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    Vibrant, Immersive Installations by Poh Sin Studio Emphasize Vulnerability as a Strength

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    “Projection: Kite” (2019) at night. Photo by David Yeow. All images courtesy of Poh Sin Studio, shared with permission

    Vibrant, Immersive Installations by Poh Sin Studio Emphasize Vulnerability as a Strength

    January 15, 2025

    ArtDesign

    Kate Mothes

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    From vibrant rope to metal frames to acrylic panels, the chromatic installations of Poh Sin Studio invite viewers into glowing thoroughfares and sprawling pavilions. Founded by Pamela Poh Sin Tan, the studio emphasizes public art as a means of fostering relationships between people, their communities, and their surroundings.

    Tan’s immersive works blur the boundaries between disciplines, evoking a sense of curiosity and discovery. “I’m particularly drawn to engaging the public through art and creating experiences that inspire dialogue and connection,” she tells Colossal. “I believe public art is a powerful catalyst for urban renewal and psychological well-being, providing moments of reflection, joy, and connection.”

    Detail of “Crimson Cloud”

    For example, the artist shares that her most recent installation, “Structural Resonance,” explores the interplay between art and architecture, embodying layers of spatial and experiential narratives.” She is interested in how physical spaces interact with their environment and affect us visually and emotionally.

    Embracing fragility as a form of strength is central to Tan’s practice, manifesting in the way soft materials, like rope, complement those associated with resilience and permanence, like metal. “I find inspiration in overlooked details, such as plant veins, diatoms, mechanical and electrical systems, or even the skeletal framework of objects like a piano,” she says. “These hidden elements hold quiet beauty and complexity that I love to bring to light.”

    Art and architecture are inherently intertwined in Tan’s view. Design and engineering provides structure, context, and utility, while the artistic aspect adds compelling narrative and emotion. “Together, they reveal hidden dimensions, evoke movement, and connect deeply with viewers,” she says.

    Explore more on Poh Sin Studio’s website and Instagram.

    “Structural Resonance” (2024)

    “Projection: Kite.” Photo by David Yeow

    Detail of “Projection: Kite” (2019). Photo by David Yeow

    “Sunnyside Up” (2023) at MRT Pasar Seni, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    “Sunnyside Up” (2023)

    “Crimson Cloud” (2022), at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Detail of “Crimson Cloud”

    “Eden”

    “Structural Resonance”

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      Mantra’s Murals Collect Enormous Butterflies in Building-Size Specimen Cases

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      Mural on the Southeast Financial Center building in Miami, Florida. All images courtesy of Mantra and Justkids.art, shared with permission

      Mantra’s Murals Collect Enormous Butterflies in Building-Size Specimen Cases

      January 10, 2025

      ArtNature

      Kate Mothes

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      French artist Youri Cansell, a.k.a. Mantra (previously) continues to brighten neighborhood streets and large cities alike with his vivid insect murals. Drawing on a fascination with nature and its preservation, he creates monumental specimen cases on buildings around the world, filled with a wide variety of butterflies.

      The artist recently completed his largest mural to date in Miami, positioned on the rooftop of the Southeast Financial Center building. Nestled into the surface of a characteristically organized case, a range of colorful butterflies rest alongside the structure’s utility systems.

      Detail of progress on mural in Miami

      The mural features numerous species, including the endangered Miami blue butterfly that’s native to South Florida. “It’s always a pleasure to paint in Miami, a city that thrives on its vibrant mix of people and cultures—much like the butterflies in my mural, which represent a diverse selection of specimens,” the artist says.

      Additional recent projects include a giant glass-fronted display on the side of a building in Brooklyn and a towering, narrow composition in downtown Houston. Find more on Mantra’s website and Instagram.

      Houston, Texas

      Brooklyn, New York

      Crans-Montana, Switzerland

      Breda, The Netherlands

      Detail of progress on mural in Miami

      Rombas, France

      Detail of progress on mural in Miami

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      Community, Traditions, and Resilience Ring Through New Public Works for Tbilisi Mural Fest

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      Community, Traditions, and Resilience Ring Through New Public Works for Tbilisi Mural Fest

      December 31, 2024

      Art

      Kate Mothes

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      Residents and commuters alike can now enjoy more than 20 new, large-scale public artworks across five Georgian cities thanks to the 2024 Tbilisi Mural Fest (previously). The sixth edition facilitated new installations in Kutaisi, Batumi, Gori, and Gurjaani—in addition to its namesake community—by nearly a dozen artists from around the country and beyond.

      Many of the works reference local traditions, like Afzan Pirzade’s depiction of vintners holding a basket of grapes, representing a form of agriculture common in the eastern region of Kakheti. Tina Chertova incorporated a traditional lace-like pattern into a stunning, blue, multistory mural featuring birds, people, deer, and other decorative motifs. And in others, figures assume mythical personas, prepare food, and portray togetherness.

      This year, the monumental compositions adorn the sides of buildings that range from two stories tall to more than a dozen, the largest painting reaching 65 meters tall and 20 meters wide. Through vibrant splashes of color, the works celebrate resilience, community, and local customs in an array of styles.

      Explore more on the festival’s website.

      Innefields, Batumi

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      Beams of Light Lance Monumental Architecture in Jun Ong’s Astral Installations

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      “STAR/BUTTERWORTH.” Photo by Ronaldas Buozis. All images courtesy of the artist, shared with permission

      Beams of Light Lance Monumental Architecture in Jun Ong’s Astral Installations

      December 30, 2024

      ArtDesign

      Kate Mothes

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      In artist Jun Ong’s luminous installations, rays of light pierce through concrete, stone, and steel. In his ongoing Stars series features LED strips that intersect with the human-built environment in monumental, illuminated geometries.

      Ong’s latest piece, “HALO,” relies on an existing architectural structure to provide a site-specific framework. Beams of light appear to permeate stone and concrete, simultaneously contained by the buildings yet impervious to their solidity.

      “HALO.” Photo by YueJin Art Museum

      Exploring themes of time and space, “HALO” radiates from within the Xiu De Bai Pavilion, a former Buddhist temple in Yan Shui, Tainan, Taiwan. “Built in 1919, the temple has history tracing back to the Qing dynasty and was pivotal in supporting the community,” Ong says.

      “Light in Buddhism is an important metaphor for enlightenment—the awakening or the understanding of truth,” says a statement from YueJin Art Museum. Just as Buddha, in addition to sacred figures in other religions, is often portrayed with a bright aura or halo around the head or body, Ong envisions the burst of light as a means of illuminating our surroundings and our past.

      “HALO” builds upon a work titled “STAR/BUTTERWORTH,” which he installed in Penang, Malaysia, in 2015. The artist was inspired by the idiosyncratic designs of Buckminster Fuller, like his geodesic domes, and M.C. Escher’s optical illusions.

      He says, “Using only two materials—tensile steel cables and LED strips—I manipulated light and architecture to create a colossal object that seemingly burst out of the building like a glitch in time.”

      Detail of “HALO”

      For “HALO,” Ong created a starburst form that can also be interpreted as a ring of light, reimagining a 2022 piece called “STAR/KL,” which he installed in brutalist interior in Kuala Lumpur. “I hope that the Star series continues to emerge across different cities and cultures and possibly also in interesting terrains, like caves, the desert, or even forests,” Ong says.

      Commissioned by for the 2024 Yuejin Art Museum Festival, “HALO” remains on view through February 16. If you’re in The Netherlands, you can also see Ong’s piece “POLARIS” on view as part of the Amsterdam Light Festival through January 19. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

      Detail of “STAR/BUTTERWORTH.” Photo by Ronaldas Buozis

      “POLARIS”

      Detail of “HALO”

      “HALO.” Photo by YueJin Art Museum

      “POLARIS.” Photo by Merce Wouthuysen

      Detail of “STAR/BUTTERWORTH.” Photo by Ronaldas Buozis

      Detail of “HALO.” Photo by YueJin Art Museum

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    • 113 Shares189 Views

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      MonkeyBird’s Majestic Murals Bend Time Through Elaborately Stenciled Compositions

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      Detail of “Le Présage,” Metz, France (2023). All images courtesy of MonkeyBird, shared with permission

      MonkeyBird’s Majestic Murals Bend Time Through Elaborately Stenciled Compositions

      December 19, 2024

      Art

      Grace Ebert

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      For more than a decade, French artists Louis Boidron and Édouard Egea have been collaborating as MonkeyBird (previously). The pair are known for their large-scale stenciled murals rich with symbolism, architectural structures, and elaborate motifs, many of which reach for timeless themes related to human emotion, experience, and the inevitability of change.

      “The Arch of Peace” is one of their most recent pieces and transforms the facade of an Aarhus building into a monumental homage to peace and justice. Commissioned for the 17 Walls Project, the mural draws on one of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals to create a more inclusive and resilient future.

      “The Arch Of Peace,” Aarhus, Denmark (2024)

      “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, whose origins lie in France, served as our central inspiration,” the artists shared. “We reinterpreted the ornamental framework of the original engraving: angels, arches, and colonnades symbolize the moral pillars essential for stability in a constantly changing world.”

      As is typical in a MonkeyBird mural, two anthropomorphized creatures donning robes stand at the center of the composition, guarding a library based on that of Trinity College Dublin. “Their attributes of power and intellect take on true meaning only when guided by reason and ethics,” the artists add.

      Similarly mythic and majestic figures appear in a pair of murals in Fontainebleau and Metz, France, the latter of which features an avian creature holding an hourglass high in the air. Titled “Le Présage,” or “The Omen,” the piece directly points to the artist’s interest in the passage of time and collapsing the boundaries between past, present, and future.

      In February, the pair will join the Montgomery Art Project in Alabama to create a mural and immersive installation of their papercuts. If you’re local, keep an eye out for opportunities to participate in one of MonkeyBird’s workshops, which will engage the community in cutting their stencils and creating public paste-ups. Until then, pick up a print in their shop, and follow their latest projects on Instagram.

      “Le Présage,” Metz, France (2023)

      Detail of “The Arch Of Peace,” Aarhus, Denmark (2024)

      Fontainebleau, France (2023)

      Aubervilliers, France (2022)

      Fontainebleau, France (2023)

      Fontainebleau, France (2023)

      Fontainebleau, France (2023)

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      Cosmic Birds Soar Through New York City Subway Stations in Fred Tomaselli’s New Mosaics

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      ‘Wild Things’ (2024), glass and ceramic mosaics. Commissioned by MTA Arts & Design for 14 St-7 Av station. Photo by Photo: Trent Reeves. All images © Fred Tomaselli and NYC Transit 14 St Station Complex, shared with permission

      Cosmic Birds Soar Through New York City Subway Stations in Fred Tomaselli’s New Mosaics

      November 13, 2024

      Art

      Kate Mothes

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      Known for his large-scale, collaged resin paintings and ongoing series of reimagined front pages of The New York Times, Fred Tomaselli is captivated by what he describes as the “friction” between beauty and ugliness or internal and external forces. He often observes interactions between humanity and nature through rhythmic patterns and vibrant colors.

      In New York City’s 14 St-6 Av and 14 St-7 Av subway stations, a series of new murals titled Wild Things have been unveiled in the historical spirit of the MTA mosaics. An avid birder, the Brooklyn-based artist highlights species that live year-round in New York City.

      Detail of mosaic in 14 St-7 Av station

      Scenes brightening up passageways and stairwells include orioles mobbing a falcon, a bright sky full of electric blue clouds, a spiral-eyed, cosmic cardinal, and more.

      Wild Things marks Tomaselli’s first permanent public artwork in Manhattan and reflects his mixed-media approach to collage in ceramics and glass. Commissioned by MTA Art & Design, the mosaics join more than 350 permanent installations accessible to public 24/7.

      Learn more about the artist’s work on Instagram. You might also enjoy Contemporary Art Underground, a celebration of New York City Subway art, Nick Cave’s 360-food “Soundsuit” installation, or Nancy Blum’s sprawling tile blossoms.

      Passageway from 7 Av to 6 Av

      Detail of work in passageway from 7 Av to 6 Av

      Mosaic located in 14 St-6 Av

      Mosaic located in 14 St-6 Av

      Detail of mosaic located in 14 St-6 Av

      Mosaic located in 14 St-6 Av

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    • 150 Shares99 Views

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      From Reviled to Revered, an Enormous Pigeon Perches Atop the High Line

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      “Dinosaur.” All photos by Timothy Schneck, courtesy of the High Line, shared with permission

      From Reviled to Revered, an Enormous Pigeon Perches Atop the High Line

      October 21, 2024

      ArtNature

      Grace Ebert

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      The latest sculpture to grace New York City’s High Line is a monumental tribute to an unlikely creature.

      Perched above 10th Avenue, a hyper-realistic pigeon stops to rest in the outdoor pavilion. The work of artist Iván Argote (previously), the hand-painted, aluminum bird is titled “Dinosaur” and looms 21 feet in the air, rivaling the enormous proportions of some of its ancestors.

      Argote is known for questioning the role of monuments and statues, particularly as they relate to colonial histories and power imbalances. For this work, he upends the human-animal relationship and notions of migration and value as the common street bird is vaulted into a glorified figure, peering down on pedestrians and drivers. The artist says in a statement:

      The name “Dinosaur” makes reference to the sculpture’s scale and to the pigeon’s ancestors who millions of years ago dominated the globe, as we humans do today… the name also serves as a reference to the dinosaur’s extinction. Like them, one day we won’t be around anymore, but perhaps a remnant of humanity will live on—as pigeons do—in the dark corners and gaps of future worlds.

      Despite their ubiquity throughout North American cities, pigeons aren’t native to the continent. The birds were initially brought from Europe as a barnyard animal and food source, but as they escaped into the wild, they grew into the scavenging flocks they are today. No longer domesticated and not quite wild, pigeons occupy a unique position.

      Argote’s work is a cheeky nod to the birds and suggests they’re more deserving of appreciation than some of the figures we’ve collectively honored in the past. Standing tall and confident atop a concrete plinth, the sculpture also serves as a reminder that “everyone is an immigrant,” a statement says. “Even the pigeon, a New York fixture, initially migrated here and made the city their home, like millions of other ‘native’ New Yorkers.”

      “Dinosaur” will be on view through spring. Find more from Argote on Instagram.

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    • 188 Shares179 Views

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      A Fleet of Aging Cars Takes a Chromatic Turn in Fred Battle’s Caravan-Sized Color Chart

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      All photos by Agency.WTF, courtesy of Fred Battle, shared with permission

      A Fleet of Aging Cars Takes a Chromatic Turn in Fred Battle’s Caravan-Sized Color Chart

      October 15, 2024

      Art

      Grace Ebert

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      In an old French scrapyard, Fred Battle hits the brakes on a fleet of aging cars. For his 2019 installation “Solara,” the artist painted the exteriors of 144 dilapidated vehicles from the 60s to 90s with vibrant colors. Hoods, roofs, and trunks shine once again with bold hues corresponding to an RGB color value, their codes written on the bonnet.

      “I decided to create this color chart by observing the action of the sun on the horizontal surfaces of these cars,” Battle wrote. “As each of these cars has had its proper life as an object, then applying one specific color on each reveals its singularity, its personal and particular use.”

      Enveloped by lush foliage, the automobiles are parked in chromatic rows, creating an enormous, outdoor swatch book best viewed from above.

      Battle frequently works on walls, vehicles, and canvases, painting bright, dynamic works that grapple with movement, public space, and gathering. Find much more on his Instagram.

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    • 150 Shares129 Views

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      In London, a 15-Foot Flower by Shepard Fairey Advocates for Environmental Justice

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      All photos by Jonathan Furlong, courtesy of the artist ObeyGiant, shared with permission

      In London, a 15-Foot Flower by Shepard Fairey Advocates for Environmental Justice

      October 11, 2024

      ArtClimateSocial Issues

      Grace Ebert

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      At 36 Boundary Street in London, a bold new mural rises 15 feet above the street. Anchored by scales atop a small seedling, the public artwork by Shepard Fairey addresses environmental justice and our responsibility to care for the planet.

      “I believe that our individual and collective actions will dramatically impact current and future generations, be it for the better or for the worse. It is our responsibility as the citizens of Earth to protect it,” the artist said.

      A series of workshops with young Londoners inspired the bright, graphic motif. The group was interested in expanding access to green space and reducing air pollution, and given the recent convening of the United Nations General Assembly focusing on international cooperation, connection between countries and cultures was top of mind.

      The project was produced by Charlotte Pyatt, Simon Butler, and Migrate Art, which has raised more than £2.1 million in the last decade through creative projects in refugee camps in France and Northern Iraq, with the Indigenous Xingu people in the Amazon, and in collaboration with U.K.-based charities feeding London’s unhoused population.

      Find more from the artist on his website.

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