In Bold Self-Portraits, Atong Atem Vividly Frames Relationships Between Identity and Culture

“Self Portrait with Pearls” (2019), Ilford smooth pearl print, 90 x 70 centimeters. All images © Atong Atem, shared with permission courtesy of the artist and MARS Gallery

Since its inception, photography has dominated the way we visually remember and describe the world around us and where we are within it. It has tapped into desire, joy, grief, and superstition, such as in the Victorian era, when some believed it could be a channel between people and spirits in the afterlife. In portraiture, photography immortalizes its subjects and has transformed artists’ ability to express themselves and tell stories. For Ethiopia-born, South Sudanese photographer Atong Atem, who is based in Melbourne, the medium enables a salient exploration of the African diaspora and migrant narratives by focusing on the relationship between figures and the interior spaces they inhabit.

Sometimes referred to as Naarm, Melbourne comprises the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation, itself a collective of five Aboriginal tribes. Paralleling her exploration of the nature of place, culture, and postcolonial narratives, Atem’s series of powerful self-portraits focus on how perceptions of identity are shaped through relationships between place, dress, and custom and the way they change over time or merge when people move. Occasionally referencing art history, such as “Blue Face” modeled after Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (c. 1665), her works also nod to groundbreaking 20th century photographers Malick Sidibe, Philip Kwame Apagya, and Seydou Keita, who expanded traditions of studio portraiture. In a similar spirit, Atem explores intersections between place, people, and time to create a visual representation of the connection to culture.

This year, the artist’s first book of photographs, titled Surat (Sudanese Arabic for “snapshots”), was commissioned by Photo Australia. The second edition is due to be published by Perimeter next month, and you can find more of the artist’s work on her website and Instagram. (via ART RUBY)

 

“Blue Face” (2021), digital photograph, 100 x 75cm and 32.5 x 43 centimeters

“Self Portrait with Plastic Flowers” (2016), Ilford smooth pearl print, 90 x 70 centimeters

“Self Portrait in July 4” (2021), digital photograph, 90 x 60 centimeters

“Self Portrait with Plastic Flowers” (2016), Ilford smooth pearl print, 90 x 70 centimeters

“Horse Girl” (2016), Ilford smooth pearl print, 60 x 90 centimeters

“Self Portrait on Mercury” (2019), Ilford smooth pearl print, 90 x 60 centimeters

 

from Colossal https://ift.tt/wDqzOkc
via IFTTT

Introspective Oil Paintings by Laura Berger Convey Transformation and Protection Through Entwined Bodies

“Chrysalis” (2022), oil on canvas, 40 x 54 inches.

In Chrysalis, artist Laura Berger encapsulates the raw emotional energy of transformation in a soft, subdued color palette of blues and pinks. The solo show on view now at Stephanie Chefas Projects features a collection of oil paintings that center on entwined figures, their bodies protected by each other and their limbs sometimes positioned as shields.

In comparison to Berger’s earlier paintings, this body of work diverges in opacity, with translucent appendages and torsos emerging through other figures. Moonlight or a sheer veil similarly blanket some of the subjects as they huddle together in compact groups. The artist describes the works:

I’m interested in painting as a means to explore what it means to be human, what it means to be alive in this time and connected to each other—all with our own histories, our stories—but sharing in our collective humanity and our ties to what came before us and what will come next. I initially started painting as a therapeutic practice, and that continues to be the foundation for my work: using color as a centering healing tool and a way to sit with different combined energies; using narrative and composition exploration as a way to work through various experiences or memories.

If you’re in Portland, you can see Chrysalis through September 24. Otherwise, find more from Berger on Instagram, and find available prints in her shop.

 

“Accommodation” (2022), oil on canvas, 34 x 26 inches.

“Sheath” (2022), oil on canvas, 44 x 32 inches.

“The Rose Veil” (2022), oil on canvas, 40 x 52 inches.

“A Fleeting Touch 2” (2022), oil on canvas, 11 x 14 inches.

“Portrait of a Woman Dissolving” (2022), oil on canvas, 40 x 24 inches.

“Fresh” (2022), oil on canvas, 40 x 34 inches.

“A Fleeting Touch 1” (2022), oil on canvas, 11 x 14 inches.

from Colossal https://ift.tt/4bTxKhv
via IFTTT

Seeds Embedded into 3D-Printed Earthen Architecture Produce Living Green Walls

All images courtesy of the University of Virginia

Recent years have seen an outpouring of 3D-printed structures, including homes made of coiled clay and looped, stackable bricks, and now, researchers from the University of Virginia put a lively spin on the innovative technique. For an ongoing project within the School of Architecture, assistant professor Ehsan Baharlou and his team mixed seeds into earthen building materials that, once layered into walls, sprout lush plant life and evoke a Chia Pet aesthetic.

At this stage, the technology has been tested on smaller domes and walls, although once scaled up, it has the potential to naturally insulate buildings, soak up excess water that could lead to flooding, create green space for urban critters, and even be carbon negative, as the succulents sequester carbon from the surrounding environment. “We are working with local soils and plants mixed with water; the only electricity we need is to move the material and run a pump during printing. If we don’t need a printed piece or if it isn’t the right quality, we can recycle and re-use the material in the next batch of inks,” Baharlou said in a statement. The idea, he told Dezeen, is to establish “an active ecological system that might store emitted carbon in 3D-printed soil structures through the process of photosynthesis.”

In the coming months, the team plans to expand the capacities of the process to create more expansive structures and address the cracks that occur in the soil when produced on a larger scale.

 

Left: 48 hours. Middle: 96 hours. Right: 144 hours

Photo by Tom Daly

from Colossal https://ift.tt/pOnwjyg
via IFTTT

Flora, Fowl, and Fruit Pop with Color in Diana Beltrán Herrera’s Ornate Paper Sculptures

All images © Diana Beltrán Herrera, shared with permission

A menagerie of beady-eyed birds and butterflies complement vibrant florals and fruity morsels in Bristol-based artist Diana Beltrán Herrera’s elaborate paper sculptures (previously). By utilizing subtle gradients to shape flower petals and making tiny cuts to detail individual feathers, the artist adds incredible dimension and density using the ubiquitous, 2-dimensional material. Ranging from shop window displays, to individual sculptures, to interior installations, she is often commissioned to make work featuring flowers or creatures specific to a location or region, and in a meticulous process of planning and sorting, she assembles different colors and sizes of paper into spritely flora and fauna.

Herrera has an exhibition planned for spring of next year at Children’s Museum Singapore, and you can find more of her work on Behance and Instagram.

 

from Colossal https://ift.tt/et2ziCQ
via IFTTT

Seth Globepainter’s Imaginative Murals Center Childhood Optimism and Joy

“Back to School” (2017), Popasna, Ukraine. All images © Seth Globepainter, shared with permission

French artist Julien Malland, aka Seth Globepainter (previously), is known for his murals that capture the playfulness, determination, and innocence of childhood. Painted in cities from Paris to Jersey City to Amman, the large-scale works find humor and joy in youthful pastimes, while capturing the vibrant imaginations associated with adolescence. The faceless characters tend to be optimistic even as they confront adversity, particularly in the artist’s most recent murals addressing the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Currently, Malland is working on a series of hand-embellished lithographs and preparing for a solo show opening on October 27 at Fluctuart in Paris, where he lives. He has a monograph slated for publishing this fall, as well, and you can follow updates on that release, in addition to his latest murals, on Instagram.

 

“Cecile’s House” (2021), Paris, France

“Secret Garden” (2022), Jersey City

Réunion Island (2021)

“Eye to Eye” (2021), Grenoble, France

“Ukraine” (2022), Paris, France

Detail of “Eye to Eye” (2021), Grenoble, France

“Three Cages” (2021), Amman, Jordan

from Colossal https://ift.tt/oW1ucQN
via IFTTT

More Than 100 Photographers Are Raising Funds to Protect 30 Million Hectares of African Parks

Scott Ramsay, Mbeli Bai, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo, western lowland gorilla. All images courtesy of Prints for Wildlife, shared with permission

African Parks, a nonprofit focused on conservation and protecting endangered species, is behind several efforts to address the loss of biodiversity across the continent, and its latest initiative is to preserve 30 million hectares of parkland by 2030. Prints for Wildlife is supporting the effort through its annual fundraiser, which sells limited-edition works from more than 100 photographers around the globe. This year’s collection includes a diverse array of animals and environments, including multiple vulnerable or engaged species like the western lowland gorilla and polar bear.

Now in its third year, Prints for Wildlife has raised $1.75 million since it launched in 2020, and 100 percent of proceeds benefit African Parks. Shop the sale through September 25. (via Feature Shoot)

 

Pie Aerts, Naboisho Conservancy, Kenya, Masai giraffe

Marsel van Oosten, Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia, African elephant

Marco Gaiotti, Spitsbergen, Norway, polar bear

James Lewin, Amboseli National Park, Kenya, Masai giraffe

Gurcharan Roopra, Lake Magadi, Kenya, flamingos

Chris Schmid, Serengeti, Tanzania, cheetah

Beverly Joubert, Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, Botswana, plains zebra

from Colossal https://ift.tt/s7Nq9ah
via IFTTT

September 2022 Opportunities: Open Calls, Residencies, and Grants for Artists

Tomás Sánchez, “A la orilla” (1996), acrylic on linen

Every month, Colossal shares a selection of opportunities for artists and designers, including open calls, grants, fellowships, and residencies. If you’d like to list an opportunity here, please get in touch at hello@colossal.art. You can also join our monthly Opportunities Newsletter.

 

Open Calls

Joyce Awards (Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Minneapolis-St. Paul)
Artists of color working in Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Minneapolis-St. Paul can apply for the Joyce Awards, which commissions new work from five artists. The award has a $75,000 project budget and $25,000 stipend.
Deadline: September 7, 2022.

NYC Mural Arts Project (New York City)
Three artists will receive a $20,000 honorarium to complete a proposed work for the NYC Mural Arts Project. The project should raise awareness about mental health issues.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. EST on September 9, 2022.

SPIE International Day of Light Photo Contest (International)
The annual SPIE International Day of Light Photo Contest focuses on light and its vital role in nature, art, and technology. One winner will receive $2,500, with smaller cash prizes for runners-up.
Deadline: September 16, 2022.

50 Reasons Why: Your Take on the East End (U.S.)
East End Arts is accepting submissions for a juried exhibition centered around the East End of Long Island. U.S.-based artists of any medium are eligible, and the application fee is $40.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.

The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Painters (U.S.)
U.S.-based painters are invited to apply for the third iteration of The Bennett Prize, which awards $50,000 to one artist with a runner-up receiving $10,000. The entry fee is $40.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. MST on October 7, 2022.

London Craft Week 2023 (International)
The 2023 edition of London Craft Week runs May 8 to 14, and the annual event is accepting applications from emerging artist-maker-designers. There are a few free spaces available for those who qualify.
Deadline: November 25, 2022.

 

Grants

Manhattan Art Grants (Manhattan, New York City)
LMCC’s Manhattan Arts Grants awards up to $10,000 for presentations that respond to the community and local culture.
Deadline: 5 p.m. on September 13, 2022.

Teiger Foundation Grant for Curators (U.S.)
The Teiger Foundation will award up to $3.5 million annually, through individual grants of up to $150,000, to curators working on exhibitions and research supported by a non-profit organization. Recipients can be involved in the climate action pilot program, which will offer climate-conscious planning.
Deadline: September 15, 2022.

Foundwork Artist Prize (International)
The annual juried Foundwork Artist Prize is open to emerging and mid-career artists working in any media. One artist will receive an unrestricted $10,000 grant.
Deadline: September 26, 2022.

Precipice Fund (U.S.)
The Portland Institute for Contemporary Art will award up to $5,000 to unincorporated visual art collectives, alternative spaces, and collaborative projects as part of Round 11 of the Precipice Fund. Poposed rojects must be based in and around the City of Portland.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. PDT on October 7, 2022.

$500,000 Creative Capital x Skoll Foundation Fund (U.S.)
Kickstarter, Creative Capital, and Skoll Foundation launched a $500,000 Creative Capital x Skoll Foundation Fund to support projects by Asian, Black, Indigenous, and Latinx creators. Awards are given out on an ongoing basis to creators in categories like Arts, Comics & Illustration, Design & Tech, Film, Food & Craft, Games, Music, and Publishing.
Deadline: Rolling.

Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund (Ukraine or refugee)
Adobe’s Creative Residency Community Fund commissions visual artists to create company projects on a rolling basis. Awardees will receive between $500 and $5,000.
Deadline: Rolling.

 

Residencies & Fellowships

The Civic Practice Partnership (New York City)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers a two-year residency for socially engaged New York City artists and collectives. Recipients receive a $20,000 yearly honorarium and a $20,000 yearly project budget.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on September 6, 2022.

HATCH and BOLT Residencies at Chicago Artists Coalition (Chicago)
Applications for both the HATCH Curatorial Residency and BOLT Residency for artists are open at Chicago Artists Coalition. There are fees to submit.
Deadlines: September 7, 2022, for HATCH. September 30, 2022 for BOLT.

MacDowell Fellowship (International)
International artists of all backgrounds working in multiple disciplines are eligible for the MacDowell Fellowship. The program awards about 300 fellowships each year, and there’s a $30 application fee.
Deadline: September 10, 2022.

Golden Foundation Artist Residency (U.S.)
Six artists working in paint are eligible for this residency that focuses on exploring the diversity of the materials. Studio space, loading, and materials are provided.
Deadline: September 12, 2022.

Princeton Arts Fellowship (International)
Open to early career artists, this fellowship is geared toward artists who also want to foster a robust teaching practice. The two year program comes with an $88,000 yearly stipend.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. on September 13, 2022.

Laundromat Project Create Change Residency (U.S.)
New York City artists of color between 21 and 30 years old can apply for a residency rooted in community.  The program offers a $15,000 honorarium and up to $10,000 in project production.
Deadline: September 14, 2022.

Monson Arts Residency (International)
Open to visual artists, photographers, and writers, the month-long Monson Arts residency offers studio space, housing, and a $1,000 stipend. There is a $25 application fee.
Deadline: September 15, 2022.

Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Residency (International)
International writers, visual artists, and composers can apply for this residency, which grants studio and living space and meals to its recipients. There is a $30 application fee.
Deadline: September 15, 2022.

Pioneer Works Residency (U.S.)
Open to visual artists, musicians, and those working in technology, the Pioneer Works Residency offers studio space and a $200 monthly stipend.
Deadline: 5 p.m. EST on September 30, 2022.

Grand Canyon Artist in Residence Program (International)
Three spots are available for the Grand Canyon Artist in Residence Program, which offers space and a stipend of $2,500 for eight weeks. Artists workin across disciplines and engaging with conservation, identity, and community are encourage to apply. There is a $45 application fee.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.

Art Omi Residencies (International)
Art Omi provides residencies to international artists working in architecture, visual arts, dance, music, and writing. Residents receive lodging and meals.
Deadline: October 15, 2022.

Denbo Fellowship (International)
Artists interested in papermaking, printmaking, and book arts are eligible for the Denbo Fellowship, which provides studio and storage space, access to facilities, and a living stipend.
Deadline: October 18, 2022. 

2023 Rome Prize Fellowship (U.S.)
Each year, the American Academy in Rome recognizes about 30 artists and scholars working in the humanities. Fellows  Each receive stipends of either $16,000 or $30,000 depending on the duration of the program, meals, a bedroom with private bath, and a private workspace.
Deadline: November 1, 2022.

On::View Artist Residency Program (International)
Sulfur Studios in Savannah, Georgia, will host four artists throughout summer 2023 for consecutive residencies with a group exhibition slated for early 2024. The application fee is $50.
Deadline: December 10, 2022.

from Colossal https://ift.tt/DZ6bch9
via IFTTT