Gears and Architectural Structures Emerge from Michael Velliquette’s Meditative Paper Sculptures

“The fullness of experience in the emptiness of awareness” (2022), paper sculpture, 12 x 12 x 6.5 inches. All images © Michael Velliquette, shared with permission

One look at Michael Velliquette’s paper sculptures, and you may find yourself lost in the majesty of the construction—feeling the intricate gears, fanning geometric arches, and echoing layers churning inside of you.

A circle is more than it appears in his works as it spirals into a chamber of other shapes. Each interpretation expands its form from the structural foundation to the tip of an accentual cut. As Velliquette (previously) describes: “I start out cutting small concentric shapes and layering them. That becomes the center. I then build more elaborate components that respond to the previous ones and then build out from there. I call it ‘slow-motion’ improvisation.”

Velliquette’s paper sculptures are not all about shape, though. The works’ bronze and metallic colors absorb the viewer’s attention as seen in “My soul is alight with your infinitude of stars,” As Velliquette shares, “color [a]ffects mood,” and since he arrives at the final structure of the piece methodically and organically, hue also guides the meditative experience of his work, imbuing each sculpture with its special character.

 

Velliquette spends 300 to 500 hours on each sculpture using mainly basic straight-edge scissors and X-Acto knives. He says:

​​For me, there is a difference between ‘patience’ and ‘concentration’. Patience arises when there is something unpleasant I have to endure, which is rarely the case when it comes to making my work. However, most artists I know develop good concentration skills, which is the ability to sit in a focused state for a long period of time. So, yes, my work has helped me gain an ability to concentrate, and it isn’t uncommon for me to work for six to eight hours straight on a piece without feeling too stressed or fatigued.

There is a parallel in something like paper, a material that exists somewhere between strength and fragility, and the kind of play that triggers concentration. Both are vulnerable: paper in its duality and concentration in that it massages the subconscious in its meditative state. All energy is channeled into working on the task at hand, and at the same time, especially with art, something deeper on the inside is being stretched, worked out, and unbuttoned. Where nothing (or very little) is happening, so is everything.

For example, in “The fullness of experience in the emptiness of awareness,” the eye-level view is an astounding accomplishment. Its structure evokes mythical qualities, and it tugs at the imagination. However, it’s the aerial view—the inner workings—that evoke trance and wonder, the vastness of concentration and deep observation, the reminder that bodies will breathe all on their own. When all is said and done, something beautifully intricate will come of our simple and everyday efforts.

Find more of Velliquette’s work on his site and Instagram.

 

“I have hymns you haven’t heard” (2022), paper sculpture, 
20 x 20 x 2 inches

“
Everywhere transience is plunging into the depth of being” (2020), paper sculpture, 12 x 12 x 9 inches

Left: “I have hymns you haven’t heard” (2022), paper sculpture, 
20 x 20 x 2 inches. Right: “My soul is alight with your infinitude of stars” (2021), paper sculpture, 12 x 12 x 3 inches

Detail of “The fullness of experience in the emptiness of awareness” (2022), paper sculpture, 12 x 12 x 6.5 inches

Left: “You create yourself in ever-changing shapes that rise from the stuff of our days” (2022), paper sculpture
, 20 x 20 x 2 inches. Right: “The love that would soak down into the center of being” (2020), paper sculpture, 20 x 20 x 8 inches

“It rises up in wordless gentleness and flows out to me from the unseen roots of all created being” (2021), paper sculpture, 16 x 6 x 6 inches

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Mystery and Disquieting Stillness Pervade the Surreal, Conceptual Photos by Oleg Oprisco

All images © Oleg Oprisco, shared with permission

Throughout Russia’s war, photographer Oleg Oprisco (previously) has remained in his native Ukraine creating works that reflect the unjust aggression and its devastating effects. Oprisco is known for his conceptual shots that involve elaborately constructed props and scenes that capture his distinct sense of surreality. Relying on neutrals and subdued tones rather than a bold color palette, the mysterious, dreamlike images tend to center on a single figure within a quiet and unoccupied landscape.

In one recent photo directly addressing the war, a woman stands in the center of a deserted cobblestone street, her architectural backpack glowing with light. The poignant shot references the millions of people who have been forced to flee their homes in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion, and a similar image of a figure sheltering a dog from the rain speaks to the countless animals now struggling to survive without their human companions.

All of Oprisco’s works are available as prints. For a behind-the-scenes glimpse of his process and sets, check out his Instagram.

 

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Cosmic Cliffs Infinite Galaxy Puzzle Features New Imagery from the James Webb Space Telescope

All photos courtesy Nervous System, shared with permission

This week, the first images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope amazed and daunted us with their inordinately deep looks at the cosmos, particularly the shot of the glimmering star-forming region known as the “Cosmic Cliffs” of the Carina Nebula. The team over at the Catskills-based studio Nervous System translated this galactic masterpiece into a new, similarly expansive infinity puzzle intended to be tiled continuously, with no predetermined shape, start, or end. Similar to its other designs, this iteration includes four whimsy cuts in the shape of an astronaut, a shooting star, a satellite, and the gold mirrors of the groundbreaking telescope itself. Try your hand at puzzling together distant galaxies by picking up the 264-piece jigsaw from the Nervous System shop.

 

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Vivid Contours Conjure Hope and Resilience in Yulia Brodskaya’s Quilled Paper Compositions

“Phoenix” (2022). All images © Yulia Brodskaya, shared with permission

In Greek mythology, the sacred phoenix, with its characteristically striking plumage in flaming yellow, orange, and red, is known for its ability to resurrect. When the bird’s long life is nearing an end, flames engulf its body, and the being is reborn as a chick in the ashes of its predecessor, giving it the distinction of resilience, regeneration, and immortality. As Yulia Brodskaya began to apply the curled and crimped tendrils of paper to her latest work, she tells Colossal that the firebird portrait “started as a visual representation of a powerful feeling rising from the deep,” adding that “it felt like this portrait has been ‘channelled’ through me.”

Brodskaya captures the subtleties of individual expression and character in her elaborate portraits (previously) and depictions of flora and fauna. Through boldly colored papers that are rolled, folded, and layered, she reveals a flurry of feathers or the contours of a face in intricate detail, like the sense of serene contemplation that permeates “Samurai Dreams.” She wants every piece to send a message, suggesting viewers “pay attention to what emotion or feeling comes up for you in the first moments you see it—until the mind begins to dissect the details and offer loud opinions about why you like or dislike it. That initial quiet voice is the whisper of intuition. That’s the place I create my best work from.”

You can find more information about Brodskaya’s work on her website, and she regularly shares videos of her process on Instagram.

 

“Phoenix” (detail)

“Phoenix” (detail)

“Samurai Dreams” (2022)

“Samurai Dreams” (detail)

“Samurai Dreams” (detail)

“Parrots” (2022)

“Parrots” (detail)

“Butterflies” (2021)

“Butterflies” (detail)

 

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Hundreds of Oblongs and Discs Undulate Across Marianne Huotari’s Ceramic Sculptures

“Ananasakäämä.” Photo by Anna Autio. All images © Marianne Huotari, shared with permission

Dating back to the Vikings, ryijy is a distinctly Finnish textile tradition that produces thick, high-pile tapestries and rugs. The heavily patterned works, which have shifted from functional to decorative, are made by hand-knotting wool and layering the yarn into lush, textured motifs.

Drawing on her background in textile design, Finnish artist Marianne Huotari translates this technique into ceramics, creating densely delicate reliefs that evoke the depth and dimension of fiber. Huotari begins every work with a color palette and surface, whether in the form of a wall-based piece or a freestanding sculpture. She then rolls and pinches clay into oblongs and small discs imprinted by her fingertips for added texture, each pierced to create a small hole for a bit of metal thread. Once glazed and fired, the individual components are sewn into undulating topographies layered lush with color and rippling shapes. Huotari shares with Colossal:

The process is super slow but very meditative thanks to its repetitive nature. Throughout the process, I attempt to take control of the material by dismantling and reassembling the parts, which is not very common when talking about ceramic art. That provides me the freedom to make changes on the go. The technique provides countless possibilities… In the near future, I’ll be focusing on developing the sculptural expression and searching for the limits of dimensions.

The Helsinki-based artist was recently named a finalist for this year’s Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, which is hosting an exhibition at Seoul Museum of Art through July 31. She also has pieces on view through August 19 at HB381 Gallery in New York and through the end of August at Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center in Denmark, where she will be a resident this fall. Watch the video below and head to Instagram for a glimpse into Huotari’s process, and browse available pieces in her shop. (via Journal du Design)

 

“Tipsy and Dazzled by Festives.” Photo by Anna Autio

“Mandarin Garden.” Photo by Jefunne Gimpel

Detail of “Mandarin Garden.” Photo by Jefunne Gimpel

Detail of “Tipsy and Dazzled by Festives.” Photo by Anna Autio

Left: “Moment in the Shade.” Photo by Anna Autio. Right: “Eden’s Euphoria.” Photo by Anna Autio

“Shallows.” Photo by Anna Autio

“Wild as Lupine.” Photo by Hanna Kaketti

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Jurassic Nature: Botanical Assemblages by Raku Inoue Recreate Dinosaurs in Leafy Layers

Dilophosaurus. All images © Raku Inoue, shared with permission

In his ongoing Jurassic Nature series, Japanese artist Raku Inoue layers sprigs of kiwi vines, white spruce, and boxelder maple into miniature sculptural dinosaurs. The ribbed, veiny textures of the leaves mimic the reptilian skin of some of the most recognizable characters from the 1993 classic. Minimal in form and lush in construction, the creatures include a dandelion-headed brontosaurus, a stegosaurus with spiky raspberry leaves defining its back, and a velociraptor laced with forget-me-nots.

Inoue is adding a few more dinosaurs to the series, so keep an eye on his Instagram for updates. You can also find prints of a variety of his botanical creatures in his shop. (via Lustik)

 

Stegosaurus

Velociraptor

T-Rex

Brontosaurus

Stegosaurus

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Simple Lines and Shapes Comprise the Lavish Yet Minimal Animal Drawings of Jochen Gerner

All images © Jochen Gerner, shared with permission

Lines and basic shapes are the basis of Jochen Gerner’s distinct, almost paradoxical style that’s sometimes referred to as “abundant minimalism.” The French artist, who lives and works between Lorraine and Burgundy, draws birds and dogs that are sparse in form and yet rich in color and texture: checkered patterns overlaid with a chaotic array of markings create a shaggy fur coat, while variegated patches of feathers distinguish the tail from wing or breast.

In a note to Colossal, Gerner shares that he’s working primarily with vintage schoolbooks, a substrate that serves as much as a vessel for his drawings as it does a limitation on the work itself. He explains:

I like to work with simple shapes and lines. The simplest images are often the most effective and direct…The paper texture and format of the notebooks are important to me. The very graphic and varied lines allow me to integrate them by transparency in my drawings. It is a constraint from the start but it helps me to structure the forms and it is an integral part of the drawing.

If you’re in France, you can see Gerner’s works at La Métairie Bruyère in Parly, Anne Barrault Gallery in Paris, and Musée Buffon in Montbard. Otherwise, head to Instagram to explore more of his stylized characters. You also might like Albert Chamillard’s crosshatched geometries.

 

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