Aurelia Butler

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    Lush Florals and Ripe Fruit Sprout from Lustrous Glass Trees by Artist Debora Moore

    
    Art

    #flowers
    #glass
    #sculpture
    #trees

    July 17, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    All images © Debora Moore, shared with permission
    Combining traditional glassblowing techniques and sculpting methods, Debora Moore forms lustrous glass sculptures that resemble mossy branches, fleshy petals, and entire trees. The St. Louis-born artist began by creating orchids with bulbous centers before expanding her practice to larger, organic forms. In her recent collection, Arboria, Moore sculpted delicate magnolias, plump plums, and the lavender tendrils of the wisteria.
    The fragile artworks create a tension between the delicate material, the fleeting lives of flowers, and the strength and durability of nature. Moore likens her process to that of painting, where glass is used similarly to produce depth. “The material’s inherent ability to transmit and reflect light, as well as its variations from transparency to opacity, lends itself perfectly to achieve desired textures and surfaces,” she says in a statement.
    To dive further into Moore’s process and see her studio, check out this interview and her site.

    Left: “Purple Lady Slipper,” blown and sculpted glass, 35 x 21 x 8 inches. Right: “Paphiopedilum Epiphyte,” blown and sculpted glass, 35 x 9 x 9 inches
    “Magnolia” from Arboria (2018), blown and sculpted glass, 104 x 112 x 30 inches
    “Winter Plum” from Arboria (2018), blown and sculpted glass, 72 x 101 x 23 inches
    “Winter Plum” from Arboria (2018), blown and sculpted glass, 72 x 101 x 23 inches
    “Blue Lady Slippers” from Gigantica, blown and sculpted glass, 19 x 20 x 11 inches
    “Wisteria” from Arboria (2018), blown and sculpted glass, 93 x 86 x 36 inches
    “Wisteria” from Arboria (2018), blown and sculpted glass, 93 x 86 x 36 inches
    Left: “Blue Orchid Tree,” blown and sculpted glass, 42 x 35 x 10 inches. Right: “Pink Lady Slipper,” blown and sculpted glass, 62 x 43 x 8 inches
    “Blue Epiphyte,” blown and sculpted glass, 22 x 9.5 x 7.5 inches
    “Magnolia” from Arboria (2018), blown and sculpted glass, 104 x 112 x 30 inches
    “Blush Epidendrum,” blown and sculpted glass, 23 x 17 x 9 inches

    #flowers
    #glass
    #sculpture
    #trees

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    Powerful and Emotive, Artist Patrick Onyekwere’s Hyperrealistic Portraits Are Rendered Meticulously in Ballpoint Pen

    
    Art

    #drawing
    #hyperrealism
    #pen
    #photorealism
    #portraits

    July 16, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    All images © Patrick Onyekwere, shared with permission
    Patrick Onyekwere imbues his photorealistic portraits with layers of emotion. Before sketching with blue, ballpoint pen, the Nigerian artist invites his subjects into a conversation about their lives, contemporary culture, and nature to establish the mood or story he’s hoping to convey. Their responses produce a collaborative endeavor that organically merges their perspectives and histories, which the artist translates to his artworks.
    Onyekwere collects a few snapshots of his subject for reference as he meticulously shades and crosshatches every inch of his hyperrealistic pieces. The artist sees his powerful renderings as “speaking for those who can’t speak for themselves” and finds the subjects’ eyes most interesting. “They mirror some of our deepest desires, fears, inhibitions, perceptions, thoughts, most of which we ourselves are consciously unaware of,” he says. “(The eyes have) the power to convey emotions and feelings and also communicate and connect to the viewer, inviting them to live in an untold story, in such a way they don’t see an already existing piece but take part in the creation of it.”
    To see Onyekwere’s portraits-in-progress and follow more of his expressive works, follow him on Instagram and YouTube.

    #drawing
    #hyperrealism
    #pen
    #photorealism
    #portraits

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    Jolly Characters by Artist Jean Jullien Overrun the Jardin des Plantes in Nantes, France

    
    Art
    Illustration

    #installation
    #public art

    July 15, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    Photo by Jean Jullien. All images © Jean Jullien, shared with permission
    Take a stroll through Nantes’s Jardin des Plantes, and you’ll find a playful cast of characters floating in a fountain, raking the grass, and joining hands to hug a tree. Part of a new exhibition titled Filili Viridi in the French city, the colorful ensemble was created by Paris-based artist Jean Jullien (previously) for the botanic garden in his hometown. Each of the characters is massive—the blush-colored creature spans more than eight meters—and appears to utilize the lush grounds just like their human counterparts.
    If you’re in Nantes before November 2021, head to the park to hang out with the jolly group, to which Jullien plans to add a dozen (!) more of the spirited characters next fall. To dive further into his light-hearted projects, check out the artist’s Instagram and the range of books he’s illustrated, many of which are available from Bookshop. (via Juxtapoz)

    Photo by Jean Jullien
    Photo by Jean Jullien
    Photos by Jean Jullien
    Photo by Jean Jullien
    Photo by Jean-Felix Fayolle
    Photo by Jean-Felix Fayolle

    #installation
    #public art

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    Swaths of Colorful Fringe Disguise Animalistic Sculptures by Artist Troy Emery

    
    Art
    Craft

    #animals
    #sculpture
    #thread

    July 13, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    “small sweet pink lump” (2020), polyester, polyurethane, pins, and adhesive, 40 x 44 x 39 centimeters. All images © Troy Emery, shared with permission
    Many pet owners are quick to name their dog or cat’s breed, but those bringing home one of Troy Emery’s colorful sculptures might need to figure out what species they’ve adopted first. The Melbourne-based artist creates amorphous artworks that resemble a range of four-legged friends, although their figures are enveloped with swaths of long, flowing fringe rather than distinct characteristics.
    In a note to Colossal, Emery shares that his tassel-covered sculptures consider how both fine arts and craft are portrayed broadly, in addition to the unique position non-human creatures hold as “tokens of ecological ruination… Along with the theme of animals within decorative arts, my practice plays with both scientific and cultural categorization of the ‘natural’ world, creating ‘fake taxidermy’ that falls between reality and fantasy as exotic hybrid creatures,” he says.
    Emery’s indeterminate sculptures are currently on view through an online exhibition with Martin Browne Contemporary, and more of his textile-based projects can be found on Instagram. (via The Jealous Curator)

    “Bird Catcher” (2017), rayon fringing, polyurethane, glue, and pins
    “ingot eater” (2019), polyester, polyurethane, pins, and adhesive, 78 x 98 x 54 centimeters
    “pink peony” (2020), polyester, polyurethane, pins, and adhesive, 39 x 68 x 22 centimeters
    “shadow” (2019), polyester, polyurethane, pins, and adhesive, 51 x 50 x 45 centimeters
    “savage” (2020), polyester, polyurethane, wire, fiberglass, pins, and adhesive, 32 x 90 x 40 centimeters

    #animals
    #sculpture
    #thread

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    Airy, Wooden Orb Inlaid with LED Lights Radiates Throughout a Dim Forest in Taiwan

    
    Art

    #installation
    #light
    #wood

    July 13, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    “The Search of the Glow” (2020), wood, LED lights. All images © Ling-Li Tseng/Serendipity Studio, shared with permission
    Artist Ling-Li Tseng describes her recent installation as “a whispering between human(s) and nature.” Debuted in Houli at the 2020 Taiwan Lantern Festival, “The Search of the Glow” is a lightweight, wooden sphere constructed with a series of connected ovals. Together, the pieces form a hollow orb that’s outfitted with thin strips of LED lights, creating a radiant installation that glows in the otherwise dim area.
    To create the modular artwork in collaboration with Serendipity Studio, Tseng used a combination of digital fabrication and traditional, craftsman processes. The four larger ovals and smaller, connecting pieces were created through lofting, a drafting technique that generates curved lines. Made of eight layers of wood veneer, the strips use a double curvature to maintain its shape.
    The artist envisioned the finished installation as a refuge and an entrance into “a mysterious spatial experience,” she says. “All senses are slowly enhanced, and rays of the light guide us to an adventure in the mist. In a grove of trees, we discover an object emitting flickering light—its woven and curved staves engage in a dialogue with the natural curves of the surrounding trees.” While the work radiates through the darkness at night, it provides a more subtle glow during the daytime mist and fog.
    Tseng released a video (shown below) that walks within and around the open installation, and dive further into the London-based artist’s spatial projects on Instagram. (via Lustik)

    

    #installation
    #light
    #wood

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    Vivid Paintings by Artist Jessica Spence Highlight the Beauty of Black Hair

    
    Art

    #beauty
    #hair
    #painting
    #portraits

    July 13, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    “Braids and Barrettes” (2018 ), acrylic on canvas. All images © Jessica Spence
    Through stunning renderings of Black children and women, Jamaican-American artist Jessica Spence explores the beauty of finished braids, twists held in place with plastic barrettes, and perfectly laid edges. Her acrylic paintings generally depict a single subject, who often is turned away from the viewer, centering the hair and how it’s presented rather than the person’s face. Spence focuses on the intricacies of each lock, comparing the styling process to that of painting. “I nurtured each brushstroke like I would a strand of hair, a two-strand twist, or a braid,” she shares with Colossal.
    Based in New York, the artist imbues her paintings with social commentary derived from her own experiences and from those around her. She considers the impossibility of beauty standards, by saying:
    I was inspired to create my current body of work on Black hair in response to the discrimination and chastising experience of many Black women and girls in spaces such as the workplace or schools… The paintings show the beauty and versatility of these hairstyles and highlight the significance of hair in Black culture, while also highlighting these intimate experiences and routines of daily life.
    For more of Spence’s vivid depictions, follow her on Instagram, where she often shares news on upcoming exhibitions and prints available for purchase. (via The Jealous Curator)

    Left: “Twists and Barrettes” (2019), acrylic on canvas, 24 x 24 inches. Right: “Laid” (2019), acrylic on canvas, 24 x 24 inches
    “Sore Arms” (2017), acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36 inches
    Left: “Fearless/Fear-Less” (2019), acrylic on canvas, 30 x 30 inches. Right: “Weekends at Auntie’s” (2018), acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches
    “Sunday Evening” (2017), acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

    #beauty
    #hair
    #painting
    #portraits

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    The Descendants: Photographer Drew Gardner Recreates Portraits of Historically Significant Figures

    
    Art
    History
    Photography

    #DNA
    #family
    #portraits

    July 10, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    Thomas Jefferson, by Rembrandt Peale, 1800. Shannon LaNier, Jefferson’s sixth-great grandson. All images © Drew Gardner, shared with permission
    To prepare for a recent portrait, Shannon LaNier pulled a black coat over his head and wrapped a thick, layered collar around his neck, a costume to match what Thomas Jefferson wore in an iconic 18th-century painting. The Houston news anchor was participating in an ongoing series by British photographer Drew Gardner that recreates photographs, paintings, and other images of historical figures by styling their descendants in similar garb. LaNier’s photograph is particularly significant, though, because he’s the sixth-great grandson of Jefferson and Sally Hemmings, who the third U.S. president enslaved and forced to bear his children, a story that’s long been left out of historical narratives.
    Titled The Descendants, the project is a visual excavation of Western history that questions what remains after generations pass. The relatives of historically significant people are, for the most part, out of the spotlight, but as the photographer notes, their ancestors’ “DNA is walking down the street.”

    Irina Guicciardini Strozzi, the 15th great granddaughter of Lisa del Giocondo. The Mona Lisa by Leonardo DaVinci
    The project began about 15 years ago when Gardner’s mother mentioned that he resembled his grandfather. Although the current project has diverged from simple likeness—the photographer notes that similar features are not a requirement when searching for descendants—he hopes to inspire questions about people’s legacies. “I am not saying they look like their forebears,” he notes. “I’m encouraging a debate. I want to provoke a conversation that makes people curious about history.” Since its inception, he’s photographed relatives of Frederick Douglass, Lisa del Giocondo, Berthe Morisot, and Napoleon.
    Gardner’s criteria for choosing subjects is strict: the historical figure must be widely known to the public and have made a significant impact that goes beyond simple celebrity. The next step involves tracking down paintings, photographs, and other realistic representations of the person, which eliminates a considerable number of prospects—originally, Gardner hoped to recreate an image of Pocahontas but soon realized that only a woodcut existed. The photographer then searches for living family members, sometimes working through more than a dozen generations to find someone within 15 years of age of the forebear. Often with the help of museums and other institutions dedicated to historical preservation, he contacts the relative to ask if they’ll pose for a portrait.

    Frederick Douglass. Kenneth Morris, Douglass’s third-great grandson.
    To maintain the integrity of the original image, the costumes and props are vintage, when possible. Some elements, though, like the massive, rusted chains forming the backdrop of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s portrait from 1857, don’t exist anymore. When the authentic items aren’t available, Gardner recreates them in physical or digital form.
    For LaNier’s portrait, though, the situation was different. While he is dressed similarly to Jefferson, he diverges because he chose to forgo the wig his sixth-great grandfather wore.  “I didn’t want to become Jefferson,” he told Smithsonian Magazine. The result is a striking set of portraits that explore historical truths. “Jefferson may have been a founding father, but I am an image of what his family has now become,” LaNier says in an interview about the experience. “You look at my family and you see every color in there, as you will see from many family’s that have come from slavery.”
    Although the pandemic has changed his immediate plans for upcoming recreations, Gardner is hoping to release more pieces in 2021, which you can follow on Instagram. For those interested in a behind-the-scenes look at his process,  Smithsonian Magazine has released videos of the Douglass, Jefferson, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton shoots.

    Lucie Rouart, great granddaughter of Morisot. Berthe Morisot, by Edouard Manet, 1872
    Isambard Thomas, Brunel’s thrid-great grandson. Isambard Kingdom Brunel, portrait by Robert Howlett, 1857, © National Portrait Gallery
    Gerald Charles Dickens, Dickens’ great, great grandson. Charles Dickens, portrait by Herbert Watkins, 1858, © National Portrait Gallery
    Tom Wonter, Wordsworth’s fourth-great grandson. William Wordsworth, portrait by William Shuter, 1798, © Cornell University
    Helen Pankhurst, Pankhurst’s great granddaughter. Emeline Pankhurst, women’s rights activist.
    Hugo de Salis, fourth-great grandson of Napoleon. Napoleon in his study, by Jacques-Louis David, 1812, © National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.

    #DNA
    #family
    #portraits

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    Berries, Cookies, and Salami Slices Anonymize Vintage Portraits by Digital Artist Harriet Moutsopoulos

    
    Art
    Food

    #collage
    #portraits
    #surreal

    July 9, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    “Idaeus,” 20 x 24.01 inches. All images © Harriet Moutsopoulos, shared with permission
    Telling someone that there’s an errant herb stuck between their teeth or a dot of sauce just below their lip is likely to spur embarrassment, so noting that they’re covered in egg or raspberry or a gloopy mound of ketchup might be too much to bear. Harriet Moutsopoulos, though, helps her subjects save face by completely masking their distinct features with singular bites of fruit, bowls of ice cream, and slices of salami, ensuring their anonymity.
    The Australian artist, who works under the name Lexicon Love, combines found portraits and edibles into strange collages. Although her techniques are digital, Moutsopolous often considers analog practices, preferring basic technologies to programs like Photoshop or Illustrator. She also imposes limits of two or three elements to maintain the integrity of each piece. “The most significant challenge for me is giving each artwork the slight imperfections of hand and the general look and feel of being made entirely from traditional, analog practices,” she says.
    Moutsopolous tells Colossal that she’s “drawn to the surreal and unsettling and try to inject that into my work where possible, always seeking out the unexpected connections between humor and tragedy.” At times both comical and unsettling, the bizarre compilations inspire questions about the subjects’ identities. “On the surface, this absurd combination appears to reject any sense of reason (an extension of my own twisted sense of humor). However, obscuring the faces of my portraits with food is designed to not only challenge traditional notions of beauty but also to provoke, tease, and confuse the observer,” the artist says.
    Pick up one of Moutsopoulos’s prints on her site, and follow her future food-covered assemblages on Instagram. (via Inag)

    “Protogonus,” 20 x 24.01 inches
    “Carry on Regardless,” 20 x 24.01 inches
    “Cancelled,” 20 x 24.01 inches
    “You Win Again,” 20 x 20 inches
    “First Love,” 20 x 24.01 inches
    “Lorem Ipsum,” 20 × 24.01 inches
    “Dog’s Balls,” 20 x 24.01 inches

    #collage
    #portraits
    #surreal

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