Overly Grand Manners: Volker Hermes Exaggerates Historical Portraits with Ostentatious Absurdity

“Hidden Pickenoy II” (2023). All images © Volker Hermes, shared with permission

Throughout 17th and 18th centuries, Europe’s upper classes entered an era of unprecedented prosperity due to exploding commerce and trade. The wealthy sought to express their status, and portraiture, which had previously been exclusive to royalty, became the perfect indicator of social rank. In England, these paintings became known as Grand Manner works, and the Dutch school counted well-known names like Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, and Frans Hals among its cohort, still captivating us today at sellout exhibitions. For German artist Volker Hermes, this era of art history provides an endless source of inspiration.

Digital photocollages (previously) playfully reimagine the original sitters in Hermes’ ongoing Hidden Portraits series. Originally depicted by the likes of Dutch painter Nicolaes Pickenoy or French baroque artist Georges de La Tour, the subjects in Hermes’ iterations are overwhelmed by their own garments to the point of absurdity. Brocade masks cover one Elizabethan subject’s eyes, luxuriant robes extend all the way up to foreheads, and lace ruffs engulf the wearers’ faces.

Hermes is drawn to specific characteristics in the original paintings, such as ribbons, which “bring historical images into motion,” he tells Colossal. “At the moment, I’m dealing a lot with Rococo, which is currently getting a lot of attention, after being considered kitsch for a long time.” Depictions of masculinity throughout history have also emerged as a new theme. “I would like to draw attention once again to antiquated forms of masculinity, which actually seemed to be outdated, but are currently becoming—unfortunately—attractive again for many men,” he says.

Through July 8, you can visit Hermes’ solo exhibition Ruff Hood at James Freeman Gallery in London. He will also have work in the group exhibition Rococo Madness! at the National Museum in Wroclaw, Poland, from July 14 through January 14, 2024. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

 

“Hidden English School” (2023)

“Hidden Catena” (2021)

“Hidden Anonymous (Pourbus IV)” (2021)

“Hidden de la Tour VIII” (2022)

“Hidden Nattier VI” (2023)

“Hidden Anglo-Dutch School” (2023)

“Hidden Pickenoy II” (2023)

“Hidden Singleton Copley VII” (2023)

“Hidden Siriès Cerroti” (2022)

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Page Through a 19th-Century Embossed U.S. Atlas Designed with Touchable Cartography for Blind Students

Maine, Atlas of the United States, Printed for the Use of the Blind (1837). All images via David Rumsey Map Associates

About a decade after French educator Louis Braille invented the eponymous system for blind and sight-impaired readers, the New England Institution for Education of the Blind released its own embossed designs allowing those with low or no vision access to important information. Under the leadership of Samuel Gridley Howe, the school, which is now the Perkins School for the Blind, acquired a printing press in 1835 and began to create a variety of learning materials with raised writing for its students. One of those books was an atlas of the United States, which held touchable cartography within its pages.

Paired with descriptions written in standard Latin script—this proved much more difficult to read than braille and never gained the popularity of its counterpart—the maps contain typical information like longitude and latitude, along with the area’s population, climate, and commerce. Solid lines denote rivers, a singular raised shoreline buttressed by parallel lines represents oceans, and clustered triangles are mountains. Printed in 1837 in an edition of 50, this version of the atlas contains just 24 states. Only four copies are known to remain.

Flip through digital scans of the book at David Rumsey Map Associates. (via Kottke)

 

New Hampshire

Rhode Island

Ohio

Illinois

Pennsylvania

New Jersey

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Interview: Sophie de Oliveira Barata on The Alternative Limb Project and the Nexus of Art and Medicine

Model Kelly Knox wearing “Synchronised.” Photos by Omkaar Kotedia, all images © The Alternative Limb Project, shared with permission

For more than a decade, Sophie de Oliveira Barata has been at the helm of The Alternative Limb Project, a Lewes-based studio that makes custom prosthetics for people with amputated or missing appendages. The designs range from uncannily realistic to fantastic, fairytale-like creations that fall at the intersection of art and medicine, a unique meeting point she discusses in a new interview with Colossal.

Some people have an idea that it will just be exactly the same all the time, and your body is a living organism, which is impossible to replicate. In some ways, it’s easier to go for an alternative because you haven’t got to match something that’s just changing all the time.

In this conversation, de Oliveira Barata speaks about the young girl who helped inspire the project, how cultural conceptions of physical disability have evolved, and the imaginative, empowering possibilities of alternative limbs.

Read the interview.

 

“Anatomical Leg”

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Channeling African Heritage and Fairytales CreativeSoul Photography Empowers Black Children in Captivating Portraits

All images © Creative Soul Photography, shared with permission

Ten years ago, Atlanta-based photographers Kahran and Regis Bethencourt of CreativeSoul Photography noticed a lack of diversity in the industry, and they seized the opportunity to represent and celebrate the myriad styles and stories of African heritage. In their ongoing AfroArt series, the Bethencourts embrace the versatility of Black hair by sweeping it into towering updos and beaded braids. Young models are bedecked in sequins, ruffles, and shells that are often paired with elaborate garments made of vibrant Dutch wax fabric.

As the series evolved, CreativeSoul dug deeper into fairytales and folklore—some traditional and some of their own imagining—inspiring a collaboration with Disney for a collection of dolls that reframes classic princesses as African royalty. Replete with gowns made of brightly patterned textiles, iconic characters like Snow White and Cinderella wear colorful bows in their long braids and afros.

 

Elaborate hairstyles, embellished costumes, and bold backgrounds characterize CreativeSoul’s portraits. “When it comes to sourcing outfits and generating ideas for each image, we work closely with parents and kids themselves in the creative decision-making,” they tell Colossal. “We typically ask each child, if they could have the shoot of their dreams, what would it be? We believe in giving them a voice and allowing their personalities to shine through in the final results.” From the initial idea, they brainstorm themes and source inspiration from literature, culture, and the children’s individual interests.

The Bethencourts also just released Crowned, published by St. Martins Press, as a followup to their first title Glory in 2020. The books are “a celebration of black beauty, featuring stunning imagery that showcases the diversity and uniqueness of black children,” the pair says, sharing that “we aim to inspire young readers and instill in them a sense of pride and self-love.”

Upcoming projects include two new books, one celebrating Black history and another focusing on Christmas. You can snag a copy of Crowned on Bookshop, and find more on CreativeSoul’s website and Instagram.

 

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13 Artists Rewild the City Streets for the 2023 Nuart Aberdeen Festival

Swoon. Photo by Brian Tallman. All images courtesy of Nuart Aberdeen, shared with permission

Rewilding is an approach to conservation that allows nature to reclaim its space and form a self-sustaining ecosystem. The restoration practice has become one favored solution to remedy environmental degradation and part of the lexicon for climate activism. In Scotland, the increasingly popular approach also brings discussions of land use and access to the fore, paralleling the way people move through cities.

Using rewilding as a way to reimagine what it means to cultivate street art culture, the 2023 Nuart Aberdeen Festival brought together 13 artists earlier this month. Held June 8 to 11, the annual festival commissioned works that explore the tension between sanctioned murals and the unauthorized tags synonymous with street art. Projects include Thiago Mazza’s vivid rendering of native plants, Nespoon’s reference to craft traditions of the area’s Bon Accord Bobbins Lace Group, and Murmure’s imprisoned goldfish that explicates the proliferation of plastic and inaction as it relates to the climate crisis. Swoon, known for her intimate wheat pastes, even came out of retirement to create a series of portraits spread across walls and tucked in doorways and alcoves.

Nuart organizers said this year’s goal was to “provoke reflections on what a city where art is truly free might look, sound, smell, and feel like.” See more from the festival on Instagram.

 

Swoon. Photo by Brian Tallman

Murmure, “Anarchy.” Photo by Brian Tallman

Nespoon. Photo by Brian Tallman

Thiago Mazza. Photo by Brian Tallman

Escif, “Pollution forest.” Photo by Brian Tallman

Eloise Gillow. Photo by Brian Tallman

Eloise Gillow. Photo by Brian Tallman

Tamara Alves. Photo by Clarke Joss

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In Ink and Watercolor Illustrations Felicia Chiao Immerses Curious Characters in Surreal Scenarios

“Weepy Chrysanthemums.” All images © Felicia Chiao, shared with permission

Whether floating in pools of rainwater in the center of chrysanthemums or navigating the chaos of a fish tank, the characters in Felicia Chiao’s drawings encounter surreal circumstances that tap into complex emotions. Her illustrations (previously) follow the experiences and interactions of solemn figures who search for the sun, become immersed in blossoms, and appear both curious about and overwhelmed by the huge world around them.

Chiao incorporates anthropomorphized elements of nature to represent moods, like in “Try,” which contrasts the cheerful, sunny top level of an apartment with a dim, melancholy lower level that gets little light. In “Bloat,” a dark, inner monster—a recurring specter—is dispelled by the shining sun. Peering past giant flower petals or surrounded by prying eyes, her figures express universal feelings of awe, anxiety, uncertainty, and joy.

Long using Copic markers for her drawings, Chiao recently switched to watercolor for gallery works, maintaining a similar style of washed hues while achieving better archival quality. She continues to use the markers for personal work, sharing with Colossal, “The new medium, however, has enabled me to push the boundaries of scale and color application.” Some of these pieces are part of New Normal, the artist’s solo exhibition at Giant Robot in Los Angeles that continues through June 28 and showcases her new watercolors.

In October, Chiao will be part of a group exhibition presented by Hi-Fructose Magazine at Arch Enemy Arts in Philadephia, and she’s looking forward to another solo show next year in New York City with Harman Projects. Follow updates on Instagram and Patreon, and find prints on Society6.

 

“Fish Tank”

“Chrysanthemum”

Left: “Growth.” Right: “Bloat”

“Try”

“Floral White”

“Geraniums”

“Handle With Care”

“Pattern Worms”

“Seen”

“Waiting”

“Sun God”

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Vanessa Barragãos Sprawling Biomorphic Textiles Evoke the Remarkable Textures of the Sea Floor

All images © Vanessa Barragão, shared with permission

Sprawling tufts of looped, wound, and crocheted yarn sprawl across walls and floors in Vanessa Barragão’s elaborate, nature-inspired textiles. The Portuguese artist (previously) draws inspiration from the textures of coral, rock pools, botanicals, and the cosmos to compose expansive fiber pieces.

Each piece can take upwards of three weeks to complete, as Barragão and a team of six studio assistants—including her mother, sister, with additional crocheted contributions from her grandmothers—collaboratively knot the yarn through every single hole in the jute canvas to create lush, biomorphic forms.

If you’re near Lisbon, you can find Barragão’s work in Morphosis at the Museu das Artes de Sintra, Portugal, alongside ceramicist Catarina Nunes, which opens June 29 and runs through October 1. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

 

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