Rough-Hewn Deities Rise from the Streets of Vietnam in Kumkum Fernandos Growing World of Futuristic Figures

“Koha, Manike the Maniac, and Lomba.”All images © Kumkum Fernando, shared with permission

At once totemic and automaton-like, the deities built in Studio REBORN in Saigon are bound by mystique. The characters are scions of the Vietnamese city, emerging from doors, windows, tabletops, and abandoned architecture that Kumkum Fernando collects, cleans, and repurposes as figurative sculptures. While the found materials may have lost their original paint or patterns, the artist faithfully honors this history, often recreating motifs and color palettes reflected on the final forms.

Born in Sri Lanka to an antique collector, Fernando incorporates this background into his pieces, both through the act of scouring construction sites, resale shops, and streetside trash bins for wood and other items used in his practice and through adornment. Many of his sculptures include elements of folkloric tales and temple paintings that infuse the pieces with a spiritual, mythical quality and reference Sri Lankan culture.

Fernando’s latest body of work abandons the sleek, boldly vibrant forms of recent years to instead focus on a gritty, post-apocalyptic narrative. “I started out by making notebooks and toy cars using old Vietnamese building parts before transitioning to glossy figurative pieces,” he tells Colossal of his evolution. “I began to miss the textures and colors I used to work with. That’s when I decided to go back and incorporate aspects I loved from the beginning into this series.”

On view now at Jonathan Levine Projects, the characters of Post Colonial Rainbow Punks “are intergalactic swashbucklers—part gangsters, part mythical beings.” Like his earlier works, they invoke East Asian history and mythology through the lens of structural debris like French shutters and window frames, although their geometric bodies are embellished with mottled, worn paint and what appears like rusted metals. Hailing from a distant future while constructed with materials of the past, these figures recontextualize time and space and are said to have reached Earth in search of Princess Izzah 281, their most difficult mission yet.

For more of Fernando’s fantastic sculptures, visit his site and Instagram.

 

“Koha”

“Weeping Orchid”

Detail of “Weeping Orchid”

“Soft Boss”

“Ilo Galaxy”

“Jackfruit Jenny”

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July 2023 Opportunities: Open Calls Residencies and Grants for Artists

Image © Chris Wood

Every month, Colossal shares a selection of opportunities for artists and designers, including open calls, grants, fellowships, and residencies. If you’d like to list an opportunity here, please get in touch at hello@colossal.art. You can also join our monthly Opportunities Newsletter.

 

Open Calls

Franklin Furnace 2023 XENO Prize for Artists’ Books (International)
This prize offers $5,000 to one artist to publish an artist’s book centered around book banning/burning in an edition of at least 120 copies. Franklin Furnace will make three copies of the book freely available to the public via its Artists’ Books Collection and will give one copy to the Library of Congress, each of the 50 State Libraries in the United States of America, and the Pratt Institute Libraries.
Deadline: July 4, 2023.

1708 Gallery’s InLight 2023 Call for Proposals (International)
For this year’s exhibition, 1708 invites regional, national, and international artists working in all media and disciplines to submit entries that engage with and respond to Reflection and Refraction for the InLIght festival. Artists are invited to propose projects that engage with and expand upon the histories and activities that comprise InLight, as well as Broad Street’s past, present, and future. Chosen applicants receive a $1,000 stipend.
Deadline: Midnight ET on July 5, 2023. 

Mophradat Orbitals Open Call (International)
This open call will take four curators and art researchers to Dakar, Senegal. During the one-week guided research trip, the participants will meet and share experiences with peers from the art scenes they are visiting. Mophradat will provide flights, travel insurance, accommodation, and per diems, and reimburse visa costs. Applicants must be from or living in the Arab world.
Deadline: July 10, 2023.

In Translation at Glen Arbor Arts Center (International)
Applications are being accepted for In Translation, the Glen Arbor Arts Center’s juried exhibition that runs from August 18 to October 26. In Translation explores this question: What is the role of the artist, the visual maker, in the 21st century? Visionary? Commentator? Taker of dictation? Aesthete? Four artists will receive awards ranging from $150 to $500. There is a $35 application fee.
Deadline: July 13, 2023.

USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry Art Valley Program Open Call (International)
This open call will accept five international artists and scholars who use comprehensive media materials. From November 1 to December 15, selected artists will hold exhibitions with Shanghai organizations and receive RMB 10,000. Applicants can be at all career stages and working in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, new media, installation, interdisciplinary, and architecture.
Deadline: July 14, 2023.

Memento Mori Juried Group Exhibition (International)
The Chateau Gallery is hosting Memento Mori, an international juried group exhibition centered around life and death. All forms of two-dimensional, traditional, and non-conventional art media are eligible for the online show.
Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Art For Change Prize 2023 (International)
From M&C Saatchi Group and Saatchi Gallery, this year’s prize asks emerging artists to creatively respond to the theme of Regeneration. £20,000 will be split between six winners, who will exhibit their work at Saatchi Gallery in London.
Deadline: July 17, 2023.

14th Epson International Pano Awards (International)
The Epson panoramic photography awards are open for submissions with prizes totaling $40,000, including $14,000 in cash. Entry fees range from $20 to $22.
Deadline: July 17, 2023.

The Nueva Luz Study Center Commissioning Fund 2024 (New York State)
En Foco is launching a new program that will commission three artists to create new work using the archives of the Nueva Luz Study Center. Proposals should inspire and re-contextualize artworks, themes, and issues contained or referenced within the archives, and each project will receive a $1,000 budget.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on July 19, 2023.

El Paso Museum of Art–2024 Border Biennial/Bienal Fronteriza 2024 (U.S.)
This exhibition will explore how “the border” has shaped the practices and identities of artists who live and work within 200 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. MT on July 30, 2023.

Boynes Artist Award (International)
The 9th edition of the Boynes Artist Award will accept artists of all career stages. Winning artists have access to a $3,500 cash prize pool, $250 in art supplies, the creation of a professional artist website, publication, newsletter features, and long-term support and guidance. There is a $25 to $35 submission fee.
Deadline: July 30, 2023.

SculptureCenter In Practice 2024 Open Call (International)
In Practice 2024 invites artists who have not yet had an institutional solo exhibition in New York City to submit proposals for solo shows in designated gallery spaces at SculptureCenter. Proposals for off-site projects, publishing initiatives, performances, and nontraditional formats are also accepted. Up to seven applicants will be chosen and receive $6,000 project budgets and $1,000 honorariums.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on August 6, 2023.

Passepartout Photo Prize (International)
Open to photographers at any stage of their careers, the Passepartout Photo Prize is accepting submissions for its seventh edition. Winners receive exhibition and publication opportunities, with one 500 Euro award. There is a 25 Euro entry fee.
Deadline: October 10, 2023.

 

Grants

Prospect Art Open Call for Visual Artists (International)
Visual artists are eligible for the NEW WORK program, which offers a $1,000 project grant. There is a $10 application fee.
Deadline: July 3, 2023.

Illuminations Grant for Black Trans Women Visual Artists (U.S.)
Now in its fourth year, this annual $10,000 grant draws attention to early-career Black trans women visual artists, highlighting an existing body of work and providing critical support for their practice. The winning artist will complete a studio visit with our rotating panel of judges, and four distinguished finalists will receive $1,250 awards.
Deadline: July 12, 2023.

Project Mesquite: 2023 Organization Grants (Arizona)
Cultural organizations in Tucson and southern Arizona are eligible for $5,000 to $10,000 grants for projects that will impact a broad group of people.
Deadline: July 13, 2023.

AXS Film Fund (International)
This program is for disabled creators of color in documentary filmmaking or nonfiction new media. Five artists receive grants of up to $10,000 each to assist in finishing projects at any stage of production.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on July 31, 2023.

2024 Joyce Awards (Great Lakes region)
The final 2024 funding cycle for the Joyce Awards is now open to cultural workers and organizations working toward racial equity and economic mobility.
Deadline: September 11, 2023.

Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund (Ukraine or refugee)
Adobe’s Creative Residency Community Fund commissions visual artists to create company projects on a rolling basis. Awardees will receive between $500 and $5,000.
Deadline: Rolling.

 

Residencies, Fellowships, & More

The Studios at MASS MoCA Residency (International)
Fully funded fellowships at MASS MoCA are available for two or four-week residencies. Selected artists receive private studio space, housing, access to workshops, and member benefits.
Deadline: July 8, 2023.

UNIDEE and Cittadellarte–Fondazione Pistoletto Residency Program (International)
Artists, curators, writers, theorists, and activists are eligible for this residency centered around the theme of Neither on Land nor at Sea. Residents will expand their ongoing research and practice exploring Mediterranean complexities and geographical thinking in the arts and beyond, within a group of peers and guests. Housing is provided.
Deadline: July 9, 2023.

Penland’s Resident Artist Program (International)
Artists working in contemporary craft are eligible for four Penland residencies, either the one-year project-based program or the three-year track for career transition. Chosen applicants receive housing and studio space.
Deadline: July 12, 2023.

Creative Corps Initiative (California)
This program makes available $2.85 million to artists working at the intersection of arts and issues of civic engagement, climate justice, community health and wellness, and social justice. Each awardee will work with a nonprofit and receive a stipend of $70,000 to $72,000.
Deadline: 5 p.m. PT on July 14, 2023.

ICCI Art Valley Program (International)
The USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative of Shanghai Jiao Tong University is recruiting five international artists and scholars to participate in the ICCI ART VALLEY PROGRAM from November 1 to December 15. Visiting artists will hold exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and/or other public programs and will receive accommodations, airfare, and a stipend of at least $1,300.
Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Loghaven Artist Residency (International)
Loghaven invites artists working in architecture, dance, music composition, theater, visual arts, writing, and interdisciplinary practices to apply for residencies occurring in 2024 and 2025. Both emerging and established artists are eligible, and residents receive a living stipend of $850 per week in addition to travel and freight reimbursement. There is a $20 application fee.
Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Crosstown Arts Residency Program (International)
Open to artists working in visual arts, music, filmmaking, and writing, this program offers private studio space and lodging. There is a $10 application fee.
Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Quinn Emanuel Los Angeles Artists-in-Residence Program (Greater Los Angeles)
Open to emerging and mid-career artists working in all disciplines, this four-month program offers a studio in the Quinn Emanuel Los Angeles office. The chosen applicant will receive $5,000 per month, $1,500 for materials, and an exhibition.
Deadline: July 15, 2023.

UCross Residency Program (U.S.)
Open to visual artists, writers, composers, choreographers, interdisciplinary artists, and performance artists, as well as collaborative teams, this residency offers housing, a workspace, and a $1,000 stipend.
Deadline: 1 a.m. on July 16, 2023.

UCross Fellowship for Native American Visual Artists (U.S.)
This four-week residency is open to artists working in any visual discipline who are members of a state-recognized or federally-recognized native group. Selected artists receive $2,000 and a featured gallery exhibition at Ucross the following year.
Deadline: 1 a.m. on July 16, 2023.

National Public Housing Museum Artist as Instigator Residency (International)
This year-long program leverages arts and culture to make creative public policy interventions around housing and related social justice issues. One resident will receive $10,000 and a $10,000 budget for expenses. Projects must take place anywhere within the United States, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. on July 21, 2023.

Adobe Creative Residency (U.K.)
Adobe x Museums is a new initiative to fund year-long residencies at the Victoria and Albert Museum and Museum of Modern Art in New York. The first round of applications for the V&A is open now in illustration, ceramics, and costume design.
Deadline: 10 a.m. British Summer Time on July 28, 2023.

Monira Foundation and Jonas Mekas Studio Research and Production Residency (International)
Curators, artists, practitioners, and theorists interested in the intersection of art and media are eligible for this six-month program in Jersey City. Applicants should propose a project that utilizes the Jonas Mekas Studio to produce a new work, research presentation, or curate an exhibition or screening. Residents receive a $750 monthly stipend. There is a $15 application fee.
Deadline: Midnight ET on July 28, 2023.

Grand Canyon Conservancy 2024 Grand Canyon Artist in Residence (International)
This program supports artists in any discipline who are interested in conservation, cultural identity, or community. Residents receive free lodging, workspace, and a stipend for up to eight weeks. There is a $45 application fee.
Deadline: July 31, 2023.

National Parks Arts Foundation: Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park October 2024 Artist in Residence (International)
Artists in all media are eligible for this residency at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, which offers a $4,000 stipend, housing, and artist events.
Deadline: July 31, 2023.

The Farm Margaret River (International)
Open to all disciplines, individuals, and collectives, this residency focuses on site-specific projects created during eight weeks at The Farm Margaret River in Australia. Chosen applicant(s) will receive lodging, studio space, and a $7,500 grant.
Deadline: August 1, 2023.

Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts Residencies (International)
The Bemis Center has two residencies open, one 18-month program for curators and another for artists. One chosen curator will receive private living and workspace, a $40,750 stipend, a research budget, a curatorial honorarium, and a $750 travel stipend. Artists receive private live and work studios, a $1,250 monthly stipend, and a $750 travel stipend. There are $40 application fees for both programs.
Deadline: August 1, 2023.

Peters Valley School of Craft (International)
Artists working in blacksmithing, ceramics, fibers, fine metals, wood, drawing, painting, collage, or printmaking are eligible for this two-week to one-month program. Residents receive a private room in a shared house, studio access, and stipends ranging from $500 to $1,000. Chosen applicants must have access to a car.
Deadline: August 1, 2023.

Centrum Residency Programs (International)
Centrum has several residencies open for artists, writers, and curators. All are funded, last one to four weeks, and come with honorariums.
Deadline: August 15, 2023.

Willapa Bay AiR: 2024 Residencies (International)
These month-long residencies are open to emerging and established artists, filmmakers, writers, playwrights, scholars, singer/songwriters, and musical composers. Each month, six chosen applicants receive lodging, meals, and workspace at no cost. There is a $30 application fee.
Deadline: August 31, 2023.

Bryn Du’s Artist in Residence Program (International)
Artists working in visual arts, literature, music, theater, fashion, dance, storytelling, and audiovisual studies are eligible for this eight or 12-week residency. Stipends range from $2,000 to $3,000, and lodging and studio space are provided. There is a $15 application fee.
Deadline: August 31, 2023.

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 July 2023 Opportunities: Open Calls, Residencies, and Grants for Artists appeared first on Colossal.

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The Flower of Tujia Weaves History and Culture Through 150000 Meters of Red Brocade Thread

All images © YI+MU, shared with permission

Intricate geometric patterns and rich hues distinguish the  woven textiles of China’s Tujia people, who call the Wuling Mountains home in western Hunan. In the nearby city of Zhangjiajie, the new China Tu­jia Bro­cade Mu­seum will be dedicated to the art of Xi­lan Kapu, or Tujia brocade, to celebrate the culture’s distinctive creativity and preserve an endangered craft. In a remarkable architectonic installation called “The Flower of Tujia,” 150,000 meters of red brocade thread creates an awe-inspiring centerpiece for the main space.

Designed by Yi Chen and Muchen Zhang of Beijing-based design studio YI+MU, the artwork spans more than 1,000 square meters along a grid of 20 beams, allowing the fiber to alternately reveal and conceal the geometry of stairwells and windows as one moves around. “The di­a­mond-shape struc­ture in­spired by the iconic pat­tern of the Tu­jia bro­cade is clearly vis­i­ble from all an­gles,” the studio says. Symbolically interpreting the 30-step process of Xi­lan Kapu into a three-dimensional piece, the design unifies and highlights the museum’s interior and sparks a sense of wonder that verges on the spiritual, a key aspect of YI+MU’s philosophy.

The museum building was completed in 2022 and an opening date is yet to be announced. Find more of YI+MU’s projects on the studio’s website. (via designboom)

 

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Daniel Rueda and Anna Devís New Book Happytecture Finds Beauty and Whimsy in Architectural Details

“Window Shopping.” All images © Daniel Rueda and Anna Devís, shared with permission

Whether interacting with architecture or crafting their own sets, photography duo Daniel Rueda and Anna Devís (previously) find endless inspiration in the built environment. Grounded in their training as architects, the Valencia-based pair conceive of visual puns and whimsical ways to augment existing structures and spaces by adding new design elements and donning garments that blend in with the scenery.

Happytecture, a new book published by Counterprint, celebrates the last several years of their joy-filled practice of transforming ordinary locations into eye-catching, witty works of art. Saturated hues and exquisitely produced props characterize Devís and Rueda’s compositions, the result of scouting unique locations and finding imaginative ways to incorporate new shapes, palettes, and clothing. By precisely matching patterns or embellishing with bows, they add new meaning to existing designs and challenge us to see our surroundings differently.

Follow both Devís and Rueda’s Instagrams for updates, and on their website, you can purchase a signed copy of the book with the option to include a print. You can also find the book in Counterprint’s shop.

 

“I Light What I See”

“Weight For It”

“Strong HER”

“Sandtasy”

“Verti-go or Verti-stay?”

“Pink-a-boo”

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 Daniel Rueda and Anna Devís’ New Book ‘Happytecture’ Finds Beauty and Whimsy in Architectural Details appeared first on Colossal.

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How Do You Like Them Apples? Can Suns Playful Sculptures Emerge from Bright Red Fruit

All images © Can Sun, shared with permission

If anyone ever told Can Sun not to play with his food, it’s a good thing he didn’t listen. The London-based Chinese artist meticulously carves red apples into geometric cross-sections and linking chains, sometimes adding accoutrements like brass hinges. Delicate slices are puzzled together to form circles or the skin carefully removed to reveal interlocking, rope-like shapes, as if the apple is caught in a net.

“I had a really tough childhood. For a long period, humour has been a way to protect my self-esteem,” Sun tells Colossal, sharing that he chose to focus on apples because the unexpected arises from the ordinary. “My work tries to break the audience’s logical expectations, which makes the audience wonder if the world is absurd. The more everyday the object, the greater shock when the audience sees its different forms.”

Sun enjoys playfully reinterpreting all sorts of everyday objects into uncanny artworks, like a wearable temporary sculpture made from dandelions that mimics brass knuckles. His work will be included in group exhibitions in Beijing and Shanghai this July and August, and you can follow updates on Instagram. (via BoingBoing)

 

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Maps Everyday Ephemera and Watercolor Drawings Record José Naranjas Travels with Fantastic Detail

All images © José Naranja, shared with permission

Rather than scrolling through photos from a recent trip, José Naranja (previously) remembers his travels through exceptionally detailed sketchbooks with notes, illustrations, and ephemera collected during his visits. The artist and author is an avid tourist and dedicated observer, and he saturates the blank pages of his Moleskines with watercolor and ink drawings of airplanes, film characters, and maps. Like most of us, Naranja was unable to travel during much of the last few years, although he’s resumed his adventures and frequented Thailand and other parts of Asia, which are reflected in his latest spreads.

Currently, Naranja is working on an experimental illustrated oracle deck that envisions the year 2050 through the lens of science, art, and philosophy, all tinged with his signature fantastical approach. The artist’s latest book, The Nautilus Manuscript, is available now, and you can follow updates on his work on Instagram.

 

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Exquisite Paintings by Lee Me Kyeoung Are an Ode to the Quaint Corner Stores of South Korea

All images © Lee Me Kyeoung, shared with permission

City dwellers know that convenience stores have a culture unto themselves, and although franchises continue to dominate and overtake businesses, small, independently run shops have undeniable charm. For the past several years, artist Lee Me Kyeoung (previously) has been adding to her ongoing series of paintings that celebrate the idiosyncrasies and appeal of tiny South Korean corner stores, which are increasingly facing closure.

On view throughout July at Gallery Imazoo in Gangnam, Me Kyeoung’s latest works are an ode to these disappearing locales. Enveloped by lush cherry blossoms or persimmon trees, the shops are well-stocked with dense shelves, crates of goods, and advertisements pasted in the windows. Bicycles, benches, and the occasional folding chair stand outside the entrances. Delicately rendered in pen and acrylic, the paintings depict architectural and organizational variances that make each spot unique, while honoring the cultural ubiquities of these spaces.

Me Kyeoung has a robust archive of the quaint shops, which you can find on 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 Exquisite Paintings by Lee Me Kyeoung Are an Ode to the Quaint Corner Stores of South Korea appeared first on Colossal.

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