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    Hundreds of Collaged Photographs Form Rich, Botanical Worlds by Artist Catherine Nelson

    
    Art
    Photography

    #collage
    #digital
    #environment
    #nature

    August 21, 2020
    Grace Ebert

    “Pachira,” 59 x 59 inches.  All images © Catherine Nelson, shared with permission
    A decade ago, Catherine Nelson compiled hundreds of photographs of barren, snow-covered landscapes and autumnal forests for her project Future Memories 2010. The Australian artist, who lives and works between Ghent and Amsterdam, recently revisited that series to create a new body of work with similar world-building techniques. “With the tumultuous events of 2020 still unfolding and the undeniable links to the destruction of the natural world by mankind, it felt timely to return to the themes from that series, which talk about our planet and the importance of protecting what we have,” she says.
    Composed of photographs captured during three years and across four continents, Future Memories 2020 spans “from the lush, tropical flora of Costa Rica and Far North Queensland and the fertile, volcanic mountains of the Azores, to the rolling hills of the Greenland tundra,” Nelson writes. Many of the orb-like digital assemblages feature thick brush and foliage around the outside, while the less-populated centers appear to bulge out. The organic spheres hover effortlessly against a cloudy backdrop, highlighting the rich colors and incredible diversity of every environment. Each piece serves as a reminder that “it is in the flourishing variety of the local that the fate of the world resides,” the artist says.
    Nelson’s work is on view through September 22 at Michael Reid in Sydney and will head to Gallerysmith in Melbourne early next year. Those unable to experience the complexly assembled worlds in person can see more on her site.

    “Cubali,” 59 x 59 inches
    “Sarapiqui,” 59 x 59 inches
    “Terra Nostra,” 59 x 59 inches
    “Tortuguero,” 59 x 59 inches
    “Tropic,” 59 x 59 inches
    “Tundra,” 59 x 59 inches
    “Cartago,” 59 x 59 inches

    #collage
    #digital
    #environment
    #nature

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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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    Women in Motion Energize Dreamy Photographs by Kylli Sparre

     “Wonder Wheels.” All images © Kylli Sparre, shared with permission Often blurring or concealing the faces of her dramatically posed figures, Kylli Sparre (previously) captures magical portraits of young women and girls. The fine art photographer, who is based in Tallinn, captures her lone subjects amidst swirling swaths of fabric or perched atop a […] More

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    Picasso-Inspired Portrait Sculptures Rendered by Digital Artist Omar Aqil

     All images © Omar Aqil Pakistan-based art director and illustrator Omar Aqil (previously) continues his Character Illustrations series with more collaged portraits made from stacks of 3D objects. Using digital software including Adobe Photoshop, Cinema 4D, Octane, and Adobe Illustrator, Aqil creates Picasso-esque faces and places them into random, casual scenes. The shadows, highlights, […] More