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A Vibrant Ndebele Mural by Esther Mahlangu Illuminates Unity at Serpentine North
by Aurelia Butler 10 October 2024, 18:30
“Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” (2024), Serpentine North Garden. Photo by George Darrell. Image courtesy of Serpentine and The Melrose Gallery, shared with permission
A Vibrant Ndebele Mural by Esther Mahlangu Illuminates Unity at Serpentine North
October 10, 2024
Art
Kate Mothes
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For more than eight decades, Dr. Esther Mahlangu has been creating large-scale, site-specific works that draw on the artistic traditions of Ndebele culture.
Known for her vibrant, patterned compositions, Mahlangu learned techniques for decorating houses from her mother and grandmother while growing up in South Africa. She mixes natural pigments with clay, soil, and cow dung to paint directly on the exteriors of structures in her village.
Photo by George Darrell
Ndebele house painting emerged in the mid-18th century when the matrilineal tribe began to build huts out of mud rather than grass. Women applied colorful patterns to the walls to not only brighten the village but also communicate with others.
The geometric shapes, characterized by bold, black outlines, serve as a visual language to express personal values, prayers, or major life events.
Mahlangu paints by hand without using stencils or masking tape, employing chicken feathers and various brushes to create painstaking geometries that preserve a handmade quality. Over time, she has also created numerous works on canvas, using acrylic to broaden the range of hues in her work.
Esther Mahlangu photographed by Clint Strydom, courtesy of The Melrose Gallery
At Serpentine North in Hyde Park, London, Mahlangu’s first installation the U.K. was unveiled this week on a wall in the gallery’s garden.
Comprising six wooden panels, the monumental mural celebrates unity and community and taps into an Ndebele philosophy: “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu,” which translates to: “I am because you are.”
The mural remains on view through September 28, 2025. Plan your visit on the Serpentine website, and learn more about Mahlangu’s remarkable work and career on her website and Instagram.
Photo by Clint Strydom, courtesy of The Melrose Gallery
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Nature and Geometry Merge in Yulia Brodskaya’s Meticulously Quilled Paper Birds
by Aurelia Butler 10 October 2024, 10:00
“Nature of Things.” All images courtesy of Yulia Brodskaya, shared with permission
Nature and Geometry Merge in Yulia Brodskaya’s Meticulously Quilled Paper Birds
October 10, 2024
ArtCraftNature
Kate Mothes
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From individual strips of colorful, methodically folded paper, Yulia Brodskaya’s vibrant compositions take wing. In a new series of quilled artworks, the artist (previously) taps into her love of drawing to emphasize the power of a line.
“In my paper art practice, a drawn two-dimensional line is represented by a three-dimensional strip of paper glued on its edge,” Brodskaya says. For her mini-series of birds, the dimensionality of each line symbolizes ethereality and energy made visible.
“Eagle of Light”
In “Nature of Things,” for example, a kingfisher sits on the edge of a leaf, which appears to overflow with a geometric grid evocative of quantum illustrations of black holes.
Foliage initially inspired the composition. “I was just sitting, observing its shape, following the curving lines with my eyes, and it didn’t take long to receive a vision of a superimposed toroidal shape…” she says, “like an organising principle that has always been there.”
Find more of Brodskaya’s work on her website, and peek into her practice on Instagram.
Detail of “Eagle of Light”
“Things of Nature”
Detail of “Nature of Things”
“Take Off”
Detail of “Take Off”
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Spider Lilies and Cherry Blossoms by Sakae Unfurl in Wire and Resin Hair Pieces
by Aurelia Butler 9 October 2024, 13:04
All images courtesy of Sakae, shared with permission
Spider Lilies and Cherry Blossoms by Sakae Unfurl in Wire and Resin Hair Pieces
October 9, 2024
ArtCraft
Kate Mothes
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Originating during the ancient Jōmon period in Japan, the kanzashi is a rod or stick worn in the hair. This accessory evolved over time to encompass other ornaments like barrettes and fabric flowers. Today, they’re worn by geishas and brides.
Tokyo-based artist Sakae (previously) continues this centuries-old tradition through an ongoing series of contemporary hairpins. Using liquid resin and wire, she meticulously styles cherry blossoms, hydrangeas, and spider lilies into ornate, wearable pieces.
Explore these delicate works in-depth on her website.
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From Early Computers to Ships at Sea, Lola Dupre Warps Everyday Objects
by Aurelia Butler 9 October 2024, 10:00
From Early Computers to Ships at Sea, Lola Dupre Warps Everyday Objects
October 9, 2024
ArtPhotography
Grace Ebert
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How would you find home row in fourth-grade typing class if there were 1,700 keys in front of you? Lola Dupre’s latest collages would be intimidating to even the most ambitious student.
The artist (previously) continues her disorienting manipulations with a pair of early Apple desktops, ships with enough stories to rival a high-rise, and a cow so bloated she needs eight legs to stand. Each work pushes the limits of legibility as limbs and common objects undergo exaggerated distortions.
Dupre’s work is on view through November 23 at Prescription Art in Brighton, and she has another show slated for April at Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles. Until then, find more on Instagram.
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Temporary Interventions by Kobra Convey the Critical Impacts of Increasing Wildfires
by Aurelia Butler 8 October 2024, 15:30
All images courtesy of Kobra, shared with permission
Temporary Interventions by Kobra Convey the Critical Impacts of Increasing Wildfires
October 8, 2024
ArtClimate
Kate Mothes
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Around the world, rising temperatures and ecosystem imbalances due the climate crisis have spurred an increasing number of wildfires annually. Brazil, for example, has seen more than 180,000 hot spots this year as of mid-September, the most since 2010. As deforestation reduces rainfall, a catastrophic cycle of drought and wildfires has only strengthened.
For Eduardo Kobra, the unprecedented number of uncontrolled blazes spurred a new series of artworks drawing attention to this troubling reality. As fires impacted rural and urban areas alike, including the city of Araçariguama—a little more than 30 miles from São Paulo—the artist chose a local area scorched by flames to document a collection of temporary interventions.
Drawing attention to the wildlife and habitats being destroyed, Kobra portrays birds, monkeys, anteaters, and other creatures surrounded by burned forest. In one piece, a firefighter assists a baby jaguar, and in another—a sign of hope—a child waters a sprouting plant.
Kobra is known for his large-scale murals on buildings around the world, which emphasize vibrant portraits and nods to pop culture through characteristically bright, geometric patterns. Using biodegradable materials, his new series of cutout panels uses a relatively smaller scale to address an enormously critical issue.
See more on his website and Instagram.
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Collaged Portraits by Emma Odumade Draw on the Past to Face the Future
by Aurelia Butler 8 October 2024, 12:31
“Call of Duty (A New Anthem)” (2024), charcoal, acrylic, ink, vintage photos, and black tea on canvas, 101.6 x 101.6 centimeters. All images courtesy of the artist and Unit London, shared with permission
Collaged Portraits by Emma Odumade Draw on the Past to Face the Future
October 8, 2024
ArtPhotography
Kate Mothes
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Growing up in Lagos, Emma Odumade always drew cartoons and created collages on paper. As he continued to make work, his interest grew in highlighting the world around him, especially young people in his community.
Odumade’s vibrant portraits and self-portraits, the latter of which he makes toward the end of every year, reflect a sense of unity, a search for self, love, and anticipation of the future. These particular works arose as “an attempt to have a diary—I never had one,” he says. “I needed to rediscover myself; see myself from an angle—from a third eye. My art became a mirror, through which I was a reflection.”
“Mister Fly” (2024), charcoal, acrylic, vintage photos, ink, graphite, colored pencil, and black tea on canvas, 147.32 x 119.38 centimeters
Portraits serve as records of activities and experiences, documenting the artist’s observations and referencing history and culture to tell personal stories. He combines images with other mediums like charcoal, acrylic, ink, and repurposed earlier sketches, invoking what he calls “stamps of moments”—a collection of memories viewed through the spectrum of past, present, and future.
“I love that I can reference historical events, stolen African artifacts, and my humble beginnings through a photo,” Odumade tells Colossal. He collages the backgrounds of many compositions with numerous black-and-white images dyed with tea to give an antique appearance. “The vintage brown look of the old photos is to remind viewers about [the] past and to give a ‘test of time’ feeling.”
Five new works will be presented by Unit London at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London, which runs from October 10 to 13. Explore more of Odumade’s practice on Instagram.
“My Favorite Albert’s Theory” (2020-2021), charcoal, acrylic, ink, black tea, and sketch paper on canvas, 163 x 148 centimeters. Additional credit to Lekan Abatan
“Seth; Why Run Away From Light Equals Infin9s” (2021-2022), charcoal, graphite, acrylic, ink, sketches, old photos, and black tea on paper. Additional credit to Ken Nwadiogbu
“A Wave to Remember” (2024), charcoal, acrylic, black tea, and vintage photos on canvas, 146.05 x 119.38 centimeters
“Three Sequences” (2021), charcoal, acrylic, black tea, ink, and old photos on canvas, 124 x 97 centimeters. Additional credit to Eshinlokun Wasiu
“First Motion to Fly (Mr. Professor)” (2024), charcoal, acrylic, ink, vintage photos, feather, and black tea on canvas, 147.32 x 119.38 centimeters
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An Expanded Edition of JR’s Monograph Recounts the Power of Socially Engaged Art
by Aurelia Butler 4 October 2024, 18:37
All images © JR, courtesy of Phaidon, shared with permission
An Expanded Edition of JR’s Monograph Recounts the Power of Socially Engaged Art
October 4, 2024
ArtBooksSocial Issues
Jackie Andres
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Traveling to different regions across the globe, French artist JR envisions grand projects that call to humanitarian issues and collective action. At the forefront of his practice is a persistent query, rooted in a palpable yearning for change and strong belief in the power of art.
JR: Can Art Change the World? chronicles the artist’s phenomenal range of participatory efforts, from mural-laden buildings to photographic installations to performance art. Originally published in 2015 and later updated in 2019, an even newer edition featuring a half-decade of JR’s latest works is slated for release by Phaidon later this month. The 2024 version includes a whopping 390 photos and illustrations, as well as a foreword by George Lucas.
Among the four new chapters included in the expansion, you might recognize more recent projects such as “Tehachapi,” a poignant collection of murals focused on the lives of incarcerated individuals, and impressive optical illusions from the artist’s ongoing “Trompe l’œil” series.
Pre-order JR: Can Art Change the World? in the Colossal Shop to be one of the first to page through the monograph.
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Symmetric Paper Collages by Haegue Yang Commune with the Spiritual
by Aurelia Butler 2 October 2024, 19:08
“Splashing Volcano Ash Gaze–
Mesmerizing Mesh #140” (2022), Hanji on alu-dibond, framed, 62 x 62 centimeters. All photos by Studio Haegue Yang, courtesy of the artist and The Arts Club of Chicago, shared with permission
Symmetric Paper Collages by Haegue Yang Commune with the Spiritual
October 2, 2024
Art
Grace Ebert
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Known for immersive sculptures and installations that engage the senses, Seoul-born artist Haegue Yang looks toward common materials and traditional craft techniques to explore pressing issues. She often transforms domestic objects like Venetian blinds, electrical fans, and even cans of Spam into dynamic, abstract works that comment on sociopolitical topics like migration, labor, and exile.
Although the artist has risen to international recognition for her three-dimensional pieces, an exhibition at The Arts Club of Chicago peers into another side of her practice. Flat Works surveys two decades of Yang’s paintings, prints, and collages, including her captivating series, Mesmerizing Mesh.
“Flower Explosion Radial Folds–Mesmerizing Mesh #124” (2022), Hanji, graph paper on alu-dibond
Geometric, floral motifs characterize the alluring compositions made from cut and folded hanji, paper derived from mulberry bark. Mesmerizing Mesh references shamanistic traditions, particularly in Korea, Japan, China, and Slavic regions, and what comes from communing with the spirit world.
According to a statement about the series, the symmetric works allude to “sumun, a sheet hung from the ceiling in rituals…to keep away evil spirits,” while the more figurative, anthropomorphic pieces “resemble soul sheets (nukjeon), in which the shaman blows a spirit treated as the identical entity of the deceased being honored.”
Like her sculptures, these collages similarly recontextualize a humble, everyday material. Although they’re two-dimensional, the layered works convey depth, each appearing as a kind of portal guiding viewers into an entrancing, mystical realm.
Flat Works continues through December 20 in Chicago.
“Fluoroscopic-Powered Fire Bird-Mesmerizing Mesh #130” (2022), Hanji on alu-dibond, framed, 62 x 62 centimeters
“Blood Moon Finger-Pulling Bloom Formation–Mesmerizing Mesh #107” (2022), Hanji on alu-dibond
“Rainbow Mist Germination Soul Sheet–Mesmerizing Mesh #184” (2023), Hanji, washi on alu-dibond
“Thunder-Powered Ash Entrails Soul Streamers–Mesmerizing Mesh #148” (2022), Hanji on alu-dibond
“Head Altar Formation–Mesmerizing Mesh #49” (2021), Hanji, graph paper on alu-dibond
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Art

More stories

A Vibrant Ndebele Mural by Esther Mahlangu Illuminates Unity at Serpentine North

Nature and Geometry Merge in Yulia Brodskaya’s Meticulously Quilled Paper Birds

Spider Lilies and Cherry Blossoms by Sakae Unfurl in Wire and Resin Hair Pieces

From Early Computers to Ships at Sea, Lola Dupre Warps Everyday Objects

Temporary Interventions by Kobra Convey the Critical Impacts of Increasing Wildfires

Collaged Portraits by Emma Odumade Draw on the Past to Face the Future

Symmetric Paper Collages by Haegue Yang Commune with the Spiritual

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