Aurelia Butler

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    Interview: Kevin Peterson Shares His Fascination with Graffiti and How Optimism Informs His Paintings

    
    Art

    August 24, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    “Reign,” oil on panel, 30 x 30 inches. All images © Kevin Peterson, shared with permission
    Known for his scenes of urban decay, artist Kevin Peterson (previously) is profoundly optimistic, a vision he shares in a recent interview with managing editor Grace Ebert. The Houston-based artist often positions lone children alongside wild animals, an inter-species mix that offers an escape from the destruction and hope for the imagined future.
    I suppose the kids in my paintings are a reflection of a hope that I have that people will learn from past mistakes and face the future with a sense of calm reason. Part of that is re-prioritizing what we value. The work is a vision of a new generation of kids that will not rule the world like tyrants but will respect nature, other people, and the world we have.
    In this conversation, Peterson explores the effects the current moment is having on his artistic practice, how his fascination with graffiti has evolved, and his understanding of change. Thanks to the generous support of Colossal Members, this interview is available to all readers.

    “Keepers”

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    Katsumi Hayakawa’s Congested Cities Are Constructed with Scrupulously Cut Paper Buildings

    
    Art

    #architecture
    #city
    #electronics
    #paper
    #sculpture
    #technology

    August 21, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    “Bonsai City” (2014), paper, inkjet printing, fake grass, acrylic elements, 8 x 118 x 21 1/2 inches. All images © Katsumi Hayakawa, courtesy of the artist and McClain Gallery, shared with permission
    Meticulously cutting each piece by hand, Katsumi Hayakawa crafts dense cityscapes and urban districts from white paper. The Japanese artist assembles towers and various cube-like structures that are positioned in lengthy rows, resembling congested streets. Dotted with primary colors and metallic elements, the sculptures evoke electronic equipment like microchips and motherboards, which references the relationship between modern cities and technology. Hayakawa’s use of an ephemeral, organic material further contrasts the manufactured nature of both urban areas and technological inventions.
    To explore more of the artist’s projects that are concerned with the complexity of modern life, head to Artsy.

    “Fata Morgana” (2014), paper, inkjet printing, glitter, 25 1/2 x 119 1/2 x 51 1/2 inches
    “Bonsai City” (2014), paper, inkjet printing, fake grass, acrylic elements, 8 x 118 x 21 1/2 inches
    “Bonsai City” (2014), paper, inkjet printing, fake grass, acrylic elements, 8 x 118 x 21 1/2 inches
    “Intersection” (2017), watercolor paper and mixed media, 29 7/16 x 59 1/16 x 5 1/2 inches
    “Intersection” (2017), watercolor paper and mixed media, 29 7/16 x 59 1/16 x 5 1/2 inches
    “Fata Morgana” (2014), paper, inkjet printing, glitter, 25 1/2 x 119 1/2 x 51 1/2 inches
    “See from the side 3” (2014), paper, wood, acrylic reflective sheet, acrylic mirror with blue film, 8 3/4 x 50 1/4 x 11 inches

    #architecture
    #city
    #electronics
    #paper
    #sculpture
    #technology

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    Hundreds of Collaged Photographs Form Rich, Botanical Worlds by Artist Catherine Nelson

    
    Art
    Photography

    #collage
    #digital
    #environment
    #nature

    August 21, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    “Pachira,” 59 x 59 inches.  All images © Catherine Nelson, shared with permission
    A decade ago, Catherine Nelson compiled hundreds of photographs of barren, snow-covered landscapes and autumnal forests for her project Future Memories 2010. The Australian artist, who lives and works between Ghent and Amsterdam, recently revisited that series to create a new body of work with similar world-building techniques. “With the tumultuous events of 2020 still unfolding and the undeniable links to the destruction of the natural world by mankind, it felt timely to return to the themes from that series, which talk about our planet and the importance of protecting what we have,” she says.
    Composed of photographs captured during three years and across four continents, Future Memories 2020 spans “from the lush, tropical flora of Costa Rica and Far North Queensland and the fertile, volcanic mountains of the Azores, to the rolling hills of the Greenland tundra,” Nelson writes. Many of the orb-like digital assemblages feature thick brush and foliage around the outside, while the less-populated centers appear to bulge out. The organic spheres hover effortlessly against a cloudy backdrop, highlighting the rich colors and incredible diversity of every environment. Each piece serves as a reminder that “it is in the flourishing variety of the local that the fate of the world resides,” the artist says.
    Nelson’s work is on view through September 22 at Michael Reid in Sydney and will head to Gallerysmith in Melbourne early next year. Those unable to experience the complexly assembled worlds in person can see more on her site.

    “Cubali,” 59 x 59 inches
    “Sarapiqui,” 59 x 59 inches
    “Terra Nostra,” 59 x 59 inches
    “Tortuguero,” 59 x 59 inches
    “Tropic,” 59 x 59 inches
    “Tundra,” 59 x 59 inches
    “Cartago,” 59 x 59 inches

    #collage
    #digital
    #environment
    #nature

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    Thick Clusters of Wooden Birdhouses by London Fieldworks Sprawl Across Tree Trunks

    
    Art

    #architecture
    #birdhouses
    #birds
    #installation
    #public art
    #trees
    #wood

    August 20, 2020
    Anna Marks

    “Spontaneous City in the Tree of Heaven.” All images © London Fieldworks
    In London Fieldworks’ delicate creations, architecture meets nature. Its installations feature pine-colored clusters of minuscule wooden forms that appear to grow upon vast tree trunks. Founded by artists Bruce Gilchrist and Jo Joelson, London Fieldworks is a collaborative and multidisciplinary arts practice with projects at the intersection of architecture, sculpture, installation, and film. 
    Each of the homes has rounded windows and doors, while those on large evergreen trees resemble natural objects, such as wasp and hornet nests or even fungi and mushrooms. From reflecting Clerkenwell’s urban renewal to offering new habitats for animals, the sprawling birdhouses fuse architectural ideas with nature and art, resulting in sculptures that integrate effortlessly in both natural and urban spaces. Through its installations, the practice explores its concern with the climate crisis through the lens of history, the environment, and culture.
    One work, “Spontaneous City in the Tree of Heaven,” references opposite sides of London: Duncan Terrace Gardens in the east and Cremorne Gardens in the west. The installation is constructed from hundreds of bespoke bird boxes reflecting the forms of the local architecture—a combination of Modernist 60’s social housing and Georgian townhouses. 
    Explore more of London Fieldworks’ projects on its site. You also might enjoy this similarly dense complex for avian neighbors.

    “Spontaneous City: Clerkenwell”
    Right: “Spontaneous City in the Tree of Heaven”
    “Spontaneous City in the Tree of Heaven”
    “Spontaneous City in the Tree of Heaven”
    “Spontaneous City in the Tree of Lebanon”

    #architecture
    #birdhouses
    #birds
    #installation
    #public art
    #trees
    #wood

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    A Vibrant, Geometric Rug Cascades Down a Staircase in a New Mural by Jessie and Katey

    
    Art

    #geometric
    #murals
    #public art
    #rugs
    #stairs
    #textiles

    August 20, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    All images © Jessie and Katey, shared with permission. By Shauna Caldwell
    To create the brightly colored textile that cloaks a three-level staircase on the Appalachian State University campus, artists Jessie Unterhalter and Katey Truhn (previously) imagined the concrete steps as a massive loom. They drew grids on the outdoor structure to map out where each individual strip would start, end, and intersect with the larger geometric forms. “There was a lot of math involved, getting the angles and perspective right was a challenge but eventually everything locked into place,” the Baltimore-based duo, who are known as Jessie and Katey, shares with Colossal.
    Evoking the quilts and other textiles that are traditional to Appalachia, the large-scale artwork is composed of vivid gradients layered into a complex web of stripes and woven patches. Neutral-toned tassels line the angled edge at the bottom of the staircase, giving the flat mural the appearance of a rug.
    This public artwork is just one Jessie and Katey have undertaken in recent months. Many of their projects that were postponed due to COVID-19 are reconvening, bringing the pair to Las Vegas, Washington D.C., and a few spots in North Carolina. Although the actual painting process is solitary, Jessie and Katey say they’ve enjoyed seeing how people are experiencing outdoor art since the onset of the pandemic. “It’s really rewarding watching the work get embraced by the public. People get really creative with it, and murals end up becoming a part of the community,” they say.
    To see where the duo is headed next, follow them on Instagram, and check out the prints available in their shop.

    By Michael Olson
    By Shauna Caldwell
    By Shauna Caldwell
    By Shauna Caldwell

    #geometric
    #murals
    #public art
    #rugs
    #stairs
    #textiles

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    Rooted in Chicago’s Culture, Technicolor Paintings by Artist Max Sansing Explore Revelation

    
    Art

    #Chicago
    #painting

    August 19, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    “Join Me” (2020), oil, spray paint, and enamel on panel, 20 × 20 inches. All images © Max Sansing, shared with permission
    Through a series of brightly hued paintings titled Lost & Found, Max Sansing examines the human desire for happiness and peace through a distinct sense of place. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, the artist is known for vibrant murals, which you can explore on Instagram, and smaller-scale artworks (shown here) that are rooted in the culture that’s unique to the city.
    Each of Sansing’s paintings focus on a single subject who is overlayed with a thick brushstroke or whispy feather. The artist tells Colossal that the central characters are in the midst of a revelation, having just experienced or realized a needed adjustment. “I think at some point in most Chicagoans’ lives, you come to a point where you need a change. Either Chicago does that for you, or you do it for yourself. Finding that and unlocking those new pathways is a huge part of life,” Sansing says.
    Many of the works that are part of Lost & Found hearken back to the artist’s upbringing. “Rapture,” in particular, features Anita Baker in the background, a gesture toward the R&B singer’s tunes that would reverberate throughout the neighborhood Sansing grew up in during the 1980s. In the same piece, though, a bullet propels toward a young boy’s head. “The threat of gang violence in the early 90s was kind (of) like a wake-up call out of adolescence,” the artist says, and a reality for many Black boys and men in the United States.
    Sansing isn’t without hope, though. The artist writes, “I think we all want that moment in life to finally have clarity, peace, happiness, and in the end, that’s what a lot of civil unrest is about. Folks just wanna live and be. And some want that for others who can’t have it due to hate and systemic roadblocks.” As a whole, Lost & Found embodies the revelations necessary to bring justice and allow communities to thrive. “To quote the show title,” Sansing says, “these things are lost for some, and we have to find it.” (via Supersonic Art)

    “Keygen”(2020), oil, spray paint, and enamel on panel, 30 × 30 inches
    “Rapture (Same Ole Love)” (2020), oil, acrylic, spray paint, and enamel on canvas, 36 × 38 inches
    “Feather Weight” (2020), oil, acrylic, spray paint, and enamel on panel, 33 × 24 inches
    “Soldier On”(2020), oil, acrylic, spray paint, and enamel on panel, 12 × 12 inches
    “Recovered” (2020), oil, acrylic, spray paint, and enamel on panel, 30 × 30 inches

    #Chicago
    #painting

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  • 163 Shares129 Views

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    In ‘Human,’ Artist Beth Cavener Chronicles Nearly Two Decades of Evocative Sculptural Creatures

    
    Art

    #animals
    #books
    #sculpture

    August 19, 2020
    Claire Voon

    All images © Beth Cavener, shared with permission
    In the hands of Montana-based sculptor Beth Cavener (previously), clay transforms into mesmerizing, life-size animal figures charged with raw emotion and vitality. ​Human​, her recently released and award-winning monograph, gathers and celebrates nearly two decades of these extraordinary creations, featuring 160 color plates of work from six series. The curious menagerie includes hares, foxes, goats, and other common mammals, with graceful and luminous bodies depicted in situations that are often tinged with a sense of violent tension. They are figures of pathos: Some creatures recoil, as though in fear; others seem paralyzed by some unseen force. Many are suspended, tethered, or slumped over, having seemingly surrendered to their perpetual state of entrapment. Still, others are beasts exuding tenderness, their body language and eyes inviting viewers to draw close.
    Cavener is a prolific artist, and as ​Human​ reveals, she has experimented with diverse materials including crystallized sugar, black sand, and smoke. Some of her most compelling pieces engage evocative devices like steel chains and glass vitrines, with several incorporating distinctive objects like a 24 karat gold ring and a wasps’ nest. The resulting animals could be displaced from dark fables. They are haunting, unlucky characters whose precise body language and inescapable gazes express unfiltered views of human nature.
    Writing the foreword for ​Human​, critic Garth Clark identifies Cavener’s sources of inspiration: People she personally has encountered during her lifetime—including her own self—“whose psychodramas, emotional catastrophes, and sexual peculiarities play out in her work.” Roiling with unspoken affect, these animals serve as unflinching mirrors capable of appealing at one glance and suddenly unsettling at another. As Cavener has said about her own visions: “Entangled in their own internal and external struggles, the figures express frustration for the human tendency towards cruelty and a lack of understanding. Something conscious and knowing is captured in their gestures and expressions. An invitation and a rebuke.”
    Explore this beguiling bestiary by picking up a copy of ​Human​ from the artist’s ​website​ or Bookshop.

    #animals
    #books
    #sculpture

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    Copper Animal Sculptures by Artist Wang Ruilin Are Embedded with Nature’s Sublime Elements

    
    Art

    #animals
    #copper
    #nature
    #sculpture

    August 18, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    “66°​​​​​​​ N” (2020), copper and paint. . All images © Wang Ruilin
    Artist Wang Ruilin (previously) visualizes nature’s interconnectivity by literally imprinting a rocky terrain or ice cap onto the bodies of wild animals. His recent copper-and-paint sculptures include a panda with a black back stripe and limbs that are covered in a mountainous ridge and a white blanket of clouds. Similarly, the waters of the Arctic Circle wrap around a polar bear’s lower back and hind legs, contrasting its otherwise smooth fur. Often positioned in states of repose, the creatures are evoking Earth’s most sublime features through surreal placements. See more of the Ruilin’s recent sculptures below, and head to Behance and Instagram for glimpses into his process.

    “Above Cloud” (2020), copper and paint
    “Above Cloud” (2020), copper and paint
    “66°​​​​​​​ N” (2020), copper and paint
    “66°​​​​​​​ N” (2020), copper and paint
    “DREAMS Rhino (No. 04)” (2015), copper and paint
    “DREAMS Rhino (No. 04)” (2015), copper and paint
    “HIDE.SEEK – DOUZHANSHENGFO” (2015), copper and paint
    “HIDE.SEEK – DOUZHANSHENGFO” (2015), copper and paint

    #animals
    #copper
    #nature
    #sculpture

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