‘Glass Microbiology’ Magnifies Viruses, Bacteria, and Other Organisms to 1 Million Times Their Actual Size

“AstraZeneca vaccine.” All images © Luke Jerram, shared with permission

Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram (previously) continues to add delicate specimens to his Glass Microbiology collection. The ongoing project is a collaboration with scientists at the University of Bristol, who aid Jerram in scaling three-dimensional renderings of avian flu, papillomavirus, the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, and other tiny organisms into sculptures approximately one million times their actual size. Transparent and impeccably detailed, the models are designed to showcase the structures of each microbe without distorting the viewer’s perception with non-existent colors, which are often used to distinguish various parts in illustrated renderings.

Jerram documents the process behind his swine flu sculpture in the video below, which begins with two artists hand-blowing the larger structure. The team then shapes hundreds of individual proteins that will later be fused to the virus’s exterior. Find more of the scientifically minded project on the Glass Microbiology site, and follow Jerram’s latest works on Instagram.

 

“Papillomavirus”

“Avian Flu 2012”

“EV1 (Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease)”

Detail of “AstraZeneca vaccine”

“Giardia”

“Ameoba”

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Shantell Martin’s Signature Lines Grace a Meditative Limited-Edition Candle Collection

Photo by Eli Schmidt. All images courtesy of Shantell Martin, shared with permission

The ever-optimistic artist Shantell Martin (previously) brings her meditative, joyful line drawings to a collection of limited-editions candles. Minimal faces, birds, flowers, fish, and pithy affirmations like “You Time” and “Relax” grace the glass and ceramic vessels made in collaboration with Joya Studio. With burn times of 3,000 and 8,7000 minutes respectively, the candles release uplifting, stimulating scents with notes of shaded green tea, ocean air, heliotrope petals, and vanilla flowers.

Both designs are hand-poured in Joya’s Brooklyn studio, and the porcelain edition contains layers that emit different fragrances after 10, 30, or 60 minutes, making each piece both a timekeeper and a source of warm light. “My wish is that these candles can burn in the background during your creative process, much like a playlist, invigorating your senses and bringing you back to self,” the artist says.

Shop the collection on Joya’s site, and follow Martin’s latest collaborations on Instagram.

 

Photo by Joya Studio

Photo by Joya Studio

Photo by Joya Studio

Photo by Joya Studio

Photo by Joya Studio

Photo by Joya Studio

Photo by Eli Schmidt

Photo by Joya Studio

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Dramatic Flora and Fauna Emerge from Maude White’s Exquisitely Detailed Cut Paper Sculptures

All images © Maude White, shared with permission

Created from single pieces of paper, Maude White’s sculptures (previously) reveal the veins of petals and leaves, braided locks, and vivid animal portraits. Making countless tiny incisions on archival sheets with a size 11 blade, the artist begins by referencing a photograph and creating a loose sketch to maintain general dimensions. She then carefully selects the location of the first cut, telling Colossal that “every cut expands outward from there, and I have to make sure that the piece can maintain its integrity when complete and not fall apart.”

White continues to pursue nature as a subject, focusing on expressive animals and diverse flora. “I will always come back to my love of elephants and flowers,” she says, sharing that she has been experimenting with new forms that are less visually literal. The net-like, “sketchy” composition pictured below appears at first glance like a bird’s nest, but upon closer inspection, an elephant’s eye and trunk emerge. “I really enjoyed this piece, and it was quite a challenge to design and execute!” she says.

In December 2022, White published Resilience Alchemy, a deck and guidebook featuring her artwork that focuses on creative self-discovery and empowerment. “I’m really proud of this project, and even though it’s a departure from the more intricate cut-paper work, it explores resilience in a way that I think can be helpful and hopeful for a lot of people,” she says. Find a copy on Bookshop, and keep an eye out for a new deck slated for release this December. Follow White’s updates on Instagram, and explore more work on her website.

 

Photograph by Melissa Hope

 

 

 

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Nighttime Reveals the Inner Vitality of Reskate’s Dynamic Glow-in-the-Dark Murals

Nighttime view of “Eulalia” (2022-23), Mérida, Extremadura, Spain. All images © Reskate Studio, shared with permission

By day, Reskate Studio’s bold, deceptively simple murals outline the forms of rope, a mountain, or a dog in a neutral palette. When the sun sets, though, an entirely new image emerges from within the unassuming motif. María López and Javier de Riba, who work collaboratively as Reskate, continue to paint bold, light-sensitive works as part of their ongoing Harreman Project (previously). The artists say their intention is “to try to light up dark corners of cities, both installing new lights and encouraging citizens to interact with the wall—painting with light on it.”

“Harreman” is a Basque word meaning “relationship,” a combination of two verbs: hartu, which means “receive” and eman, which means “give.” The duo is interested in etymology, duality, and the way language can present multiple interpretations or how some information can only be revealed in a certain light. During the day, Reskate’s compositions appear uncomplicated in cream white and dark gray, but this discloses only half the story. At night, lights illuminate scenes created with photo-sensitive paint, like a koi fish appearing in a net or dogs brawling within the silhouette of a larger, much calmer canine.

Reskate installs vibrant, monumental murals with a focus in locations around Europe. Find more work on Behance and on the artists’ website, where you can also shop limited-edition screenprints. 

 

“Rivalité,” (2022), Maison de Jeunes et de la Culture Nelson Mandela, Fontaine, France

Nighttime view of “Eulalia” (2022-23), Mérida, Extremadura, Spain

Daytime view of “Eulalia”

“Domestication,” Wien Museum, Vienna, Austria

“Domestication”

Nighttime view of “Connectivity,” Shenzhen, China

Daytime view of “Connectivity”

“Connectivity” in progress

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Delicate Stained Glass Butterflies and Moths Flit and Flutter with Illuminated Colors

All images © Melanie, shared with permission

From her home studio in the Netherlands, artist Melanie solders vivid stained glass renditions of monarchs, peacock butterflies, and Spanish moon moths. She first scours etymological sources for information on colors, vein placements, and antennae, then sketches a pattern for tracing and cutting the fragile material and pieces together the delicate specimens. Like their real-life counterparts, the creatures are delicate and lively, although these cast vibrant reflected light around the spaces they inhabit. Follow the artist’s growing swarm of bees and butterflies on Instagram.

 

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Sisyphus Eternally Pushes a Boulder Up a Mechanical Incline in Ross McSweeney’s Nimble Automata

All images © Ross McSweeney

More than one version of the Greek myth of Sisyphus chronicles the king’s slew of misdeeds on Earth, which amount to cheating death not once but twice. This earned him an infamous punishment from Hades, the god of death and ruler of the underworld, who sentenced the legendary figure to roll a boulder up the side of a mountain only for it to roll back down again as soon as it nears the top—for eternity. Glimpsing the mythical inner machinations, artist Ross McSweeney designed an intricately detailed, laser-cut wood automata that animates the classic tale.

McSweeney’s kinetic sculpture features a laboring Sisyphus pushing the stone up an incline as he is eyed by a (perpetually patient!) vulture. Beneath the surface, a cross-section of classical columns reveals a devilish figure who cranks an elaborate set of gears. The device is operated by turning a dial on the lower right side, and McSweeney demonstrates the mechanism in a video in which he also showcases different operating speeds.

The artist designed additional do-it-yourself kinetic constructions of a tiger, a running horse, and the surface of water that undulates with droplet rings. McSweeney shares videos of the automata on YouTube, and you can find detailed patterns to construct your own sculpture—which he takes great care to avoid being a Sisyphean task!—in his Etsy shop. (via Laughing Squid)

 

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Linda Lopez’s Playful Ceramic ‘Dust Furries’ Pick Up Detritus Like Pebbles and Peas in Their Colorful Coats

All images © Linda Nguyen Lopez, shared with permission

Bending and swishing as if poised to wiggle right out of the room, Linda Nguyen Lopez’s playful ceramic sculptures just want to do a little cleaning up. In the ongoing series Dust Furries, satisfying color gradients complement the supple textures of the works, which have a knack for getting odds and ends, like a dust bunny under the bed, stuck to their “fur.” “The detritus ranges from rocks to fingernails to peas,” Lopez tells Colossal. “All the things you would find on the floor or in corners.”

Bright hues, a variety of sizes, and different materials combine to create each piece’s distinct personality. Stylized shapes representing lint or abstract cut-outs float over the surfaces as if attracted by static electricity, suggesting the gentle friction of movement. “Over the past three years, the furries have become more technically proficient,” Lopez explains. “The colors are more fluid, there is stronger fur, and the porcelain furries have jumped in scale.”

Lopez (previously) is currently working on a new public art project in which she will translate the ceramic surface into bronze. Find more of her work on her website, and follow updates on Instagram.

 

Clockwise from front: ‘Dust Furries’ with lint, cut-outs, fingernails, dandruff, rocks, and peas

  

 

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