kingdom (2012), and Anderson’s personal notebooks from The Royal Tenenbaums (2001). Wes Anderson: The Archives opens on November 21 and continues through July 26, 2026. Tickets are available now, and you can plan your visit on the Design Museum’s website. Vending machines, Atelier Simon Weisse, from ‘Asteroid City.’ Photo by Richard Round-Turner, © the Design Museum Miniature motorcycle of Mr. Fox, Arch Model Studio, from ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox.’ Photo by Richard Round-Turner, © the Design Museum Miniature model and train sign from ‘The Darjeeling Limited,’ and a blackboard depicting the Solar System from ‘Asteroid City.’ Photo by Richard Round-Turner, © the Design Museum Tracy’s puppet (detail), Arch Model Studio, from ‘Isle of Dogs.’ Photo by Richard Round-Turner, © the Design Museum Wes Anderson’s personal notebooks from ‘The Royal Tenenbaums.’ Photo by Roger Do Minh, © Wes Anderson Sam Shakuski’s Scout kit from ‘Moonrise Kingdom.’ Photo by Richard Round-Turner, © the Design Museum Next article

All photos by Spieker Fotografie, courtesy of Martin Binder, shared with permission A Teeter-Totter Style Bench Invites Sitters to Find Common Ground May 13, 2025 Design Grace Ebert In the Garden of Generations in Einbeck, Germany, a playful new installation asks park goers to find equilibrium with their neighbors. “Balance Bench” is the latest project of Berlin-based artist Martin Binder. Installed in his hometown, the interactive artwork rests on a central cylinder rather than four legs, requiring that at least two people sit on either side to level. “It cannot be used alone—it demands awareness, consensus, and cooperation between people to become a functional public space,” he says. Binder originally envisioned the piece, which is made of oak and powder-coated steel, to debut at a public art festival in 2021, but that event was unfortunately canceled due to COVID-19. Emerging now four years later, the minimal installation provokes questions about how the ways we gather and partake in outdoor activities have changed. “The pandemic made us hyper-aware of proximity in public spaces,” he says. “This bench interrogates that awareness through play. It asks how we share space post-pandemic—not just physically but socially.” In addition to its usefulness for promoting conversation and interaction among park goers, “Balance Bench” is also a less volatile version of the once-ubiquitous equipment that’s less common these days due to eye-opening safety concerns. For more from Binder, visit his website and Instagram. Previous articleNext article

‘Out of Africa’ champagne picnic experience during a Masai Mara luxury safari, Kenya. All images © Zed Nelson, courtesy of Guest Editions, shared with permission In His New Book, Photographer Zed Nelson Lifts the Veil on ‘The Anthropocene Illusion’ May 13, 2025 Kate Mothes In the 1985 film Out of Africa starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, a picturesque scene highlights the pair on a romantic picnic high above the sweeping Masai Mara National Reserve. Today, tourists are invited to recreate the iconic moment in a colonial-inspired, hillside champagne picnic experience for which “local Masaai tribesman are employed to provide picturesque authenticity to the experience,” photographer Zed Nelson says. In his new book, The Anthropocene Illusion, Nelson takes us on a global journey that lifts the veil, so to speak, on what we think of as “wilderness” and our progressively uneasy relationship with the environment. “While we destroy the natural world around us, we have become masters of a stage-managed, artificial ‘experience’ of nature—a reassuring spectacle, an illusion,” he says. The Anthropocene defines the ever-evolving, rapid changes to the environment due to humans’ unyielding impact. Many scientists place the epoch’s origin during the Industrial Revolution, but some consider 1945—the year humans tested the atomic bomb—to be the true beginning. Yet others suggest that the Anthropocene was initiated even earlier, during the advent of agriculture. At that point, we entered into an increasingly uneasy relationship with the natural world, relying on ever-more extractive processes, heavy manufacturing, plastics, and advancing technology—all of which depend on the earth’s resources. Our societies’ colonialist tendencies also apply to nature just as much as other human-occupied territories. We’re depleting entire aquifurs, forever altering the composition of the land, and irretrievably damaging delicate ecosystems. All the while, Nelson shows, we subscribe to a nostalgic view of untamed wilderness while at the same time expecting it to mold to our lifestyles. In Kenyan national parks like Masai Mara, wildlife is provided sanctuary, “but the animals living within them are allowed to survive essentially for human entertainment and reassurance,” Nelson says. “These animals become, in effect, performers for paying tourists eager to see a nostalgic picture book image of the natural world.” Snow cannon producing artificial snow at Val Gardena ski resort, Dolomites, Italy Nelson’s illuminating series taps into the absurdities of the illusion that nature is still thriving as it once was. Artificial snow shot from a cannon in the Italian Dolomites, for example, nods to warmer winters. A result of the climate crisis, leading to little snow, the powder is manufactured so holidaymakers can ski. From vine-draped brutalist buildings to overcrowded national park lookouts to half-tame lions walked out like entertainers during a safari, he shares moments that feel skewed and incongruous, indicating looming and ultimately inescapable problems behind the veneer. The Anthropocene Illusion series took first place in the professional category of the 2025 Sony World Photography Awards, and the book, which comes out this month, is available for pre-order in the Guest Editions shop. Ten percent of profits will be donated to Friends of the Earth, an environmental justice nonprofit. See more on Nelson’s Instagram. ‘Walk with Lions’ tourist experience, South Africa Next article

“Same difference” (2024), ink and acrylic on Hanji, 72.7 x 60.6 centimeters. All images courtesy of the artist, shared with permission Metaphysical Interactions Unfold in Moonassi’s Surreal ‘Mind Illustrations’ May 12, 2025 Art Kate Mothes Through ink on hanji paper that juxtaposes deep blacks with delicate cross-hatching, surreal scenes unfold in the drawings of Seoul-based artist Moonassi (previously). Through the dramatic use of chiaroscuro and simple yet elegantly delineated faces, hands, and limbs, the artist constructs dreamlike worlds in which figures commune and explore. Moonassi’s use of meok, a traditional Korean inkstick ground with water against a stone to produce a liquid, results in a deep black medium achieved through a meditative process. He refers to his work as “mind illustration,” delving into the emotional and psychological bonds between pairs, small groups, and otherworldly surroundings. “Meme” (2024), ink and acrylic on Hanji, 130.3 x 193.9 centimeters Recent pieces like “Same difference” explore dualities like opaqueness and transparency, weight and lightness, and unity and individuality. Moonassi’s compositions are often intrinsically introspective, as the figures interact with others that may or may not be versions of themselves or figments of their own imaginations. Repetition and scale play significant roles in the artist’s work, like in “Meme,” in which a central figure crouches onto the ground and gently cups another tiny figure in their hands, who in turn does the same. At some point, it dawns on us that the main figure is also framed by enormous hands, akin to an otherworldly Matryoshka nesting doll. Moonassi’s scenes challenges our senses of perspective, presence, care, and the spiritual world. Find more on the artist’s website. “Mineral Wait” (2024), ink on Hanji, 76 × 145 centimeters “Acrobat IV” (2024), ink and acrylic on Hanji, 72.7 x 60.6 centimeters “Becoming Nature” (2024), ink and acrylic on Hanji, 72.7 x 60.6 centimeters “The feeling aligned for us” (2024), ink and acrylic on Hanji, 130.3 x 190.4 centimeters “Rippled and sparkled” (2024), ink on Hanji, 130.3 x 193.9 centimeters “Feeling Kintsugi” (2024), ink and acrylic on Hanji, 72.7 x 60.6 centimeters Next article

Installation view of ‘Level Up.’ Photos by Ladina Bischof. All images courtesy of GAFFA and Kunsthalle Arbon, shared with permission ‘Level Up’ by GAFFA Transports Us to an Uncanny Parking Garage May 12, 2025 Art Kate Mothes When you think of an orange safety cone, you might imagine rows of the small reflective objects placed around temporarily parked vehicles or, say, next to potholes. But a stroll through GAFFA’s recent exhibition, Level Up at Kunsthalle Arbon, and the everyday sight took the form of an unmissably imposing, monumental structure. GAFFA is a collective founded nine years ago by Wanja Harb, Linus Lutz, Dario Forlin, and Lucian Kunz. Through a signature blend of humor, irony, and an interdisciplinary approach involving zines, collages, photography, sculpture, and installation, the group challenges our perceptions of physical space, history, and society. In their sometimes absurd installations, GAFFA often brings the outdoors in, like importing a beach chair and umbrella into a concrete room or constructing an enormous brown slug that slid across a gallery floor. In Level Up, traffic serves as the primary focus—both its symbols and the fine line between regulation and chaos. GAFFA transformed the Swiss art gallery into a parking garage containing an extra-long stretch limo, an entry ticket, orange cone, and double-arrow directional sign. We don’t know to whom the car belongs or where they are. Viewers are transported into a kind of Alice in Wonderland experience where the scale of everything feels befuddling and incongruent. The car, though life-size, is made of cardboard, and the yellow sign is an oil painting. “Underground garages and parking garages are places we usually only notice in passing,” the gallery says in a statement. “They are purpose-built ‘non-places’ to which hardly anyone pays attention, yet they have their own aesthetics: the strict geometry of the parking spaces, the rhythmic movement of the barriers, the seemingly random arrangement of the holes on a parking ticket.” Anyone who has driven into a large garage knows the anxieties of a gate not opening when it’s supposed to or the ticket machine not working. Within the large yet controlled space of the Kunsthalle Arbon, Level Up begged the question: how does one get out of here? Explore more on the collective’s website. Next article

“Torn Spin” (2025). All images courtesy of the artist and Hashimoto Contemporary, shared with permission Gregory Euclide Explores the Anthropocene in Verdant Mixed-Media Collages May 12, 2025 ArtNature Kate Mothes Smeared, flattened, and rough around the edges, Gregory Euclide’s mixed-media collages explore nature through the lens of human experience. Organically meandering outlines suggest shallow reliefs; foraged prairie botanicals complement human-made materials; and abstracted landscapes emerge from drawings, photographs, ripped paper, paint, and more. “The artist tears and layers these elements to build a new pictorial space which more accurately resembles the way he takes in the land,” says a gallery statement for Assembled Lands, Euclide’s current solo exhibition with Hashimoto Contemporary. “Torn: Double Sun” (2025) Breaking down his observations of nature into its fundamental parts, Euclide merges overviews of trees, shrubs, meadows, and the horizon with the intimate details of leaves or branches. One might approach his subject matter through the lens of the Anthropocene, which describes our present era of accelerating changes to the environment due to humans’ unrelenting impact. Each collage (previously) merges recognizable forms and terrain with abstract shapes and compositional spirals or whorls. The effect toys with perception and our understanding of relationships between flatness and depth, land and sky, and nature and ourselves. Assembled Lands continues in New York City through June 14. See more on the artist’s website. “Washed Up On The Beach 2” (2025) “Plat Map” (2025) “Torn: Silhouette” (2025) “Random Invader Memory” (2025) “Torn Landscape Spun” (2025) “Torn: Forest Silhouette” (2025) Next article

All images © the artist, shared with permission Muhammad Fatchurofi’s Contrasting Illustrations Ripple Between Boldness and Delicacy May 10, 2025 Illustration Jackie Andres While Muhammad Fatchurofi’s compositions instill a sense of energy through his use of bold color palettes and frenetic, coarse textures, his subjects often evoke serene body language, harmony, and a quiet stillness. This complementary nature potently emerges from Fatchurofi’s practice in not only a formal sense—with the habitual pairing of contrasting colors—but also an expressive sense, as his familiar motifs elicit an air of mindfulness. As a result, a strong sense of balance continues to evolve in the Semarang, Indonesia-based artist’s newer works. Lately, Fatchurofi has been venturing into the world of acrylic and canvas, translating his skills in digital illustration into a more tactile practice. “It’s been a fun activity for me working with hands and (a) traditional medium,” the artist explains. He has also shared that he’s been inspired to take a step toward painting thanks to process videos shared by Taiwanese-American artist James Jean on Instagram. After accomplishing his first solo exhibition last year, the artist is currently working on more paintings in the hopes of discovering new artistic directions and more exhibitions. Find more work on his website and store, and follow along on Instagram for updates. Next article

“Contra el miedo y la oscuridad, la fiesta colorida y feliz” (2024), pigments and acrylic base on dyed cotton canvas, 4.5 x 7.5 meters, installation view at Escuela Primaria Maestra Antonio Caso, Mexico City. Photo by Israel Esparza. All images courtesy of Celeste, shared with permission Celeste’s Immersive Textile Installations Embrace the Warm Intimacy of Home May 9, 2025 Art Grace Ebert When María Fernanda Camarena and Gabriel Rosas Alemán aren’t in their Mexico City studio, you might find them pulling weeds or chopping vegetables. “We love cooking and gardening—practices rooted in care, and ones we’d love to weave into our work someday,” they say. “There’s a quiet mindfulness in both that aligns perfectly with what we aim to express.” This desire to care roots much of the artists’ practice, which they present together under the name Celeste. Thinking of themselves as hosts, Celeste transforms galleries and museums with large-scale textile installations. In warm shades of pinks, oranges, and reds, the translucent cotton often allows light to filter through and cast tinted shadows around the space. Each work becomes a sort of mise-en-scène as viewers are invited to lounge with friends, enjoy a meal, or perform among the textiles. Installation view of “Melons Covered in Willow Leaves” at the artists’ studio. Photo by Anna Pla Narbona The earthy color palette—originally inspired by natural dyeing materials like avocado pit and turmeric root—began after the onset of COVID-19, when the artists wanted to create “an atmosphere that felt like an embrace, a much-needed warmth after the isolation of 2020,” they say. “This concept of solace stayed with us, and today, the palette has come to symbolize safe spaces, with the womb as a recurring motif: a protected, intimate interior.” Projects include “Contra el miedo y la oscuridad, la fiesta colorida y feliz,” or “Against fear and darkness, the colorful and happy party,” made in collaboration with a 4th-grade class from Mexico City’s Granada neighborhood. After adding their own drawings to the cotton panels, the students used the vivid installation as the backdrop for a school festival. The monumental “Melons Covered in Willow Leaves” is even more immersive, as viewers were invited to wander underneath a tent of draped fabric. And in their most recent exhibition at Rebecca Camacho Presents in San Francisco, the artists have installed a trio of suspended works that bisect the gallery, with arched openings that allow visitors to pass through. Referencing Diego Rivera’s “Agua, el origen de la vida” mural, the triad explores the connections between water and the impact of Mexico City’s colonial history on its landscape. Later this month at The Bentway in Toronto, the pair will also present “Casting a Net, Casting a Spell,” a quilted canopy of 100 individual panels created as both a suncatcher and a necessary repreieve from the summer rays. It’s their largest project to date. Installation view of Hacer brotar / To sprout at Rebecca Camacho Presents, San Francisco. Photo by Robert Divers Herrick With each work, Celeste hopes to “invite the spectator not only in the sense of contemplation but rather in the involvement with the ceremonial… In this setting, the sensorial and emotional realms are recognized as legitimate sources of knowledge and an experience of hospitality and acknowledgment can take place without restrictions.” Celeste’s Hacer brotar / To sprout is on view through June 14 in San Francisco. Explore much more of the duo’s practice and process on their website and Instagram. Detail of “¡Qué llueva, qué llueva!” (2025), pigments and acrylic base on dyed cotton canvas, 66 x 109 inches Installation view of Hacer brotar / To sprout at Rebecca Camacho Presents, San Francisco. Photo by Robert Divers Herrick “Contra el miedo y la oscuridad, la fiesta colorida y feliz” (2024), pigments and acrylic base on dyed cotton canvas, 4.5 x 7.5 meters, installation view at Escuela Primaria Maestra Antonio Caso, Mexico City. Photo by Israel Esparza “Hacer olas” (2023), pigments and acrylic base on dyed cotton canvas, 2.7 x .25 x 12 meters, installation view at The Contemporary Austin, Austin, Texas. Photo by Alex Boeschenstein “Mellons Covered in Willow Leaves” 2024), scale model of the project in the artists’ studio  Next article

All images courtesy of Caio Marcolini, shared with permission Caio Marcolini Weaves Delicate Metal Mesh into Spawning Cellular Sculptures May 9, 2025 Art Grace Ebert Caio Marcolini’s fascination with organic systems began simply enough. It was “the trail left by the sea on the sand, the intertwined roots of trees within the forest, (and) the flowers falling from trees” that he found enchanting. But then, when his first child was born in 2021, he began investigating how these same winding, looping, knotted patterns appeared inside the body. What resulted is a series of roving sculptures woven with thin strips of brass, copper, and iron wire. Hollow tubes emerge from delicate bell-like forms secured to a wall, while occasional, long drips drop from the upper area and dangle mid-air. Trained as a goldsmith, Marcolini incorporates jewelry-making techniques and industrial design principles into his painstaking, entirely hand-powered process. Using a mallet, dowels, and various manual tools, the Brazilian artist creates a perfectly uniform mesh that he then shapes into supple, rounded forms. “I rarely draw—just small sketches—and most of the time, I imagine a shape using initial parameters,” he says. “The compositions are made in an exploratory way, fluid and organic, as I weave the structure and experiment on the studio wall. I can say it’s a very intuitive process.” As the artist sees it, these individual, linked metal pieces are like single cells or DNA that repeat again and again, spawning new forms. While distinct in shape, the sculptures are still malleable, transparent, and abstract. The works resemble the circuitous systems found in the human body, but also the creatures found in forests and oceans, and occupy a sort of ambiguous, hybrid space. Marcolini titles his collections with words like colony, system, captured, and bilateral. Referencing the relationship between single components and the larger whole, each body of work becomes a sort of community of organisms that seem to take on a life of their own. Rather than impose a particular interpretation, the artist leaves the exact form of the works open-ended, as if they might morph into new life at any moment. Not Every Repetition is a Return, Marcolini’s solo exhibition, is on view through May 23 at Galeria Lica Pedrosa in São Paulo. Find more of his work on his website and Instagram. Next article

Installation view of ‘For Thirsting Flowers.’ All images courtesy of the artist and CARVALHO PARK, New York, shared with permission Ethereal Weavings Merge Architecture and Nature in Élise Peroi’s ‘For Thirsting Flowers’ May 8, 2025 Art Kate Mothes Imagine standing at a window at dawn as the pale yellow morning light filters through the trees, slowly illuminating flower petals and setting the scene for birdsong. As you move around, the light dapples and changes, and details emerge or disappear around other forms. For Élise Peroi, this sensation provides a starting point for elegant textile sculptures. Onto graceful wooden frames, the French artist weaves ethereal, layered screens evocative of dreamy portals to nature. “The luminosity of Peroi’s woven paintings is such that we might feel ourselves carried outside to watch the sky brighten, the air soft against our skin,” says Dr. Rebecca Birrell in an essay accompanying Peroi’s solo exhibition, For Thirsting Flowers, at CARVALHO PARK. Detail of “Pensée I” (2025), painted silk and linen, 36 x 28 x 3 inches The artist taps into the long tradition of European tapestries, which were used for both decoration and to help keep homes and churches insulated. Stitched by hand, the works could reach architectonic proportions and contain highly detailed figurative and narrative scenes. Peroi departs from customary associations with tapestries by removing the pieces from the wall and creating standalone, self-supporting structures. She also emphasizes a kind of opening-up of the textile itself. The interactions between warp and weft are loose, delicate, and irregular. And each piece’s depth is determined by the wooden framework, details of which often jut outward in gentle yet willful angles. Peroi’s sculptures appear to subtly morph as one walks around, merging internal and external perspectives. The artist explores relationships between emptiness, form, perception, and the built environment, hinting at recognizable shapes like flowers and foliage set against muted diamond-shaped geometric patterns or open spaces in the weave. And the frames serve both as display devices and looms—the process and finished piece merged into one. For Thirsting Flowers continues in Brooklyn through May 23. See more on the artist’s website. Installation view of ‘For Thirsting Flowers’ at CARVALHO PARK, New York “La lune” (2025), silk, silver leaf, gouache, acrylic, and linen, 64 x 55 x 6 inches “Pensée I” (2025), painted silk and linen, 36 x 28 x 3 inches Installation view of ‘For Thirsting Flowers’ at CARVALHO PARK, New York Installation view of ‘For Thirsting Flowers’ at CARVALHO PARK, New York “Songes II” (2022), painted silk and linen, 55 x 78 x 6 inches Detail of “Songes II” Installation view of ‘For Thirsting Flowers’ at CARVALHO PARK, New York Previous articleNext article

Detail of “City Girls” (2025), yarn, acrylic, and spray paint on hook mesh canvas, 102 x 168 inches. All images courtesy of the artist and ACA Galleries, shared with permission Kandy G. Lopez Embroiders Striking, Life-Size Yarn Portraits Highlighting BIPOC Narratives May 8, 2025 ArtCraft Kate Mothes On large swaths of colorful mesh, Kandy G. Lopez embroiders large-scale portraits of people from historically marginalized communities. “Her works are created out of the necessity to learn something new about her people and culture,” says a statement. Drawing on her Afro-Caribbean ancestry, the Fort Lauderdale-based artist celebrates the style, culture, and heritage of individuals as a way to build connections and generate dialogue around representation. “R² – Roscoe and Reggie” (2024), yarn and acrylic paint on hook mesh, 90 x 60 inches Lopez began working with mesh and fiber almost ten years ago, but she began to approach it more seriously as a major tenet of her practice in 2021 while an artist-in-residence at The Hambidge Center in Georgia. “As a painter, my backgrounds were minimal. Sometimes they would have monochromatic cityscapes,” Lopez tells Colossal, “So, leaving the background rare is something I’m familiar with.” Visibility, presence, and representation are vital to the artist’s work. In each composition, she centers vibrantly dressed, life-size figures so their gazes directly meet the viewer. Through the use of material and metaphor — like layered threads suggesting how BIPOC individuals “disappear and reappear” — she intertwines notions of community, resilience, and narrative. “I love the connections and stories that the individuals tell but also how the stories narrate the material,” she says. The gridded backgrounds evoke associations with neighborhood street patterns and the overlapping layers of woven warp and weft. “I also love the metaphor in transparency, layers, and vulnerability,” the artist says, sharing that she sometimes still incorporates cityscapes painted onto the mesh. Lopez is represented by ACA Galleries. See more on her website and Instagram. “Reyna” (2025), yarn and spray paint on hook mesh canvas, 96 x 60 inches “City Girls” (2025), yarn, acrylic, and spray paint on hook mesh canvas, 102 x 168 inches “Rohan” (2023), yarn and acrylic paint on hook mesh, 96 x 60 inches “Miami” (2025), yarn and spray paint on hook mesh canvas, 96 x 60 inches “Rohan” (2023), yarn and acrylic paint on hook mesh, 96 x 60 inches Detail of “Reyna” Next article

From left: Sunset, Cyanometer, and Air Pollution postcards An Uncanny Postcard Fit for the Era of Climate Catastrophe May 7, 2025 Grace Ebert Depending on the day, you might look to the sky and see a sea of pale blue or a radiant sunset creeping toward the horizon. If you’re in a major metropolitan area, though, you might also be met with the characteristic red-brown haze of smog. Berlin-based artist Macarena Ruiz-Tagle is behind the vibrant Cyanometer and Sunset postcards we’ve featured on Colossal (and that have sold out in our shop several times). But she also created a third version designed for those not-so-bright days. Tiananmen Square, Beijing (November 2013). Photo by Macarena Ruiz-Tagle The World Health Organization estimates that 99 percent of people on Earth breathe unsafe air, making Ruiz-Tagle’s Air Pollution postcard perhaps the most fitting for our era of climate catastrophe. While a stark contrast to the brilliant blues, yellows, and oranges of the other two, this design is awash in pale pinks and grays to match that of a gloomy, and even soiled, atmosphere. Like the others, the idea is to hold the work up to the sky and mark the corresponding hue before dropping it in the mail. The interactive card shifts in meaning depending on whether the opening reveals a misty fog or air thick with chemicals, and it’s part of a growing movement to track climate data in a tangible, grassroots manner. “Separating the visual delight of being immersed in a cloud from the intoxicating reality of breathing heavily polluted air, the postcard evokes both the smog that engulfs global cities and the ethereal beauty of fog,” the artist writes. “In its mesmerizing aesthetic ambiguity, the work sustains a space for contemplation within our troubled atmosphere.” Find all three postcards in the Colossal Shop, and explore more of Ruiz-Tagle’s work on her website. Air Pollution postcard Next article

Photo by Elisabeth von Boch, courtesy of Stanford Libraries, shared with permission After More Than Half a Century, a One-of-a-Kind Chinese Typewriter Emerges from Obscurity May 7, 2025 DesignHistory Kate Mothes A quote widely attributed to Tom Robbins says, “At the typewriter you find out who you are.” Or in the case of one unique machine that’s been missing for decades, the same could be said for finding one, too. In January, Jennifer Felix and her husband Nelson were sorting through items in Jennifer’s grandfather’s basement in New York. They stumbled upon a typewriter like they’d never seen, with Chinese keys. Nelson posted a few photos in a Facebook group called What’s My Typewriter Worth? “From my internet search it looks to be a Chinese-made MingKwai,” he wrote. “I just can’t find any ever sold here in the States. Is it even worth anything? It weighs a ton!” Photo by Elisabeth von Boch Resounding enthusiasm rippled through the comments, as it turned out the machine was indeed a MingKwai — named for being “clear and fast” — the only one of its kind in the world. Missing for more than half a century, the discovery prompted a multitude of messages from people around the world wanting to purchase the machine or place it into museums. It is now in the collection of Stanford Libraries. Invented in 1947 by writer, translator, and linguist Lin Yutang, the typewriter was the first compact concept to feature a keyboard that could produce the Chinese language’s 80,000-plus characters. He accomplished this by creating a kind of sort-and-search method. “Lin broke down Chinese ideographs into more fundamental components of strokes and shapes and arranged the characters in a linear order, like an English dictionary does with alphabetic words,” researcher Yangyang Chen describes in Made in China Journal. Photo by Elisabeth von Boch The keyboard consists of 72 options, which can be combined to create one’s desired characters. Chen continues: By pressing one of the 36 top character component keys and one of the 28 bottom component keys simultaneously, the machine would find up to eight corresponding characters. The user could see the candidates through a special viewing window on the device, which Lin called his “magic eye,” and select the correct one by pushing the respective numerical key. The Carl E. Krum Company built the only known prototype of the MingKwai, says Stanford Report. Lin was unable to drum up enough commercial interest to produce the expensive machine, so he sold the prototype and rights to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, where Jennifer Felix’s grandfather was employed as a machinist. The typewriter never entered production, and it eventually disappeared—until now. Stanford plans to use the unique machine for research, exhibits, and academic programs. Regan Murphy-Kao, director of the East Asia Library, says, “I couldn’t be happier to have the opportunity to steward, preserve, and make this extraordinary prototype accessible for scholarship.” Components and flier for the MingKwai. Photo by Nelson Felix The “magic eye” used to select characters. Photo by Elisabeth von Boch Photo by Nelson Felix Next article

“Tōkaidō Autumn Moon: Restaurants at Kanagawa, Musashi Province” (about 1839), color woodblock print. © Alan Medaugh. All images courtesy of The British Museum, shared with permission Vibrant Woodblock Prints Traverse a Bygone Japan in ‘Hiroshige: Artist of the Open Road’ May 6, 2025 ArtHistory Kate Mothes Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858) was born in Japan on the brink of a national transformation. The Edo Period, characterized by the military rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate, had seen economic growth and sustained peace since its establishment in 1603. But 200 years on, the government’s staunch policies, hierarchical structure, and isolation from the outside world was beginning to erode. In 1867, just nine years after Hiroshige’s death, a new emperor restored imperial rule. Hiroshige: artist of the open road, which just opened at The British Museum, traces the remarkable variety of locations the artist portrayed, from cherry trees and gardens to pleasure boats in the Ryōgoku district of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to sweeping views of iconic Mt. Fuji. His woodcuts capture everyday life, landscapes, and culture in 19th-century Japan in vibrant color. “Pleasure Boats at Ryōgoku in the Eastern Capital” (1832-34), color woodblock print triptych. Photo by Matsuba Ryōko. © Alan Medaugh Along with his contemporary peers like Hokusai, the artist witnessed immense change throughout his lifetime, which he chronicled in thousands of woodblock prints. “As Japan confronted the encroaching outside world, Hiroshige’s calm artistic vision connected with—and reassured —people at every level of society,” the museum says. Hiroshige often assembled his prints into collections or folios, and artist of the open road includes examples from 100 Famous Views of Edo (1857), The 69 Stations of the Kiso Highway (late 1830s), and more. The exhibition also marks the artist’s first solo show presented by The British Museum and the first in London in more than a quarter-century. Hiroshige: artist of the open road continues through September 7 in London. You might also enjoy perusing this fantastic ukiyo-e print archive. “Awa: The Rough Seas at Naruto” from ‘Illustrated Guide to Famous Places in the 60-odd Provinces’ (1855), color woodblock print. © Alan Medaugh “Seba” from ‘The 69 Stations of the Kiso Highway’ (late 1830s), color woodblock print. © The Trustees of the British Museum “Evening View of the Eight Scenic Spots of Kanazawa in Musashi Province” (1857), color woodblock print triptych. © Alan Medaugh “Nihonbashi – Morning Scene” from ‘The 53 Stations of the Tōkaidō’ (c. 1833-35), color woodblock print. © The Trustees of the British Museum “Mt. Fuji and Otodome Fall” (about 1849-52), color woodblock print. Photo by Matsuba Ryōko. © Alan Medaugh “The Plum Garden at Kameido” from ‘100 Famous Views of Edo’ (1857), color woodblock print. Photo by Matsuba Ryōko. © Alan Medaugh Previous articleNext article

All images © Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze, shared with permission Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze Documents Life at the Top of Hong Kong’s Soaring Architecture May 6, 2025 Photography Grace Ebert Amid the frenzied bustle that is city life, it can be difficult—and even dangerous—to stop and observe what happens above street level. For French photographer Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze, though, looking to the upper floors of residential buildings and commercial towers in Hong Kong has revealed an astonishing ecosystem. In his new book, Echoing Above, Jacquet-Lagrèze documents the trees, birds, and men who occupy the city’s sky-high dimension. “Hong Kong’s unique density has made the city grow vertically, and I have been inspired by the different aspects that this density brings, from an architectural point of view and also how it has shaped the relationship between men and nature in this city,” he tells Colossal. With the South China Sea wrapping three sides and a vast territory devoted to public parks, the region has been largely immune to the horizontal sprawl that characterizes many urban areas. Instead, locals have built up and up, their residences soaring high above the ground. As mentioned in PetaPixel, Jacquet-Lagrèze typically scouts locations on walks around Hong Kong, where he’s lived for nearly a decade. Kowloon—once home to the legendary walled enclave—is his favorite place to shoot as the vibrant architecture, laundry hanging from windows, and signs of wear bear traces of the people who have left their mark on the city. He’s especially drawn to workers who might dangle off a facade or drill holes amid bamboo scaffolding, in part because they require patience and focus to spot. Jacquet-Lagrèze’s photos juxtapose balconies and window air-conditioning units with natural life, including the opportunistic Chinese Banyan that sprouts from many roofs. Birds typically eat its small figs and drop the seeds across the city, allowing the hardy trees to sprout amid even inhospitable concrete. “They can thrive and reach very large sizes until it becomes dangerous for the building and has to be taken down,” he says, noting that it seems there’s always one being rooted out. Despite its ubiquity, this cycle of growth and transplanting happens so far overhead that, from street view, it can easily go unnoticed. “I find it beautiful to see how the presence of trees, men, and birds are taking turns above our heads, like an echo in a concrete canyon,” the photographer adds. His images also capture the interplay of light of shadow as entire sides of buildings are blanketed in darkness, reminding us of how little sunlight reaches the ground floor. Echoing Above and other books are available on Jacquet-Lagrèze’s website, and some of this photo series will be on view this month at Blue Lotus Gallery in Hong Kong. Find much more on Instagram. Next article

From the ‘Bruise’ series. All images courtesy of Gallery Nosco, shared with permission Isabelle D’s Lush Crocheted Landscapes Intertwine Pain and Pleasure May 6, 2025 ArtCraft Grace Ebert At seven years old, Isabelle D learned to crochet as a means of supporting her family. Taking lessons from her grandmother, the young artist crafted various items to sell at local markets and set herself on a path she continues to follow today. From silk, cotton, viscose, and other fibers, Isabelle D crochets innumerable forms evocative of coral, sea sponges, anemones, flowers, molds, spores, and more. Each work comprises a diverse array of sculptural pieces, which nest together in broad landscapes brimming with myriad colors and textures. “A Officinalis” The artist’s childhood ingenuity has instilled a commitment to care and resilience that appears both materially and metaphorically in her practice. In her new A Officinalis series, the medicinal, anti-inflammatory properties of the marshmallow plant become a symbol for healing and regeneration. Soft, supple forms in pale pinks and blues are met by fuzzy structures in creamy white yarn, creating a quiet, meditative garden for recovery. Composed of vibrant reds and purples, the Bruise series takes a converse approach. Color is always critical to Isabelle D’s practice, and these works rely on vibrant, saturated reds, purples, and blues to mimic a damaged body. While the pieces evoke injury, they’re markedly beautiful and a sort of homage to the strength that emerges from trauma. In the way that crochet requires an even tension to achieve stitches that aren’t too loose or too tight, Isabelle D strives for a similar balance in her practice and rejects the fast pace at which today’s world moves. Instead, she crafts each piece by hand without the help of assistants, immersing herself in the slow, methodical process of inserting the hook and looping it through the yarn. If you’re in Brussels, stop by Gallery Nosco to see the artist’s solo exhibition, Hanging by a Thread, which runs through May 24. From the ‘Bruise’ series From the ‘Bruise’ series Detail of “A Officinalis” Detail of “A Officinalis” Detail of “Mensonge et Vérité” Detail of “Mensonge et Vérité” “Mould” From the ‘Bruise’ series Next article

Adrian Landon Brooks. All images courtesy of the artists and Preacher, shared with permission Adrian Landon Brooks and Jaime Molina Assemble Enigmatic Narratives in ‘No Man’s Land’ May 6, 2025 Art Kate Mothes Within the compartments of reimagined wooden crates or carved sculptures that open on to reveal inner forms, Adrian Landon Brooks and Jaime Molina explore the possibilities of found materials in mixed-media sculptures and paintings. The artists’ duo exhibition No Man’s Land at Preacher Gallery highlights their kindred yet unique approaches. Brooks brings found materials to life through collaging and layering, using bold lines, color, and pattern to suggest sacred symbols and merge a sense of newness with age. Molina carves his “cuttys” from hunks of timber, pounding swaths of nails to suggest the hair and beards of solemn male figures. Jaime Molina An enigmatic narrative undercurrent runs through No Man’s Land, as both artists draw on folk art and craft to explore geometry and assemblage techniques. Cloaked figures and animal-human hybrids nod to the metaphysical in Brooks’ pieces, while Molina’s pensive figures tap into the mysterious of consciousness. The show highlights how Brooks and Molina have created “a shared world that feels both ancient and brand new—a thoughtful mix of mysticism, memory, and hand-hewn craft,” the gallery says. No Man’s Land opens on May 8 and continues through May 29 in Austin. Find more on the gallery’s website. Adrian Landon Brooks Jaime Molina Adrian Landon Brooks Jaime Molina Adrian Landon Brooks Jaime Molina Next article

All images courtesy of Hirox, Tuur, and The Mauritshuis Explore an Incredible 108-Gigapixel Scan of Johannes Vermeer’s Most Famous Painting May 5, 2025 Kate Mothes One of the inimitable joys of visiting an art museum is being able to view paintings up close—to see their textures, frames, and the way the surface interacts with the light. But even if you had the opportunity to step past security wires and get within inches of an original canvas, you’d still never be able to see the work quite like the new, 108-gigapixel scan of Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (1665). The Mauritshuis has documented its most famous acquisition in unprecedented detail with the help of lens company Hirox, which has produced a video microscope capable of capturing the tiniest speck of paint with astonishing clarity. The outfit was also involved in an earlier reproduction of the same painting, creating an image composed of 10 billion pixels. This high-tech collaboration brings a 17th-century masterpiece to life with an interactive site inviting visitors to examine every micro detail. The new image is more than ten times as large as its predecessor—108 gigapixels translates to 108 billion pixels. A standard computer screen ranges from around four to six million pixels in its entirety. As Kottke notes, the resolution is very high, too, at 1.3 microns per pixel. (A millimeter is 1,000 microns.) Hirox, in tandem with a company called Tuur, produced a beautiful video and virtual tour. A three-dimensional tool for exploring the topography of the surface highlights Vermeer’s mastery of light, like reflections in the sitter’s eyes, the folds of her head scarf, and the minimal dabs of white paint on the titular pearl. This virtual exploration offers art historians and enthusiasts alike a chance to experience “Girl with a Peal Earring” like never before, regardless of where you are. But if you’re in The Hague, it’s also on view in the permanent collection of The Mauritshuis. Next article

Ready to take your practice and creativity to new heights? The Division of Continuing Education at the School of Visual Arts (SVACE) has the resources and expertise to help you go to the next level.  With a diverse range of more than 200 courses and 10+ artist residency programs, you’ll find everything you need to achieve your goals and actualize your potential. Whether you’re looking to advance your career, explore new artistic avenues, or simply deepen your practice, our experienced faculty will provide the guidance and support you need to grow.  Head to sva.edu/ce to explore our offerings and get started. Artist Residency Programs & Intensives Online and on-campus courses are available in: Animation Design and Advertising Film Fine Arts Illustration and Comics Interior Design Photography and Video Professional Development Visual and Critical Studies Visible Futures Lab Visual Narrative Registration Details Course Advice If you need advice or have questions, please email ce@sva.edu to connect with one of our course advisors. About the School of Visual Arts School of Visual Arts (SVA) has been a leader in the education of artists, designers and creative professionals for seven decades. With a faculty of distinguished working professionals, a dynamic curriculum and an emphasis on critical thinking, SVA is a catalyst for innovation and social responsibility. Comprising 6,000 students at its Manhattan campus and 35,000 alumni in 100 countries, SVA also represents one of the most influential artistic communities in the world. For more information, visit sva.edu/ce. 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 Take Your Creative Practice to the Next Level With SVA Continuing Education appeared first on Colossal.

All images © Anna Miller Multimedia Since 1981, One Man Has Relocated Nearly 1,000 Snowy Owls from Logan Airport May 2, 2025 Kate Mothes Upwards of 17 million commercial flights ferry passengers across U.S. airspace each year. (It’s more than twice that, in total, worldwide.) Those hundreds of thousands of vessels share the sky with winged things that have been around way, way longer than airliners, but it’s not always an easy relationship. Through the work of people like Norman Smith at Boston’s primary international terminal, we’re learning more every day about a remarkable species and their evolving ways of life. “The Snowy Owls of Logan Airport” is a short documentary about Smith’s extraordinary work managing unexpected avian residents. Created by Anna Miller, who also runs The Animalia Podcast, the film highlights the unique migration patterns of the largest owls in North America and why they flock from the Arctic to such an unlikely destination every winter. Smith has been working with snowy owls at Logan Airport since 1981. “They fly 3,000 miles just to get here,” he says. “We don’t know why they come down to the Boston area. Logan Airport has the highest concentration of snowy owls in the Northeast that we know of.” The birds’ choice to land at a busy transportation hub might not be as surprising as you’d think at first. It comprises 1,800 acres of open fields, which resemble something like the tundra they call home farther north, full of rats and mice to eat. And on three sides, water provides another ample source of food. It might be loud, but they don’t seem to lose a wink. Programs like the one at Logan Airport have been in place for decades following tragic incidents in which jet engines ingested birds, causing the planes to crash. One particular event in 1960 in Boston prompted airports around the nation to implement programs that managed bird populations, especially roosting areas, around active airfields. And while shooting avian species has historically been one method of removal, Smith is committed to a much more humane solution: moving them to safety elsewhere. Snowy owls are considered “vulnerable” to extinction, and their populations are dwindling as the effects of the climate crisis continue to impact habitats in the Arctic. While it’s harder to predict what will happen in the coming years, Smith is dedicated to giving the birds he encounters the best chance of survival. So far, he has single-handedly relocated more than 900 animals, been instrumental in implementing similar programs across the U.S., and hopes his passion for conservation and the urgent need to save these incredible creatures will influence future generations to do the same. (via Kottke) Next article

“Magma & Reef” (2025). All images courtesy of Kelly Kozma and Paradigm Gallery + Studio, shared with permission Discarded Packaging and Labels Find New Life in Kelly Kozma’s Vibrant Patchworks May 2, 2025 Art Kate Mothes From dozens of Chiquita banana labels to toothpaste packaging to color-coded quality control stickers, Kelly Kozma finds beauty in everyday ephemera. “Piece by piece, she saves any colorful or textured box that she encounters, even though most are expected to be discarded after their original use,” says Paradigm Gallery + Studio, which opens the artist’s solo exhibition Watch Me Backflip this weekend. Kozma takes an archival and interdisciplinary approach to working with numerous found materials, combining a variety of media into two-dimensional wall works, expansive textile-inspired assemblages, and voluminous suspended installations. “Watch Me Backflip embraces ideas of reusing material, interconnectedness, and the significance of the smallest interaction on a much larger environment,” says an exhibition statement. Installation view of ‘Watch Me Backflip’ at Paradigm Gallery + Studio “Iguana & Myrrh” and “Magma & Reef” mark the largest compositions Kozma has created. The former spans 22 feet in circumference and comprises more than 30,000 hand-stitched circles cut from a wide variety of greeting cards, found packaging, and other colorful materials. Committed to a minimal-waste practice, the artist incorporates scraps and loose threads into a number of accompanying works in Watch Me Backflip. “As she stitches these lovingly collected pieces, Kozma creates connections between the people in her life and the objects she interacts with, inspiring mindfulness against overconsumption and emotional apathy,” the gallery says. Watch Me Backflip opens today and continues through June 1 in Philadelphia. See more on the artist’s Instagram. “I See Your Beauty” (2025), process control patches and acrylic on panel Installation view of ‘Watch Me Backflip’ at Paradigm Gallery + Studio Detail of “Iguana & Myrrh” Installation view of ‘Watch Me Backflip’ at Paradigm Gallery + Studio “Peels So Good” (2025), banana stickers and acrylic on panel Detail of “Iguana & Myrrh” The artist working on the installation of “Magma & Reef” Next article

Abi Morocco Photos, “Shogunle, Lagos” (1979). © Abi Morocco Photos. All images courtesy of Lagos Studio Archives, shared with permission This Artist-Run Archive Preserves Endangered Photographic Negatives in a Celebration of Lagos May 2, 2025 HistoryPhotography Kate Mothes During a trip to Lagos in 2015, Karl Ohiri noticed something alarming. The British-Nigerian artist observed how long-running photography studios in the city were destroying their archives—sometimes incidentally, sometimes purposely—as they shuttered or moved out of the city into quieter village settings. And as a generation of photographers shifted to digital methods, film began to literally disappear. Ohiri was moved to remedy this phenomenon, so he struck up relationships with local photographers and began acquiring endangered negatives “in an attempt to ensure that this precious cultural heritage was not lost over time,” he says in a statement. The Lagos Studio Archives project was born. Abi Morocco Photos, “Aina Street, Shogunle, Lagos” (1974). © Abi Morocco Photos “The initiative’s main aims are to collect, preserve, and present the imagery of a generation of photographers that captured the style, humour, and aspirations of everyday Lagosians,” a statement says. Its mission revolves around spotlighting otherwise hidden narratives in one of Africa’s biggest hubs, “whilst further expanding dialogues around West African photography, culture, and the legacies of the diaspora.” Ohiri, along with his partner, Finnish-British artist Riikka Kassinen, conceive of Lagos Studio Archives as a means of preserving and showcasing the wealth of history, culture, style, and daily life in Nigeria’s former capital. Formally organized in 2016, the archive has developed and exhibited images internationally at venues like the Museum of Modern Art in New York and South London Gallery “The project was initiated out of a growing concern that on a long enough timeline, a void would be created where large sections of Lagosian history would be lost and unable to be retrieved,” Ohiri and Kassinen say. “This vacuum could lead to gaps in representation within mainstream Nigerian culture that could have serious repercussions for present and future generations of Nigerians trying to gain a deeper understanding of their heritage and culture.” To date, the archive houses negatives saved from more than twenty studios, consisting of thousands of images. “Through conversations with photographers from the analogue era, the project has engaged in dialogues that explore the importance of preserving photographic archives as an integral part of shaping collective identity,” the artists say.Anonymous, “Untitled, Lagos” from the series ‘Archive of Becoming’ (c. 1990s) Currently based in Helsinki, Ohiri and Kassinen’s individual practices explore relationships between lived experiences within contemporary society and socially engaged dialogues around heritage and culture. As the pair develop images in the collection, distinct series and themes organically emerge. The color images shown here are part of an initiative titled Archive of Becoming, which focuses on deteriorated negatives, primarily of studio portraits. As a result of humidity, mold, heat, and other elements, the photos develop with psychedelic colors, dissolved emulsion, and blank areas. Karl Ohiri / Riikka Kassinen, “John Abe and Funmilayo Abe, Alagbado, Lagos” (2024) “By resurrecting these images from negatives and displaying them in their new context, the works speak of the sad state of some of the negatives,” the duo says. “However, it also talks about a certain beauty that can be found in decay that expresses the passing of time and the unpredictable life of images.” Another body of work focuses on a husband-and-wife team who ran Abi Morocco Photos, which operated between the 1970s and 2006. The studio captured a wide array of fashionable portraits in black-and-white that celebrate myriad nearly-lost visual narratives of Lagos around the turn of the 21st century. Ohiri and Kassinen describe the archive as an intersection between an artist-run project and a social entity, centered around the “idea of collective responsibility in preserving heritage and culture as a form of activism that starts with the individual.” Explore much more on Instagram, where you can follow updates about exhibitions, newly developed photos, and a forthcoming book focused on the work of Abi Morocco Photos. (via WePresent) Anonymous, “Untitled, Lagos” from the series ‘Archive of Becoming’ (c. 1990s) Abi Morocco Photos, “Aina Street, Shogunle, Lagos” (1979). © Abi Morocco Photos Anonymous, “Untitled, Lagos” from the series ‘Archive of Becoming’ (c. 1990s) Abi Morocco Photos, “Aina Street, Shogunle, Lagos” (c. 1970s). © Abi Morocco Photos Anonymous, “Untitled, Lagos” from the series ‘Archive of Becoming’ (c. 1990s) Abi Morocco Photos, “Shogunle, Lagos” (c. 1970s). © Abi Morocco Photos Next article