More stories

  • in

    Blackburn’s National Festival of Making Celebrates Collaborations Between Art and Industry

    Morag Myerscough in collaboration with Crown Paints. Photos by Robin Zahler. All images courtesy of the artists and the National Festival of Making, shared with permission

    Blackburn’s National Festival of Making Celebrates Collaborations Between Art and Industry

    July 9, 2025

    ArtCraftDesign

    Kate Mothes

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    Every year, in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire, a vibrant festival erupts with creativity in a celebration of art, craft, and industry. This year marked the seventh edition of the National Festival of Making, organized along the theme of “Art in Manufacturing.” Acclaimed artists and designers teamed up with industry leaders to create works using a variety of materials, from Morag Myerscough’s collaboration with Crown Paints for a vibrant new mural to Liaqat Rasul’s partnership with textile producer Herbert Parkinson for an optical installation.

    Locality played a central role in the festival, as artists were paired with manufacturers in Lancashire. Matter at hand, the design practice of Lewis Jones, teamed up with Darwen Terracotta and Faience, which focuses on traditional glazed earthenware for home products and restoration (faience is a type of tin-glazed pottery).

    Liaqat Rasul in collaboration with Herbert Parkinson, “Umeed (Oh-meed) امید – Gobaith – Hope”

    Matter at hand created a large-scale installation titled “Poured Earth,” which takes an architectural approach to materials in the northern transept of Blackburn Cathedral. The piece invites visitors to walk through an archway of wooden crates and around cast elements in various shapes and sizes, emphasizing the timelessness and continuity of earthen building materials and styles.

    Morag Myerscough transformed a corner building into a characteristically vivid, geometric floral mural with complementary garden boxes and a water tank. Rasul’s piece, a multifaceted textile assemblage suspended in the Blackburn Cathedral crypt, features a friendly face made of independent elements that merge into a full visage when viewed from the front.

    Titled “Umeed (Oh-meed) امید – Gobaith – Hope,” the piece was created from scraps salvaged from Herbert Parkinson’s factory floor in addition to the artist’s own archive. Rasul tenderly embroidered the Urdu, Hindu, and Welsh words for “hope” amid various found elements like cord and safety pins.

    The National Festival of Making features a program of more than 100 workshops, performances, artist talks, markets, and more across more than 20 Blackburn venues. Emphasizing the power of collaboration, cross-disciplinary exploration, and community, the festival aims to empower people of all ages to lean into curiosity and get making.

    Rasul and Lewis’s work will be on view through July 12, with Myerscough’s mural intended for long-term display. Find more on the festival’s website.

    Matter at hand in collaboration with Darwen Terracotta, “Poured Earth”

    Matter at hand in collaboration with Darwen Terracotta, “Poured Earth” (detail)

    Morag Myerscough in collaboration with Crown Paints

    Liaqat Rasul in collaboration with Herbert Parkinson, “Umeed (Oh-meed) امید – Gobaith – Hope” (detail)

    Matter at hand in collaboration with Darwen Terracotta, “Poured Earth” (detail)

    Detail of a mural by Morag Myerscough in collaboration with Crown Paints

    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

    London’s Largest Ancient Roman Fresco Makes for the ‘World’s Most Difficult Jigsaw Puzzle’

    Timelapse of the MOLA specialist team reassembling a section of wall plaster. All images © MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology), shared with permission

    London’s Largest Ancient Roman Fresco Makes for the ‘World’s Most Difficult Jigsaw Puzzle’

    June 23, 2025

    ArtHistory

    Kate Mothes

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    One of the remarkable things about a city like London, which has been inhabited for nearly 2,000 years, is that no matter where a developer chooses to build, chances are there’s some relic of the past buried below ground. Archaeologists are routinely called to new development sites to carefully verify the presence—or not—of everything from early structures to centuries-old graveyards. And in a place founded by the Romans shortly after 43 C.E., we can occasionally glimpse astonishing finds from well over 1,000 years ago.

    This year, a team of researchers from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) has been hard at work in a development site known as The Liberty, which has already revealed ancient mosaics and a mausoleum. But the discoveries keep coming. Scattered in pieces, the city’s largest-ever collection of painted Roman plaster was found amid the rubble, dating back at least 1,800 years.

    MOLA specialist Han Li reconstructing the wall plaster

    The first structures on this site appeared between 43 and 150 C.E., and the frescoed wall would have stood in a high-status Roman building. Sometime before 200 C.E., the building was demolished and the plaster pieces discarded in a pit. Seeing the light of day for the first time since, it was a dream opportunity for MOLA researchers.

    Han Li, MOLA’s Senior Building Material Specialist, spent three months reconfiguring the artwork with the help of a team of researchers. He explained that pieces had been jumbled together when the building was demolished, so figuring out how the fresco was originally composed took a lot of tinkering and patience. “It was like assembling the world’s most difficult jigsaw puzzle,” he says.

    Even the most avid jigsaw fans will appreciate that this type of puzzle is a real mind-bender—there’s no picture to look at for comparison. But there are clues. This era of Roman painting commonly incorporated color panels with border motifs and elements that imitated stone slabs like porphyry without the expense or labor involved in hauling that much material. And while this work is fairly representative of the style, the use of the color yellow is particularly rare and found in only a few very luxurious buildings around the U.K.

    The fresco also tells the story of visitors and passersby who left graffiti, including an image of a crying woman with a hairstyle common in the Flavian period (69 to 96 C.E.) and a carved Greek alphabet. It’s thought that the latter could have served a practical purpose, like a tally sheet or a checklist.

    Wall plaster reconstruction illustration by Faith Vardy

    One special detail comes in the form of what’s known as a tabula ansata, a carving of a decorative tablet that Roman artists used to sign their work. It contains the Latin word “FECIT,” which means “has made this.” Sadly, the part where the artist’s name would have appeared is too broken to determine, so their identity will likely remain a mystery.

    Explore more of MOLA’s excavations and projects on its website.

    The remains of the tabula ansata

    MOLA specialist Han Li reconstructing the wall plaster

    Sections of bird decorations on the Liberty wall plaster

    A MOLA archaeologist uncovers the wall plaster during excavations at The Liberty site

    Sections of floral decoration on the Liberty wall plaster

    Yellow and imitation porphyry panels

    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

    Reskate’s Youthful Murals Transform into Glowing Symbols of Peace

    Reskate’s Youthful Murals Transform into Glowing Symbols of Peace

    June 5, 2025

    Art

    Jackie Andres

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    During the day, Reskate’s extensive murals cover large swathes of space on buildings, stage backdrops, and even transformer towers. While these monumental public works are striking during sunlit hours, they completely transform with the darkness of night.

    Artists Javier de Riba and María López are the artistic duo behind Reskate. Primarily based in Barcelona, both artists travel throughout the year, visiting different corners of the world to complete projects to “raise awareness of care for culture, nature, and peace.”

    Detail of “Paix” (2025). Reims, Champagne. Image by Romain Berthiot

    Reskate’s subjects are often children. In a bold, illustrative style with graphic linework, the artists depict young figures holding objects related to the area in which the mural is placed, as well as articles that reflect global concerns. “The invisibilization and invalidation of youth as an active element that should be part of society is a burden that continues to be perpetuated,” the duo explains in a statement covering “Eulalia,” a previous mural completed in 2023.

    An example of this is prevalent in “Bruit,” taking the form of stage design for an immersive concert. In the piece, a young girl protectively wraps her arms around a fishbowl, nodding to the impact of sound pollution within the oceans.

    The pair recently completed an exhibit at the Museu Picasso in Barcelona and plans to continue their artistic endeavors both in and out of the public space. Find more work on Reskate’s website and Instagram, and browse prints in their online shop.

    “Harmony” (2025). Liverpool. Image by Corbyn John

    “Transformateur” (2024). Mareuil-sur-Ourcq, France. Image by Sophie Palmier

    Detail of “Transformateur” (2024). Mareuil-sur-Ourcq, France. Image by Sophie Palmier

    “Bruit” (2024). Le Mans, France

    Detail of “Bruit” (2024). Le Mans, France

    “Boycott” (2024). Ghent, Belgium

    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 Miami, Wynwood Walls Museum Evolves Along With Street Art

    Jessica Goldman Srebnick, the museum’s curator and the daughter of its creator, Tony Goldman, discussed her role and her vision for the neighborhood’s artistic future.This article is part of our Museums special section about how artists and institutions are adapting to changing times.The real estate developer Tony Goldman was no stranger to transforming neighborhoods when he established the outdoor street art museum Wynwood Walls in Miami in 2009. Located in Wynwood, formerly an industrial district of warehouses and garment manufacturing factories, the museum was his way of revitalizing a city pocket that had declined in the 1980s and had since sat virtually abandoned and forgotten.Goldman, who died in 2012, was known for breathing new life into Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood by investing in real estate and turning it into a destination for artists and the fashionable set. He saw the same potential with Wynwood, according to his daughter, Jessica Goldman Srebnick, a co-chair of the real estate development company Goldman Properties and the museum’s curator.“My dad, Joey, and I were together when we first visited Wynwood in 2005,” she said, referring to her brother. “Block after block of single-story industrial buildings — mostly vacant or abandoned — served as canvases for a sea of chaotic graffiti, but my dad recognized the opportunity to build upon the DNA of the neighborhood and enhance it for others to enjoy.”Jessica Goldman Srebnick, the museum’s curator, earlier this month. She scouts for new muralists every year.Alfonso Duran for The New York TimesGoldman Srebnick said that her father saw the advantages of Wynwood’s central location, the walkability of its streets, the mass of underutilized buildings and its grittiness — all factors he used to breathe new life into SoHo, South Beach in Miami and Midtown Village in Philadelphia.“To him, it was clear that Wynwood would become the center for the creative class, with the Wynwood Walls Museum as its vibrant, beating heart,” she said.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

  • in

    Monumental Murals by Agostino Iacurci Vibrantly Reimagine Urban Facades

    “Cardi (1571-2021)” (2021), wall painting, dimensions variable. Borgo Universo, Aielli. Photo by Domenico d’Alessandro

    Monumental Murals by Agostino Iacurci Vibrantly Reimagine Urban Facades

    April 21, 2025

    ArtDesign

    Kate Mothes

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    Murals by Agostino Iacurci bring drab buildings to life in bold jewel tones, playful patterns, color blocks, and symmetry. Whether painting directly onto bricks and plaster or designing immense fabric sheaths to cover construction scaffolding, the artist’s vibrant compositions enliven street corners and urban thoroughfares.

    Iacurci often emphasizes geometric patterns, flora, classical vases, and niches that hold symbolic objects or figures. You might enjoy checking out Gingko Press’s Mural Masters, a survey of the next generation of street artists, and see more on Iacurci’s website and Instagram.

    “Landscape n.1” (2021), wall painting, 27.7 x 7.1 meters. Las Vegas, Nevada. Commissioned by Life is Beautiful

    “Disegno d’esame” (2021), enamel on wall, dimensions variable. Pascucci Elementary School, Santarcangelo di Romagna. Photo by Francesco Marini

    “Grüne Oase” (2024). Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Photo by Ivan Murzin

    “COINCIDENCES.” Ensorinstituut, Oostende, Belgium. Produced by The Crystal Ship

    Detail of “COINCIDENCES”

    “Landscape n.2” (2021), print on PVC scaffold sheet, 17 x 14 meters. Pastificio Cerere, Rome. Photo by Carlo Romano

    “Landscape n.3” (2021). Pinacoteca Civica, Foggia. Photo by Domenico d’Alessandro

    “L’antiporta” (2021), paint on wall, dimensions variable. Biblioteca Ugo Tognazzi, Pomezia. Curated by Marcello Smarrelli and Pastificio Cerere for Sol Indiges. Photo by Lorenzo Palmieri

    Detail of “L’antiporta”

    Detail of “Cardi (1571-2021).” Photo by Domenico d’Alessandro

    Detail of “Disegno d’esame.” Photo by Domenico d’Alessandro

    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

    Buried for Nearly 2,000 Years, a Monumental Dionysian Fresco Sees the Light of Day in Pompeii

    Overview of a large fresco inside an excavated banquet gall in Pompeii. Image courtesy of Parco Archeologico di Pompei

    Buried for Nearly 2,000 Years, a Monumental Dionysian Fresco Sees the Light of Day in Pompeii

    March 4, 2025

    ArtHistoryScience

    Kate Mothes

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 C.E., the enormous explosion buried the city of Pompeii in an astonishing 19 meters of ash and debris. (A recent study concludes that in the neighboring town of Herculaneum, the blast was so intense that it vitrified a young man’s brain.) Since excavations of the area began in 1748, discovery after discovery has revealed lavish, poignant, and complex details about what life was like nearly 2,000 years ago in the Roman port town.

    When Vesuvius buried everything, the ash provided an extraordinarily protective covering for delicate frescos and structures, like an expansive fresco recently excavated in a banquet hall that “sheds light on the mysteries of Dionysus in the classical world,” says a statement from Italy’s Ministry of Culture.

    Image courtesy of Parco Archeologico di Pompei

    The large-scale painted frieze archaeologists are calling “house of Thiasos” shows the procession of Dionysus, god of wine, along with satyrs and bacchantes—also known as maenads—who are portrayed simultaneously as dancers and hunters.

    In the center of the composition, a woman is accompanied by Silenus, an elderly companion and tutor to Dionysus, holding a torch. The woman “indicates that she is an initiand,” the Ministry of Culture says, “a mortal woman who through a nocturnal ritual is about to be initiated into the mysteries of Dionysus, the god who dies and is reborn and who promises the same to his followers.”

    Spanning three walls of a building—the fourth had been open to a garden—in the so-called Regio IX district, the painting depicts a frieze known as a “megalography,” derived from the Greek for “large painting” and comprising a cycle of paintings with nearly life-size figures. Archaeologists date the fresco to around 40 to 30 B.C.E., nearly 100 years old already by the time Vesuvius erupted.

    Archaeologies typically categorize Roman and Pompeiian painting into four chronological periods or styles: incrustation (structural), architectural, ornamental, and intricate. Each style adapted elements of the previous period to generate new motifs and trends.

    Photo by Agnese Sbaffi and Emanuele Antonio Minerva, courtesy of Ministero della Cultura

    The new banquet hall example is thought to be indicative of the second style in which figures or tableaux are framed within faux architectural niches and trompe-l’œil compositions. Curiously for art historians, all of the figures are depicted on pedestals “as if they were statues,” the Ministry of Culture says, “while at the same time their movements, complexion, and clothing make them appear very alive.”

    Investigations into the Regio IX district, which covers approximately 3,200 square meters, began two years ago. So far, the excavation of the entirely buried block has revealed two atrium houses—already partially explored in the 19th century—plus two workshop houses, some residential rooms of a large domus, a black hall with scenes from the Trojan saga, and a shrine with a rare blue background. More than 50 new rooms have been identified, and there is plenty more yet to uncover.

    As archaeologists gradually chip away at the ancient pile of volcanic detritus, new finds like a food stand and a primitive pizza continue to awe and inspire our understanding of ancient Roman life. The site is open for public visits, and you can explore more on the Archaeological Park of Pompeii’s website.

    Image courtesy of Parco Archeologico di Pompei

    Photo by Agnese Sbaffi and Emanuele Antonio Minerva, courtesy of Ministero della Cultura

    Photo by Agnese Sbaffi and Emanuele Antonio Minerva, courtesy of Ministero della Cultura

    Photo by Agnese Sbaffi and Emanuele Antonio Minerva, courtesy of Ministero della Cultura

    Photo by Agnese Sbaffi and Emanuele Antonio Minerva, courtesy of Ministero della Cultura

    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

    Fantastical Figures Illuminate Urban Buildings in Amanda Lobos’ Murals and Installations

    “Ventura” (2024), Festa da Luz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. All images courtesy of Amanda Lobos, shared with permission

    Fantastical Figures Illuminate Urban Buildings in Amanda Lobos’ Murals and Installations

    February 20, 2025

    ArtDesignIllustration

    Kate Mothes

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    Vibrant contrasts, eye-opening patterns, and mischievous creatures are just a few of the characteristics of Brazilian artist Amanda Lobos’ beguiling scenes. Based in Vila Velha, about an eight-hour drive up the coast from Rio de Janeiro, Lobos works extensively across a range of mediums, from graphic and product design to murals and public installations.

    A large-scale inflatable work titled “Ventura” was installed last year on the top of a building in the city of Belo Horizonte. Lobos calls upon the philosophy of Indigenous Brazilian environmentalist and philosopher Ailton Krenak, who posits that humankind should live in harmony with nature rather than trying to control it.

    Mural for Festival Nalata (2023), 5 x 8 meters. Av. Faria Lima nº822, São Paulo, Brazil

    Lobos’ all-seeing “Ventura,” which translates to “fortune,” perches on a corner of a tall building and oversees its domain, double-faced with two eyes on each side and one of its legs curled up casually on the ledge.

    This work “is about the agony and dilemma of returning a star to the sky,” Lobos says in a statement, describing “Ventura” as “condemned to the duality of the fantastic and the real.”

    Much of the artist’s work is intentionally left open to interpretation. “I believe that what I want to communicate to viewers is already embedded in my work visually, allowing them to interpret it however they wish—that’s the beauty of it!” Lobos tells Colossal. “I don’t like to be too literal or overly serious with my concepts; I enjoy the creative process and the freedom it gives me.”

    In vivid murals, Lobos applies a similar juxtaposition of mystery and play, as coy characters dance within colorful panels or long walls illuminate the joys of learning. An expansive mural at a school in the Jardim Limoeiro neighborhood of Serra celebrates science, art, curiosity, and play.

    MC.Arte mural for the Penélope Municipal Early Childhood Education Center in Jardim Limoeiro, Serra, Espírito Santo, Brazil (2023). Photo by Ana Luzes

    “My favorite thing about painting murals—besides seeing them come to life on a large scale from an initial sketch on paper or a 30-centimeter canvas—is the process itself,” Lobos tells Colossal. She adds:

    Executing the piece and watching it unfold is truly special. The feeling of applying paint with no “Ctrl+Z” is humbling, and working on such a large surface teaches you to embrace mistakes and adapt in new ways. Every wall is a fresh learning experience.

    Lobos is soon heading to Mexico to paint her first mural outside of Brazil looking forward to collaborating with two other artists on a pair of murals for the Movimento Cidade festival in August.

    We’ve shared a handful of public art projects here, but you can head over to Behance or Instagram to see a wide range of the designer’s vibrant product collaborations and commissions.

    Three illustrated tarot cards created for the publishing company TAG Livros, referencing iconic authors

    “Ventura”

    “Tropical Transformation” mural for brand activation of Devassa beer at the Casa7 event venue, Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil

    Six illustrated tarot cards created for the publishing company TAG Livros, referencing iconic authors

    Interior mural for CASACOR Espírito Santo

    MC.Arte mural in progress for the Penélope Municipal Early Childhood Education Center

    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

    A New Documentary Traces How a Faith Ringgold Mural at Rikers Island Helped Women Break Free

    Detail of “For the Women’s House” (1972). All images from ‘Paint Me a Road Out of Here’

    A New Documentary Traces How a Faith Ringgold Mural at Rikers Island Helped Women Break Free

    February 13, 2025

    ArtFilmHistorySocial Issues

    Grace Ebert

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    In 1971, Faith Ringgold (1930-2024) received her first public art commission. New York City offered the late artist a $3,000 grant to paint a mural at the Women’s House of Detention on Rikers Island. After going inside and speaking with those incarcerated in the notorious prison, Ringgold decided to base the work around a request from one of the women about what she hoped the piece would depict: “I want to see a road leading out of here.”

    In Ringgold’s characteristically bold palette, the resulting mural features more than a dozen figures, many of whom are employed in professions unavailable to women at the time. Vibrant and sliced into eight sections, “For the Women’s House” portrays doctors, bus drivers, basketball players, and the yet-to-be-realized vision of a woman as president. The large-scale work was a tribute to the deferred dreams of those who were locked up and a directive to reimagine the stereotypes put on incarcerated people.

    According to ArtNet, the artist continued her relationship with the detained women and returned to the facility each month to provide “courses in subjects ranging from mask-making and theater to career counseling and drug addiction prevention.”

    When Rikers Island transitioned to housing men in 1998, though, the Department of Corrections painted over the work, concealing it under a thick layer of white paint.

    A new documentary directed by Catherine Gund chronicles Ringgold’s fight to regain control over the mural as it tells a broader story about the injustices of the U.S. justice system. Paint Me a Road Out of Here, released by Aubin Pictures, features conversations with Ringgold before her death last year, along with artist Mary Enoch Elizabeth Baxter, who has been commissioned to create a new work to replace “For the Women’s House.”

    The film comes at a time when more artists who were formerly incarcerated are gaining attention as they point out the dehumanization and cruelty at the heart of the prison system. Jesse Krimes, for example, interrogates the material conditions of life inside as he incorporates soap bars, playing cards, newspapers, and bedsheets into his practice. And at a similarly infamous facility, artist Moath al-Alwi sculpts ships from cardboard, dental floss, and threads from his prayer cap while detained at Guantánamo Bay.

    “For the Women’s House” (1972)

    While the film shares the story of Ringgold’s nearly lost mural—which was relocated in 2022—it also speaks to the power of community and connection through art and making, particularly in places where despair and degradation are rampant. “Art gives us permission to imagine a world beyond what currently exists,” one interviewee in the film says.

    Paint Me a Road Out of Here is currently screening at the Film Forum in New York. Keep an eye on Aubin Pictures’ website and Instagram for additional locations.

    The artist with the mural

    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