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    Colorful Patterns of Stained Glass Nestle Within Repurposed Sea Defense Timber

    
    Art
    Craft

    #glass
    #light
    #sculpture
    #stained glass
    #wood

    October 27, 2021
    Grace Ebert

    All images © Louise Durham, shared with permission
    Based in the coastal town of Shoreham-by-Sea, England, artist Louise Durham creates towering wooden sculptures of reclaimed sea defense timber and vibrant stained glass. She embeds stripes and circles in a full spectrum of color within the totem-style works, which when illuminated, cast kaleidoscopic shadows on their surroundings. “It is all about the light,” she says. “That’s the magic of glass and the magic of all living things.”
    In a note to Colossal, Durham explains that she utilizes traditional leaded light techniques, along with fusing and slumping—these involve connecting two pieces together and melting the material in a mold, respectively—to create bisected circles and asymmetric stripes. Shen then arranges the translucent elements in gradients and rainbow-like columns and leaves the rugged edges and knots of the repurposed wood visible. “Even having all the colors of glass laid out in front of me on my cutting table is enough to make me feel good, and I think that’s why the work is so popular. Color makes us feel good,” she shares. “I try not to interfere too much on an intellectual level. The work is definitely not from the head and totally and utterly from my heart.”
    You can find more of Durham’s brilliant sculptures on her site and Instagram. (via Women’s Art)

    #glass
    #light
    #sculpture
    #stained glass
    #wood

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    Shattered Porcelain Fragments Are Elegantly Bonded in Kintsugi Sculptures by Yeesookyung

    
    Art

    #kintsugi
    #porcelain
    #sculpture

    October 26, 2021
    Grace Ebert

    “Translated Vase” (2018), ceramic shards, epoxy, and 24K gold leaf, 102 × 77 × 77 centimeters. All images by Yang Ian, courtesy of Massimo De Carlo, shared with permission
    Seoul-based artist Yeesookyung (previously) fuses Korean and Japanese craft traditions in her elegant, gilded sculptures. Blending ornately patterned vessels with deities and animals, the delicate assemblages meld shards of discarded ceramic into new forms with bulbous sides, halved figures, and drips of metallic epoxy. Utilizing fragments from previous works references the Korean tradition of discarding porcelain with small irregularities, while the visibly repaired crevices draw on Kintsugi techniques, the Japanese art of highlighting the beauty of broken vessels with thick, gold mendings.
    Part of Yee’s ongoing Translated Vase series that has amassed hundreds of works since it began in 2002, the celadon pieces shown here are included in the artist’s solo exhibition titled I am not the only one but many, which is on view through November 21 at Massimo De Carlo in London. In a statement about her latest additions, she describes her fractured sculptures:
    To me, a piece of broken ceramic finds another piece, and they come to rely on one another. The usage of gold in the cracks between them is related to the Korean language, for which the pronunciation of the word ‘gold’ and ‘crack’ sounds the same as ‘Geum.’ Indeed, the shapes of the vases present entirely organic forms which exist out of an innate and sensorial élan.
    For more of Yee’s exquisite assemblages, visit her site and Instagram.

    “Translated vase” (2020), ceramic shards, epoxy, and 24K gold leaf, 70 × 54 × 55 centimeters
    “Translated vase” (2020), ceramic shards, epoxy, and 24K gold leaf, 22 × 22 × 20 centimeters
    “Translated Vase” (2018), ceramic shards, epoxy, and 24K gold leaf, 102 × 77 × 77 centimeters
    “Translated Vase” (2020), ceramic shards, epoxy, and 24K gold leaf, 21 × 16.5 × 19 centimeters
    Top left: “Translated Vase” (2020), ceramic shards, epoxy, and 24K gold leaf, 23 × 21 × 24 centimeters. Top right: “Translated Vase” (2020), ceramic shards, epoxy, and 24K gold leaf, 18 × 20 × 21 centimeters. Bottom left: “Translated Vase” (2020), ceramic shards, epoxy, and 24K gold leaf, 18 × 21 × 18 centimeters. Bottom right: “Translated Vase” (2020), ceramic shards, epoxy, and 24K gold leaf, 134 × 26 × 30 centimeters
    “Translated vase” (2020), ceramic shards, epoxy, and 24K gold leaf, 41 × 27 × 30 centimeters

    #kintsugi
    #porcelain
    #sculpture

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    Hundreds of Ceramic Marine Creatures Radiate in Gradients to Show the Effects of Coral Bleaching

    
    Art

    #ceramics
    #climate crisis
    #coral
    #installation
    #porcelain
    #sculpture

    October 26, 2021
    Grace Ebert

    Detail of “Revolve” (2021), glazed stoneware and porcelain, 168 x 335 x 35 centimeters. All images © Courtney Mattison, shared with permission
    Two new site-specific pieces by Courtney Mattison (previously) position ceramic sculptures of corals, sponges, and anemones in a swirling cluster of ocean diversity. Titled “Revolve” and “Our Changing Seas VII,” the wall reliefs are the latest additions to the Los Angeles-based artist’s body of work, which advocates for ecological preservation by highlighting the beauty and fragile nature of marine invertebrates.
    In both installations, Mattison contrasts the vibrant, plump tentacles of healthy creatures with others sculpted in white porcelain to convey the devastating effects of the climate crisis, including widespread bleaching. Her recurring subject matter is becoming increasingly urgent, considering recent reports that estimate that 14 percent of the world’s coral population has been lost in the last decade alone.
    Each of the lifeforms is hand-built and pocked with minuscule grooves and textured elements—she shares this meticulous process on Instagram—and once complete, the individual sculptures are assembled in sweeping compositions that radiate outward in shifting gradients. “Water connects us all, from the lush banks of Lawsons Fork Creek to the icy glaciers of the Arctic and glittering reefs of Southeast Asia. Life on Earth is dependent on healthy oceans,” she shares about “Revolve.” “The swirling design of this work is inspired by these connections and patterns, with revolving forms repeated in nature through hurricanes, seashells, ocean waves, and galaxies.”
    Mattison’s solo exhibition Turn the Tide is on view at Highfield Hall & Gardens in Massachusetts through October 31 before it travels to the New Bedford Whaling Museum, where it will be through May 1, 2022. You explore a larger archive of the artist’s marine works on Behance and her site.

    Detail of “Our Changing Seas VII” (2021), glazed stoneware and porcelain, 213 x 350 x 40 centimeters
    Detail of “Revolve” (2021), glazed stoneware and porcelain, 168 x 335 x 35 centimeters
    “Our Changing Seas VII” (2021), glazed stoneware and porcelain, 213 x 350 x 40 centimeters
    Detail of “Revolve” (2021), glazed stoneware and porcelain, 168 x 335 x 35 centimeters
    Detail of “Our Changing Seas VII” (2021), glazed stoneware and porcelain, 213 x 350 x 40 centimeters
    “Revolve” (2021), glazed stoneware and porcelain, 168 x 335 x 35 centimeters

    #ceramics
    #climate crisis
    #coral
    #installation
    #porcelain
    #sculpture

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    Anatomy and History Collide in Borosilicate Glass Sculptures by Kit Paulson

    
    Art
    History
    Science

    #anatomy
    #glass
    #sculpture

    October 19, 2021
    Christopher Jobson

    Lungs, 2020. Flame-worked borosilicate glass. All photos © Kit Paulson, shared with permission
    In a lovely clash of anatomy and antiquity, artist Kit Paulson (previously) forms impossibly fragile objects entirely from glass. By referencing historical artworks through lace patterns, or traversing the structures of blood veins and bones found in the human body, she externalizes the internal and reveals hidden visceral structures all around us. She pushes the idea further still by creating wearable sculptures like masks and gloves.
    Paulson works primarily with slender tubes of borosilicate glass heated with a torch through a method called flameworking. “Even with its sterility and stability, glass must be manipulated by hand, relying on very the physical, muscle memory of the hands which is invisibly powered by blood and bone,” she shares with Colossal.
    The artist just arrived at Bild-Werk Frauenau in Germany, an international forum for glass and visual arts where she’ll teach for the next 6 months. You can explore more of her work on Instagram and see dozens of her small glass objects available on Etsy.

    #anatomy
    #glass
    #sculpture

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    12,000 Sheets of Wrinkled Rice Paper Drape Around a Monumental Installation by Zhu Jinshi

    
    Art

    #bamboo
    #installation
    #paper
    #sculpture

    October 15, 2021
    Grace Ebert

    “Boat” (2015), Xuan (rice) paper, bamboo, cotton threads, 18 x 7 meters. All images courtesy of the artist and Pearl Lam Galleries, shared with permission
    More than 12,000 sheets of delicate Xuan paper form the ruffled exterior of Zhu Jinshi’s suspended “Boat” sculpture. The renowned artist, who’s currently living and working in his hometown of Beijing, is widely regarded for pioneering Chinese abstract art, and this monumental installation from 2015 is a reflection of his conceptual, meditative practice.
    Spanning 18 meters long and seven meters wide, “Boat” is comprised of wrinkled paper layers draped around bamboo frames. Countless thin cotton threads hold the individual components in place and intersect the curved, tunnel-like form with straight lines that extend vertically to the ceiling. Bisected with a central space for viewers to pass through, the metaphorical work considers the passage of time and space and is an extension of Zhu’s 2007 installation “Wave of Materials” (shown below), which features a single, halved form anchored to the gallery floor with stones.
    The artist is exhibiting at West Bund Art and Design 2021 next month and is opening a solo in Shanghai at the end of the year. Until then, explore an archive of his works at Pearl Lam Galleries and on Artsy.

    “Boat” (2015), Xuan (rice) paper, bamboo, cotton threads, 18 x 7 meters
    Detail of “Boat” (2015), Xuan (rice) paper, bamboo, cotton threads, 18 x 7 meters
    Detail of “Boat” (2015), Xuan (rice) paper, bamboo, cotton threads, 18 x 7 meters
    “Wave of Materials” (2007), Xuan paper, cotton thread, bamboo, and stones
    “Wave of Materials” (2007), Xuan paper, cotton thread, bamboo, and stones

    #bamboo
    #installation
    #paper
    #sculpture

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    An Exhibition of 50 Piñatas Explores the Cultural Significance of the Festive Object

    
    Art
    Craft

    #installation
    #paper
    #piñatas
    #sculpture
    #social commentary

    October 14, 2021
    Grace Ebert

    Installation view of Roberto Benavidez’s sculptures (front) and Isaias Rodriguez, “resilience” (2021) (back). Photo by Madison Metro, Craft in America. All images courtesy of Craft in America, shared with permission
    A ubiquitous decoration at birthdays and family celebrations, piñatas are conventionally associated with fun, festivity, and of course, their potential to split open and release candy and other treats. Now on view at Craft in America, a group exhibition re-envisions the party staple by connecting it with contemporary practices that extend the playful artform’s capacity for social and political commentary.
    Piñatas: The High Art of Celebration features approximately 50 works from Mexico- and U.S.-based artists and collectives, who explore the evolution of traditional construction techniques and the object’s broad cultural significance that reaches beyond its Mexican heritage. The fantastical creatures of Roberto Benavidez’s illuminated manuscript series, for example, encapsulate questions about race and sin, while Justin Favela (previously) translates the confrontation between American pop culture and Latinx experiences into fringed, abstract landscapes. Other works include a massive COVID-19 vaccine bottle by Lisbeth Palacios, Diana Benavidez’s motorized cars that speak to issues at the San Diego/Tijuana border, and a swarm of tiny suspended monarchs by Isaias Rodriguez.
    If you’re in Los Angeles, stop by Craft in America before December 4 to see the exhibition in person or take a virtual tour on the nonprofit’s site.  (via Hyperallergic)

    Roberto Benavidez, “Illuminated Hybrid No. 3” (2019). Photo by the artist
    Detail of Isaias Rodriguez, “resilience” (2021). Photo by Matthew Hermosillo
    Justin Favela, “Baño de los Pescaditos (after José María Velasco)” (2019). Photo courtesy of the artist
    Left: Lorena Robletto (Amazing Piñatas), “Alebrije Installation” (2021). Photo by Madison Metro, Craft in America. Right: Lorena Robletto (Amazing Piñatas), “Seven Point Star Installation” (2021). Photo by Madison Metro, Craft in America
    Roberto Benavidez, “Illuminated Hybrid No. 5” (2018). Photo by Madison Metro, Craft in America
    Left: Giovanni Valderas, “No Hay Pedo (Canary)”  (2016). Photo by Giovanni Valderas. Right: Lisbeth Palacios (All Party Art), “COVID Vaccine” (2021). Photo by Madison Metro, Craft in America
    Diana Benavidez, installation view of “Border Crosser” and “La Pinche Migra” (from Vehículos Transfronterizos series) (2021). Photo by Madison Metro, Craft in America

    #installation
    #paper
    #piñatas
    #sculpture
    #social commentary

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    Between Wounds and Folds: Suspended Cow Carcasses and Tree Stumps Reveal Layers of Discarded Fabric by Tamara Kostianovsky

    
    Art

    #animals
    #death
    #installation
    #sculpture
    #textiles
    #trees

    October 11, 2021
    Christopher Jobson

    Photo © Etienne Frossard. All images courtesy the artist, shared with permission.
    Working with the tattered remnants of consumer culture, artist Tamara Kostianovsky (previously) asks us to question the origins, process, and disastrous results of our seemingly unquenchable desire to buy and waste. Four distinct bodies of the artist’s work spanning fifteen years have been gathered at Smack Mellon in DUMBO, Brooklyn to form Between Wounds and Folds. The textile ecosystem of cow carcasses harboring new life, vibrantly hued cross-sections of trees, and colorful birds of prey, are constructed from repurposed fabrics and discarded textiles. In this final state, the soft pieces function as an echo of their concealed beginnings. Smack Mellon shares in a statement:

    Through alternating softness and aggression, her installations identify the nuances of violence that exist between a personal encounter and its normalization on a social and ecological level. Kostianovsky’s work asks for a re-imagination of human rights and environmental redemption models in order to consider the resultant violence as part of a larger, inseparable system.

    Between Wounds and Folds is on view until October 31, and you can explore more of the Brooklyn-based artist’s work on Instagram.

    Photo © J.C. Cancedda
    Photo © Roni Mocan
    Photo © Etienne Frossard
    Photo © J.C. Cancedda
    Photo © Etienne Frossard
    Photo © J.C. Cancedda
    Photo © J.C. Cancedda
    Photo © J.C. Cancedda
    The artist in her studio © J.C. Cancedda

    #animals
    #death
    #installation
    #sculpture
    #textiles
    #trees

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    Unearthly Anatomical Works Sculpted in Crystal and Glass by Debra Baxter Explore Grief and Loss

    
    Art

    #anatomy
    #crystals
    #glass
    #metal
    #sculpture

    October 8, 2021
    Grace Ebert

    “Catch your Breath” (2021), alabaster, bronze, and druzy snow chalcedony, 10 x 10 x 5 inches. All images courtesy of form & concept, shared with permission
    Artist and jewelry designer Debra Baxter (previously) explores the endurance of grief, mortality, and human bonds in Love Tears. Comprised of anatomical and figurative sculptures, the multifaceted series blend alabaster, quartz, and wood with delicate glass or metal to create forms that contrast the fragility of the body and natural world with the rugged topographies of crystals and rock.
    Simultaneously corporeal and unearthly, the spliced works evoke the Victorian tradition of mourning jewelry, which used various motifs and deep colors as memorials. In “Catch Your Breath,” for example, branch-like veins in bronze sprawl throughout crystalline lungs, while “Love Hard” bisects a smooth, glass heart with spiky quartz. “There’s inevitable pain in every form of love,” Baxter says about the series. “I’m fascinated by the ways in which we decorate this grief and mourning, and I wanted to see how far I could push myself with balancing the immediate, often ornate, demonstration of loss, and my use of permanent materials. This is about loss and legacy.”
    Love Tears will be on view at Santa Fe’s form & concept gallery from October 29, 2021, to January 15, 2022, and you can find more of Baxter’s bodily works on Instagram.

    “Crystal Brass Knuckles (forever)” (2021), sterling silver and quartz, 5 x 4.5 x 2 inches
    Left: “Soften the Blow” (2021), walnut and glass, 9.25 x 10 x 7.5 inches. Right: “” (2021), alabaster and glass, 9 x 6 x 6 inches
    “Love Hard” (2020), glass and quartz, 8 x 3 x 3.5 inches
    Left: Detail of “Ear to the Ground” (2020), alabaster and glass, 10 x 4 x 3 inches. Right: “” (2020), alabaster and green onyx, 12 x 7 x 4 inches
    “Holding It Together” (2021), bronze and amethyst, 9 x 16 x 5 inches

    #anatomy
    #crystals
    #glass
    #metal
    #sculpture

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