Evoking Coral, Grass Roots Are Grown into Compostable Garments and Functional Objects

All images © Zena Holloway, shared with permission

Fashion is notorious for its astounding impact on the planet. Clothes are discarded within a few months in favor of the latest trend, cheap, synthetic fibers send harmful microplastics into the oceans, and waste from wealthier nations is often shipped to countries without additional resources only to pollute the local environments. As some designers try to steer the industry toward a more ethical, sustainable future, materials are often front of mind, including for Zena Holloway, who recently released a collection of garments and objects grown from grass roots.

Inspired by the sprawling, delicate shape of coral, Holloway creates soft, textured dresses, collars, lamps, and mobiles from wheatgrass seed. The plant sprouts over the course of about two weeks in beeswax molds. As it grows, it produces its intricately woven root structure, which the designer guides into specific spaces or allows to expand into large, sheet-like forms. Entirely compostable, the material is “both reality and metaphor, aiming to expose the beauty and vulnerability of coral and to champion ocean conservation,” and has the potential to be sewn into clothing or shaped into other functional goods.

The project, known as Rootfull, is ongoing, and Holloway shares a glimpse of her process in the video below. Follow her latest designs on Instagram. (via designboom)

 

source https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2022/10/zena-holloway-rootfull/

Bordalo II Combines Salvaged Neon Tubes, Industrial Materials, and Other Waste into Lively Trash Animals in a New Retrospective

All images © Bordalo II, shared with permission

A seven-meter-tall squirrel made of railway dividers, decommissioned industrial hoses, and shopping carts in disrepair opens a massive retrospective from Portuguese artist Bordalo II (previously). Spanning ten years of his career, EVILUTION reflects the environmental themes the artist has been drawn to for at least the last decade that are reflected through his signature Trash Animals, creatures comprised of entirely salvaged materials. Spray-paint cans are slotted into an abstract mosaic of a raccoon, while neon tubing illuminates a range of sculptural creatures including a fox, spider, and even a snail strapped to an electric scooter.

EVILUTION, which opens this weekend at the Edu Hub of Lisbon, exposes the incredible array of material humans discard and how such waste affects the environment and biodiversity. The show also marks Bordalo II’s first foray into neon, which he describes in a statement:

It’s unbelievable what people throw away. Many of our sculptures use obvious household trash, but we want to show that there’s a whole ecosystem of junk laying around out there that is threatening nature. That includes things like generations of broken neon tubes, which most people wouldn’t ever think about…EVILUTION is a kind of retrospective of everything I’ve been doing over the last ten years, and also a way of looking towards the future.

Head to the artist’s Instagram for a preview of the exhibition, which runs from October 8 to December 11.

 

source https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2022/10/bordalo-ii-evilution/

Hyperrealistic Drawings by David Morrison Reflect the Fragile Ephemerality of Organic Life

“Magnolia Series No. 3,” colored pencil on paper, 20 x 20 inches. All images © David Morrison, courtesy of Garvey | Simon Gallery, New York, shared with permission

Artist David Morrison highlights the fragility and fleeting nature of life through fresh magnolia blooms or a parched maple seed pod. With underlying shadows that imply sunlight or an overhead lamp, Morrison’s drawings are deceptively realistic, appearing like three-dimensional organic matter resting atop blank sheets of paper.

Depicting burst pomegranates or an iris on the brink of opening, the colored pencil works reflect the relationship between the whole specimen and the delicate veins, stems, and fleshy material responsible for sustaining life. “I became obsessed with drawing branches and tree trunks by looking at them through magnifying glasses that allowed me to peer deeper into an astonishing world of abstract shapes and patterns. I then realized the complexity of nature and how magnificent it is,” the artist says in a statement. “Every time I start a new drawing the discovery process starts anew.”

For more of Morrison’s still lifes, visit his Instagram and Garvey | Simon Gallery, where he’s represented.

 

“Maple Seed Pods” (2022), colored pencil on paper, 23 x 30 inches

“Chinese Lantern Drawing” (2022), colored pencil on paper, 21 x 26 inches

“Pomegranate” (2021), colored pencil on paper, 18 x 28 inches

“Magnolia Blossom Series No. 1,” colored pencil on paper, 18 x 18 inches

Left: “Firewood Series No. 9” (2018), colored pencil on paper, 24.5 x 14 inches. Middle: “Iris Series No. 5” (2020), colored pencil on paper, 26 x 14 inches. Right: “Firewood Series No. 1” (2018), colored pencil on paper, 36 x 21 inches

The artist in his studio

source https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2022/10/david-morrison-drawings/

A Whirlwind Timelapse Comprised Entirely of Google Street View Images Circles the Globe

From the halls of the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes in Rio de Janeiro to the Hamburg Canals and the craggy landscape of Mont Blanc, a short film by Adam Chitayat adventures around the world in a dizzying sequence. The timelapse, which is the official music video for “Out Sailing” by Alex Boman, was initially intended as an antidote to wanderlust during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Using frames captured in sequence through Google Street View, Chitayat explores a multitude of rural and urban settings both indoor and outdoor, producing a whirlwind travelogue that traverses the globe in a matter of minutes. For more from the American-Israeli director, head to Vimeo.

 

source https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2022/10/adam-chitayat-out-sailing/

Strings of Pearls Emulate Tears and Form Connections in Intimate Ceramic Sculptures by First of May Studio

“Dear” (2021), pottery and mixed media. All images © Butaoxi Kao of First of May Studio, shared with permission

For millennia, pearls have been treasured for their luminous sheen and range of hues and were first documented for their use as gemstones more than 4,000 years ago in China. Symbolic of luck, wisdom, and prosperity in cultures throughout the world, these organic orbs have given rise to myths and legends related to divine beings, often said to be fashioned from the tears of mermaids or gods. In Greek myth, it’s said that if a bride wears pearls on her wedding day, she won’t cry. Ceramic sculptures by Butaoxi Kao of First of May Studio build upon this history and express emotions and connection through strings of pearls.

Based in Taiwan, Butaoxi’s background as an illustrator and graphic designer influenced her interest in modeling with ceramic, which she began working with in 2015 following an injury that prompted a new way of thinking about her practice. In the ongoing series Tears are Pearls, she explores the universality of intense feeling and applies the iridescent droplets to express a range of emotions from sadness to frustration, pain to joy. Examining how emotions connect us to one another and to our past, the artist uses pearls in various shapes and sizes, which leak from eyes or link to other figures. Their upper bodies are often shaped into forms that resemble toys or games like jigsaw puzzles or swings. Several new works are currently on view in a solo exhibition The Crying Game that delves into links between childhood and nostalgia, evoking a connection to innocence, play, and deep-seated memories.

Several new works are currently on view in a solo exhibition The Crying Game, on view at Yuri Arts in Taipei through October 15, which delves into the connection between childhood and nostalgia, evoking a connection to innocence, play, and deep-seated memories. You can find more work by First of May Studio on Instagram.

 

“Inner balance” (2021)

“Snowflake blocks” (2022)

“I am happy” (2021)

Left: “#Stickergirl” (2022). Right: “Tears Slide” (2022)

Detail of “I am happy”

“Miss” (2021)

Left: “Coral Sea (Pacific)” (2022). Right: “Fragility and tenderness” (2022)

“Tears swing” (2022)

Detail of “Dear”

source https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2022/10/first-of-may-tears-pearls/

University of the Arts’s Dynamic Grad Programs Advance Your Creativity

Devised Performance MFA students perform in “’scapes” as part of ‘Catapult,’ a series of student performances. Photo by John C. Hawthorne

Attend the University of the Arts (UArts)’s virtual grad information session on October 26, 2022, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. EST. Meet program directors, current students, and faculty, and learn more about how you can advance your creativity at UArts.

MFA in Book Arts & Printmaking
UArts’s program is the most prominent and established professional master’s degree program in the U.S.

MFA in Dance
Internationally situated, the program rethinks itself anew each year and departs from a traditional educational format.

MFA in Devised Performance
In collaboration with Pig Iron Theatre Company, this program explores ensemble theater practice, trains students’ bodies and imaginations, and helps them create original performance works in response to the world around them.

Master of Education in Educational Program Design (online)
This online-only program demystifies curriculum, instruction, and assessment as educators gain tools to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Master of Education in Educational Technology (online)
This online-only program deepens students’ expertise in integrating technology into the classroom.

Master of Music in Jazz Studies
Students get advanced private instruction, focus on their individual goals, and develop their musical identities.

MFA in Museum Exhibition Planning & Design
Students learn to design experiences that cultivate curiosity, build empathy, and inspire people to action.

Master of Arts in Museum Studies (emphases: Education, Engagement)
Students are engaged in a cohort and community learning environment and are passionate about the mission-driven impact only museums can deliver.

Master of Music in Music Education (summers only)
The nation’s premier program for music educators is designed for teachers and others interested in studying music education at the graduate level.

Master of Design in Product Design
Students learn how to solve social, economic, technical, and material challenges through human-centered design, maker culture, and entrepreneurship.

Master of Arts in Teaching in Music Education or Visual Arts Education
Students gain hands-on teaching experience and take coursework in practice, pedagogy, and current theory and research to become certified art or music educators.

source https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2022/10/uarts-graduate-degrees/

Centering on Moments of Familiar Intimacy, Baldwin Lee’s Photos Capture Black Life Throughout the ’80s American South

“Boyle, Mississippi” (1985), gelatin silver print, printed c. 1985, 16 x 20 inches. All images © Baldwin Lee, courtesy of Howard Greenberg Gallery and Hunters Point Press

In 1983, Baldwin Lee took a road trip through the American South that blossomed into a seven-year project capturing images from Black Southern Americans’ everyday lives. The photographer’s angles and perspectives of landscapes, materials, and gathering spaces are deeply considered. An image feels lived-in, as if it captures the perspective of someone who has experienced the setting over and over again from several angles and with sentimentality. The works embody a candid familiarity.

Some of Lee’s portraits, on the other hand, are hauntingly intimate. For example, in “Nashville, Tennessee” (1983), four Black children stand hand-in-hand in front of an exact replica of the Greek Parthenon in the dead of night. The grandness of the columns in the darkness blows a chill, and the gaze of the innocent, wide-eyed children holding onto each other sends goosebumps along with it. Other characteristics of Lee’s images include the rich textures of magnetic gazes and body language—like the fold of an arm while relaxed or the posture of each person in relation to their environment—as seen in “Vicksburg, Mississippi” (1983), in which an older boy’s stern face and muscular build carries a smaller and more confident version of himself on his hip. The pair’s kinship is clear, but there are enough subtleties in the image to leave a sense of wonder about the worldviews and relationships between each person.

Thirty of Lee’s photographs now on view at the Howard Greenburg Gallery are snippets of an archive of 10,000 black-and-white negatives, a greater number of which are now available in a self-titled monograph published by Hunters Point Press. See his work at the New York space through November 12.

 

“Vicksburg, Mississippi” (1983), gelatin silver print, printed c. 1983, 16 x 20 inches

“Nashville, Tennessee” (1983), gelatin silver print, printed c. 1983, 16 x 20 inches

“Vicksburg, Mississippi” (1984), gelatin silver print, printed c. 1984, 16 x 20 inches

“DeFuniak Springs, Florida” (c. 1984), gelatin silver print, printed c. 1984, 16 x 20 inches

“Baton Rouge, Louisiana” (1985), gelatin silver print, printed c. 1985, 16 x 20 inches

 

source https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2022/10/baldwin-lee-photographs/

Bulbous Inflatable Installations by Steve Messam Interact with Historic Architecture and Landscapes

“Spiked” (2021). All images © Steve Messam, shared with permission

U.K.-based artist Steve Messam is known for his artistic interventions in the landscape, reinterpreting historical monuments, buildings, or rural areas with bold, ephemeral installations. Often inflated, his works reimagine or disrupt perceptions of our surroundings and impact how people move around and through them. Bright colors and striking forms that jut from colonnades, facades, and river banks prompt viewers to consider their relationships to the built environment.

As part of BlowUp Art Den Haag, a three-week outdoor exhibition featuring large-scale, temporary, inflatable artworks throughout The Hague, the artist has unveiled new work marking two notable locations. For one, a bronze statue of William I, or Willem de Oranje, who founded the Netherlands as an independent nation, a tube of green spikes playfully encircles the monument, transforming the atmosphere of the main square it overlooks.

You can find more work on Messam’s website and Instagram.

 

“Oranje,” (2022). Photo by Pim Top / Hague & Partners

Left: “Bridged” (2021). Right: “Multiform*” (2022)

“Portico” (2022)

“Oranje.” Photo by Pim Top / Hague & Partners

“Tunnel,” (2022). Photo by Pim Top / Hague & Partners

source https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2022/10/steve-messam-the-hague/

Street Artist Blu Protests the Valencia Port Expansion with a Tumultuous Battle Between Nature and Guards

All images © Blu, shared with permission

The legendary anonymous street artist known as Blu has spent his career critiquing the ills of capitalism, the carceral system, and the destruction of the environment, among myriad other problems afflicting the world today. One of his most recent projects brought him back to Sensemurs Valencia to paint a charged mural protesting the expansion of the port in the Spanish city.

The 2022 festival centered around the government’s extension of the industrial area to the north, which would “mean, among many other things, the final lunging to the beaches of l’Albufera (and) the multiplication of air pollution of ships and truck traffic.” Part of a movement to halt the proposal, the public art event brought several muralists to the city, including Blu, whose multi-part work features a battle between fist-shaped trees and port defenders. Similar to some of his earlier projects, this piece is designed as a sequence that when photographed and stitched together, creates an animation. Yellow shipping containers morph into armored guards, who are swiftly pummeled and destroyed as nature resurges from the ground.

To see more of Blu’s recent works, including a piece speaking to the current fossil fuel crisis, visit his site and Instagram.

 

 

source https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2022/10/blu-sensemurs-valencia-mural/