Ancient Design Motifs Meet Contemporary Ceramics in Maxwell Mustardo’s Glowing Sculptures

All images © Maxwell Mustardo, shared with permission, courtesy of Culture Object and Jody Kivort

Gadrooning, an ornamental motif consisting of a series of tapered convex or concave curves, is derived from the decorative exteriors of Roman sarcophagi and antiquities. Renaissance artisans revisited it in the 16th century, and it re-emerged in the neoclassical revival of the 18th and 19th centuries. Referencing ancient designs and what he describes in a statement as the “broad, reverential notions of the vessel,” Maxwell Mustardo playfully examines the function of containers and earthenware over time.

In his gourd-like Gadroons and pudgy Anthropophorae—a series of bulging amphorae—a range of stippled lava glazes complement shocking hues or shimmering PVC coatings. Vibrant colors and swollen forms resemble balloons or 3D renderings displayed on a bright screen, and the resulting perception-bending, flocked-like surfaces make the pieces appear to be floating, wobbling, and glowing.

You can see Mustardo’s work at Culture Object through October 28 in a solo exhibition titled The Substance of Style. More information can also be found on his website and Instagram.

 

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Calling All Art Lovers! Become a Colossal Member Today and Support Independent Arts Publishing

Sharing creativity is our greatest joy, and we rely on the generous support of Colossal Members to sustain our daily operations. For as little as $5 per month, you can read Colossal and our newsletters ad-free and get access to all additional member benefits, including discounts, early access, and a members-only newsletter.

Join today and support the creative stories that matter most. We’re so glad you’re here.

 

Member Perks

• An ad-free reading experience on Colossal and in our newsletters
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• One percent of membership fees is always allocated to students. So far this year, Colossal Members have purchased nearly $1,500 of art supplies through DonorsChoose

What’s Next for 2022 and Beyond

• Colossal Workshop Series: We’re organizing regular tutorials and workshops with some of the most exciting and engaging artists
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Impressionistic Embroideries by Cassandra Dias Reflect Movement and Lush Landscapes in Thread

All images © Cassandra Dias, shared with permission

Cassandra Dias combines French knots, satin stitches, and various thread-painting techniques into impressionistic landscapes teeming with texture and organic color. Rugged mountains swell in neutral tones, the water’s surface hazily reflects the surrounding trees, and tiny pops of lavender and orange emerge through fields of green. The Camarillo, California-based artist began working with fiber in early 2020 and has since developed her distinctive style, which evokes movement and mimics the visible brushstrokes associated with painting.

For a glimpse into Dias’s process and to keep up with news about available pieces, follow her on Instagram.

 

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DATMA Issues National Call for Public Art Commissions Based on Shelter

Rael San Fratello, “Star Lounge” (2015), PLA plastic. Image courtesy of Andrew Kepinski

Massachusetts Design Art and Technology Institute (DATMA), the non-collecting contemporary art institute, and its partners kicked off a city-wide, collaborative venture called “SHELTER 2022–23.” As part of this initiative, DATMA is issuing a National Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a public outdoor installation on the theme of shelter. New Bedford, Massachusetts will serve as a canvas for art exploring the role of shelter within the histories, communities, and cultures of the SouthCoast region and beyond.

DATMA welcomes artists to consider subjects including but not limited to housing, the Underground Railroad, and/or immigration. Three finalist submissions will be awarded a $1,000 stipend to develop detailed proposals. The final selected work will be awarded $25,000 to cover all artists’ fees, materials, travel, and installation. DATMA will also cover all costs associated with insurance, engineering, permitting, installation equipment, marketing, and PR, as well as overall support for the final selected project. Accepted mediums include mixed media, sculpture, installation, new genres, digital media, film and video, music composition, and photography.

Applications will be accepted beginning now through November 1, 2022. The public outdoor installation will be scheduled for viewing from June 16 to October 10, 2023, at a designated area by the corner of Union Street and Route 18 in New Bedford. The juror panel will consist of Jasmyn Baird, New Bedford Economic Development Council Senior Creative Fellow & Seaport Artwalk Manager; Patrick Shearn, Creative Director & Founder of Poetic Kinetics; and Pat Coomey Thornton, DATMA’s Program Committee Chair.

For more information and to apply, visit datma.org.

 

Abeer Seikaly, “Weaving a Home” (2020), rendering in Desert Environment, Jordan. Image courtesy of the artist

This past season, DATMA presented three individual exhibitions, robust programmatic outreach, and educational workshops which examined the history, economy, and culture of the SouthCoast region rooted in the value of shelter with topics including today’s housing crisis, the Underground Railroad that harbored Black Americans from slavery, the 9,100-foot-long hurricane barrier protecting the harbor of the nation’s most lucrative fishing port, and more.

Works by Do Ho Suh from Seoul, South Korea, Rael San Fratello from Los Angeles, California, and Abeer Seikaly from Jordan have already been presented. In partnership with the New Bedford Historical Society, DATMA also presented “Safe Station,” the story of New Bedford’s unique history in opposition to slavery through the lens of local artists including Fitzcarmel LaMarre, Alison Wells, and students from Our Sisters’ School. In addition, DATMA showcased rare historical photos documenting the critical New Bedford Hurricane Protection Barrier landmark sheltering the city from natural disasters.

 

Do Ho Suh, “Hub-1, Entrance, 260-7, Sungbook-Dong, Sungboo-Ku, Seoul, Korea” (2018), polyester fabric and stainless steel. Image courtesy of Lehmann Maupin

Abeer Seikaly, “Weaving a Home ” (2020), rendering at Al-Namara overlooking the Dead Sea, Jordan. Image courtesy of the artist

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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

 

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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.

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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

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