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Craft#coral
#crochet
#installation
#knitting
#ocean
#octopi
#sustainability
#yarnJuly 20, 2020
Grace Ebert“Big Mogus” (2020), yarn and dacron, 96 1/2 × 18 7/8 × 22 1/8 inches. All images © Mulyana, shared with permission
Complete with spiraled tentacles, textured features, and toothy grins, the yarn-based creatures that Indonesian artist Mulyana knits and crochets take a playful, bizarre approach to ocean life. The artist frequently recreates what he refers to as the mogus, or octopus, as a mainstay in his underwater environments. Dotted with multiple sets of eyes, the creature has various iterations ranging in size, color, facial contortions, and number of tentacles. Each billowing mogus is presented suspended from the ceiling, giving it the appearance of floating through the ocean.
While many of Mulyana’s formations are brightly colored, the pieces in his Bety series (shown below) are crafted entirely in white to draw attention to coral bleaching caused by pollution. To maintain his own commitments to sustainability and community, Mulyana re-purposes the yarn that forms his textured corals and ocean life.
If you’re in New York, Mulyana’s sea creatures can be seen at Sapar Contemporary through August 21. Otherwise, keep up with the artist’s vibrant projects on Instagram, and check out where the mogus heads on its next adventure.“Harmony 14” (2019), yarn, Dacron, cable wire, and plastic net, 41 3/4 × 60 5/8 × 17 3/4 inches
Left: “Mogus 39” (2020), yarn and dacron, 14 1/8 × 29 7/8 × 5 1/8 inches
“Bety 1” (2020), yarn, dacron, cable wire, and plastic net, 73 5/8 × 37 3/8 × 20 1/8 inchesBig Mogus” (2020), yarn and dacron, 96 1/2 × 18 7/8 × 22 1/8 inches
#coral
#crochet
#installation
#knitting
#ocean
#octopi
#sustainability
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More“Not Taking Any Chances” (2022), freehand machine embroidery on linen, 8 x 6 inches
Join Us for a Colossal x Joy Machine Workshop with Peter Frederiksen
February 11, 2025
ArtColossalWorkshops
Grace Ebert
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We’re excited to share that we’re hosting an embroidery workshop next month with Chicago-based artist Peter Frederiksen. Join us at Joy Machine on March 2 for Frederiksen’s signature Stitch Circle.
The three-hour workshop will unpack his unique approach to image-making and teach the basics of embroidery. All skill levels are welcome.
This workshop coincides with Joy Machine’s inaugural exhibition, Light Preserver, which features Frederiksen’s embroideries alongside works by eight artists who cultivate and ritualize joy.
There are only a handful of tickets left, so get yours before they sell out. And if you’re a Colossal Member, don’t forget to use the discount code in your account for $5 off.
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“Sitter” (2019), oil on canvas, 86 x 54.75 inches. Photo by Robert Wedemeyer. All images © Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe and Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, shared with permission For Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe, pastel backdrops and numerous shades of orange, blue, and pink directly connect to the Black subjects depicted in his oil paintings. […] More
