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    • 150 Shares159 Views

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      From Gossamer Objects to Monumental Architecture, Do Ho Suh Embraces the Process

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      Photo by Anthony Rathbun. All images courtesy of Moody Center for the Arts, shared with permission

      From Gossamer Objects to Monumental Architecture, Do Ho Suh Embraces the Process

      October 18, 2024

      Art

      Grace Ebert

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      For Do Ho Suh, the process of making work is as important as the outcome. Individual sculptures and installations are all part of a larger project that allows the South Korean artist to return to and iterate on earlier ideas, materials, and structures, each time pushing the work in a different direction.

      At Moody Center for the Arts, Suh puts his process on full display, recreating parts of his studio and charting the course for his sprawling practice in which he explores ideas of home, memory, and how we relate to physical space. Rubbermaids full of string and fabric, shelves lined with toy dinosaurs and action figures, and small maquettes of architectural sculptures offer insight into Suh’s influences and creative exercises, while completed projects reveal the final steps.

      Installation view of ‘Do Ho Suh: In Process.’ Photo by Anthony Rathbun

      Included in In Process are several fundamental works like “Inverted Monument,” which suspends an upside-down figure in a dense mesh of string. Also on view is a collection of fabric sculptures that recreate everyday objects like water faucets, doorknobs, and keyholes in gauzy, translucent fabric. Arranged by color, these delicate pieces draw attention to our attachments to and reliance on such mundane items.

      Part of exposing the inner workings of his process also involves what Suh refers to as “dismantling the myth of the artist as an individual genius.” Ongoing in various forms since 2016, “Artland” is a vibrant landscape that welcomes various groups—first Suh’s daughters, followed by communities across several continents—to add bits of malleable clay to the otherworldly terrain.

      Detail of “Artland”

      “For me, ‘Artland’ is an extension of so much of my practice,” the artist told Colossal, adding:

      When I had children, I had to let go of a lot of the control I was used to having in my life. Nothing’s wilder or freer than the child’s mind, and I’ve learnt so much from parenting. “Artland” grew from that small-scale family collaboration, but it’s been so validating involving visitors from Seoul to Brooklyn and Houston—the results are always more fantastical than expected and completely joyous.

      If you’re in Houston, see In Process through December 21. Otherwise, find more from the artist via Lehmann Maupin and Instagram.

      Installation view of ‘Do Ho Suh: In Process.’ Photo by Frank Hernandez

      Installation view of ‘Do Ho Suh: In Process.’ Photo by Anthony Rathbun

      Installation view of ‘Do Ho Suh: In Process.’ Photo by Anthony Rathbun

      “Artland.” Photo by Anthony Rathbun

      Installation view of ‘Do Ho Suh: In Process.’ Photo by Anthony Rathbun

      Photo by Anthony Rathbun

      Installation view of ‘Do Ho Suh: In Process.’ Photo by Frank Hernandez

      Installation view of ‘Do Ho Suh: In Process.’ Photo by Anthony Rathbun

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    • 175 Shares189 Views

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      Eight Pairs of Woven Shoes Fit for Cranes Roost in a Field of Pebbles

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      All photos by Ahina, courtesy of the artist and Real DMZ Project, shared with permission

      Eight Pairs of Woven Shoes Fit for Cranes Roost in a Field of Pebbles

      October 17, 2024

      ArtCraftNature

      Grace Ebert

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      If a white crane were to choose a pair of boots, would he gravitate toward knee-high lace-ups or balance his talons in yellow tabi stilettos?

      Young In Hong fashioned a collection of shoes with these long-legged birds in mind. Titled “White Cranes and Snowfall,” the playful sculptures are made from woven sedges and nested in a shallow field of pebbles, intertwining references to avian life and endangered craft traditions.

      Based in Bristol, Hong visited Korea in the winter of 2023 and witnessed a flock of rare cranes migrating to the demilitarized zone dividing the peninsula. “The once blood-stained DMZ has now become an ecological paradise for the cranes,” she shares. “When nature is left alone it can replenish its lives, and when we as humans observe other species more carefully, we can learn something from them that alters our way of being in the world.”

      Researchers estimate that in the seven decades since the zone was established, about “1,200 plant species, 83 fish varieties, 51 different mammals, and numerous birds, insects, and microorganisms” have thrived in the area, many of which were previously endangered or threatened.

      Observing the birds inspired the latest series in Hong’s growing collection of avian footwear. Each references jipsin, flat sandals woven from straw and largely worn by farmers and the working class throughout Korea. Affordable and widely available, the shoes would wear down quickly—a long day’s walk could burn through a pair—and people across the socioeconomic order knew how to make them. Straw is biodegradable, too, making jipsin naturally sustainable.

      To learn the craft practiced for generations, Hong began working with Choong Kyung Lee, a straw-weaving master from Asan in 2021. Together, they created numerous projects, including shoes fit for a baby elephant, giraffe, kangaroo, heron, gorilla, and bear. “For me, the collaboration with Lee was a journey to open up my eyes towards natural fibre weaving, a part of the history of Korea that has not been thoroughly written about,” Hong shared.

      For “White Cranes and Snowfall,” the artist pulled out specific personalities to inspire each design rather than thinking of the birds as anonymous entities. Displayed together, the sculptures become a stand-in for community and gathering—and perhaps a cheeky and yet urgent plea to imagine oneself in another’s shoes, even if those shoes belong to another species. The artist adds:

      For me, fictionalising the collective white cranes, and visualising them through humorously designed shoes, is to remind us of the fact that birds are like us, expressing tastes and preferences, also by having individually different characters and personalities.

      “White Cranes and Snowfall” is on view through November 7 at Secession in Vienna. Two of Hong’s textile works are also on view this month as part of the 7th Changwon Sculpture Biennale, and she’s currently preparing for two solo shows, one opening at Art Sonje Center in May and another at PKM Gallery in September. Peruse an archive of her works on her website and Instagram.

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    • 188 Shares199 Views

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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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    • 138 Shares169 Views

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      Under Lock and Key, Ant Hamlyn’s Synthetic Flowers Scramble for Space

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      “Toy Garden 1” (2024), hand-sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabrics, stuffing, sealed acrylic vitrine, and stainless steel, 20 x 20 x 20 centimeters. All images courtesy of Ant Hamlyn, shared with permission

      Under Lock and Key, Ant Hamlyn’s Synthetic Flowers Scramble for Space

      October 16, 2024

      Art

      Kate Mothes

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      Encased in transparent cubes and smushed behind panes of acrylic, Ant Hamlyn’s (previously) brilliant blooms and verdant stems are perpetually preserved. Polyurethane-coated fabrics, which he hand-sews and then stuffs, shape a cartoonish view of our predilection to try to harness and preserve things of beauty.

      Often focusing on bright botanicals and fungi, Hamlyn’s playful sculptures crush fabric flowers into cases secured with wing nuts or locked with soft padlocks. Captive blossoms, leaves, and terracotta pots appear just barely contained but with no means of escape.

      “Vase 4” (2024), hand-sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabrics, stuffing, laser cut acrylic, cnc-routed plywood, gloss paint, and fixings, 55 x 40 x 10 centimeters

      Two ongoing series, Vases and Toy Garden, examine the relationship between hard and soft, synthetic and organic, and fragility and play. Mashed up against their enclosures, the blooms appear incredibly uncomfortable while also exuding brightness and cheer.

      Explore more of the artist’s work on his website and Instagram.

      Selection from the series Toy Garden

      “Vase 2” (2024), hand-sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabrics, stuffing, laser cut acrylic, cnc-routed plywood, gloss paint, and fixings, 55 x 40 x 10 centimeters

      “Vase 6” (2024), hand-sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabrics, stuffing, laser cut acrylic, cnc-routed plywood, gloss paint, and fixings, 55 x 40 x 10 centimeters

      “Vase 3” (2024), hand-sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabrics, stuffing, laser cut acrylic, cnc routed plywood, gloss paint, and fixings, 55 x 40 x 10 centimeters

      “Toy Garden 5” (2024), hand-sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabrics, stuffing, sealed acrylic vitrine, and stainless steel, 20 x 20 x 20 centimeters

      Detail of “Vase 6”

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    • 125 Shares129 Views

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      Mulyana Transforms Plastic Yarn and Netting into Arresting Ocean Textures

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      Photo by Ign Raditya Bramantya. All images courtesy of Mulyana and Sapar Contemporary, shared with permission

      Mulyana Transforms Plastic Yarn and Netting into Arresting Ocean Textures

      October 16, 2024

      ArtClimatePhotography

      Kate Mothes

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      From thousands of plastic bags, nets, and hanks of yarn, Indonesian artist Mulyana (previously) illuminates the fragility of marine ecosystems.

      In his solo exhibition Remembering Our Collective Future at Sapar Contemporary, the artist has incorporated recyclable materials and distilled the palette to white, evoking a symbol of purity and drawing attention to the consequences of human impact on our oceans, such as coral bleaching.

      “Betty 21” (2024), plastic yarn, plastic net, and cable wire, 82 5/8 x 76 3/4 x 13 3/4 inches

      Curated by John Silvis, the show invites viewers to reflect on the effects of the climate crisis and the critical importance of environmental preservation. Photographs by Ign Raditya Bramantya highlight a living, breathing embodiment of coral as it traverses the city streets, bringing the ocean to daily life.

      Mulyana painstakingly twists, knots, and wraps plastic netting, cable wire, and plastic yarn into sculptures and wall hangings resembling coral and cartoonish sea creatures.

      Running concurrently at the Charles B. Wang Center at SUNY Stony Brook, an exhibition of the artist’s vibrant yarn works showcases costumes and characters inspired by marine life. Yarnscapes: Mulyana’s Environmental Tapestries presents a playful counterpoint to the monochrome pieces, nevertheless urging us to remember and evaluate our relationship to our oceans.

      Remembering Our Collective Future runs from October 22 to November 20 in New York City, coinciding with Yarnscapes in Stony Brook through December 10. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

      Photo by Ign Raditya Bramantya

      Photo by Ign Raditya Bramantya

      Detail of “Betty 25” (2024), plastic yarn, plastic net, and cable wire, 74 3/4 x 78 3/4 x 13 3/4 inches

      “Betty 28” (2024), plastic yarn, plastic net, and cable wire, 86 5/8 x 86 5/8 x 13 3/4 inches

      Photo by Ign Raditya Bramantya

      Detail of “Betty 26” (2024), plastic yarn, plastic net, and cable wire, 65 x 51 1/8 x 13 3/4 inches

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    • 113 Shares199 Views

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      ‘The Women Who Changed Photography’ Chronicles 50 Trailblazing Artists

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      Shirin Neshat, “Land of Dreams” (2019), film still. © Shirin Neshat, courtesy of the artist, Gladstone Gallery, and Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and London. All images courtesy of Laurence King Publishing, shared with permission

      ‘The Women Who Changed Photography’ Chronicles 50 Trailblazing Artists

      October 16, 2024

      ArtBooksHistoryPhotography

      Kate Mothes

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      In 1929, sought-after New York fashion model Lee Miller moved to Paris to apprentice with surrealist photographer Man Ray, joining an influential circle of artists. She and Ray worked so closely together, in fact, that many of her photos have been erroneously attributed to him.

      Like many women, Miller’s work was often overshadowed by her male counterparts. A new book, The Women Who Changed Photography: And How to Master Their Techniques, marks Miller’s contribution to photography among 49 more groundbreaking artists who incorporated unique techniques blazed a trail for future generations.

      Cindy Sherman, “Untitled #577” (2016)

      From Zanele Muholi’s bold black-and-white visages to masters of disguise, like French surrealist Claude Cahun (1894-1954) and contemporary artist Cindy Sherman, identity plays a vital role in many of the practices featured.

      Iranian artist Shirin Neshat, for example, often delves into the complexities of womanhood within Islamic cultural and religious value systems. Pushpamala N. employs narrative and figuration in images that critique stereotypes of women in India.

      Released by Laurence King Publishing last month, The Women Who Changed Photography chronicles the individuals, aesthetics, and approaches that have shaped the field. Grab your copy on Bookshop.

      Pushpamala N., “Yogini F-24” (2000–2004) from Native Women of South India: Manners and Customs

      Claude Cahun, “Self Portrait (Holding Mask)” (undated)

      Julie Cockburn, “Feed the Birds (Women)” (2019)

      Shirin Neshat, “Rebellious Silence” (1994)

      Julia Margaret Cameron, portrait of Julia Jackson Duckworth (1846-1895)

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    • 138 Shares129 Views

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      14,000 Prescription Lenses Dangle like Dewdrops in a Lush Japanese Forest

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      All images courtesy of Caitlind r.c. Brown and Wayne Garrett, shared with permission

      14,000 Prescription Lenses Dangle like Dewdrops in a Lush Japanese Forest

      October 15, 2024

      Art

      Grace Ebert

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      Suspended like a vortex of rain, a new installation from Caitlind r.c. Brown and Wayne Garrett ushers viewers into a shimmering enclosure.

      “A Whisper in the Eye of the Storm” dangles 14,000 prescription lenses from a pair of concentric circles. Created for the Northern Alps Art Festival in Omachi City, the site-specific work evokes the region’s historic relationship to water.

      Blanketed with heavy snow in the winter and drenched during rainy summers, the city experiences several wet seasons. Situated at the base of the Japanese mountain range, it boasts natural features like lakes, hot springs, and hydroelectric dams. Omachi has also seen its population rapidly dwindle in recent years.

      Brown and Garrett have previously worked with found, recycled objects like lightbulbs and telephones. Nested behind Nishina Shrine along the shore of Lake Kizaki, this new piece repurposes eyeglasses that catch and refract sunlight and magnify the surrounding cedar forest, focusing viewers’ gazes on the enlarged natural world around them.

      “The work invites visitors to look at the landscape (and each other) with fresh eyes, seeing differently and peering deeply into the ancient and evolving landscape,” the artists say.

      “A Whisper in the Eye of the Storm” is on view through November 4. Find more from Brown and Garrett on their website.

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    • 138 Shares199 Views

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      Genesis Belanger Coaxes the Uncanny from Vignettes of Consumption and Gluttony

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      “Self-awareness” (2024),
      veneered plywood, cork, stoneware, porcelain,
      patinaed brass, oil painted manicure, wooden vanity,
      28 × 61 × 20 inches. All photos by
      Pauline Shapiro, © Genesis Belanger, courtesy of the artist and
      Pace Gallery, shared with permission

      Genesis Belanger Coaxes the Uncanny from Vignettes of Consumption and Gluttony

      October 15, 2024

      Art

      Grace Ebert

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      A comb with perfectly manicured teeth, a tote overflowing with groceries and a bitten chocolate cookie, and a vacuum cleaner intent on eating a rug are a few of the peculiar details in Genesis Belanger’s latest exhibition.

      In the Right Conditions we are Indistinguishable, on view now Pace Gallery in London, presents fourteen vignettes of everyday life gone awry. Known for her disorienting, sometimes seductive sculptures, the artist continues working with her signature flatness and distinctive visual language, drawing on advertising techniques to critique consumerism plaguing modern life.

      “Cause and Effect” (2024), stoneware, powder coated steel, plywood, composite board, sunbrella fabric, silk and cashmere suiting, hardware, 41 × 35 × 53 inches

      Belanger’s earlier sculptures revel in pastel hues and the warm textures of ceramic, while this new body of work is more expansive. Bold, saturated colors appear throughout the individual vignettes, like on a cobalt vase and bright pink fruits resting in a squat dish. The artist also incorporates a wider array of materials into these sculptures, including the silk cashmere lining a vacuum cleaner bag and the veneered plywood that structures shelving.

      Arousing humor and absurdity from the most banal objects, Belanger invokes excessive desire, gendered expectations, and corporate malaise. “Self-Awareness,” for example, features a disjointed portrait of various objects spread across a wood table. The candlesticks with knotted wicks reference the feeling of working a 9-to-5 job, which she describes as “burnt down and tied in knots,” while the tableaux as a whole nods to self-curation and performance.

      “A Breeze Shimmers” (2024), patinaed brass, powder-coated aluminum, porcelain,hardware, 84 × 50 × 45 inches

      The artist typically shies away from depicting the human body in full form, instead preferring to represent it through fragmented parts or symbols like food and shapely objects. Fruit often takes on this role, especially in the pair of round, potted sculptures that give credence to natural growth.

      These works stand in stark contrast to the flattening effect of “16 Bit Eden,” which layers flowers and cherries atop a grid. Evoking the digital world, the pixelated backdrop questions the contemporary desire to ignore the objects and realities right in front of us.

      In the Right Conditions we are Indistinguishable is Belanger’s first U.K. exhibition and runs through November 9. See more of her work on Instagram.

      “Husband Material” (2024), porcelain, stoneware, plywood, raincoat fabric, rubber-coated linen18 1/4 × 21 × 16 5/8 inches

      “Family Portrait” (2024), veneered plywood, cork, porcelain, stoneware, 45 1/2 × 41 × 11 1/4 inches

      “Sentimental Attachment” (2024), stoneware with oil-painted manicure, 25 × 13 × 2 inches

      “Managed Expectations (you only deserve a tiny piece)” (2024), veneered plywood, powder-coated steel, cork, porcelain, 30 × 20 1/4 × 7 3/8 inches

      “It Always Comes Out in the Wash” (2024), stoneware, porcelain, patinaed brass, and fiberglass,29 × 6 × 32 inches

      Installation view of ‘Genesis Belanger: In the Right Conditions we are Indistinguishable,’ Pace Gallery, London (2024). Photo by Damian Griffiths

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