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      A Vibrant Ndebele Mural by Esther Mahlangu Illuminates Unity at Serpentine North

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      “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” (2024), Serpentine North Garden. Photo by George Darrell. Image courtesy of Serpentine and The Melrose Gallery, shared with permission

      A Vibrant Ndebele Mural by Esther Mahlangu Illuminates Unity at Serpentine North

      October 10, 2024

      Art

      Kate Mothes

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      For more than eight decades, Dr. Esther Mahlangu has been creating large-scale, site-specific works that draw on the artistic traditions of Ndebele culture.

      Known for her vibrant, patterned compositions, Mahlangu learned techniques for decorating houses from her mother and grandmother while growing up in South Africa. She mixes natural pigments with clay, soil, and cow dung to paint directly on the exteriors of structures in her village.

      Photo by George Darrell

      Ndebele house painting emerged in the mid-18th century when the matrilineal tribe began to build huts out of mud rather than grass. Women applied colorful patterns to the walls to not only brighten the village but also communicate with others.

      The geometric shapes, characterized by bold, black outlines, serve as a visual language to express personal values, prayers, or major life events.

      Mahlangu paints by hand without using stencils or masking tape, employing chicken feathers and various brushes to create painstaking geometries that preserve a handmade quality. Over time, she has also created numerous works on canvas, using acrylic to broaden the range of hues in her work.

      Esther Mahlangu photographed by Clint Strydom, courtesy of The Melrose Gallery

      At Serpentine North in Hyde Park, London, Mahlangu’s first installation the U.K. was unveiled this week on a wall in the gallery’s garden.

      Comprising six wooden panels, the monumental mural celebrates unity and community and taps into an Ndebele philosophy: “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu,” which translates to: “I am because you are.”

      The mural remains on view through September 28, 2025. Plan your visit on the Serpentine website, and learn more about Mahlangu’s remarkable work and career on her website and Instagram.

      Photo by Clint Strydom, courtesy of The Melrose Gallery

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      Temporary Interventions by Kobra Convey the Critical Impacts of Increasing Wildfires

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      All images courtesy of Kobra, shared with permission

      Temporary Interventions by Kobra Convey the Critical Impacts of Increasing Wildfires

      October 8, 2024

      ArtClimate

      Kate Mothes

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      Around the world, rising temperatures and ecosystem imbalances due the climate crisis have spurred an increasing number of wildfires annually. Brazil, for example, has seen more than 180,000 hot spots this year as of mid-September, the most since 2010. As deforestation reduces rainfall, a catastrophic cycle of drought and wildfires has only strengthened.

      For Eduardo Kobra, the unprecedented number of uncontrolled blazes spurred a new series of artworks drawing attention to this troubling reality. As fires impacted rural and urban areas alike, including the city of Araçariguama—a little more than 30 miles from São Paulo—the artist chose a local area scorched by flames to document a collection of temporary interventions.

      Drawing attention to the wildlife and habitats being destroyed, Kobra portrays birds, monkeys, anteaters, and other creatures surrounded by burned forest. In one piece, a firefighter assists a baby jaguar, and in another—a sign of hope—a child waters a sprouting plant.

      Kobra is known for his large-scale murals on buildings around the world, which emphasize vibrant portraits and nods to pop culture through characteristically bright, geometric patterns. Using biodegradable materials, his new series of cutout panels uses a relatively smaller scale to address an enormously critical issue.

      See more on his website and Instagram.

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      An Expanded Edition of JR’s Monograph Recounts the Power of Socially Engaged Art

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      All images © JR, courtesy of Phaidon, shared with permission

      An Expanded Edition of JR’s Monograph Recounts the Power of Socially Engaged Art

      October 4, 2024

      ArtBooksSocial Issues

      Jackie Andres

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      Traveling to different regions across the globe, French artist JR envisions grand projects that call to humanitarian issues and collective action. At the forefront of his practice is a persistent query, rooted in a palpable yearning for change and strong belief in the power of art.

      JR: Can Art Change the World? chronicles the artist’s phenomenal range of participatory efforts, from mural-laden buildings to photographic installations to performance art. Originally published in 2015 and later updated in 2019, an even newer edition featuring a half-decade of JR’s latest works is slated for release by Phaidon later this month. The 2024 version includes a whopping 390 photos and illustrations, as well as a foreword by George Lucas.

      Among the four new chapters included in the expansion, you might recognize more recent projects such as “Tehachapi,” a poignant collection of murals focused on the lives of incarcerated individuals, and impressive optical illusions from the artist’s ongoing “Trompe l’œil” series.

      Pre-order JR: Can Art Change the World? in the Colossal Shop to be one of the first to page through the monograph.

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      Sebas Velasco Reflects the Spirit of Brixton for London Mural Festival

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      “A Lasting Place” (2024), London. Photo by Jose Delu. All courtesy of London Mural Festival, shared with permission

      Sebas Velasco Reflects the Spirit of Brixton for London Mural Festival

      September 21, 2024

      Art

      Kate Mothes

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      Drawing from photographs of landscapes and cinematic portraits, Sebas Velasco’s murals and paintings boldly capture people and places. For the 2024 London Mural Festival, the artist has unveiled a large-scale portrayal of a local resident of Brixton, where the piece was recently installed on the end of a residential building.

      Shown waiting for the Brixton train line, the young man in Velasco’s painting leans back against a concrete railing and looks off to the side, illuminated by the station’s lights, which also glow in the background. Titled “A Lasting Place,” Velasco taps into a sense of time slowing down, contemplation, and ease.

      Photo by Jose Delu

      Velasco revels in the process of exploring and learning about the places where he develops his public art pieces. The compositions emerge organically as he immerses himself in the local environment and meets people who live in the area.

      Along with his long-time collaborator Jose Delu, who assists with creating highly contrasted, vibrant photographs, Velasco draws on conversations and experiences in each place in order to reveal something of its spirit through his work. He often addresses the idea of connection, which is also the theme of this year’s festival.

      If you’re in London, you can explore more than 100 murals through September 29 as part of the event, including pieces familiar to Colossal readers like Marija Tiurina. New installations this year have been created by Aches Elseed, BAPE, D*Face, Betz Etam, Anna Ovney, and more.

      Find a map on the festival’s website, and to dig further into Velasco’s work, check out his website and Instagram.

      Wedo Goas, 39 Lee Church St

      Bezt Etam, Roundwood Estate

      Liam Bononi, 125 South Lambeth Rd

      Zoe Power, Jo Hicks, and Vanessa Scott, Canary Wharf

      BAPE x D*Face collaboration

      Sophie Mess, The Stage, Shoreditch

      Anna Ovney, Leadenhall Building, City of London

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      A New Book Chronicling the Artist-Designed Billboard Project For Freedoms Poses a Critical Question

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      JR, “Migrants, Mayra, Picnic across the border, Tecate, Mexico—U.S.A.” (2017). Salome, Arizona. Photo by Josh Haunschild

      A New Book Chronicling the Artist-Designed Billboard Project For Freedoms Poses a Critical Question

      September 18, 2024

      Art Books Social Issues

      Jackie Andres

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      Where do we go from here? At a point in history that feels so turbulent and unpredictable, this unresolved question sits at the forefront of many minds. For Freedoms, an artist-led organization channeling its efforts toward creative civic engagement and direct action, is set to release its first-ever monograph, fittingly named after the query.

      For Freedoms: Where Do We Go From Here? is a comprehensive 340-page collection of more than 550 artist-designed billboards from the last seven years. You might notice some familiar names involved in the project, such as Hank Willis Thomas, JR, and Nari Ward. Whether it be a pair of eyes staring straight forward, an impactful question directed toward the viewer, or the simplicity of the word “human being” in Arabic, each design leaves its audience to reflect on the issue at hand.

      Marilyn Minter, “If Not Now When?” (2020). Boring, Oregon. Photo by Lincoln Barbour

      Popping up in different corners of the United States from rural areas to urban centers, the works tackle a multitude of societal challenges and humanitarian crises that require urgency and advocacy.

      In contrast to a billboard’s usual profit-driven, commercial function, the large-scale structures instead become poignant messages in line with For Freedoms’ overall mission. By spotlighting short but compelling phrases, powerful imagery, and clever placement, the public installations act as a force for widespread movement.

      For Freedoms: Where Do We Go From Here? is slated for release on October 15, just before the 2024 election. Pre-order yours on Bookshop, and learn more on the organization’s website.

      Christine Sun Kim, “Words Shape Reality” (2018). Jefferson City, Missouri. Photo by Notley Hawkins

      Nari Ward, “Mass Action” (2016). Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Wyatt GalleryS

      Ross McDonnell, “DREAM” (2023). Los Angeles, California. Photo by Taisuke Yamada

      Hank Willis Thomas, “Who Taught You To Love?” (2020). Des Moines, Iowa. Photo by Jeff Scroggins More

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      SpY Installs Hundreds of Metallic Rescue Blankets in a Former Arms Factory

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      All images © SpY, shared with permission

      SpY Installs Hundreds of Metallic Rescue Blankets in a Former Arms Factory

      September 16, 2024

      Art

      Kate Mothes

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      In Oviedo, Spain, a 6,000-square-meter installation of metallic emergency blankets transform a former arms factory this month. “Blankets 2” extends from Spanish artist SpY’s ongoing series of monumental kinetic works (previously).

      The natural light from the building’s first-floor windows and giant clerestory bounce off the folds of hundreds of blankets, glinting gold on one side and silver on the other. Documented with water on the floor, the reflection mirrors the suspended array, creating a sense of depth and further openness.

      The artist centers the dialogue between location and theme in “Blankets 2” and calls attention to the building’s history as a weapon manufacturer by filling it with objects intended conversely for medical treatment and care.

      SpY is fascinated by sensory perception and the way simple objects can be transformed through repetition, light, scale, and contrast. Air flow through the space adds delicate motion to the panels, generating a gentle rustling noise that accompanies viewers through the exhibition

      Find more on SpY’s website and Instagram.

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