Vibrant Coral Expresses of the Power of Nature in Courtney Mattison’s Whirling Wall Relief

“Gyre I” (2022), glazed stoneware and porcelain, 75 x 75 x 11 inches. Photography by Daniel Jackson for Brandywine Museum of Art. All images © Courtney Mattison, shared with permission

In Courtney Mattison’s elaborate ceramic wall reliefs, the rich textures and hues of coral sweep elegantly across vast surfaces. Made of numerous individual pieces that she forms by hand, each composition references the fragility, diversity, and resilience of marine ecosystems, which she describes as an effort to “visualize climate change.” Currently on display at the Brandywine Museum of Art, “Gyre I” draws inspiration from forces of nature exemplified in the immense power of hurricanes and the delicate spirals of seashells or flower petals.

See “Gyre I” in Fragile Earth through January 8, 2023, and find more of Mattison’s work on her website and Instagram.

 

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In ‘It Is What It Is,’ Alfred Conteh Takes a Realistic Approach to Examining Life for Black Southerners

“Daishon” (2022), acrylic, atomized brass dust, and atomized steel dust on canvas, 120 x 84 inches. All images © Alfred Conteh, courtesy of Kavi Gupta, shared with permission

The urgency of Alfred Conteh’s portraits lies in the present. He portrays Black people he meets around Atlanta, creating monumental works that accentuate the material both physically and metaphorically, in their mediums and the critical analysis of current social conditions. “Black folks are not doing well in this country,” Conteh tells Colossal. “We will not do well until we come to terms with how this country was built, and the resulting racial wealth gaps and social decay. Nothing is being done to improve that, first and foremost economically.”

Layered with urethane plastic or steel and bronze dust, the works, which are on view at Kavi Gupta in Chicago as part of Conteh’s solo show It Is What It Is, are distressed with cracked surfaces and blotches of acrylic paint. Some stand ten feet tall, and the magnitude of their scale echoes that of the issues the artist is addressing. Conteh focuses on the gritty, harsh reality of the lives of Black people in the U.S., particularly as it relates to the historical policies and institutions that continue to affect the  economic, social, and cultural conditions of those he meets. “Stanton Road Water Boys,” for example, features three young men who were solicited drivers on an Atlanta road. “If there were opportunities for them to work, I doubt they would stand here trying to sell a two dollar bottle of warm water,” Conteh shares.

 

“Stanton Road Water Boys” (2022), acrylic and urethane plastic on canvas, 84 x 84 inches

As the title suggests, the exhibition exposes the overlooked or disregarded truths about life today, centering on current conditions rather than a hopeful view for the future. The myth of meritocracy is widespread, and Conteh rails against willful ignorance of privilege and power especially as it relates to wealth and access to opportunity. He explains:

Aspiration is a viewpoint that someone would have if they had the tools and the undergirding to be able to make an idea real, to make whatever they conceptualize a reality. That has not largely been available to African Americans as a whole, to aspire. Historically, legally, African Americans were enslaved, marginalized, segregated, red lined, ostracized, kept from wealth—the list goes on and on. So how can you honestly say “aspire to be something greater” when the policies and norms and mores of this country say no? It infantilizes people when we say things are gonna be alright.

It Is What It Is is on view through March 4, 2023. Find more from Conteh on Instagram.

 

Left: “Shampoo” (2022), acrylic and urethane plastic on canvas, 84 x 48 inches. Right: “IWB Shawty” (2022), acrylic, urethane plastic, and atomized steel dust on canvas, 84 x 48 inches

“Loretta (Ms. T)” (2022), acrylic and urethane plastic on canvas, 120 x 84 inches

Left: “Reesie” (2020), acrylic and urethane plastic on canvas, 48 x 36 x 3 inches. Right: “Reneé” (2020), acrylic and atomized steel dust on canvas, 48 x 36 x 3 inches

“Minnesota” (2022), acrylic and atomized steel dust on canvas, 25 x 25 inches

“Isiah (The Boxer, The Bouncer)” (2021), acrylic and atomized bronze dust on canvas, 60 x 60 inches

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Precise Geometry and Color Gradients Undulate in Anna Kruhelska’s Three-Dimensional Paper Sculptures

All images © Anna Kruhelska, shared with permission

In the meticulous folds of Anna Kuhelska’s paper sculptures, contrasts of light, shadow, and hue give the impression of undulating motion. An abiding interest in form, symmetry, and space developed from the Lodz-based artist’s work as an architect, combining precise engineering and design skills with and interest in geometry and origami. Reminiscent of the spatial explorations of Günther Oecker, humble materials form delicate patterns to create perception-bending, three-dimensional wall pieces.

Kruhelska’s earliest sculptures were constructed from white paper, which demonstrated how exact cuts and creases highlight the interplay between light and shade.  She then began to incorporate hued layers into the matrix-like surfaces. “I started mixing and combining contrasting colors to create an illusion of movement and to encourage viewers to view the work from different angles,” she tells Colossal. The works transform when they are viewed from various perspectives, revealing new colors and gradients.

You can see Kruhelska’s work in the Superspectra group exhibition at Laura Rathe Fine Art in Houston, which runs December 15, 2022, to January 12, 2023. You can find more of her work on her website and Instagram.

 

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Kengo Kuma Designs a Dramatically Vaulted Cafe to Evoke Japan’s Sloping Tottori Sand Dunes

All images ©︎ Kawasumi-Kobayashi Kenji Photograph Office

Overlooking Japan’s vast Tottori Sand Dunes is a new two-level structure that connects earth and atmosphere. Dubbed a “staircase to the sky,” Takahama Café is one of architect Kengo Kuma’s latest projects that reflects the surrounding environment. The dramatically vaulted building, which totals 199 square meters, is constructed with cross-laminated timber and reinforced concrete and features a balcony topped with a pergola for visitors to view the region. Sand from the dunes textures the Washi paper pendant lights inside, and in honor of local craftspeople and traditions, the studio tasked the Tottori Mingei pottery workshop Nakai-gama with creating the bathroom sinks, which are cloaked in its signature blue-black glaze.

For more from Kuma (previously) and his team, visit the studio’s site. (via designboom)

 

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Photographer Masayuki Oki Focuses a Humorous Lens on Japan’s Feline Residents

All images © Masayuki Oki, shared with permission

The archipelago of Japan consists of more than 6,800 islands, of which around 280 are inhabited, and in a few places, known as neko-shima or “cat islands,” felines vastly outnumber the human residents. Fishing villages like the one on Aoshima, the most well-known of around a dozen cat islands, introduced the creatures in the early 20th century to combat rodent infestations. Their prolific progeny, perched on walls and scampering underfoot, have been a continuous source of fascination for photographer Masayuki Oki.

For the past eight years, Oki has documented clowders of cats in his home city of Tokyo and on islands around the nation, focusing on the feral animals’ interactions. Viewed through a an anthropomorphic lens, the images capture playful pounces and awkward entanglements with humor and a knack for good timing.

You can follow Oki’s feline adventures on his blog and Instagram. He releases annual calendars featuring some of the year’s best photographs, and he also updates a YouTube channel with short videos of furball shenanigans.

 

 

 

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New Year, New Plans: 2023 Calendars to Organize Your Year

2022 is quickly coming to a close, and wrapping up the year also means looking forward to the next. To start charting a course for 2023, we’ve gathered some of our favorite calendars for the months ahead. From the school-day aesthetic of an oversized notebook to a celestial chart, these planners will ring in the year with whimsical elegance, bold graphics, and good vibes.

 

Yearcalendar 2023 Classic

We’re partial to Yearcalendar’s giant wall-sized planners at Colossal—you’ll find the 2022 edition on a few of our office walls. The Swedish maker offers multiple sizes to fit your space so you can plan your full year at a glance.

 

You Are Beautiful 2023 Daily Calendar

Peel back layers of positivity and goodwill with You Are Beautiful’s daily calendar. The stacked affirmations reveal a new phrase for each day, offering a tiny dose of encouragement on colorful paper.

 

Katharine Watson 2023 Letterpress Calendar

Framed by an intricate floral design, this letterpress calendar by artist Katharine Watson nestles an entire year into a garden of botanicals.

 

Spectrum Wall Planner

This vibrant wall calendar from Poketo adds a healthy dose of color to planning. Each poster-sized page can be displayed individually, so view one at a time or the full year at once. Plus, it’s not dated, so you can start with any month.

 

Thoughts Operator 2023 Lunar Calendar

Since 2009, Alec Thibodeau has been releasing these celestial lunar calendars that chronicle the moon’s cycles within the Northern Hemisphere throughout the year. Ornate renderings of natural life frame the elegant letterpress print, which expertly melds artful illustration with timely information.

 

Stendig Art Calendar

This iconic, minimal design from Massimo Vignelli offers pared-back clarity for the days ahead. View entire months at once with this oversized tear-away calendar in classic Helvetica.

 

Lorraine Loots’ Hand-Drawn Calendars

We’ve long admired Lorraine Loots’ daily paintings in miniature, and the artist has two minimal calendars available this year. Pick up the larger wall design or the tiny desk model (or both!) for planning in her hand-drawn creations.

 

Rifle Paper Co. 2023 Appointment Wall Calendar

Rifle Paper Co. is known for its whimsical illustrations, and this spiral-bound calendar is trimmed with colorful bouquets each month. There’s also a blank section for jotting reminders, plans, and other notes.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article New Year, New Plans: 2023 Calendars to Organize Your Year appeared first on Colossal.

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