Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Barbed Wire, Chains, and Shears Cleave Through Delicate Pottery in Glen Taylor’s Profound Sculptures

A porcelain teapot broken and reconnected with barbed wire.

All images © Glen Taylor, shared with permission

Far from dainty, Glen Taylor’s teapots, cups, and saucers (previously) tap into the contrasts and contradictions of human nature. Soldering industrial implements like barbed wire, shears, and chains to broken pieces of porcelain and pottery, the artist draws on our associations with aging, decorum, and everyday wear and tear.

Influenced by kintsugi, the Japanese art of mending broken ceramics with metallic seams to highlight the object’s history, the sculptures allude to our inner experiences and emotions. “I continue on my journey of expressing my wonder, my confusion, my fierce battle with the dilemma of being a human,” he tells Colossal. “My work continues to open wider the wounds of love and living, of walking through this life unafraid to use my heart.”

Taylor will be exhibiting some work in New York next month. Follow Instagram for updates, and see more work on his website.

 

Half of a ceramic plate with a whirl of soldered spoons.  Large shears with a piece of porcelain plate in its open space.

A cascade of spoons rising out of a teacup.

A teacup with gooks and spikes, with chains connecting the cup to the saucer.

A large knife spears a stack of teacups.

A pitchfork spears a series of teacups and spoons.

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 Barbed Wire, Chains, and Shears Cleave Through Delicate Pottery in Glen Taylor’s Profound Sculptures appeared first on Colossal.



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Enchanting Ecosystems Crocheted by Melissa Webb Envelop Interior Spaces with Verdant Fibers

green crochet forms evoking moss and other plants cloak a living room

“Lichenvision: Leaf Litter Living Room, Lakeside Home, and Zoom Date” (2021), 14 x 12 x 10 feet. Photo by Brian Kovach. All images © Melissa Webb, shared with permission

Lush, beguiling environments spill across floors and dangle from ceilings in the works of Melissa Webb. The artist dyes and crochets vintage fibers into mossy, botanical forms that when layered and stitched together, become enchanting installations evocative of forests and gardens. Shades of green tend to dominate the textile ecosystems as a nod to “growth, verdancy, and inevitable change,” Webb says. “Through my work, I imagine a reclamation of the earth by wildness—a less human-centered future where we learn to live and thrive in symbiosis with the natural world.”

Often paired or embedded with video projections, the site-specific installations position untamed growth in interior spaces like living rooms and industrial warehouses. For example, in “Local Authorities in the Spirit World Shape-Shift Through Time (We Call it Evolution),” Webb overlaid the soft benches and wooden architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright’s The Smith House with crocheted lichen, vines, and flowers. The altar-like “Verdantine Tabernacle” is similar, as it cascades outward with antique dolls, ceramic animals, and other found objects in the artist’s Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, apartment.

Webb is currently in progress on an installation at The Mill in Vicksburg, Michigan, and recently co-curated the exhibition Mending the Net for Detroit Month of Design, which will show “Verdantine Tabernacle” (shown below) through September 28. Explore more of her works on her site and Instagram.

 

green crocheted forms hang from a wooden ceiling with crocheted flora on a nearby bench

“Local Authorities in the Spirit World Shape-Shift Through Time (We Call it Evolution)” (2021), 16 x 20 x 10 feet. Installation view at The Smith House. Photo by P.D. Rearick and the artist

crocheted flora with colorful flowers among the moss spills onto the floor

Detail of “Local Authorities in the Spirit World Shape-Shift Through Time (We Call it Evolution)” (2021), 16 x 20 x 10 feet. Installation view at The Smith House. Photo by P.D. Rearick and the artist

two pendant lights covered in green crochet hang in front of a window

Detail of “Lichenvision Lounge” (2022), video installation, four-foot diameter wood panels with embedded TVs, vintage lamp forms, electrical accouterments, depression glass, hand-dyed and crocheted vintage textiles, 14 x 10 x 12 feet. Installation view at Albert Kahn First National Building, Detroit, Michigan. Photo by P.D. Rearick

an altar like form emerges from a wall with green crocheted moss and plant like forms and pendant light hanging from the back

“Verdantine Tabernacle” (2023), hand-dyed and crocheted vintage textiles, pillows and stuffed furniture, assorted found objects, 13 x 10 x 11 feet. Photo by the artist

two people sit in green chairs and watch tv embedded in green crochet

Detail of “Lichenvision Lounge” (2022), video installation, four-foot diameter wood panels with embedded TVs, vintage lamp forms, electrical accouterments, depression glass, hand-dyed and crocheted vintage textiles, 14 x 10 x 12 feet. Installation view at Albert Kahn First National Building, Detroit, Michigan. Photo by P.D. Rearick

two small tvs are embedded in circular forms of green crochet

Detail of “Lichenvision Lounge” (2022), video installation, four-foot diameter wood panels with embedded TVs, vintage lamp forms, electrical accouterments, depression glass, hand-dyed and crocheted vintage textiles, 14 x 10 x 12 feet. Installation view at Albert Kahn First National Building, Detroit, Michigan. Photo by P.D. Rearick

a doll and ceramic animal rest among green crochet

Detail of “Verdantine Tabernacle” (2023), hand-dyed and crocheted vintage textiles, pillows and stuffed furniture, assorted found objects, 13 x 10 x 11 feet. Photo by the artist

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 Enchanting Ecosystems Crocheted by Melissa Webb Envelop Interior Spaces with Verdant Fibers appeared first on Colossal.



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Monday, September 25, 2023

In Detailed Paper Collages, Alexis Hilliard Delves Into Depth and Drama

a deer with illuminated antlers stands in the center of a forest that appears to glow with light

“Forest God” (2022), collage on panel, 18 x 18 inches. All images © Alexis Hilliard, shared with permission

Portland-based artist Alexis Hilliard describes her collages as “visual symphonies,” blending numerous photographs and archival materials to create harmonious compositions. “Sometimes I use whole photos, not cut up much. That’s like sampling a bass line,” she tells Colossal. “Other times, I’m only using a tiny color swatch, so that’s more like adding a simple note into the mix.”

An avid collector of images, Hilliard scours everything from historical archives to oil paintings to Pinterest boards, amassing a collection of tens of thousands that span a wide variety of themes and content. And she is also drawn to working in a variety of scales. “When I first started, I worked a lot with WWI and WWII photos, but the collage technique itself quickly became the point…There is something to making large art pieces, the ones that surround your peripheral sight and evoke the sublime,” she says.

Hilliard explores a range of themes that tie together history, the volatility of nature, grandiosity, vulnerability, and more. She often emphasizes focal point, like running stags or a silhouetted couple seated on a bench, in the foreground of vast and dramatic landscapes. “I’m not the best at perspective… but that also gives me the shameless ability to add 8 vanishing points with reckless abandon,” she says. “It’s a fun way to play with perceived rules and break away from expectations—even your own.”

Hilliard documents much of her process, which you can find on Instagram.

 

“Volcano Study No. 2” (2021), collage on panel, 6 x 6 inches

“White Stags” (2020), collage on panel, 18 x 14 inches

“With the Current” (2016), collage on panel, 48 x 36 inches

a collage of an explosive fire and volcano with spectators in the foreground

“Portrait of Pele” (2022), collage on panel, 10 x 10 inches

a black and white collage of people on the top of a submerged car in a flood

“Foolish Decisions (2023), collage on panel, 18 x 14 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 In Detailed Paper Collages, Alexis Hilliard Delves Into Depth and Drama appeared first on Colossal.



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Top 10 Reasons to Visit The Other Art Fair in Dallas

people browse an art fair

Since 2011, The Other Art Fair presented by Saatchi Art has been nurturing its artist-led event for over 70 editions across the globe, serving visitors with surreal experiences and accessible art. The upcoming edition in Dallas, taking place October 5 to 8, will dazzle and delight with a unique lineup of surprising and colorful features. Advance tickets are available for a limited time and start at $18 for weekend admission.

Here are the top 10 reasons why people are talking about this event:

10. You can have your photograph taken by a Grey’s Anatomy actor-turned-artist. It’s time to unleash your inner animal as the fair welcomes photographer Charles Michael Davis as its Guest Artist. Each solo photo session will result in one unmasked and one animal-masked action shot, directed and shot by Davis himself.

9. Get a personalized haiku based on any word or phrase you offer the in-house poet.

8. Get poked! The stick-and-poke trend you’ve been seeing pop up in Dallas? You can get your very own work of art by the skilled and professional tattoo artists from Poetic Pokes (booking on a first-come-first-served basis).

7. A play on the “take what you need” bulletin, an all-new installation titled “The Karmacy” invites you to choose a bottle that contains what you need the most and allows the well-wishes of a “karmacist” to work its magic.

6. Peruse art after drinks are poured. The bar inside the fair offers a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to enjoy while you browse.

5. All artworks are affordably priced! The Other Art Fair proudly offers curated collections of originals under $500.

4. Check out the New Futures winners! Art should never be elite. The Other Art Fair’s New Futures program is part of its continued mission to break down traditional barriers of the contemporary art world by giving prizes to talented, often underrepresented, emerging artists.

3. Become the artist by grabbing a friend and participating in one of the on-site workshops. This edition, the fair is offering sessions on sign lettering and watercolor landscapes.

2. Bring your family! Visit the fair on Sunday for a relaxed, creative vibe. Kids can get coloring sheets for your budding artists to share in the fun.

1. Now to the core of what makes The Other Art Fair, well, other. Unlike the usual gallery-led fairs, this event allows you to meet 130 independent artists. Artists who work with paint, clay, photographs, and more will be selling original work for you to take home.

To learn more and get tickets, visit theotherartfair.com/dallas.

 

a drawing of a purple flower

Susan Whigham, “Purple Passion”

A portrait of a kid with a yellow shirt

Elizabeth Dyer, “Untitled”

a woman lies on carpet with a drink and record player

Chrissy Lush, “Untitled (record player)”

a portrait of two people with colorful brushstrokes surrounding them

Quel Hynson, “SHINE”

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 Top 10 Reasons to Visit The Other Art Fair in Dallas appeared first on Colossal.



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Friday, September 22, 2023

In the Nature TTL Photographer of the Year Contest, Breathtaking Wonder and Imminent Loss Are On Full Display

a blackbird sits at its nest with babies clamoring for food

Igor Mikula, “Caring Parent,” Czech Republic

Chosen from more than 8,000 submissions, the winners of this year’s Nature TTL Photographer of the Year competition capture both the immense beauty of our planet and the threats we face with a changing climate. Thomas Vijayan took home the top prize for his heartbreaking panoramic of the Austofonna Ice Cap cracking and emitting gushing waterfalls into the sea. Covering more than 8,000 square kilometers, Austoffana is rapidly melting in a region experiencing the disastrous effects of warming temperatures and rising sea levels. Also recognized were a spectacular image of the Northern Lights streaming through an Icelandic cave, a jaguar wandering through a cinder block wall, and a ball of honeybees clamoring for a new home.

Find some of our favorite photos below, and view the complete gallery at Nature TTL.

 

a ball of bees

Lucy Monckton, “House Hunting,” Staffordshire, United Kingdom

a massive ice sheet cracks and melts into water

Thomas Vijayan, “Austfonna Ice Cap,” Svalbard, Norway

a jaguar descends into a concrete room

Fernando Constantino Martínez Belmar, “Crossing Barriers,” Solidaridad, Quintana Roo, Mexico

an orca swims within a school of fish

Andy Schmid, “Crowd Control,” Skjervøy, Norway

two robins fight with one on its back on the snowy ground

Jane Hope, “Fighting Robins,” Scotland, United Kingdom

northern lights appear to stream through a rocky cave opening

Josselin Cornou, “Strong Solar Storm Through an Icelandic Cave,” Iceland

jellyfish congregate underwater

Rowan Dear, “Depth Perception,” Manly Beach, Sydney, Australia

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 In the Nature TTL Photographer of the Year Contest, Breathtaking Wonder and Imminent Loss Are On Full Display appeared first on Colossal.



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Slouching Ceramic Vessels by Philip Kupferschmidt Ooze with Heavy Drips and Gloopy Glazes

drippy vessels in myriad colors rest on a wooden table

All images © Philip Kupferschmidt, shared with permission

From his studio in Chino, California, Philip Kupferschmidt (previously) fashions cavernous ceramic vessels that drip and ooze with vibrant glazes. After throwing a piece on the wheel, the artist warps, stretches, and crushes the walls of a vase or pot that he later covers with thick droplets or chunky globs. Many of the sculptures appear to slouch under the weight of the liquid, their sides folded and creased into skewed shapes.

Kupferschmidt has been creating drip-covered works for several years and recently began a series of Supergloops, vessels with more pigments and material variances than his typical one- or two-toned works. “I’m exploring interactions of color and texture that overall, hope to give impressions of otherworldly environments if one were shrunk down and navigating the confined spaces of the vessels, kind of like in the movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” he says. “Additionally, I’m channeling my love/awe of nature, frustration with man-made natural disasters, and memories of my 90’s childhood into this work.”

If you’re in Los Angeles, you can see Kupferschmidt’s works as part of a group show opening September 28 at Tappan Collective. The artist plans to release pieces in his shop later this fall, so follow him on Instagram for news about that drop.

 

four images each of a colorful vessel with gloopy drips and a warped shape

ceramic vessels in myriad colors rest on a table, all with thick drips on the surfaces

a detail of the inside of a vessel with speckled walls, gloopy drips, and puddles

six tall vessels stand on a wood table, each with drips covering its surface

a detail of a vessel with polka dotted patches, crackled insides, and drips

three jars with drips

several vase-like vessels stand on a table, each is covered in colorful drips

 

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 Slouching Ceramic Vessels by Philip Kupferschmidt Ooze with Heavy Drips and Gloopy Glazes appeared first on Colossal.



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Vibrant Lines of Paper Twist and Surge Through Ilhwa Kim’s Dynamic Landscapes

colorful paper flows through abstract expanses of green and blue

“Atomic Wind” (2023), hand-dyed Hanji paper, 184 x 152 x 13 centimeters. All images © Ilhwa Kim, courtesy of HOFA Gallery, shared with permission

Meandering rows of flat paper seeds flow through Ilhwa Kim’s landscapes, creating densely lined paths among the abstract expanses. The South Korean artist (previously) rolls tight wads of Hanji paper, which she’s dyed primarily in greens and blues with occasional pinks and yellows, and binds the individual components in a rectangular form. Variances between the slim, tall seeds and the short, wider pieces add texture and depth to the aerial-inspired works that appear to look down at a settlement or pastoral scene from above.

The sculptures shown here are part of Kim’s forthcoming solo show at London’s HOFA Gallery titled Tacticle Hands. Referring to the pieces as “living architecture,” the artist gravitates toward movement, conveying heaving breaths or the way a breeze can make a field of grass seem as if it’s dancing. “I create artworks that combine sculpture and painting in order to explore the richness, dynamism, and depth of sensory experience on canvas,” she says. “These layered, entangled, and ever-evolving sensory experiences, happening in a world defined by nature’s infinite possibilities, are what I strive to capture in my works.”

Tactile Hands is on view from September 29 to October 11. You can find more of Kim’s sculptures on Instagram.

 

a colorful patch is nestled in a blue and green landscape

“Developer” (2023), hand-dyed Hanji paper, 119 x 93 x 13 centimeters

a close up image of colorful rolled paper tightly packed together

colorful papers seeds make pathways through an expanse of white

“Archaeological White” (2023), hand-dyed Hanji paper, 132 x 164 x 13 centimeters

a colorful patch is nestled in a blue and green landscape

“Private Walk” (2023), hand-dyed Hanji paper, 119 x 93 x 13 inches

a colorful patch is nestled in a blue and green landscape

“Rocket’s High” (2023), hand-dyed Hanji paper, 119 x 93 x 13

a colorful patch is nestled in a blue and green landscape

“Low Altitude Flight” (2023), hand-dyed Hanji paper, 192 x 224 x 13 centimeters

a colorful patch shaped like an animal or murmuration in an expanse of white

“Tender Strokes” (2023), hand-dyed Hanji paper, 132 x 164 x 13 centimeters

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 Vibrant Lines of Paper Twist and Surge Through Ilhwa Kim’s Dynamic Landscapes appeared first on Colossal.



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A Knotted Octopus Carved Directly into Two Pianos Entwines Maskull Lasserre’s New Musical Sculpture

“The Third Octave” (2023). All images © Maskull Lasserre, shared with permission Behind the hammers and pins of most upright pianos is a ...