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    Our Favorite Stories of 2024

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    All images © Todd Antony, shared with permission

    Our Favorite Stories of 2024

    December 13, 2024

    ArtColossalHistoryPhotographySocial Issues

    Colossal

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    As we look back at the hundreds of remarkable initiatives, artworks, discoveries, and events we’ve chronicled throughout 2024, we’re continually awed by the creative work we’re able to write about everyday. It’s a privilege to be able to share so much creativity with you, and we thought we’d compile a list of our favorites.

    Below, you’ll find eight picks—two from each of us—that showcase just a few of the remarkable projects we published over the past twelve months. Many of these articles impart deeper context, delve into personal experiences through interviews, and highlight important stories that may have flown under the radar.

    You might also enjoy our readers’ choice top articles of the year and Colossal’s favorite books of 2024. Happy reading!

    —Christopher, Grace, Kate, and Jackie

    Image © Irina Werning

    Jackie’s Pick: In ‘Las Pelilargas,’ Irina Werning Celebrates the Impeccably Long Hair of Latin American Women and Girls

    For the last 17 years, Irina Werning has traveled throughout Latin America photographing women and girls for her ongoing series, Las Pelilargas, or The Longhairs. Shot in color and black and white, the portraits document a distinct cultural practice through an incredibly alluring, even surreal lens.

    L.V. Hull at her home in Kosciusko, Mississippi, in 2002. Photo by Bruce West. Image courtesy of the L.V. Hull Legacy Center

    Grace’s Pick: The Home Studio of the Late Artist L.V. Hull Is Added to the National Register of Historic Places

    Kosciusko is a small town in the center of Mississippi with just under 7,000 residents. Known as the birthplace of Oprah Winfrey, Kosciusko was also home to the late artist L.V. Hull (1942–2008) who devoted her life to painting and assembling found objects.

    Ellie Hannon works on one of her paintings on the aft deck during sunset on the Timor Sea around Ashmore Reef. Images © Schmidt Ocean Institute

    Kate’s Pick: Art and Science Set Sail in Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Artist-at-Sea Program

    “There are many ways to tell a story or to document and share research and discoveries,” says artist Ellie Hannon, one of 54 artists who have embarked on a unique residency organized by the Schmidt Ocean Institute. From slip-cast porcelain and painting to 3D printing and virtual reality, the storytelling possibilities are endless in the Artist-at-Sea program, which invites artists to work alongside scientists on weeks-long expeditions into some of the least-explored areas of our oceans. More

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      Maxwell Mustardo’s Fluorescing Ceramics Merge Ancient Craft with Contemporary Style

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      Group of vessels in the ‘Anthropophorae’ series. All images courtesy of Maxwell Mustardo, shared with permission

      Maxwell Mustardo’s Fluorescing Ceramics Merge Ancient Craft with Contemporary Style

      December 11, 2024

      ArtCraft

      Kate Mothes

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      Merging disparate reference points like cartoonish figures, fluorescent pigments, and classical vessels, Maxwell Mustardo’s Anthropophorae and Gadroons glow with personality. The New Jersey-based artist (previously) continues to revisit ancient forms that have been endlessly studied and reimagined over subsequent centuries, like amphorae, kraters, and gadrooning that celebrate tapered shapes.

      “Searching for new forms is mostly rediscovering old forms,” Mustardo tells Colossal. “One of my favorite aspects of ceramics, and the crafts more broadly, is the evolution of surfaces and forms through their constant appropriation in the aggressive exchange that occurs between individuals, studios, cultures, and time periods.”

      ‘Gadroons’

      The artist often turns to archetypes, from mugs and bottles to mathematical shapes—like the torus—to explore myriad relationships between geometry, material, history, and utility. He adds, “Each form provides various constraints that I can push around against and a web of references to tangle with.”

      Mustardo is currently working in the studio of the late Toshiko Takaezu (1922-2011), helping the artist’s foundation to establish a residency program for ceramists, fiber artists, and painters. Find more on his website.

      “Orange Amphora”

      “Blue & White Krater”

      Detail of “Orange Mug”

      Installation view of ‘Quasi-Neoclassical-ish’ at Odem Atelier. Photo by Nikodem Calcyznski

      “Green Amphora.” Photo by Nikodem Calczynski

      Detail of “Blurple Mug”

      The artist in his studio in August 2024

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      Colossal’s Favorite Art Books of 2024

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      Colossal’s Favorite Art Books of 2024

      December 4, 2024

      ArtBooksPhotography

      Colossal

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      As we get ready to say goodbye to 2024, we’re celebrating some of our favorite books shared on Colossal throughout the year. We published dozens of articles about spectacular new monographs, photography, architecture, painting, science, history, and more. Peruse our top 10 below, and find many more in the Colossal Shop and on Bookshop.

      Shirin Neshat, “Land of Dreams” (2019), film still. © Shirin Neshat, courtesy of the artist, Gladstone Gallery, and Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and London

      The Women Who Changed Photography: And How to Master Their Techniques

      From bold black-and-white visages to masters of disguise, identity plays a vital role in many of the practices featured in The Women Who Changed Photography. The tome investigates the trailblazing practices of Lee Miller, Shirin Neshat, and many more, chronicling the individuals, aesthetics, and approaches that have shaped the field.

      Available in the Colossal Shop

      Detail of Astrolin Color Card, Établissement Georget Fils Peintures Laquées et Vernis, Chantenay-Lès-Nantes (c. 1906). Image courtesy of Bibliothèque Forney, Paris

      Color Charts: A History

      From chemists’ plant-derived dyes to consumer paint swatches displayed at the hardware store, the history of color charts reflects a varied relationship between pigments, science, culture, and commerce. Anne Varichon explores the entwined evolution of this categorization through nearly 200 vibrant samples from the 15th century to modern day.

      Available in the Colossal Shop

      The Art Book for Children

      Two decades ago, Phaidon published the first volume in The Art Book for Children series, which quickly became beloved by children and parents the world over. To share its legacy with a new generation of readers, this edition pairs a selection of “best of” artists from the original series with 30 brand-new contemporary entries.

      This year was a plentiful time for children’s art books, and we also enjoyed the informative narrative, I Am an Artist.

      Available in the Colossal Shop

      Sacred Sites (Library of Esoterica)

      From ancient pyramids to subterranean labyrinths to mountaintop meccas, we have always been drawn to visiting or building sites that inspire reverence and awe. Sacred Sites celebrates how we traverse and transform the world around us through ritual and art. Compiled by Jessica Hundley, the volume surveys a remarkable array of places and artworks through more than 400 images centered around pilgrimage, performance, and devotion.

      Available in the Colossal Shop

      Beth Moon, “Heart of the Dragon” (2010), archival pigment inks on cotton paper, 32 × 48 inches. Image © Beth Moon

      Tree: Exploring the Arboreal World

      Spanning 3,500 years of art, science, culture, and history, Tree: Exploring the Arboreal World surveys the awe-inspiring beauty and romance of trees. The volume includes more than 300 illustrations ranging from ancient wall paintings and botanical illustrations to captivating photography and multimedia work by today’s leading artists.

      Available in the Colossal Shop

      Image © Ivan McClellan

      Eight Seconds: Black Rodeo Culture

      Eight Seconds comprises 118 images by Ivan McClellan, a Portland, Oregon-based photographer who’s spent nearly a decade documenting the lives, wins, and losses of the Black rodeo community from Alabama to Los Angeles. He offers an insider’s view, capturing the addictive energy of the sport and the rich sense of camaraderie it fosters.

      Available on Bookshop

      Camo

      Camo is the first publication to chronicle the work of Thandiwe Muriu, celebrating her vibrant portraits that combine cultural textiles and beauty ideologies. Muriu takes us on a colorful, reflective journey through her world as a woman living in modern Kenya as she reinterprets contemporary African portraiture.

      Available in the Colossal Shop

      Cover of ‘Hidden Portraits: Old Masters Reimagined,’ featuring “Hidden Jacometto” (2019), from “Portrait of a Young Man” (1480s) by Jacometto Veneziano

      Hidden Portraits: Old Masters Reimagined

      This monograph gathers a quintessential selection of Volker Hermes’s works into one volume. Highlighting the artist’s wry commentary on luxury, social status, and fame, the selection delves into the history of portraiture through a humorous lens.

      Available on Bookshop

      Great Women Sculptors

      Presenting a more expansive and inclusive history of sculpture, Great Women Sculptors surveys the work of more than 300 trailblazing artists from more than 60 countries, spanning 500 years from the Renaissance to the present day.

      Available in the Colossal Shop

      Artwork by Christina Fong

      Art Is Art: Collaborating with Neurodiverse Artists at Creativity Explored

      Spurred by the belief that art changes lives, Florence and Elias Katz founded Creativity Explored in 1983, a San Francisco-based nonprofit studio and gallery designed for disabled, neurodivergent artists. More than 135 people currently participate in its programming, learning techniques across painting, drawing, clay, textiles, and more. In Art Is Art, Ann Kappes, Creativity Explored’s director of artist partnerships, celebrates the organization’s 40th anniversary through hundreds of artworks.

      Available on Bookshop

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      Michael McGrath Summons Symbolism and a Folk Art Style in Expressive Paintings

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      “Unearthing Buried Gods.” All images courtesy of Michael McGrath, shared with permission

      Michael McGrath Summons Symbolism and a Folk Art Style in Expressive Paintings

      November 6, 2024

      Art

      Kate Mothes

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      From fanged cats and all-seeing ravens to anthropomorphized botanicals and disembodied faces, Michael McGrath’s uncanny works nod to the symbol-rich, flat compositions of folk art or “naïve” painting. His mixed-media works combine materials like graphite, oil paint and oil stick, ink, and acrylic on a variety of surfaces, including wood, canvas, and burlap.

      Inspired by the expansive scenes of contemporary artists Peter Doig and Mamma Andersson, and self-taught artists Henry Darger (1892-1973) and William Hawkins (1895-1990), McGrath harnessed a narrative approach in his own practice. “I decided to experiment with figures and storytelling in my painting,” he tells Colossal. He also counts Jim Henson among his influences.

      “Threats and competition for tiny vampires” (2023), graphite, colored pencil, and India ink on wood panel, 14 x 11 inches

      Populated with an array of characters, from trees with alarmed expressions to tiny, fairy-like black critters with bulbous wings and long legs, McGrath delves into mysterious, emotional tales with plots as enigmatic as they are supernatural.

      The artist’s interest in painting evolved from an early fascination with design, especially album covers and advertising in magazines like Spin and Thrasher. “I never had the patience to develop classical skills, so I focused on dimensional and collage work for a while, until I eventually decided to invest more time in painting,” he says.

      McGrath’s work will be part of an online group show with MePaintsMe, Slight of Hand, which opens on November 12. In February, he will also have pieces on view in a group show at Court Tree Collective in Brooklyn. Find more on his website and Instagram.

      “Monster control, future systems No. 3,” (2024), acrylic, oil stick, and oil on canvas, 78 x 120 inches

      “Night float, threat window” (2024), oil and oil stick on canvas, 60 x 48 inches

      “Hunting songs” (2024), oil, oil stick, and grease pencil on linen, 30 x 24 inches

      “Muppet moon nightmare choir” (2024), acrylic, acrylic yarn, embroidery thread, painted canvas, and burlap on burlap, 40 x 30 inches

      “Moon float” (2024), acrylic, watercolor crayon, enamel, and oil pastel on canvas, 60 x 48 inches

      “Stories to frighten your children with and dangerous literature” (2023), oil, oil pastel, and acrylic on linen, 30 x 40 inches

      “Cat song, moon riot, No. 2” (2024), oil on canvas, 48 x 36 inches

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      A Sprawling Garden Opening Next Spring Embodies Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’

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      Photos by Almin Tabak. All images courtesy of Starry Night Retreat, shared with permission

      A Sprawling Garden Opening Next Spring Embodies Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’

      November 4, 2024

      ArtDesignNature

      Kate Mothes

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      Two decades ago, Halim Zukic purchased a 173-acre plot of land in a verdant valley near his hometown of Visoko, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He conceived of a retreat, where his love of nature and landscape design could open to the public. But it wasn’t until 2018 that the businessman and art enthusiast began replicating details of one of the world’s most recognizable paintings on an enormous scale.

      While working on the property one day, Zukic observed some tractor tracks that reminded him the swirls and waves of Vincent van Gogh’s seminal work from 1889, “The Starry Night.” With plenty of motivation but less of a clear plan, he and an amateur team intuitively followed the contours of the land and made numerous adjustments over time to achieve visual and spatial harmony.

      The elaborate design for Starry Night Retreat, which employs lavender and a variety of other herbs as its medium, is characterized primarily by the absence of straight lines. The estate encompasses a 25-acre park within its overall footprint, which includes meeting places like a natural amphitheater.

      The project “honors Vincent van Gogh and those who bravely pursue their passions despite the sacrifices required,” says hospitality manager Merjem Zukić. “Mr. Zukic views the retreat as a unique space where nature and art blend, enabling visitors to reconnect with essential elements of their being and engage their senses.”

      Starry Night Retreat is slated to open to the public next May. Find more on its website.

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      Mingle with Maurice Sendak’s ‘Wild Things’ at the Denver Art Museum

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      Installation view of ‘Wild Things.’ All images courtesy of the Denver Art Museum and the Maurice Sendak Foundation, shared with permission

      Mingle with Maurice Sendak’s ‘Wild Things’ at the Denver Art Museum

      October 29, 2024

      ArtIllustration

      Kate Mothes

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      This holiday season, immerse yourself in the dynamic, theatrical world of Maurice Sendak at the Denver Art Museum in Wild Things. Organized in cooperation with the Columbus Art Museum, where a sibling exhibition was presented two years ago, Wild Things celebrates the characters that have accompanied millions during story time since the mid-20th century.

      The author and illustrator of perennial classics like In the Night Kitchen (1970), Outside Over There (1981), and, of course, Where the Wild Things Are (1963), Sendak was born in Brooklyn in 1928 and began illustrating children’s titles in 1947. He was largely self-taught and illustrated hundreds of books throughout his six-decade career.

      ‘The Magic Flute’ (1980), poster, 24 x 17 1/2 inches. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation

      Sendak produced an astounding array of drawings, paintings, mockups, and set designs and costumes for his books, along with their adaptations to stage and screen. He was also an avid collector of other renowned illustrators’ works, and viewers can see pieces from Sendak’s personal collection by the likes of William Blake, Beatrix Potter, Walt Disney, and more.

      Wild Things continues through February 17. Plan your visit on the Denver Art Museum’s website.

      ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ (1963), watercolor, ink, and graphite on paper, 9 3/4 x 11 inches. © TheMaurice Sendak Foundation

      Sketch for ‘The Griffin and the Minor Canon (1963), graphite on tracing paper, 11 13/16 x 8 15/16 inches. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation

      ‘Outside Over There’ (1981), watercolor and graphite on paper, page: 15 x 26 inches; image: 6 1/8 x 93/16 inches. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation

      ‘Pierre’ (1961-2), ink on paper, 4 1/4 x 3 1/2 inches. © The Maurice Sendak Foundation

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      ‘The Artist’s Palette’ Is Your Guide to the Process Behind Great Paintings

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      Edvard Munch’s palette (undated), paint on wood, 17 x 11 1/2 inches. Courtesy of the Munch Museum, Oslo. Photo courtesy of Munchmuseet. All images courtesy of Thames & Hudson, shared with permission

      ‘The Artist’s Palette’ Is Your Guide to the Process Behind Great Paintings

      October 23, 2024

      ArtBooksHistory

      Kate Mothes

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      One could argue that every great painting produces two works of art: the canvas and the surface where the pigments are mixed. The Artist’s Palette, forthcoming from Princeton University Press on November 5, dives deep into a timeless studio tool, exploring the beauty of the process.

      Compiled by art historian and writer Alexandra Loske, the volume features fifty palettes used by art historical greats, from Edvard Munch to Paula Modersohn-Becker to Kerry James Marshall.

      Paula Modersohn-Becker’s last palette (1907), paint on wood and metal. Courtesy of the Freunde Worpswedes, Käseglocke Collection, and Worpswede Tourist Information Center. Photo by Rüdiger Lubricht

      Loske presents the physical palettes—dried paint, worn edges, well-exercised hinges, stained wood, and all—alongside one or more of each artist’s paintings. She also analyzes the mixture of pigments, highlighting color relationships that illuminate both the methods used and the choices that led to a finished work.

      Modersohn-Becker’s palette, for example, tells a poignant story of an artist at a turning point in her career, which was cut short when she died giving birth to her daughter. She left a studio full of new and unfinished work, perpetually locked in a moment of transition—a reminder of the ongoing evolution of an artist’s oeuvre and career.

      Marshall incorporates the motif into the paintings themselves, depicting Black artists holding symbolically oversized palettes and provoking questions about the role of color in Black history and Western art.

      From Impressionist virtuosos to modernist greats, The Artist’s Palette traces the stories behind many of art history’s most significant paintings. Pre-order your copy in the Colossal Shop.

      Gabriele Münter’s palette (undated), paint on wood, 17 x 13 inches. Courtesy of the Gabriele Münter and Johannes Eichner Foundation, Munich

      Winifred Nicholson’s palette (undated), oil on wood. Courtesy of a private collection. Photo © Trustees of Winifred Nicholson

      Reproduction of photo of Edvard Munch holding his palette, printed in “Der Querschnitt, Jahrg. 11” (1931)

      Edward Hopper’s palette (undated), oil on wood, 14 x 10 inches. Courtesy of Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center, Nyack, and The Sanborn-Hopper Family Archive. Photo by Dan Swindel

      John Singer Sargent’s palette (undated), oil on wood, 22 1/4 × 15 inches. Courtesy of Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Photo courtesy of President and Fellows of Harvard College

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      In ‘Hidden Portraits,’ Volker Hermes Reimagines Historical Figures in Overwhelming Frippery

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      “Hidden van Mierevelt IV” (2022), from “Portrait of a Man in a White Frill” (1620s) by Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt

      In ‘Hidden Portraits,’ Volker Hermes Reimagines Historical Figures in Overwhelming Frippery

      October 18, 2024

      ArtBooksHistory

      Kate Mothes

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      Engulfed in their own finery, the subjects of Volker Hermes’ portraits epitomize a bygone era. From the Italian High Renaissance to French Rococo, his digital reinterpretations playfully hide the faces of wealthy and aristocratic sitters.

      Hidden Portraits: Old Masters Reimagined, a new book forthcoming this month, gathers a quintessential selection of Hermes’ works into one volume. Highlighting the artist’s wry commentary on luxury, social status, and fame, the selection delves into the history of portraiture through a humorous lens.

      “Hidden Wright of Derby” (2023), from “Portrait of Dorothy Beridge, née Gladwin” (1777) by Joseph Wright of Derby

      Hermes expands upon the ornate silk gowns, brocade, and lace ruffs that characterized elite fashion through the centuries (previously). An enormous bow cocoons a woman in “Hidden Wright of Derby,” for example, elaborating on a portrait of a wealthy woman painted by Joseph Wright of Derby, now in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

      In striking profile, strings of pearls and a green, helmet-like hood envelop Bianca Maria Sforza, Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, in “Hidden de Predis,” the 15th-century inspiration for which can be viewed at the National Gallery of Art.

      Explore more of Hermes’ work on his website, and snag a copy of Hidden Portraits on Bookshop.

      “Hidden de Predis” (2023), from “Portrait Bianca Maria Sforza” (1493-95) by the workshop of Ambrogio de Predis

      “Hidden Titian II” (2021), from “Portrait of a Man with a Quilted Sleeve” (1511) by Titian

      “Hidden de Bray” (2022), from “Portrait of a Young Woman” (1667) by Jan de Bray

      “Hidden Cornelius Johnson” (2023), from “Portrait of Thomas, 1st Baron Coventry” (1631) by Cornelius Johnson

      “Hidden de Keyser” (2019), from “Portrait of a Gentleman” (c. 1626) by Thomas de Keyser

      “Hidden Pourbus VIII” (2023), from “Portrait of a Nobleman” (1593) by Frans Pourbus the Younger

      “Hidden Anonymous (Munich Court Painter)” (2023), from “Portrait of a Young Lady” (1623), by an unknown artist

      Cover of ‘Hidden Portraits: Old Masters Reimagined,’ featuring “Hidden Jacometto” (2019), from “Portrait of a Young Man” (1480s) by Jacometto Veneziano

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      In ‘Seeking an Exit,’ Gretchen Scherer Escapes to Grand Homes and Galleries of the Past

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      “Lanhydrock, Morning Room” (2024), oil and acrylic on panel, 18 x 24 inches. All images courtesy of Gretchen Scherer and Monya Rowe Gallery, shared with permission

      In ‘Seeking an Exit,’ Gretchen Scherer Escapes to Grand Homes and Galleries of the Past

      October 17, 2024

      Art

      Kate Mothes

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      Many of what are now public museums were once the private homes and collections of the wealthy and titled. From the Palace of Aranjuez—still a royal residence in Spain—to the baroque art and gardens of Isola Bella in Italy, Gretchen Scherer captures stunning salon-style galleries and historical interiors in vibrant, intricately detailed paintings (previously).

      In her solo exhibition, Seeking an Exit at Monya Rowe Gallery, Scherer continues to explore art historical destinations around the world. Calling on memory, escapism, and the romance of grand buildings, she transforms ornate halls, drawing rooms, and wunderkammers into inviting, enlivened spaces.

      “Trubetskoy Palace, Dining Room, 1914” (2024), oil and acrylic on panel, 24 x 30 inches

      Scherer references photographs of museums, sometimes re-imagining historical, black-and-white imagery into colorful compositions, such as the 1914 dining room at Trubetskoy Palace, Moscow.

      The works lining the hall comprise the holdings of Sergei Skchukin, a Russian businessman, whose art collection was nationalized after the 1917 Bolshevik uprising. Today, these pieces are distributed among state museums.

      Scherer’s paintings welcome us to remarkable places around the globe, many of which we may no longer be able to visit. Through intimate details, like a napkin draped over the edge of a table or a chair pulled out as if someone has just left, the artist draws foremost upon each location’s identity as a lived-in place.

      Seeking an Exit opens today and continues through November 23. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

      “Palace of Aranjuez, Porcelain Room” (2024), oil and acrylic on panel, 18 x 24 inches

      “Palazzo Borromeo, Isola Bella, Berthier Gallery” (2024), oil and acrylic on panel, 18 x 24 inches

      “Sir John Soane’s Museum, Drawing Office” (2024), oil and acrylic on panel, 24 x 30 inches

      “Sanssouci Palace, Library and Picture Gallery” (2024), oil and acrylic on panel, 18 x 24 inches

      “Dom Quartier Cathedral Museum, Art and Wonder Chamber” (2024), oil and acrylic on panel, 14 x 18 inches

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