Giana De Dier Introduces Anonymous Women of the African Diaspora in Bold Collaged Portraits

From the series ‘Particularidades de una tierra prometida’ (2023), mixed media collage on MDF board, 100 x 70 centimeters. All images © Giana De Dier, shared with permission

The mystique of anonymity is a powerful presence, exemplified by a common fascination with family albums and historical archives in which we try to recognize unknown faces. Who were they? What are their stories? In bold, mixed-media portraits, Panama City-based artist Giana De Dier is driven by the enigmatic quality of early photographs centering on women of the African Diaspora. Her subjects are often portrayed wearing patterned fabrics, large earrings, and elaborately plaited hairstyles, situated in front of photographed landscapes or domestic interiors that incorporate African masks and decor and tropical plants.

When she first began to make collages, De Dier culled imagery from glossy magazines like Vogue and Elle, incorporating materials and textures from clothing and textiles. Her recent work looks further back in time, drawing inspiration primarily from depictions of women in the 19th and 20th centuries. “I’m interested in who the person photographed was, why they were photographed, and who took the photo,” she says, sharing that even when she comes across a newer image she likes, she manipulates it to make it appear as if it’s from the past. “My intention when using these images is to create new meaning and stories and find ways to connect these with my own.”

De Dier’s collages depict individuals seated in a traditional portrait posture or interacting and conversing with one another in interior settings. The relaxed atmosphere offers a counterpoint to a legacy of those who migrated to Panama in the early 1900s to build the Panama Canal. De Dier examines the “struggle, failed expectations, and heritage of a displaced people” that are informed by interviews and collected stories, remembering a period of grueling labor and challenging living conditions in the segregated Canal Zone.

Combining paper, woven African fabrics, and swatches of denim cut from jeans to make dresses, cloaks, furnishings, and architectural details, De Dier highlights “racial, religious, and language disparities within Panamanian society and culture” while emphasizing individuals’ powerful presences and contributions to the fabric of daily life, both literally and metaphorically. “Denim has always been present in some way,” she says. “It’s also one of the most worn textiles in Panama—where I was born and currently live—even with our warm and humid weather. Denim, to me, is connected with labor and serves as a way of placing these people and events from the past in a context that’s current.”

Find more of De Dier’s work on her website, and follow updates on Instagram.

 

“Conversaciones no. 2” (2023), collage on Fabriano watercolor paper, 50 x 50 centimeters

Left and right: From the series ‘Particularidades de una tierra prometida’ (2023), mixed media collage on MDF board, 100 x 70 centimeters

“Conversaciones no. 1” (2023), collage on Fabriano watercolor paper, 50 x 50 centimeters

“Conversaciones no. 5” (2023), collage on Fabriano watercolor paper, 100 x 70 centimeters each

“No existe la verdad absoluta (There is no absolute truth)” (2022), collage on Fabriano watercolor paper, 50 x 50 centimeters

From the series ‘Particularidades de una tierra prometida’ (2023), mixed media collage on MDF board, 100 x 70 centimeters

“Reconectar” (2022), mixed media collage on Fabriano watercolor paper, 70 x 75 centimeters

“Un día a la vez (One day at a time)” (2023), collage on Fabriano watercolor paper, 60 x 80 centimeters

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A Circular Monument of Rust-Colored Stone Rests Atop Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts

All images © Neri&Hu

A walkable sculpture now marks the eastern entrance of Xi’an’s Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts, providing a hidden space with natural light and open air in the midst of the bustling Chinese city. The project of Shanghai-based architecture firm Neri&Hu, “The Urban Monument” is built with terracotta-colored travertine and comprised of four sections that allow visitors to seamlessly pass from street to interior to outdoor gathering space. Located south of the towering Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, the immense project similarly references local ancient culture and is designed to mimic an illuminated clay lantern.

Neri&Hu maintained the underground museum’s original stairs to draw in pedestrians and lead them to a sunken piazza, and a latticed facade allows sunlight to brighten the inner walkways. In addition to the galleries, a massive amphitheater with concentric benches for seating sits at the top of the structure, which also holds public restrooms, a restaurant, a lounge, and retail space.

Completed in December 2021, “The Urban Monument” is one of many of Neri&Hu’s architectural projects that play with geometries and light, which you can explore on its site.

 

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Anxious Thoughts and Dreams Occupy the Minds of Johnson Tsang’s Porcelain Figures

“Cross My Mind” (2020), porcelain, fake grass, and trees, 11.8 × 11.8 × 5.5 inches. All images © Johnson Tsang, shared with permission

Through contorted figures, Johnson Tsang continues to stretch the limits of human consciousness as he blurs the boundary between the real and surreal. The Hong Kong-based artist has spent decades sculpting works in ceramic and steel that explore the liminal and invisible, making thoughts and emotions tangible through minimal forms in white porcelain. Vacillating between the calming and disconcerting, Tsang’s works convey many of the relatable anxieties and coping mechanisms that occupy the contemporary mind.

The artist’s Lucid Dream series frequently presents facial features as cushions with “Comfort Zone” and “Impressed” both featuring slumbering figures squashing the nose and forehead. Other works in the collection are more unsettling and use rubble, duplicates, and aggressive hands to warp the forms. The sculptures reflect Tsang’s own pursuit of spiritual growth and recognize the need to “stop the inner war and face everything that happens with peace.”

This sentiment of acceptance and calm dramatically changed for the artist after he suffered a stroke in January 2022. Following brain surgery, a ten-day coma, and extensive recovery to regain mobility and speech, he’s begun to speak about his health and desire to move forward. He shares with Colossal:

When asked how I am doing, I will playfully answer: ‘I’ve been very busy recently. I’m concentrating on creating a new work, which is my body and my life.’ That means, I’m a sculptor and become the clay that I’m sculpting… I just started a different journey, and embarking on this adventure is actually exciting and full of expectations because I know this particular experience comes only once and I must cherish it. I believe in life. Life is based on love, designed with wisdom, and allows us to grow through experience, so there is always a deeper meaning behind everything, and always with love and kindness —even if it seems not, like (with) a stroke.

Tsang postponed two exhibitions set for last year and is currently easing back into his practice. You can find more of his work and follow his progress on Instagram.

 

“Lucid Dream II, Comfort Zone”

“Healing in Progress” (2019)

Detail of “Healing in Progress” (2019)

“Lucid Dream II, Collapsed”

“Still in One Piece III”

Top left: “Lucid Dream II, Searching for Spring.” Top right: “Lucid Dream II, The Moment.” Bottom left: “Lucid Dream II, Self.” Bottom right: “Lucid Dream II, Two in One”

“Lucid Dream II, Impressed”

“Lucid Dream II, Promise Land”

“Lucid Dream III, War Zone”

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The Other Art Fair Returns To Barker Hangar in Los Angeles This March

Friends show off their art purchases at The Other Art Fair in Barker Hangar. All photos by Timothy Musho

Your average art experience might look like this: a sparse selection of art on display, out-of-budget, eerily quiet, and overall a bit underwhelming. The Other Art Fair aims to shake this up and is heading to Los Angeles this spring for its first U.S. fair of 2023 with utterly bizarre immersive experiences, LA billboard queen and guest artist ANGELYNE, live DJ sets, interactive workshops, and more. The fair encourages visitors to step out of their comfort zones and discover art differently—an outlandish and unmissable game plan for the weekend.

The Other Art Fair is a celebration of art in all its forms. Born in London in 2011, the Fair Founder Ryan Stanier had the vision to connect art lovers and first-time buyers with undiscovered, emerging artists and has since expanded the fair to over seven global locations—including Brooklyn, Dallas, Chicago, and Sydney—with thousands of artworks finding homes along the way.

 

Art lovers line up outside Barker Hangar to attend The Other Art Fair in Santa Monica.

Running March 30 to April 2 at Santa Monica’s historic Barker Hangar, the Los Angeles edition, in partnership with Saatchi Art, will bring together the talent of over 140 emerging artists who have been busy creating new work in their studios. The mix of local and international artists is carefully selected by a committee of art-world experts to ensure visitors have an abundance of artistic styles, sizes, and prices to choose from and love.

On the buzzing Opening Night, you might find yourself drink-in-hand, an artwork you landed for under $500 under your arm, surrounded by a group of friends who share your curiosity for new experiences. Alternatively, you could be spotted enjoying a lazy Sunday stroll around the event, come rain or shine, opening your mind to whatever creative conversation comes your way. Whatever your vibe, you’re invited.

Tickets are available at theotherartfair.com.

 

Friends pose for a selfie in front of a mural installation at The Other Art Fair Los Angeles.

Two people look on at a colorful artwork by an independent artist at The Other Art Fair Los Angeles.

Visitors at The Other Art Fair Los Angeles enjoy drinks as they explore art from over 140 independent artists.

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 The Other Art Fair Returns To Barker Hangar in Los Angeles This March appeared first on Colossal.

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Join Us for a Colossal Workshop on Stop-Motion Animation with Clifford Beddy

We’re excited to welcome animator Clifford Beddy on April 22 for a virtual workshop on the basics of stop-motion animation. In this two-hour session, participants will follow a playful storyline about a mouse and its quest to obtain a hunk of cheese, using everyday materials. Clifford will teach the necessary techniques for planning, lighting, tools, movement, textures, characters, and sound that will allow participants to create a variety of stop-motion creations.

All previous Colossal Workshops have sold out, so register today to reserve your seat. If you’re a Colossal Member, be sure to use the code in your account for $10 off. 10 percent of the proceeds for this workshop will benefit the Syrian American Medical Society Foundation, which is working on the front lines of medical crises in Syria.

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 Join Us for a Colossal Workshop on Stop-Motion Animation with Clifford Beddy appeared first on Colossal.

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Traditional Glassblowing Methods Suffuse Kateryna Sokolova’s Modern Vessels with Historical Spirit

All images © Kateryna Sokolova

It is often said that glass is a “slow-moving liquid” because it lacks of the molecular structure of true solids. Like oversized water droplets on the verge of slipping off the edge of a branch or a table, Ukrainian designer Kateryna Sokolova’s sculptural vessels draw on the medium’s natural malleability. GUTTA, a series of vases and carafes, draws on a rich tradition of glass-blowing in Ukraine and evokes a sense of paused time, as if the pieces are frozen in motion. “Through the curvaceous shape of the vases, I wanted to convey the mysterious power of nature and a sense of rhythm,” she says.

Sokolova’s designs are produced in Lviv by artisans who practice ancient glassblowing techniques, imbuing the modern forms with a historical dimension. GUTTA vessels are on view at the contemporary design fair Collectible in Brussels this weekend, and you can find more of the artist’s work on her website. (via Le Journal Du Design)

 

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Explore the Ancient Art of Kumihimo, a Traditional Japanese Braiding Technique

The ancient Japanese art of kumihimo encompasses 1,300 years of braiding and cord-making history. Translating to “gathered threads,” the weaving technique has been practiced for centuries, with the completed creations used for binding historical samurai armor and creating ties for modern kimonos. Many kumihimo are made of hand-dyed silk interlaced using special looms as demonstrated in a short film released by Japan House London.

Accompanying the Kumihimo: Japanese Silk Braiding exhibition, the video captures the meditative and methodical process of the labor-intensive art form. One weaver seated at a takadai loom manually passes bobbins through the upper and lower threads and then uses a bamboo tool, or hera, to hit and tighten the braid. Later, a craftsperson is shown at the round murudai, which involves passing the strands from front to back in a rhythmic sequence.

Watch the video above for a glimpse into the process, and if you’re in London, see Kumihimo: Japanese Silk Braiding, which features installations, looms, and dozens of examples of the braids, through June 11.

 

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