Take an Immersive Journey Through an Ancient Rainforest’s Mycelial Network in ‘Fungi: Web of Life’

“Everywhere you look, there are stories unfolding around fungi, connecting all life in the forest. But of all the fungal species on Earth, we’ve only described about five percent,” says biologist Merlin Sheldrake (previously) in the trailer for the visually stunning, immersive new film Fungi: Web of Life.

Narrated by Björk, and produced by K2 Studios, the movie follows Sheldrake—who has devoted his career to the remarkable and mysterious world of mycelium and mushrooms—as he embarks on a journey through the ancient Tarkine rainforest of Tasmania. Timelapse cinematography reveals up-close details of rarely seen fungal phenomena, from the dispersion of spores to vast subterranean networks known fondly as the “wood wide web.”

 

All images © ‘Fungi: Web of Life’

The documentary comes face-to-face with the reality of habitat loss due to deforestation and the climate crisis. “We’re burning the library—a library of different ways to rise to the challenge of living,” Sheldrake warns. He visits scientists and designers at the forefront of their fields, discovering never-before-seen species and learning from mycelium to create new, sustainable products and environmental solutions.

Fungi: Web of Life is currently showing in five theaters across North America, including IMAX Victoria at the Royal B.C. Museum in Vancouver, with numerous releases scheduled across the U.S. and the U.K. next year. Find a screening near you and learn more on the film’s website.

Sheldrake also authored the bestselling book Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds. You might also enjoy the astonishing mycological photography of Barbora Bartokova in the Czech Republic or collaborative duo Danny Newman and Roo Vandegrift in Ecuador.

 

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Jean Jullien Designs a Cheery Whale Sculpture with a Functional Blowhole

All images courtesy of Case Studyo

French artist Jean Jullien (previously) has teamed up with Case Studyo to create a jolly sculpture titled “La Baleine,” a.k.a. “The Whale.” With a functional blowhole that can hold pencils, plants, or flowers, the porcelain vessel features Jullien’s signature chunky line drawings. The wide, toothy grin adds a sense of optimism and goodwill, while the artist likens the blowhole to “an emblem of exhaling and releasing creative energy.”

“La Baleine” is available in an edition of 500 from Case Studyo. Find more from Jullien on Instagram. (via Hypebeast)

 

 

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Colossal Releases Two New Limited-Edition Prints with Jon Ching

“Sanguines.” All images © Jon Ching, shared with permission

We’re thrilled to announce our next limited-edition print release with Jon Ching (previously). Longtime Colossal readers will recognize Ching’s fantastic hybrids, which seamlessly meld flora and fauna into otherworldly compositions. In “Sanguines,” blush-colored petals and feathers merge into a delicately layered crest, while “Adaptive Radiation” depicts two fluffy rabbits wearing a crown of pink gladiolus.

Both giclée prints are signed and numbered and available in editions of 40 from the Colossal Shop.

 

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In an Animated Battle of the Bands, The Beatles and The Stones Clash Through Dozens of Albums

A legendary rivalry dukes it out one more time in Dog & Rabbit’s animation, “The Beatles Vs The Stones.” As iconic album covers from both rock groups come to life, the character from Voodoo Lounge rides a yellow submarine while Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and Ringo Starr have a food fight.

What started out as funny adaptations to album art eventually became a labor of love as Andrew Kelleher explains. “I love music (good music is my favourite kind, to get specific), and animating this collection of iconic and sometimes odd album covers was a full-on joy. It was a bloody pleasure to make, from start to finish.” To create the film, Kelleher cut, re-assembled, and spliced together existing photographs alongside hand-drawn elements from fellow animators Sanjana Chandrasekhar and Hannah Brewerton.

Watch “The Beatles Vs The Stones” above, and find more on Dog & Rabbit’s website and Instagram.

 

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The Cavernous Bat Trang Pottery Museum Swells Upward Like a Hand-Thrown Ceramic Vessel

All images © 1+1>2

The historic village of Bat Trang in northern Vietnam has been a hub for ceramic production since the 11th century. Home to vast reserves of white clay, the town’s economy is still deeply rooted in creating and selling various functional and decorative objects, while becoming increasingly popular for tourism.

In homage to the village’s enduring traditions, the architects of 1+1>2 studio designed the Bat Trang Pottery Museum, a spacious, four-story venue devoted to sharing the history of the region and offering a space where local artisans can showcase their works. Constructed with fiber-reinforced concrete, the building swells upward in tiers to evoke the shape of vessels thrown on a potter’s wheel, while the terracotta color references the earthen material and bricks used in kilns.

Comprised of seven segments, the museum is a multi-use space. Exhibitions, festivals, and studios occupy much of the building with a restaurant and auditorium on the fourth floor. Lush with potted plants, the rooftop features a workshop, play area, and space for people to gather in the open air.

Find more about the project on the studio’s website. (via designboom)

 

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A Major Retrospective Celebrates Iris van Herpen’s Mesmerizing Designs at the Intersection of Art, Fashion, and Science

Carla van de Puttelaar for Iris van Herpen, various collections (2020). All images courtesy of Musée des Arts Décoratifs, shared with permission

Water, skeletons, and the origins of life usher in a major retrospective of the exquisite, otherworldly garments of Iris van Herpen (previously). On view now at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Sculpting the Senses is a celebration of the Dutch designer’s groundbreaking contributions to fashion, particularly her collaborative sensibilities and interest in working across art and science.

Van Herpen founded her eponymous brand in 2007 and has since created a vast oeuvre embracing the beauty of the natural world. Her “Arachne bustier,” part of the Meta Morphism collection, for example, features a sculptural form evocative of wings atop a gossamer bodice. Other works are similarly shapely, like those in Hypnosis, which feature bulbous skirts and mind-bending patterns that sway with mesmerizing movement.

“Dynamic tension, fluidity, delicacy, and complexity, as well as poetry and philosophy: these are the main elements of the dialogues she establishes between body and clothing, which allow her to convey a new, rich, enthusiastic perspective on the world to come,” writes curator Cloé Pitiot.

In addition to van Herpen’s designs, the exhibition also includes works by artists like Casey Curran, Rogan Brown, and Janaina Mello Landini, who have either inspired or collaborated with the designer over the years.

Sculpting the Senses is on view through April 28 in Paris. Pick up the accompanying monograph, which contains a forward by Tilda Swinton, from Bookshop.

 

“Epicycle” dress, ‘Hypnosis’ collection (2019), glass organza, crepe, PetG, mylar. Image © Dominique Maitre

Luigi and Iango for Iris van Herpen, “Skeleton Dress,” in collaboration with Isaie Bloch, ‘Capriole Collection’ (2020)

Left: “Suminagashi” dress, ‘Hypnosis’ collection (2019), polyurethane, mylar, tulle. Image © Dominique Maitre. Right: “Epicycle” dress, ‘Hypnosis’ collection (2019), glass organza, crepe, PetG, mylar. Image © Dominique Maitre

Iris van Herpen in collaboration with Perry Hall, “Fractal Flows” dress, ‘Sensory Seas’ collection (2020), glass organza, Komon Kobo, tulle. Image © Dominique Maitre

“Arachne bustier,” ‘Meta Morphism’ collection (2022), polyester silk, mylar, tulle, Swarovski crystals, embroidery thread, stainless steel. Image © Dominique Maitre

David Uzochukwu for Iris van Herpen, “Hydrozoa Dress,” ‘Sensory Seas’ collection'(2020). Right: David Uzochukwu for Iris van Herpen, “Sensory Seas Dress” and “Nautiloid Dress,” ‘Sensory Seas’ collection (2020)

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Love Hultén Merges Audio-Visual Experiences with Mid-Century Aesthetics in His Elaborate Synthesizers

“T E G E L,” sound sculpture based on biodata. All images © Love Hultén, shared with permission

Whether ocean-themed, compact with a slide-out keyboard, or installed vertically on the wall, Love Hultén’s elaborate custom synthesizers (previously) are one-of-a-kind. Combining a love for woodworking and sound art, the Gothenburg, Sweden-based artist and designer merges electronic elements with a wide range of console designs evocative of early computers and mid-century industrial control systems. Incorporating playful elements from video games or aesthetic themes—”C O U S T E A U” features oxygen tank details and a custom MIDI crab—Hultén activates each sculptural instrument into original audio-visual experiences.

Explore many more of Hultén’s musical creations on his website and Instagram.

 

“C O U S T E A U,” ocean-themed setup including JU06-A, Reface CP, V256, Oceans 11, and a custom mechanical MIDI crab

Detail of “C O U S T E A U”

“W A L L S Y N T H,” Waldorf String Machine, Waldorf Blofeld, C&G Video Scope, Hologram Microcosm, Tape Echo, Waldorf Pulse 2, Strymon BigSky, Korg SQ-64, Korg Minilogue XD, Erica Synths Matrix Mixer, Arturia MiniFreak, and a custom MIDI patchbay

“O S M O S E,” custom-made Osmose synth with stereo looper and tape echo

“A T O M – I C,” Syntrx2, LXR-02 and Fusion Delay from Erica Synths, Moog Theremini, Arturia Keystep, T-Rex Replicator, and Befaco Spring Reverb

Detail of “A T O M – I C”

“C O S M,” Mother-32, TR-08, Microcosm and a pull-out keybed

Detail of “C O S M”

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