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    Vibrant Brushstrokes Float in Resin Cubes in Fabian Oefner’s Sculptural Ode to Painting

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    All images courtesy of Fabian Oefner, shared with permission

    Vibrant Brushstrokes Float in Resin Cubes in Fabian Oefner’s Sculptural Ode to Painting

    February 24, 2025

    Art

    Kate Mothes

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    Frozen inside blocks of clear resin, a series of swirling, gestural brushstrokes appear to float midair. Fabian Oefner is no stranger to the polymer substance, which can be poured into a mold in a liquid form and cured into a solid. In his latest series, Volumen, the artist transforms paint strokes into physical objects with dynamic dimensionality.

    Oefner’s practice has often focused on the nature of gravity and motion, suspending objects in physical sculptures or photographing vehicles and machines in the style of exploded diagrams. He sometimes deconstructs items like cameras or sneakers, reassembling them in puzzle-like compositions (previously).

    The artist has always been fascinated by the textural quality of paint, especially in the work of Abstract Expressionists who emphasized gestural motions, mark-making, and spontaneity—or at least the appearance of it. Oefner says:

    For me, experiencing works like de Kooning’s “Door to the River” or Pollock’s “Lavender Mist” has always been as much a tactile experience as a visual one. These paintings are almost like sculptures to me. What I am doing is removing the canvas entirely and lifting the paint into space, making its physicality completely tangible.

    Find more on the artist’s website.

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      in Art

      ‘The Artist’s Palette’ Is Your Guide to the Process Behind Great Paintings

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      Edvard Munch’s palette (undated), paint on wood, 17 x 11 1/2 inches. Courtesy of the Munch Museum, Oslo. Photo courtesy of Munchmuseet. All images courtesy of Thames & Hudson, shared with permission

      ‘The Artist’s Palette’ Is Your Guide to the Process Behind Great Paintings

      October 23, 2024

      ArtBooksHistory

      Kate Mothes

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      One could argue that every great painting produces two works of art: the canvas and the surface where the pigments are mixed. The Artist’s Palette, forthcoming from Princeton University Press on November 5, dives deep into a timeless studio tool, exploring the beauty of the process.

      Compiled by art historian and writer Alexandra Loske, the volume features fifty palettes used by art historical greats, from Edvard Munch to Paula Modersohn-Becker to Kerry James Marshall.

      Paula Modersohn-Becker’s last palette (1907), paint on wood and metal. Courtesy of the Freunde Worpswedes, Käseglocke Collection, and Worpswede Tourist Information Center. Photo by Rüdiger Lubricht

      Loske presents the physical palettes—dried paint, worn edges, well-exercised hinges, stained wood, and all—alongside one or more of each artist’s paintings. She also analyzes the mixture of pigments, highlighting color relationships that illuminate both the methods used and the choices that led to a finished work.

      Modersohn-Becker’s palette, for example, tells a poignant story of an artist at a turning point in her career, which was cut short when she died giving birth to her daughter. She left a studio full of new and unfinished work, perpetually locked in a moment of transition—a reminder of the ongoing evolution of an artist’s oeuvre and career.

      Marshall incorporates the motif into the paintings themselves, depicting Black artists holding symbolically oversized palettes and provoking questions about the role of color in Black history and Western art.

      From Impressionist virtuosos to modernist greats, The Artist’s Palette traces the stories behind many of art history’s most significant paintings. Pre-order your copy in the Colossal Shop.

      Gabriele Münter’s palette (undated), paint on wood, 17 x 13 inches. Courtesy of the Gabriele Münter and Johannes Eichner Foundation, Munich

      Winifred Nicholson’s palette (undated), oil on wood. Courtesy of a private collection. Photo © Trustees of Winifred Nicholson

      Reproduction of photo of Edvard Munch holding his palette, printed in “Der Querschnitt, Jahrg. 11” (1931)

      Edward Hopper’s palette (undated), oil on wood, 14 x 10 inches. Courtesy of Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center, Nyack, and The Sanborn-Hopper Family Archive. Photo by Dan Swindel

      John Singer Sargent’s palette (undated), oil on wood, 22 1/4 × 15 inches. Courtesy of Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Photo courtesy of President and Fellows of Harvard College

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

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      Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

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    • 125 Shares159 Views

      in Art

      Ornate Painted Patterns Conceal Photographer Cecilia Paredes Against Textile Backdrops

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      Art
      Photography

      #camouflage
      #paint
      #pattern
      #self-portrait
      #textiles

      November 8, 2021
      Grace Ebert

      “Blue Flight” (2021). All images courtesy of Ruiz-Healy Art, shared with permission
      Peruvian artist Cecilia Paredes continues her ongoing series of camouflaged self-portraits with deceptive new works that leave only her hair, eyes, and ears untouched. Set against lavish backdrops printed with birds in shades of blue, floral motifs, and ornate flourishes, Paredes paints her skin and positions herself in a precise alignment with the chosen pattern, disappearing among the colorful landscapes. Each work, which the Lima-born artist refers to as “photo performances,” considers how individual identities are informed by natural environments and the broader cultural milieu. Explore an archive of Paredes’s lavish portraits at Ruiz-Healy Art and on Artsy.

      “The Unseen Glance” (2021)
      “Paradise Hands IV” (2020)
      “The Whisper” (2021)

      “Magnolia Stories” (2020)

      #camouflage
      #paint
      #pattern
      #self-portrait
      #textiles

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    • 163 Shares149 Views

      in Art

      Set Against Lavishly Patterned Backdrops, Photographer Cecilia Paredes Disguises Herself in Stunning Self-Portraits

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      Art
      Photography

      #camouflage
      #fabric
      #paint
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      #self-portrait

      October 28, 2020
      Grace Ebert

      “Zanzibar” (2019). All images © Cecilia Paredes, shared with permission
      Whether immersing herself in swathes of ornamental textiles or against paisley-style backdrops, Cecilia Paredes is adept at camouflaging herself in the most elaborate settings. The Peruvian artist disguises her figure by painting her exposed skin and draping her torso in lavishly patterned clothing, leaving just her hair and eyes untouched as she snaps a photograph. The meticulously composed self-portraits, which are part of an ongoing body of work, blur the boundaries between subject and surrounding environment as they consider themes of nature, origin, and transformation.
      Paredes is represented by Ruiz-Healy Art, where some of her smaller works are on view as part of two group exhibitions. See more of her multi-media pieces that explore elements of disguise on Artsy.

      “Asian Dreams” (2018)
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      “The Voyage” (2019)
      “Of Wings And Thorns” (2020)

      #camouflage
      #fabric
      #paint
      #patterns
      #self-portrait

      Do 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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