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Snacks and Household Goods Are Fodder for Vanessa Mckeown’s Quirky Compositions
Art
Food
Photography
#fashion
#humor
#sportsDecember 16, 2021Grace EbertAll images © Vanessa Mckeown, shared with permissionA scroll through Vanessa Mckeown’s Instagram reveals a bottomless trove of absurdity and the playfully unexpected: cooked spaghetti pours from a bronze tap, a tennis ball bounces off a tennis racket made of waffles, and a trio of donuts hangs from a toilet paper holder.The London-based artist has an eye for the strange, quirky possibilities of humble everyday objects like snacks and plants, and her body of work extends back to 2015 when she photographed minimally composed interpretations on bright monochromatic backdrops. In recent years, she’s brought more color, texture, and objects into her pieces, using checkered tablecloths and the tiled wall of a bathroom to add extra dimension. “At the moment, I want to make my work more dynamic and bring it more to life, more stuff!” she says. “I just want to be free with it and not so rigid, which is a challenge as I’m quite rigid with things.”To add Mckeown’s bag of beans, bread legs, or another one of her clever constructions to your collection, pick up a print in her shop. You also might like Nicole McLaughlin’s edible apparel.
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A Flower Patch of Recycled Denim Grows from the Ceiling in Ian Berry’s ‘Secret Garden’
Art#denim
#fashion
#flowers
#installation
#textilesJuly 14, 2021
Grace Ebert“Secret Garden” (2021), at Museum Rijswijk. Photo by Marcus van Ee. All images © Ian Berry, shared with permission
Whimsical tendrils of vines, foliage, wisteria, and chrysanthemums sprout from artist Ian Berry’s wild, overgrown garden plots. Densely assembled and often suspended from the ceiling, his recurring “Secret Garden” is comprised of blooms and leafy plants created entirely from recycled denim, producing immersive spaces teeming with indigo botanicals in various washes and fades.
Since its debut at the New York Children’s Museum of the Arts, Berry’s site-specific installation has undergone a few iterations. “The first one was made with children in mind… hence the more magical secret garden angle,” he says, “just wanting to (ensure they think about) where the material comes from, see what they can make, and seek out outdoor places within a city.” It’s since traveled to London, Barcelona, The Netherlands, France, Kentucky, and the San Francisco Flower Mart, where it’s permanently installed as a trellis lining the space’s windows.“Secret Garden,” New York Children’s Museum of the Arts. Photo by Lucinda Grange
The initial installation sourced damaged bolts from Cone Denim, specifically its now-shuttered White Oak Mill in North Carolina, which is known for its dedication to transparent cotton sourcing and commitment to using less water. Although much of Berry’s works recycle discarded jeans, jackets, and materials that are unusable for garments and employ environmentally conscious companies like Tonello to wash and laser the vines, sustainability is an ancillary element of his practice.
Instead, the East London-based artist focuses on generating a broader conversation about the ways communities change over time and a hope that people will find magic where it’s not necessarily expected. “The piece was born out of the idea that in New York, many children would grow up without a garden, and as much of my work is about the community in urban environments,” he shares. “I wanted afterwards for the parents and children to go and seek them out—and they did.”
“Secret Garden” is on view as part of Berry’s solo show Splendid Isolation, which is up through August 15 at Museum Rijswijk in the Hague, The Netherlands. In October, his work is headed to the Textil Museet in Sweden, where it’ll be until May 2022. Explore a larger collection of his textile-based floral pieces on his site and Instagram.“Secret Garden,” New York Children’s Museum of the Arts. Photo by Will Ellis
“Secret Garden” (2021), at Museum Rijswijk. Photo by Marcus van Ee
“Secret Garden,” New York Children’s Museum of the Arts. Photo by Lucinda Grange
“Secret Garden,” New York Children’s Museum of the Arts. Photo by Will Ellis
“Secret Garden,” New York Children’s Museum of the Arts. Photo by Lucinda Grange#denim
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Translucent Textiles Cast Organisms and Mundane Objects as Dreamy Sculptures and Wearables
Art
Design#coral
#fabric
#fashion
#nature
#sculptureJuly 9, 2021
Grace EbertAll images © Mariko Kusumoto, shared with permission
From polyester, nylon, and cotton, Japanese artist and designer Mariko Kusumoto fabricates sculptural forms that resemble the creatures and everyday objects she finds most fascinating. She uses a proprietary heat-setting technique to mold the ubiquitous materials into undulating ripples, honeycomb poufs, and even tiny schools of fish that are presented in elegant and fanciful contexts. Whether a pastel coral reef or a fantastical bracelet filled with mushrooms, rosettes, and minuscule bicycles, Kusumoto’s body of work, which includes standalone objects and wearables, uses the ethereal qualities of the translucent fibers to make even the banalest forms appear like they’re part of a dream.
You can find a larger archive of the artist’s pieces, which ranges from textiles to metal and resin, on her site and Instagram.#coral
#fabric
#fashion
#nature
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Asparagus, Cucumbers, and Cabbage Leaves Take a Fresh Twist on the Iconic Hermès Birkin Bag
Art
Design
Food#fashion
#humor
#vegetablesJune 8, 2021
Grace EbertAll images © Ben Denzer, shared with permission
Ben Denzer cultivates what could be the next trend in sustainable fashion with a green redesign of the classic Hermés Birkin bag. The artist and designer whipped up these vegetable versions of the iconic, high-end accessory by arranging asparagus stalks, cucumber slices, and cabbage leaves into a trio you’d be more likely to find in the produce aisle than a luxury shop.
Denzer is known for his playful food pairings, including books bound with cheese slices and condiment packets and an entire account dedicated to matching his favorite reads with ice cream. Find more of his quirky designs on his site, and check out his Instagram for the apple and banana bags that didn’t make the cut. You also might enjoy Nicole McLaughlin’s edible attire. (via The Morning News)#fashion
#humor
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Pockets of Landscapes and Still Lifes Adorn Subjects in Lavish Portraits by Aniela Sobieski
Art#dogs
#fashion
#makeup
#painting
#portraits
#surrealFebruary 11, 2021
Grace EbertOil on panel, 8 x 10 inches. All images © Aniela Sobieski, shared with permission
Aniela Sobieski is intrigued by “the human impulse to self-decorate,” a fascination that permeates every aspect of her portraiture. Evoking both baroque paintings and contemporary fashions, Sobieski adorns women and the occasional dog with elaborate makeup and sculptural accessories placed conspicuously to mask the subject’s features. She seamlessly maps classic still lifes and sparse landscapes directly onto the sitter’s face, often highlighting the natural shape of the eye and coating the figure’s lips in bold red.
Apparent within Sobieski’s oil paintings is a symbiotic relationship between the subject and their lavish accessories: while a pair of daisies or bucolic scene serve as expressions of identity and emotion, the subject “provides them with an environment,” the artist writes. “It is my hope that these relationships speak to the tendency for nature and the human psyche to mirror each other.”
Sobieski, who is based in St. Paul, has a solo show at Tory Folliard Gallery in Milwaukee that’s slated for this October. Until then, follow her poetic artworks on Instagram, and pick up a print from Etsy. (via This Isn’t Happiness)“Bird Eyes,” oil on panel, 6 x 6 inches
“Daisy Eyes,” oil on linen, 8 x 10 inches
#dogs
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#makeup
#painting
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Lush Florals Sprout from Corsets and Dresses in Enchanting Paintings by Artist Amy Laskin
Art#fashion
#flowers
#oil painting
#painting
#plantsFebruary 2, 2021
Grace Ebert“Blouse an Skirt!,” oil on linen, 40 x 50 inches. All images © Amy Laskin, shared with permission
Through ethereal oil paintings, artist Amy Laskin juxtaposes decorative fashions and organic beauty. Thick bunches of hydrangeas, lilies, and wispy ferns spring from elaborate, beaded dresses and corsets, which swell into fully formed garments and shroud the works with an unearthly and enchanting aura. Each piece is figurative but non-representational, a decision Laskin shares stems from the idea that “nature is anonymous. She needs no name. She is everything.”
The artist’s studio is located in the Blue Mountains in Jamaica, the place she’s drawn inspiration from since moving to the island as a Peace Corps volunteer years ago. You can find more of Laskin’s work that’s brimming with the flora native to the region on her site and Artsy.“Grand Stand,” oil on linen, 19.5 X 15.5 inches
“Haute Couture and Mother Nature Marry,” oil on board, 24 X 21 inches
Left: “Up Rooted,” oil on linen, 17 X 14 inches. Right: “Rooted in Her Story,” oil on linen, 17 X 14 inches
“Flora and Furbelow,” oil on linen, 45.5 X 45.5 inches
Left: “Red and Green,” oil on linen, 12 x 12 inches. Right: “Flora’s Duppy,” oil on linen, 40 x 30 inches
“Bodice and Botany,” oil on linen, 40 X 50 inches#fashion
#flowers
#oil painting
#painting
#plantsDo stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now!
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