More stories

  • in

    A Changing Community and Lived Experiences Converge in Leroy Johnson’s Mixed-Media Houses

    All images courtesy of Margot Samel, shared with permission

    A Changing Community and Lived Experiences Converge in Leroy Johnson’s Mixed-Media Houses

    December 23, 2024

    Art

    Kate Mothes

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    From collaged and painted found materials merged with elements of photography and ceramics, Leroy Johnson (1937-2022) created an eclectic vision of life in his hometown of Philadelphia. Through layered, multi-dimensional portraits of houses, the artist represents loci of family life and community in conceptual assemblages that also confront racism, poverty, and gentrification.

    In the first exhibition of his work in New York City, Margot Samel presents Leroy Johnson, a collection of the artist’s house sculptures made “with a documentarian’s eye but a poet’s gaze,” says a gallery statement. His pieces capture a city in transition, peering into its past to underscore the myriad experiences of its present.

    “Spirit House” (c. 2005–2010) mixed media, found object, and collage, 19 1/4 x 20 x 13 1/2 inches

    Through his occupations as a social worker, teacher of disabled youth, rehab counselor, and school administrator, Johnson “surveyed the pleasures, hardships, and contradictions within the Philadelphia neighborhoods where he spent his life,” Margot Samel says, and he “pierced the fabric of collective human experience more deeply than most.”

    Johnson’s abstract, mixed-media houses often feature photographs of people and gatherings, graffiti and text, and swishes of paint or residual imagery from found objects. The gallery adds, “As an African American artist who witnessed the civil rights movement and the impact of racist policies on communities he loved, Johnson took particular pleasure in depicting the richness of Black life.”

    Leroy Johnson runs from January 10 to February 9 in New York. Learn more and plan your visit on the gallery’s website.

    “You Been Had” (c. 2000–2005), mixed media, found object, and collage, 17 x 16 1/2 x 8 inches

    “Heart of Darkness” (c. 1995–2000), mixed media, found object, and collage, 13 x 11 x 6 inches

    Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

    Hide advertising

    Save your favorite articles

    Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

    Receive members-only newsletter

    Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

    Join us today!

    $7/month

    $75/year

    Explore membership options

    Next article More

  • in

    Cozy Homes and Woodland Wonders Abound in Julie Liger-Belair’s Collages

    “cottage bubble.” All images courtesy of Julie Liger-Belair, shared with permission

    Cozy Homes and Woodland Wonders Abound in Julie Liger-Belair’s Collages

    December 10, 2024

    Art

    Kate Mothes

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    From flowery headdresses to botanical guises to houses perched on the tippy-top of tree stumps, Julie Liger-Belair’s collages (previously) invite us into a whimsical world. In paper and found objects, she dives into personal stories and the emotional connections binding us to nature, place, and a sense of belonging.

    In her Scrappy Blablah series, for example, the artist compiles various cutouts into playful compositions that provide a way of processing external information, coming about “when the paper scraps on my table decide to embody my feelings about the world outside my studio,” she says. “But they also provide the antidote.”

    “Vietnam 1”

    Liger-Belair and her family recently visited Vietnam, spurred by their eldest daughter, who was adopted from the country and hadn’t been back since. New works inspired by the trip include larger collages with painted elements on wood panels, in addition to found objects, vintage photos, and snapshots the artist took on the trip.

    She continues themes of home and comfort through the motif of the house, which often encompasses figures, flowers, patterns, and vines that unfurl beyond their confines. In other compositions, the house shrinks in size, as giant mushrooms and blossoms coexist alongside woodland creatures in fanciful landscapes.

    Liger-Belair has also revisited ideas from earlier assemblage work, making small, three-dimensional pieces in sardine tins and other found boxes. “I have always loved collecting things and using them in pieces,” she tells Colossal. “My experiments with resin and ceramics have also made their way into this series (called) tinned stories, and they are more fun, dreamlike pieces.”

    Find much more on Liger-Belair’s website, Instagram, and Behance.

    “the upside of down” from the ‘tinned stories’ series

    “forest blablah”

    “blablah in the garden”

    “house bubble 14”

    “house bubble 18”

    “mountain landscape” from the ‘tinned stories’ series

    “wide awake,” plus another piece from the studio

    Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

    Hide advertising

    Save your favorite articles

    Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

    Receive members-only newsletter

    Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

    Join us today!

    $7/month

    $75/year

    Explore membership options

    Previous articleNext article More

  • in

    Hollie Chastain Lands a Playful Series of Collaged UFOs

    All images courtesy of Hollie Chastain, shared with permission

    Hollie Chastain Lands a Playful Series of Collaged UFOs

    November 20, 2024

    ArtCraft

    Kate Mothes

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    From paper, thread, and gouache, Chattanooga-based artist Hollie Chastain (previously) combines ephemera and found materials into vibrant collages. Strips of paper are cut, woven, and stitched into playful, abstract compositions.

    The artist’s recent extraterrestrial-inspired series emerged somewhat by accident. “I was playing around with scraps and some abstract surface design, and it ended up vaguely UFO-shaped, so I ran with it,” the artist tells Colossal.

    “Green Valley”

    Chastain’s playful series uses a limited palette of five colors, in addition to vintage printed matter and a thin maple veneer for visual warmth. “Creating such a big collection with limited materials and colors is both challenging and extremely satisfying,” Chastain says. “I am not overwhelmed with options, yet have to stretch myself to make them each unique.”

    Some of the pieces of more intentionally UFO-shaped than others, and Chastain titles each one after the name of a global city where UFO activity has been reported. “I blame David Duchovny,” she says.

    Chastain is currently working toward a solo exhibition in late 2025 at Townsend Atelier in Chattanooga. And if you’re in Colorado, you can see her work—including several of the UFOs—in Moons Out, Goons Out at Ah Haa School for the Arts in Telluride through November 30. Find more on her website and Instagram.

    Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

    Hide advertising

    Save your favorite articles

    Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

    Receive members-only newsletter

    Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

    Join us today!

    $7/month

    $75/year

    Explore membership options

    Previous articleNext article More

  • in

    Myriam Dion Weaves Milestones of Women’s History from Vintage Newspapers

    “Carré Fleuri, antique samples of hand-painted flower patterns for dress fabric, France, 1841” (2023), collage, hand-cut, Japanese paper, paper weaving, gold leaf, and acrylic painting, 26 x 26 inches

    Myriam Dion Weaves Milestones of Women’s History from Vintage Newspapers

    November 19, 2024

    ArtCraft

    Kate Mothes

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    From found vintage newspapers and hand-painted designs, Myriam Dion composes remarkably detailed collages. Known for reimagining newspapers into sculptural, geometric works, the Montréal-based artist (previously) has recently begun experimenting with a range of found materials, like gouache-painted samples of antique textile patterns and pages from old garden books.

    The stories Dion chooses to highlight often revolve around women and their accomplishments. “It is interesting to see how women are documented in the media,” she says, “especially at a time when newspapers were written by men for men and how this evolves and sometimes regresses depending on the subjects,” the artist says.

    Detail of “Carré Fleuri, antique samples of hand-painted flower patterns for dress fabric, France, 1841”

    Through a painstaking process of cutting and weaving tiny strips of material, Dion adheres gold leaf and adds drawing and painting details. “I also include folding techniques that allow me to create relief and a textile look to the paper,” she says. “Drawing allows me to develop patterns through repetition and is conducive to larger installations.”

    The artist currently has work on view in Timelines, her solo exhibition at Arsenal Contemporary in New York City, which emphasizes her interest in milestones like women’s labor rights and suffrage throughout the 20th century, especially in the U.S.

    “These themes are expressed through headlines in a dated language as evocative as the homespun crafts that Dion elevates,” says a gallery statement. “By exploiting the metaphoric potential of ephemera, she underscores the vulnerability of these rights while offering a timely reminder of their importance.”

    “Miss Marion Cassidy, Daring Canadian Aviatrix, New Mexico, Wednesday, May 21, 1919” (2024), collage and weaving of newspaper and hand-cut Japanese paper, acrylic paint, pencil drawing, and gold leaf, 47 x 47 inches

    Dion has recently become fascinated by darning samplers, which like other embroidery samplers, were historically used to showcase one’s knowledge and skills with different stitches. In terms of darning, a method of mending, the patterns often mimicked different weaves or knitting to show that the sampler’s maker was capable of mending a variety of fabrics.

    “These are objects rich in know-how and history—they are magnificent and very inspiring for me, both formally and conceptually,” Dion says. “These objects evoke repair and care, which give a second life to damaged fabrics. They are linked to women, indeed: traditional crafts and artisanal virtuosity, elements to which I am sensitive and which greatly influence my creative process.”

    Dion is particularly drawn to the samplers’ geometric characteristics, which she incorporates into her own compositions. Patterns and floral motifs intertwine in meticulously detailed pieces, often transforming into ornate framing devices for intimately scaled photographs of women snipped from the newspaper.

    The artist recently won a commission for a large public artwork inspired by darning samplers, which will be installed in a new hospital in Vaudreuil-Soulanges, Québec, in 2027. Another public work will be installed at the Santa-Cabrini Hospital in Montréal next summer.

    Timelines continues through December 14. Find more on Dion’s website and Instagram.

    “Girl in Knicks on the Links, Miss McMillan, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, New York, Monday, May 8, 1922” (2024), collage of hand-cut newspaper and Japanese paper, drawing, painting, paper weaving, and gold leaf, 116.5 cm x 108.5 centimeters

    Detail of “Girl in Knicks on the Links, Miss McMillan, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, New York, Monday, May 8, 1922”

    “Women Workers, Daily Republican Eagle, Red Wing, Minnesota, Friday, October 2, 1942” (2024), collage and weaving of newspaper and hand-cut Japanese paper, acrylic paint, pencil drawing, and gold leaf, 40 x 40 inches

    Detail of “Women Workers, Daily Republican Eagle, Red Wing, Minnesota, Friday, October 2, 1942”

    “Marie Curie, Radium discoverer to visit America, February 10, 1921” (2024), collage and weaving of newspaper and hand-cut Japanese paper, acrylic paint, felt, and gold leaf, 42 1/2 x 43 inches

    Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

    Hide advertising

    Save your favorite articles

    Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

    Receive members-only newsletter

    Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

    Join us today!

    $7/month

    $75/year

    Explore membership options

    Next article More

  • in

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

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

    October 9, 2024

    ArtPhotography

    Grace Ebert

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    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.

    Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

    Hide advertising

    Save your favorite articles

    Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

    Receive members-only newsletter

    Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

    Join us today!

    $7/month

    $75/year

    Explore membership options

    Next article More

  • in

    Symmetric Paper Collages by Haegue Yang Commune with the Spiritual

    “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

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    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

    Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

    Hide advertising

    Save your favorite articles

    Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

    Receive members-only newsletter

    Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

    Join us today!

    $7/month

    $75/year

    Explore membership options

    Next article More

  • in

    In YoYo Lander’s Dynamic Portraits, Layers of Stained Paper Capture Light and Shadow

    Detail of “Hold That Thought #1” (2021), stained, washed and collaged watercolor paper on watercolor paper, 20 x 16 inches. All images courtesy of YoYo Lander, shared with permission

    In YoYo Lander’s Dynamic Portraits, Layers of Stained Paper Capture Light and Shadow

    September 27, 2024

    Art

    Grace Ebert

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    From individually stained snippets of watercolor paper, YoYo Lander collages elaborate portraits.

    Each work begins with a photo session during which the artist focuses on capturing the sitter’s unique gestures, poses, and expressions. She then combines the reference images into a singular composition that conveys a particular emotion or experience.

    “Kara”

    In a recent body of work, Lander dresses her sitters in the same green sweater, the kindred knit signifying personal and collective growth and transformation. Similar to earlier pieces like “Hold That Thought #1” and “The Parts of Me That Get No Applause #2,” the more recent portraits are dynamic and impeccably constructed to convey light hitting a cheekbone or the shadow of a garment fold. Viewed up close, the textured, layered paper adds immense intricacy and depth to the already lively compositions.

    Many works shown here are included in Lander’s solo show Yesterday Was Hard, which is curated by Superposition Gallery for Phillips Los Angeles and on view until October 11. The artist frequently shares glimpses into her process on Instagram, so head there for more.

    “Hold That Thought #1” (2021), stained, washed, and collaged watercolor paper on watercolor paper, 20 x 16 inches

    Detail of “Naty”

    “The Parts of Me That Get No Applause #2” (2022), stained, washed and collaged watercolor paper on watercolor paper, 24 x 15.5 inches

    Detail of “Helen”

    Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

    Hide advertising

    Save your favorite articles

    Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

    Receive members-only newsletter

    Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

    Join us today!

    $7/month

    $75/year

    Explore membership options

    Previous articleNext article More

  • in

    Narsiso Martinez Exalts the Individuality of America’s Farmworkers in ‘Joyfully Grown’

    “Delano Grapes” (2024), ink, charcoal, collage, acrylic, and simple leaf on grape box, 16 x 24 x 5.5 inches. Photos by @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong. All images © Narsiso Martinez, courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles, shared with permission

    Narsiso Martinez Exalts the Individuality of America’s Farmworkers in ‘Joyfully Grown’

    September 18, 2024

    Art Social Issues

    Kate Mothes

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    “In the Works,” the centerpiece of Narsiso Martinez’s solo exhibition at Charlie James Gallery, spans three walls and is made from dozens of found produce boxes. At the center of the piece and above a doorway is a long table resplendent with apples, kiwi, oranges, and grapes, all crowned by a chandelier.

    Flanking the dinner, farmworkers climb ladders or sit on the ground, sorting the harvest into the very boxes the composition is made from. Back in the center, the faceless attendees at the table enjoy the literal fruit of the workers’ labor.

    “In the Works” (2024), acrylic, gouache, charcoal, collage, and simple leaf on produce boxes, 178 x 305 inches

    In Joyfully Grown, Martinez (previously) continues his exploration of the labor system, relationships, and power imbalances. He taps into his experience emigrating from Oaxaca when he was 20 years old, determined to find a more sustainable livelihood in the U.S.

    Martinez finished high school at 29, then went on to study fine art in college. While he pursued an MFA, he began working seasonally in eastern Washington’s sprawling apple orchards where he became acquainted with other farmworkers and learned their stories.

    The artist was struck by how individuals in America’s agricultural system, whose intense physical labor the entire framework relies on, go unseen by those who depend on freshly stocked produce in the supermarket.

    “Resist” (2024), ink, charcoal, and simple leaf on strawberry box, 20 x 11.5 x 5.5 inches

    Beginning with photographs, Martinez employs visual languages of prestige—drawing specifically on Catholic portraiture’s emphasis on luxurious fabrics and backgrounds of gold leaf—to empower and uplift workers.

    In “Resist,” for example, a young man is portrayed within the frame of a berry box, backed with gold and wearing a graduation gown. The cap encircles his head like a halo, invoking the divine and signaling the glorious potential of education.

    By elevating the humble cardboard box to the status of picture frame and depicting hardworking people in their esteemed individuality, Martinez scrutinizes who and what society values.

    Joyfully Grown continues through October 26 in Los Angeles. Explore more of Martinez’s work on his Instagram.

    “The Planning” (2024), ink, gouache, charcoal, acrylic, and simple leaf on berry box, 15.5 x 20 x 4.25 inches

    Detail of “In the Works”

    Detail of “In the Works”

    “Blue Joy” (2024), ink, charcoal, collage, acrylic, and simple leaf on blueberry box, 16 x 23.5 x 5.5 inches

    “Fresh is Our Favorite” (2024), ink, charcoal, collage, and acrylic on red seedless grape box, 24 x 16.5 x 6 inches

    “Embracing Future” (2024), ink, charcoal, and simple leaf on orange box, 23.5 x 16 x 6 inches

    Collaboration with Ashley Jose-Isip, “On the Grass” (2024), ink, gouache, charcoal, and simple leaf on grape box, 15.75 x 23.75 x 5.5 inches

    Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

    Hide advertising

    Save your favorite articles

    Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

    Receive members-only newsletter

    Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

    Join us today!

    $7/month

    $75/year

    Explore membership options

    Previous articleNext article More