Invoking the Divine Feminine, Delita Martin’s Mixed-Media Portraits Embrace Self-Empowerment

“Blue Stars” (2020), relief printing, charcoal, acrylic, liquid gold leaf, decorative papers, hand stitching. All images © Delita Martin, shared with permission

“Duality is the idea that there are two realms within (the) spirit world,” says Delita Martin, “one that is seen and one that is unseen.” This coupling is a grounding force for the artist as she practices an alchemy of spirit and aesthetics, coaxing dynamic figures from a mélange of patterns, materials, and symbols.

Through a vivid body of work titled Conjure, Martin explores what it means to be self-empowered as a Black woman and embrace “the veilscape,” a spirit world in which the unseen, freedom from racism and sexism, transformation, and ancestral connection prevail. The artist refers to this space as an “intangible reality” and returns to it again and again as she overlays her relief-printed portraits with charcoal, acrylic, gold leaf, and threaded details.

 

“Resting Place” (2020), charcoal, acrylic, decorative papers, hand stitching

While this conceptual layer remains throughout all of Martin’s works, her vast use of symbols shifts with each portrait. She might feature a bird mid-flight, as in “Flying (Feather Skirt),” for example, to convey an unrestricted spirit, or a full flock bound to a subject’s shoulders as in “Feathers” to communicate the experience of being tethered to another. Recurring in different forms on garments or backdrops, circles are similarly evocative as they reference the connection between the divine feminine and the moon. Color, too, is emblematic. She shares:

Although I do not subscribe to any particular theory on color, I very much believe that color causes a reaction and can connect with the human spirit. For my own purposes, colors like red and orange carry a fiery energy, and blues are very calming and actually connect more closely to the spirit world in my work than any other color. I tend to favor blues the most in my work. Yellows and golds are what I consider outdoor colors that reference the earth, colors that are closely related to the waking world. Greens I connect with nature and growth. Purples/burgundy I associate with mystery and time.

Washes of acrylic or fragments of colorful patterns blur the distinction between body and surroundings, emphasizing the co-existence of the physical and spiritual worlds and reminding the viewer that part of the self always remains invisible and hidden behind the veil.

Martin, who is based in Huffman, Texas, and represented by Galerie Myrtis, will have new portraits on view this month at Tiwani Contemporary in London and is teaching a printmaking course in Salzburg this July. Find more of Conjure and other works on her site and Instagram.

 

Left: “Woman Sitting (Golden Stool)” (2020), relief printing, charcoal, acrylic, decorative papers, hand stitching. Right: “Claiming What Has Risen” (2020), relief printing, charcoal, fabric, decorative papers, hand stitching, acrylic

“Feathers” (2020), charcoal, acrylic, relief printing, decorative papers, liquid silver leaf, hand stitching

“Flying (Feather Skirt)” (2020), relief printing, charcoal, acrylic, fabric, decorative papers, hand stitching

Left: “Offerings” (2020), relief printing, charcoal, decorative papers, hand stitching, acrylic, liquid gold leaf. Right: “Mirrors and Sky” (2020), relief printing, charcoal, acrylic, decorative papers, hand stitching

“The Moon Now Rises” (2020), relief printing, charcoal, acrylic, decorative papers, hand stitching

Martin at work in her studio in Huffman, Texas

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‘A World History of Women Photographers’ Unearths Hundreds of Images that Enrich the Canon

Graciela Iturbide, Our Lady of the Iguanas, Juchitán de Zaragoza, Oaxaca, Mexico, 1979. Image © Graciela Iturbide. All images courtesy of Thames & Hudson, shared with permission

Photography is often touted as one of the most accessible and democratic mediums, making it a prime choice for those with little institutional support or access to funding. A new book edited by Luce Lebart and Marie Robert and published by Thames & Hudson explores the work of more than 300 women, many of whom were underrecognized during their lifetimes, and all of whose practices centered around the camera.

Recently translated from French by Ruth Taylor and Bethany Wright, the hefty A World History of Women Photographers is a corrective encyclopedia highlighting those with outsized impacts on the medium. The 504-page book pairs hundreds of images with text by an international roster of 160 women writers, granting similar space to each photographer and unearthing a chronically undervalued group. “With this collection of artists, it is not so much a matter of producing a counter-narrative or of deconstructing histories that already exist but of completing them. We have no desire to burn idols or topple statues, only to erect new ones, and to create a narrative that is richer and more fair,” the editors write in the introduction. “In other words, there is an urgent need to write another history, and to write it differently.”

 

Pamela Singh, Tantric Self-Portrait in Jaipur #18, c. 2000–2001. Image © Pamela Singh, courtesy of the artist and sepiaEYE, New York

Included in the chronologically organized text that spans from 1850 to today are luminaries like Carrie Mae Weems and Zanelle Muholi (previously), in addition to those who have only recently come into public view. The Argentine photographer Josefina Oliver (b. 1875) was largely unknown until her great-niece unearthed her archives in 2006, for example, and that same year, Karimeh Abbud (b. 1863), the first woman to establish a studio in Palestine in the early 20th century, was recognized for her distinct portraiture style in the first major exhibition of her work. “This ‘world tour’ enables us to re-evaluate some women who were celebrated and acknowledged in their own time, to remember others now unjustly forgotten, and to discover others whose work was never exhibited or discussed during their lifetime,” the editors say.

A World History of Women Photographers, created as part of the Rencontres d’Arles and Kering’s Women in Motion project, is currently available on Bookshop. (via Hyperallergic)

 

Anna Atkins, Alaria esculenta, from Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, 1849–1850. Image © The New York Public Library 

Sandra Eleta, Putulungo and Alma, Portobelo couple, 1977. Image © Sandra Eleta. Courtesy Galerie Rouge, Paris

Sigriður Zoëga, Women on the Banks of the Lake, 1915. Image © The National Museum of Iceland, Reykjavik

Isabel Muñoz, Untitled, from the series ‘Bam,’ 2005. Image © Isabel Muñoz

Rita Ostrovska, My husband Alik with our son Sasha, Bila Tserkva, Ukraine, 1988. Image © Rita Ostrovska

Victoria Ivleva, Dosimetrist Yuri Kobsar climbs radioactive debris inside the fourth reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, 1991. Image © Victoria Ivleva

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 ‘A World History of Women Photographers’ Unearths Hundreds of Images that Enrich the Canon appeared first on Colossal.

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Future-Proof Your Digital Identity With a .ART Domain

“Heterosis” by Mat Collishaw and Danil Krivoruchko for OG.ART, which showcases curated collections of dynamic generative art and offers a space for renowned digital artists to experiment with dynamic NFTs

Celebrate creativity with .ART, the premier domain for the global art community, as it marks six years since its launch and approaches a significant milestone of 300,000 registrations. With an impressive roster of users from prestigious art institutions and renowned brands—such as The Louvre, Louis Vuitton Foundation, Ars Electronica Festival, Bank of America Art Fund, Porsche, and many more—the platform’s consistent growth highlights its undeniable impact on the art world. Individual artists, art enthusiasts, and creative minds also flock to .ART, with “NameSurname.art” being among the most sought-after standard format for domain names.

Elevate your online presence with a premium .ART domain that stands out as a unique and artistic identifier. Examples of projects embracing the power of thoughtfully chosen domains include OG.ART, a platform curating collections of dynamic generative art; C2.ART, a full-service firm specializing in investment-level art; and NORTH.ART, a regional online art gallery and art news source for the North of the UK.

Embrace the digital revolution with the platform’s compatibility with Web3 and blockchain technology. More than 3,000 recently purchased .ART domains are related to NFTs and Web3, reflecting the growing trend. The platform offers matching ENS and DNS domains, bridging Web2 and Web3 platforms seamlessly. At PROTOCOL.ART, users can register the ENS name to complement their existing .ART website, allowing it to function as a web address and email, and they can even link to a wallet, NFT, or digital asset on Ethereum and other blockchain networks. With exclusive registration rights for the matching ENS name, domain owners can ensure a consistent and clear digital identity across Web2 and Web3.

 

Martin Lukas Ostachowski (MLO.ART) is a Canadian new media and crypto artist and crypto art historian who explores geometric abstraction and minimalism through both physical and digital mediums, often integrating blockchain technology

Notable creatives like contemporary artist and designer Ali Sabet (SABET.ART), new media artist and crypto art historian Martin Lukas Ostachowski (MLO.ART), and photographer and digital creator Yakob (YAKOB.ART) have already capitalized on the benefits of ENS-DNS integration.

By choosing .ART, you also contribute to the Art Therapy Initiative, which promotes the therapeutic benefits of art. Through this initiative, the platform has funded a fellowship in Art Therapy at George Washington University.

Embrace the future of digital creativity.

Discover and secure your ideal domain at get.art. Use code “COLOSSAL23” for a 50 percent discount on any domain’s first-year registration fee.

 

Ali Sabet (SABET.ART) is an Iranian American contemporary artist and designer who founded his own branding agency

Yakob (YAKOB.ART) is a photographer and digital creator who uses the Ethereum blockchain to showcase his work, combining photography and glitch art to create distinct and engaging pieces

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 Future-Proof Your Digital Identity With a .ART Domain appeared first on Colossal.

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Paris’s Arc de Triomphe Perfectly Frames a Glowing Full Moon in a Stunning Photo by Stefano Zanarello

Image © Stefano Zanarello, shared with permission

On a recent trip to Paris with his family, Italian photographer Stefano Zanarello traveled to the iconic Arc de Triomphe on an evening with a bright full moon. With a bustling street below, Zanarello waited about 1,300 meters from the famed monument, speculating that the celestial body would pass through the cloudless night sky and precisely position itself with the architectural aperture.

“In this kind of photo, the main important thing is the planning, since the moon walks on trajectories that change every day, so it’s fundamental to predict the trajectory and evaluate the shooting point, from with the moon is viewed in the wanted position regard another element, the Arc, in this case,” he tells Colossal, noting that he used the celestial planning software PhotoPills in the process. Within about 30 minutes of his arrival, the moon centered itself inside the neoclassical arc, allowing Zanarello to capture the short-lived alignment.

NASA highlighted the striking image in its Astronomy Picture of the Day project, and you can find more from Zanerello on Instagram. (via PetaPixel)

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 Paris’s Arc de Triomphe Perfectly Frames a Glowing Full Moon in a Stunning Photo by Stefano Zanarello appeared first on Colossal.

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An Animated Swimmer Dives into the Exhausting Experience of Working Under Pressure

A relatable animated short from the Ukrainian artist and director Iulia Voitova captures the total collapse and immobility of burnout and exhaustion. “La Plongeuese,” or “The Diver,” follows a professional swimmer so affected by a rigorous training schedule and the incessant noise of her coach’s whistle that she decides to give up her career entirely. When she visits a talented masseuse, though, she finds that her nerves and anxiety, which Voitova brilliantly depicts with tightly crimped paper, finally get some reprieve.

“La Plongeusese” was the director’s graduation project for La Poudrière, an animation film school in Valence, France, and you can find more of her works on Vimeo and Instagram.

 

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 An Animated Swimmer Dives into the Exhausting Experience of Working Under Pressure appeared first on Colossal.

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An Enchanting Addition to the American Museum of Natural History Houses the New Gilder Center within a Massive Geological Cavern

Kenneth C. Griffin Exploration Atrium. Photo by Alvaro Keding. All images © AMNH, shared with permission

A sculptural addition to the American Museum of Natural History encases the New York institution within a cavernous structure that captures the immensity of deep, geological time. The project of Chicago-based Studio Gang, the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation is a massive, dramatic space spanning 230,000 square feet with sweeping exhibition halls, a research library with a ceiling evocative of a gilled mushroom, a theater, and a five-story atrium filled with natural light.

Similar to the museum’s Central Park West entrance, Milford pink granite cloaks the exterior, and the undulating cliff-like facade features windows of fritted glass, a porous material that reduces glare, energy costs, and most importantly, the risk of bird collisions. The interior of the center mimics a hidden cave with walls that appear eroded by wind and water to reveal round, asymmetric openings, all of which are made with textured shotcrete, concrete that’s sprayed on an armature of rebar and metal mesh and then shaped. Designed as a system of loops to connect parts of the new wing with the existing building, the center’s structure allows visitors to seamlessly flow from one space to the next.

 

The Gilder Center. Photo by Iwan Baan

Many of the previously hidden collections and research labs are visible to the public for the first time, alongside the robust butterfly vivarium with more than 1,000 specimens, an interactive honeycomb that descends from above, and approximately four million fossils, skeletons, and other objects. Between the exhibition spaces are curved passes decked with their own displays, including a 19-foot recreation of a crystalline vein in Arkansas’s Ouachita Mountains as shown below. “The architecture taps into the desire for exploration and discovery that is so emblematic of science and also such a big part of being human,” said Jeanne Gang, founder of Studio Gang, in a statement. “The building invites you on a journey toward deeper understanding, sparking your curiosity and helping you find the amazing organisms and knowledge inside.”

In the making since 2014 with several setbacks, the Gilder Center officially opens on May 4, and you can find more of Studio Gang’s organic designs on its site.

 

The Kenneth C. Griffin Exploration Atrium. Photo by Iwan Baan

The Hive in the Susan and Peter J. Solomon Family Insectarium. Photo by Alvaro Keding

Yurman Family Crystalline Pass and the link to the Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals. Photo by Alvaro Keding

The David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Research Library and Learning Center. Photo by Alvaro Keding

The Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Collections Core. Photo by Alvaro Keding

Left: The Kenneth C. Griffin Exploration Atrium. Right: Sightlines from the third-floor bridge. Photos by Iwan Baan

The staircase in the Kenneth C. Griffin Exploration Atrium. Photo by Iwan Baan

Magnifying glass stations in the Davis Family Butterfly Vivarium. Photo by Denis Finnin

Second floor of the Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Collections Core. Photo by Iwan Baan

Fourth-floor bridge links and connections. Photo by Iwan Baan

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Vivid Foliage Suspends Xiao Wang’s Portraits in Uncanny Tension

“Portrait, October” (2022), oil on canvas, 41 x 54 inches. All images © Xiao Wang, shared with permission

Gingko leaves laced with violet, eucalyptus sprigs in blue, and ferns glowing with bright orange veil Xiao Wang’s portraits with a sense of subtle unreality. As if illuminated by fluorescent light, the oil paintings depict quiet, introspective, and intimate moments between the artist and subjects, who rest among lush plant life.

In a note to Colossal, Wang shares that he continually strives for both contrast and balance. He has relationships with each person he paints, whether it be friends, his partner, or himself, and their real-life bonds emerge through the unearthly palettes. “I want to create an uncanny feeling through distorting natural colors and creating sharp contrast,” he shares. “That’s why there are so many dark tones against light tones, violet and red against green and blue.”

The use of vivid color also energizes the works and adds to the underlying unease and anxiety of the otherwise languid subjects, who appear suspended in daydreams and transitory states. “I think I’m trying to walk between realism and expressionism, meaning that my work is deeply based on naturalistic observations and oftentimes maximalist technique, but also heightened by expressive colors and surreal settings,” he says.

Wang, who was born in China and is currently based in New York, has a solo show slated for July at PM/AM in London, and you can find more of his work and glimpses into his studio on Instagram.

 

“Hangover” (2021), oil on canvas, 44 x 40 inches

“Spaced in, Space out #2” (2023), oil on canvas, 40 x 32 inches

“Monkey Mind” (2022), oil on canvas, 58 x 44 inches

“Passing Hours” (2022), oil on canvas, 60 x 48 inches

“Sound of Cicadas” (2022), oil on canvas, 60 x 80 inches

“Slumber-Dusk” (2020), oil on canvas, 44 x 58 inches

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 Vivid Foliage Suspends Xiao Wang’s Portraits in Uncanny Tension appeared first on Colossal.

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