NASA’s James Webb Telescope Captures an Astounding Photo of the Gaseous Pillars of Creation

All images courtesy of NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Anton M. Koekemoer (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI), shared with permission

Back in 1995, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope documented the now iconic Pillars of Creation, a photo of a celestial area known for its staggering number of star formations. That initial image offered an illuminating glimpse of the interstellar stone-like columns made of gas and dust, although a composite recently released from the James Webb Space Telescope uses near-infrared light to highlight the region in even more detail.

This new 122-megapixel photo features a deep-blue expanse studded with light, and the pillars themselves appear less opaque than in the earlier shot. When cropped, the new image shows the Eagle Nebula, located 6,500 light-years away. The bright red fiery orbs apparent from this view are new stars, which are formed “when knots with sufficient mass form within the pillars of gas and dust… begin to collapse under their own gravity (and) slowly heat up.”

 

Left: Pillars of Creation captured via Hubble. Right: Pillars of Creation captured via James Webb

Some of the incandescent bodies still in the early stages of life also produce undulating, lava-like ejections, which NASA describes:

Young stars periodically shoot out supersonic jets that collide with clouds of material, like these thick pillars. This sometimes also results in bow shocks, which can form wavy patterns like a boat does as it moves through water. The crimson glow comes from the energetic hydrogen molecules that result from jets and shocks. This is evident in the second and third pillars from the top–the NIRCam image is practically pulsing with their activity. These young stars are estimated to be only a few hundred thousand years old.

Researchers say the new photo will allow more accurate counts of new formations and their development.

 

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Trees Are Tied Up in Uncanny Knots in Monsieur Plant’s Playful Sculptures

All images © Christophe Guinet, shared with permission

Trees have an incredible ability to adjust to their surroundings, slowly sending roots across walkways, growing through fences, or merging with other trunks. Artist Christophe Guinet, who works as Monsieur Plant, draws inspiration from nature’s ability to flex and modify in a series of uncanny, elegant sculptures titled Twist.

Since childhood, outdoor walks fueled Guinet’s creative imagination. “It was during my walks in the forest that I was inspired for this project,” he tells Colossal. “By observing the way trees grow, we found unusual, unique, humorous shapes,” prompting him to consider the surprising ways nature can adapt. Using plaster to form the shapes like knots or spirals, he then covers the surfaces with pine bark to give the appearance of real trees and documents each work in wooded surroundings.

Find more of Guinet’s work on his website and Instagram. (via Hyperallergic)

 

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Forceful Waves Rip Across Lake Eerie in Tempestuous Photos by Trevor Pottelberg

All images © Trevor Pottelberg, shared with permission

When fall and winter storms send turbulent waves across Lake Eerie, Canadian photographer Trevor Pottelberg documents the volatile eruptions that burst from the water’s surface. Facing winds up to 60 miles per hour, he frames massive waves as they emerge in dramatic outbursts, leaving sprays of icy mist and ripples in their wake. The monumental swells are energetic and immensely strong, showcasing the formidable power of nature.

Based in Brownsville, Ontario, Pottelberg teaches photography at Fanshawe College and will have a variety of landscape and animal images on view at Elm Hurst Inn & Spa in Ingersoll starting in December. Shop prints on his site, and find more of his work on Instagram, some of which were recently recognized in the Professional Photographers of Canada Ontario Provincial Competition.

 

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Vintage Illustrations of Flora and Fauna Are Superimposed into Surreal Portraits by MUMI

All images © MUMI, shared with permission

Feathers, flowers, leaves, and the human muscular system are spliced into an eclectic camouflage in MUMI’s surreal portraits. From vintage encyclopedias, magazines, and art historical paintings, the Argentinian artist cuts and layers images into compositions that vacillate between the whimsical and the bizarre. Led by a larger narrative, the collages commingle styles, eras, colors, and textures into disorienting portraits, all spurred by the artist’s desire to experiment. “I truly enjoy the organic process in which I let myself go freely,” MUMI shares. “There are endless possibilities when I cut an image. I take it out of its context, its direct meaning, or its origin, and I give it a new surreal environment.”

Prints are available from Society6, and you can find an archive of her fantastic works on Instagram.

 

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The Open Press Project is Making the World’s Smallest 3D-Printed Press Even Tinier

All images © Open Press Project, shared with permission

A few years ago, Cologne-based designers Martin Schneider and Dominik Schmitz noticed that access to intaglio printmaking resources was limited because presses are prohibitively expensive, require lots of space, and are often located in private workshops or institutions. To make the practice more accessible, the artists launched the world’s first 3D-printed etching press in 2018, and the Open Press Project was born. Schneider and Schmitz’s miniature, open-source, fully-functional model allowed people to download and assemble the machine themselves at a fraction of the cost of a traditional press—and a fraction of the size!

Now, Schneider and Schmitz are scaling up by scaling way down in a new Kickstarter campaign that launches the smallest press they could make. Complete with ball bearings and a stainless steel roller, “it can be used for any intaglio and relief technique, like drypoint, etching, engraving, or linocuts and woodcuts of up to 13 millimeter thickness.” Learn to make your own press and tiny prints on the project’s website and join its growing community on Instagram.

 

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The Other Art Fair Returns to Brooklyn

Image courtesy of The Other Art Fair

Born in London in 2011, The Other Art Fair has expanded with local editions running in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and Sydney. Presented by Saatchi Art in partnership with BOMBAY SAPPHIRE®, each fair typically features 100+ independent artists, live performances, DJ sets, immersive installations, food trucks, and a buzzing late-night scene.

The 2022 Brooklyn edition is one of the busiest events and a top New York show to attend in the fall. Now in its 10th year, organizers have moved the event to Agger Fish at Brooklyn Navy Yard. After years at the Brooklyn Expo Center and a detour in Maspeth last year, the event is now more accessible than ever with most major train lines and even ferries from the city going directly to the venue.

Running November 3 to 6, The Other Art Fair Brooklyn will feature 120 independent emerging artists, thousands of artworks to shop from (at nearly every price point), live DJs, food trucks, and the signature BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® bar where attendees get one free gin cocktail with admission. There are always some last-minute reveals, so don’t be surprised if there’s live tattooing or Japanese rope-tying performances on site.

There are distinctive scenes happening over all four days. Private View on Thursday night attracts post-work industry folks, collectors, and press, while the Friday late-night party brings local creatives out for some mischief at the bar. Saturdays and Sundays see everything from serious shoppers looking to fill up wall space in their new apartment to post-brunch flea marketers meandering through.

All food, entertainment, and happenings are a part of The Other Art Fair’s mission to break down traditional art world barriers and make art affordable and accessible to all. The environment fosters genuine connections between all attendees from art amateurs to seasoned collectors. The event feels more like an open house party than just another art gallery opening.

The Other Art Fair Brooklyn will take place on November 3 to 6 at Brooklyn Navy Yard. Save up to 30 percent by booking in advance. Tickets are available at theotherartfair.com.

 

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In ‘A Sense of Scale,’ Roman De Giuli’s Elaborate Topographies Made of Pigments Nod to Hollywood Special Effects

The sweeping topography of German photographer Roman De Giuli’s “A Sense of Scale” suggests rivers coursing around islands, lava flows, or clouds moving over land masses as if seen from Earth’s atmosphere. Look a little closer, however, and you will find these effervescent terrains are composed of paint, powders, and water that the artist applies with droppers to the surface of paper and sets into motion with small doses of air. Known for elaborate timelapses imitative of satellite imagery, De Giuli’s work harnesses the power of high-definition photography to document the voluptuous movement of fluid pigments.

Using a custom lens setup to zoom in and out, the piece took about a year to complete and was filmed in 8K resolution with the aid of several macro lenses. The title is a nod to the 2011 documentary “Sense of Scale” by Berton Pierce, which chronicled the world of Hollywood special effects as CGI had begun to render scale miniatures obsolete in the film industry. Struck by the detail and beauty of camera effects and the ability to transform objects on screen, De Giuli explains, “I want to emphasize the meaning of handmade visuals and the effort it takes to stage sceneries on a small scale.” You can discover more on Instagram and his website.

 

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