In Surreal Portraits, Rafael Silveira Plunges Into the Mysteries of the Human Psyche

“Extravaso.” All images © Rafael Silveira, shared with permission

Brazilian artist Rafael Silveira supplants heads with bunches of flowers, flocks of birds, and plumes of smoke in fantastical portraits that delve into the inner workings of the human psyche. Lively hues of pink, yellow, and blue come together as he continues to convey the permeation of emotions through surreal phenomena.

Since childhood, Silveira has harbored a profound interest in the complexities of the mental universe. “I believe that my art is a profound dive into the human mind,” the artist tells Colossal. “I find inspiration in the mysteries of the human psyche and in the energies, both tangible and intangible, that permeate our lives and the nature surrounding us.”

As he translates these concepts to oil paintings, familiar anatomical features partake in unusual sights, as eyeballs hover like hot-air balloons, lips emerge from flowers, and brains converge with swans.

From his studio in Brazil, Silveira is currently working toward his first major solo exhibition next summer at KP Projects Gallery in Los Angeles. Make sure to visit the artist’s website for more work, keep an eye on his Instagram for studio views, and pick up one of his new prints.

 

“Free Mind”

“Burning Desire”

“Ebulição”

“Recanto”

“Polyphonic Nature of Existence”

“Flora Intimista”

“Vapores de Mente”

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A Reissued Book Reveals Hundreds of Photos from Frida Kahlo’s Personal Collection

Adolfo Best Maugard, María Luisa Cabrera de Block, and Frida Kahlo, (1945). All images © 2010 Banco de México in its capacity as Trustee in the Trust relating to the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Museums, courtesy of RM Publishing, shared with permission

In her short lifetime, Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) collected an incredibly vast archive of photographs. Her father, Guillermo Kahlo, had been one of Mexico’s most well-known photographers, documenting architecture, industry, and himself, and his legacy certainly influenced the artist’s enduring interest in self-portraiture and image-making.

While Frida fostered a prodigious artistic practice of her own, she also amassed more than 6,000 photos taken by friends, family, colleagues, and sometimes, herself. Within her trove are snapshots of Mexico and her life, particularly moments shared with her husband, the artist Diego Rivera. Compiled in a recently reissued book, the collection offers unparalleled insight into the influential couple’s life and work.

Frida Kahlo: Her Photos was originally published by Editorial RM in 2010 and out of print until its re-release in October. Containing annotations and notes, the tome features hundreds of black-and-white images that, before 2004, had been hidden in storage in the artist’s Mexico City home. This edition once again offers audiences the opportunity to better understand the bonds, preferences, and daily minutiae of two of the most important artists of the 20th century.

Spanish and English versions of Frida Kahlo: Her Photos are available on Bookshop.

 

Frida painting the portrait of her father Guillermo Kahlo (1951). Photo by Giséle Freud

Revolutionaries

Diego Rivera with his models, Nieves Orozco and Inesita

Diego Rivera (1933). Photo by Esther Born

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Meticulous Embroideries by Cécile Davidovici Bring Objects to Life and Evoke the Passing of Time

All images © Cécile Davidovici, shared with permission

Through densely embroidered still lifes and portraits, Cécile Davidovici stitches together a dialogue between time, objects, and nostalgia. Focusing on gesture and color, the Paris-based artist uses short, expressive stitches to render melons, wine glasses, hands, and faces that glow by candlelight and sunset.

Evolving quite a bit from her previous works, Davidovici explains, “I’ve always wanted to do portraits, and I finally succeeded in a way that spoke to me by working and experimenting a lot with embroidery. I love the idea of pushing the technique to places it’s never been before.” After completing the series, she applied her new embroidery methods to still lifes.

Placing both modern and classical subjects next to each other, La Vie Silencieuse, or The Silent Life, questions what it means to make still lifes today in contrast to their popularization centuries ago. Created as a joint effort, the artist worked with David Citborsky, who first created 3D models of each composition. Davidovici then used these images to render each scene through copious threads, converging textures, and jewel-toned hues.

See more work and process videos on Davidovici’s website and Instagram.

 

“Jupiter”

“Le Poids des Choses”

“La Vie Silencieuse”

“Pluton”

“Marbre Vert”

“Pierre Bleue”

“Les Heures de Cire”

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 Meticulous Embroideries by Cécile Davidovici Bring Objects to Life and Evoke the Passing of Time appeared first on Colossal.

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Two Newly Discovered (and Very Tiny) Rembrandt Paintings Are On View for the First Time in 200 Years

Rembrandt portraits Jan and Jaapgen. All images courtesy of Rijksmuseum/Olivier Middendorp

Standing just under eight inches tall, two oval portraits rediscovered after 200 years are now considered Rembrandt’s smallest formal works. On view at the Rijksmuseum, which houses the largest collection of the Dutch painter’s oeuvre, the pair was rediscovered two years ago and depicts members of Rembrand’s family rendered with his characteristic loose brushstrokes.

Painted in 1635, the portraits feature the wealthy plumber and slater Jan Willemsz van der Pluym and his wife Jaapgen Caerlsdr, who were married in 1591 and ages 70 and 69, respectively, when they sat for Rembrandt. “Considering (the works’) small size and dynamic, sketchy style, he probably painted them as a favour to the couple,” a release from Rijksmuseum says. “The van der Pluyms had a close bond with Rembrandt’s family, which began in 1624 when Jan and Jaapgen’s son Dominicus wed Rembrandt’s cousin Cornelia Cornelisdr van Suytbroek.”

Larger versions of these tiny works have been known to researchers for decades, which helped to attribute the smaller pair. Using a combination of X-radiography, infrared photography, infrared reflectography, macro X-ray fluorescence, stereomicroscopy, and paint sample analysis, Rijksmuseum found that the portraits were built up like other Rembrandt works and alterations in the sitters’ collars were made similarly to his other pieces. The materials, including lead- and iron-based paints and Earth pigments, also match those often employed by the artist.

Both works are on view long-term in Amseterdam. (via Hyperallergic)

 

Jan Willemsz van der Pluym

Jaapgen Caerlsdr

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Uncanny Woven Portraits by Jason Chen Splice Two Moments in Time

“Coming to an End.” All images © Jason Chen, shared with permission

Rather than capture a single moment, Jason Chen (previously) weaves together photographs taken just seconds apart, creating disjointed portraits that convey movement and the passage of time. The Philadelphia-based artist often splices snapshots of the same setting and subject with slight differences in the tilt of the head, gesture, or gaze. Laced into a grid or hypnotizing circle like a photographic tapestry, the resulting images are uncanny and disorienting, nodding to fragmented identities and skewed perceptions of the self and others.

In a note to Colossal, Chen shares that the process and outcome of each piece depend on the subject. “When I work with professionals, the initial photoshoots tend to be an exploration of movement whereas with my close friends, there is often an exploration of more subtle emotion in the process. Sometimes I’m most excited about the pieces that end up only having a subtle shift,” he says.

While Chen sometimes plans portraits, the weaving process is entirely intuitive. He often narrows his materials to two images, although he’s currently experimenting with adding more to the mix. “Unlike the initial act of photographing, the photoweaving process involves a lot of unknowns. I usually like to dive in without preplanning the effect the weaving is going to have on the two photos, and sometimes this leads to weavings that don’t quite work out, but it makes it that much more exciting when they do.”

Find more of Chen’s recent works at Paradigm Gallery + Studio in Philadelphia.

 

“Familiar”

“He Stayed”

“La Éimi II”

“Like Nobody’s Watching”

Detail of “Coming to an End”

“La Éimi III”

“Disguised Confidence”

Detail of “Disguised Confidence”

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In a Neighborly Portrait Series, Ashraful Arefin Turns His Gaze Toward Four-Legged Passersby

All images © Ashraful Arefin, shared with permission

In Animals from the streets, photographer Ashraful Arefin takes a moment to greet the furry creatures that join the hustle and bustle of the city. Taken during the last few years in cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Jaisalmer, Kathmandu, Dubai, and Dhaka, where Arefin is based, the portraits are dreamlike and neighborly, glimpsing the mundane goings on of cats, rhesus monkeys, and cows sunbathing or lumbering through small thoroughfares. Arefin takes a friendly approach to documenting his subjects, framing them like any other passerby wandering through the streets.

View the entire series on Behance, and follow Arefin on Instagram to keep up with his latest projects.

 

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Sebastian Foster Announces 30 Artists for Their Eclectic Fall Print Set

Amy Dury. All images courtesy of Sebastian Foster, shared with permission

Austin-based gallery Sebastian Foster continues its 2023 Fall Print Set, marking the 11th anniversary of the collection since it launched in 2012. The new release features 30 works by well-established illustrators, printmakers, and painters from across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Japan, and Europe. Half of the artists have worked with the gallery for years, while the other half are guests who joined just for this collection.

This set features 30 works all published as relatively small editions, hand-signed and numbered by the artists. Encompassing an eclectic array of mediums and themes, the collection showcases work from artists previously featured on Colossal, including Jeremy Miranda’s vibrant oil paintings, Jay Ryan’s playful illustrations, and Mia Bergeron’s dreamy dualism.

Now online-only, Sebastian Foster focuses on original works and prints, publishing over 1,000 editions since opening in the late 2000s. Whether you’re looking for the next piece to add to your collection or for meaningful holiday gifts, head to the gallery’s site to shop the Fall Print Set today.

 

Graham Franciose

Grant Haffner

Left: Caroline Ji. Right: Hiroki Kawanabe

Heather Sundquist Hall

Jeremy Miranda

Kevin Yaun

Michelle Morin

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 Sebastian Foster Announces 30 Artists for Their Eclectic Fall Print Set appeared first on Colossal.

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