Let’s Get Digital: Toshiya Masuda Recreates Retro Technology as Pixelated Ceramic Sculptures

“Low pixel CG ‘Recollection playlist 2.'” All images © Toshiya Masuda, shared with permission

Retro digital aesthetics meets analog techniques in the ceramic sculptures of Toshiya Masuda. The Japanese artist (previously) fuses the low-resolution, pixelated imagery associated with early virtual worlds with quotidian objects from a similar time in pop culture history. Blurry cubes of painted clay form a bright red boombox and cassette tape, a pair of high-top Converse, and a Polaroid camera with a crinkled photo emerging from its slot. By melding the two disparate forms, Masuda creates what he calls an “image gap,” an uncanny feeling in which the unreal is made tactile.

Nostalgic and youthful, the sculptures reflect technological evolution and our increasing reliance on devices. Masuda tells designboom:

I am 46 years old now. I remember when I was in primary school, computers became widespread, and by the time I was a university student, these were followed by smartphones and tablets. It was like the dawn of the digital age. I am part of the generation where digital objects gradually increased their presence in our lives… One of the most important things for me when I create my work is to make sure that it expresses the times in which I live.

A few years back, Keiko Art International produced a short film documenting Masuda’s process and thinking that’s worth the watch. You can find more of his work on his site.

 

“Low pixel CG’Memory container 2′”

“Low pixel CG ‘Super Idol'”

“Low pixel CG ‘All Star’”

“Low pixel CG’Recollection Playlist'”

Left: “Low pixel CG ‘Withering Flowers.'” Right: “Low pixel CG ‘Family Taking Refuge from a Bombing Raid’ (V&A collection)”

“Low pixel CG ‘Transition'”

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Precisely Aligned Paint and Fabric Camouflage Cecilia Paredes Amid Lush Botanical Backdrops

“Tapestry” (2023). All images courtesy of Ruiz-Healy Art, shared with permission

In a pair of companion exhibitions, Peruvian artist Cecilia Paredes (previously) expands on her lavish collection of “photo performances” to explore the fluid relationship between our bodies and environments. On view now at two Ruiz-Healy Art locations, the solo shows encompass new works that continue Paredes’ unique methods of camouflage and disguise. The artist swathes herself in densely patterned fabrics and paints any visible skin with the same motif, which she perfectly aligns with the backdrop to create disorienting and endlessly intriguing images that blur the contours of her body.

Both exhibitions, Walking in My Galaxy Blue and The Weaving of Dust, are wide-ranging in their interpretations of surrounding environments as they draw on the cosmos, forests, and ornamental vessels fit for domestic interiors. The self-portraits develop Paredes’ interest in the correlation between personal identity and external forces, questioning how we understand and present ourselves in relation to the outside world.

See the exhibitions at Ruiz-Healy Art through November 3 in New York and November 18 in San Antonio, and keep up with Paredes on Instagram.

 

“Chrysalis” (2023)

Left: “Dafne Tall” (2022). Right: “Dafne in Repose” (2022)

“Clorinda” (2022)

“Cupcake Rose” (2023)

“Walking in my Galaxy Blue” (2023)

“Rose Garden” (2023)

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Five Artists to Meet at The Other Art Fair’s Upcoming Brooklyn Edition

Eriko Tsogo, “The Marriage” (2022), paper, gel pen, ink, mechanical pencil

Prepare to immerse yourself in the world of The Other Art Fair, making a return to Brooklyn from November 9 to 12. This time, the fair brings together an ensemble of over 120 independent artists in a brand-new setting at ZeroSpace.

The November edition ignites with additions like an exclusive exhibition of paintings by Guest Artist Danny Cole, complimentary personalized haikus (exclusive to Thursday’s Opening Night!), a pop-up shop courtesy of OOH Baby, and an interactive AR fashion experience by Zero10. Attendees can also dive into hands-on workshops with the Secret Riso Club, custom pet portraits brought to life by Ben Lenovitz, and video portraits by Tamara Staples.

As the weekend arrives, the fair is alive with activity, attracting serious art enthusiasts and interior designers seeking fresh inspiration, as well as casual shoppers in pursuit of unique treasures. Instagram-worthy murals adorn the scene, complemented by a food and coffee menu served by Maman, and a bar that flows endlessly. This creates a unique atmosphere that has won the hearts of New York City’s adventure seekers and art lovers from all walks of life, from the mildly curious to seasoned collectors.

Here are five artists exhibiting at this upcoming edition:

Mongolian-American artist and cultural producer Eriko Tsogo navigates the diverse realms of visual art, esotericism, performance, social practice, and media as she delves into themes of identity, heritage, placemaking, longing, belonging, and the quest for a sense of home.

 

Charmaine Chanakira, “Strings Attached” (2022), acrylic on canvas

Charmaine Chanakira, a London-based painter with Zimbabwean roots, is an artist whose work is deeply rooted in the complexities of identity and movement. Through vibrant, brightly-colored canvases, Chanakira explores themes of decolonization and social justice.

 

Terra Keck, “Liquid Angels” (2023), graphite on paper

Brooklyn-based artist and performer Terra Keck is known for exploring folklore, magic, and spiritual visitation. Works in her recent solo exhibition, WRETCHED, combine traditional printmaking with mystical aesthetics from the late 1800s.

 

Lindsay Alexandria, “So it Goes” (2022), acrylic on wood

Lindsay Alexandria, a Brooklyn-based visual artist, draws inspiration from her upbringing surrounded by the lush landscapes of Pennsylvania. Her artistic journey has evolved to embrace oil painting as her primary medium, melding bold patterns with the ever-changing beauty of nature.

 

Gabriel Zea, “Go On and On with Homogenous Life” (2020), oil on wood

Colombian-American artist Gabriel Zea explores the intricate realm of traditional gender expressions through oil paintings intended to delve into how traditional ideals of masculinity and femininity can simultaneously confine and liberate individuals.

 

Mark your calendars for The Other Art Fair Brooklyn’s return from November 9 to 12. 

Secure your tickets now at theotherartfair.com/brooklyn.

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The Colonnade of a Barcelona University Building Embodies a 13-Meter-Tall Heart by Jaume Plensa

Photos courtesy of University of Barcelona, shared with permission

Every year on September 29, World Heart Day raises awareness of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death around the globe. Events range from performances and walks that route courses in the shape of a heart to major art installations, like Jaume Plensa’s enormous inflatable artwork at the University of Barcelona.

Wedged behind the rib-like colonnade of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences building, the 13-meter-tall “The Secret Heart” depicts anatomically correct veins, valves, and ventricles. The work was originally commissioned in 2014 for display in Augsburg, Germany, where it was accompanied by a voice clock recording of local residents ticking off the hours, minutes, and seconds.

While The Secret Heart was on view in Barcelona for only a few days, you can explore more of Plensa’s large-scale installations on his website.

 

 

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A New Book Celebrates the Groundbreaking Women Who Changed Land Art

Lita Albuquerque, “Spine of the Earth” (1980), pigment, rock, and wood sundial, El Mirage Lake, Mojave Desert, California. Image © Lita Albuquerque, courtesy of the artist and Kohn Gallery, Los Angeles. All images courtesy of Artbook D.A.P., shared with permission

As conceptual art emerged in the 1960s as a dominant movement, more artists turned their attentions toward atypical materials and spaces. Using wood, steel, plants, peat moss, and other organic matter became commonplace in the genre known as land art, which included works made directly on the earth or with natural materials brought into the gallery.

As with most of art history, land art has generally been dominated by men, although a new book published by Delmonico offers a corresponding, if not corrective, narrative. Groundswell: The Women of Land Art is a 256-page volume that encompasses a range of works by renowned artists like Ana Mendieta, Nancy Holt, and Agnes Dean, to name a few.

On the cover is Lita Albuquerque’s “Spine of the Earth,” an ephemeral creation of concentric circles laid in the Mojave Desert in 1980, with projects like Meg Webster’s verdant “Moss Bed, Queen” and Patricia Johanson’s winding “Fair Park Lagoon” inside its pages. Given the fleeting nature and live components of many land-art pieces, the book is both a celebration of the women artists working in the genre and a necessary resource for documenting such groundbreaking and transient additions to the canon.

Groundswell is available on Bookshop.

 

Patricia Johanson, “Fair Park Lagoon” (1981–86), gunite, native plants, and animal species, For the People, the Meadows Foundation, Communities Foundation of Texas, Texas Commission on the Arts and their private and corporate donations, permanently sited in Fair Park, Dallas. Image by Michael Barera, © Patricia Johanson, courtesy of the artist

Alice Aycock, “Maze” (1972), 12-sided wooden structure of 5 concentric dodecagonal rings, broken by 19 points of entry and 17 barriers 6 x 32 feet diameter, originally sited at Gibney Farm near New Kingston, Pennsylvania, now destroyed. Image by Silver Spring Township Police Department, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, © Alice Aycock, courtesy of the artist

Nancy Holt, “Sun Tunnels” (1973-76), Great Basin Desert, Utah, concrete, steel, earth, 9 1/6 x 86 x 53 x 86 feet, collection of Dia Art Foundation with support from Holt/Smithson Foundation. Image © 2023 Holt/Smithson Foundation and Dia Art Foundation, licensed by Artists Rights Society, New York

Meg Webster, “Moss Bed, Queen” (1986/2005), peat moss, earth, and plastic tarp, 10 x 60 x 80 inches, Walker Art Center, T. B. Walker Acquisition Fund, 2006. Image © Meg Webster, courtesy of the artist and the Paula Cooper Gallery  Photo: Courtesy Walker Art Center

Maren Hassinger, “Twelve Trees” (1979)

Mary Miss, “Perimeters/Pavilions/Decoys” (1977–78 ), earth, wood, and steel, temporary installation at the Nassau County Museum, Long Island, New York. Image © Mary Miss, courtesy of the artist

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Joana Vasconcelos’ ‘Plug-in’ Retrospective Buzzes with Three Decades of Energy and Power

Detail of “Valkyrie Octopus,” installed at MAAT. Photo by Bruno Lopes. All images © Joana Vasconcelos, courtesy of MAAT, shared with permission

From a towering solitaire diamond ring made of wheels to a sprawling, embellished textile tree, Joana Vasconcelos (previously) is known for creating monumental sculptures and public artworks that reframe familiar objects and materials into striking installations. Plug-in, a new retrospective at MAAT—the Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology—in Lisbon, explores nearly three decades of the Portuguese artist’s comprehensive oeuvre.light

Focusing on an undercurrent of electricity and power, Plug-in brings together new pieces in dialogue with earlier works. For example, two sculptures reimagine vintage cars: “Drag Race,” an ebulliently baroque Porsche, sports gilded woodwork that nods to track racing, self-expression, and pop-culture phenomena like RuPaul’s Drag Race. “War Games,” on the other hand, is encased in toy rifles in an antagonistic tug-o-war between play and violence. Red LED lights switch on and off continuously, and “the interior is filled with hundreds of stuffed toys that wiggle noisily, clamouring for attention and space,” says a statement.

 

“Drag Race” (2023). Photo by Lionel Balteiro

Vasconcelos often incorporates textiles into her works, working with beads, brocade, fringe, and a wide variety of fabrics. The lavish “Valkyrie Octopus,” part of the artist’s expansive Valkyries series, is shown for the first time in Europe since it was originally unveiled in Macau. Illuminated with tiny lights, the inflatable form coated in patterns looms across the entire width of the room. Plug-in invites visitors into a multi-sensory experience in which flashing lights and shiny surfaces question how we define luxury and power.

The exhibition continues in Lisbon through March 31, 2024. And if you’re in Florence, you can also visit Vasconcelos’ Between Sky and Heart at the Uffizi through January 14. See more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

 

“Valkyrie Octopus” (2015), installed at MGM Macau. Photo by Luís Vasconcelos

“Solitaire” (2018). Photo by Bruno Lopes

“Árvore da Vida” (2023). Photo by Bruno Lopes

Detail of “Árvore da Vida.” Photo by Didier Plowy, courtesy of Centre des Monuments Nationaux

Installation view of “Drag Race” (foreground) and “War Games.” Photo by Bruno Lopes

“Strangers in the Night” (2000). Photos by DMF Lisboa

“I’ll Be Your Mirror” (2019). Photo by Bruno Lopes

“War Games” (2011). Photo by DMF Lisboa

Detail of “War Games.” Photo by DMF Lisboa

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An Arresting Optic Nerve Tops the 2023 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition

Hassanain Qambari and Jayden Dickson, rodent optic nerve head showing astrocytes (yellow), contractile proteins (red), and retinal vasculature (green). All images courtesy of Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition, shared with permission

One in five people with diabetes also suffers from retinopathy, a disease causing vision loss and blindness. Problems occur when high blood sugar causes cells to swell and leak, damaging the retina. Because symptoms aren’t always perceptible at early stages, though, many people aren’t diagnosed until the condition has already progressed.

Researchers like Hassanain Qambari and Jayden Dickson have been working toward visualizing the initial signs of retinopathy to aid in early detection, which they recently achieved in an electrifying image that won the 2023 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition. A starburst-like web of red and yellow fibers sprawl across the frame, which magnifies the intricacies of a rodent’s optic nerve and offers insight into its function. “The visual system is a complex and highly specialized organ, with even relatively minor perturbations to the retinal circulation able to cause devastating vision loss,” Qambari said. “I entered the competition as a way to showcase the complexity of retinal microcirculation.”

Other submissions to the 49th-annual contest include the venomous fangs of a tarantula, gelatinous slime molds, and spiky sunflower pollen stuck to an acupuncture needle. The 2023 competition garnered nearly 1,900 submissions from 72 countries, and you can see all of the winners on Nikon. It’s also worth taking a peek at the video segment of this year’s contest, which includes striking footage of neurons forming in an embryo.

 

Sébastien Malo, crab spider (Thomisus onustus)

Dr. Pichaya Lertvilai, coral (Acropora granulosa) fluorescing under blue light

John-Oliver Dum, venomous fangs of a small tarantula

John-Oliver Dum, sunflower pollen on an acupuncture needle

Malgorzata Lisowska, breast cancer cells

Raghuram Annadana, developing stamen and stigma inside a Hibiscus flower bud

Timothy Boomer, slime mold (Comatricha nigra) showing capillitial fibers through its translucent peridium

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