Kurshaka

“La veillée au candélou” (2020), wax, steel, and wicks, 200 x 200 x 225 centimeters, installation view at Palais des Beaux-Arts de Paris. All images courtesy of Juliette Minchin, shared with permission

French artist Juliette Minchin appreciates wax for its ambivalence. Activated by heat, the modest material can be smooth or crinkled, firm or pliable, and molded into a distinct shape or pooled into a puddle of liquid. No matter its current form, though, wax can quickly morph from one state to another, and this impermanence is partially what inspired Minchin to incorporate the sticky compound into her practice about five years ago.

Today, the artist creates large-scale installations and sculptures often embedded with candles. “The cross, vigil with thorns,” for example” arranges 33 wax-dipped panels in an enormous T-shape centered in a stark 13th-century Cistercian abbey. Each day, 363 wicks burned and melted away the dried substance to slowly reveal a botanical motif in steel.

Alternatively, architectural works like “Vitrail soufflé” are static for longer periods. The stained-glass window rendition features sheer, curtain-like panels bulging and falling around an arched metal frame based on the original construction. Appearing caught in the wind, the billowing sheets are made by pouring liquid wax on flat surfaces to create a thin layer, which Minchin peels off while warm. “I place them on the metal structures, and I have about two minutes to sculpt them. It’s a dialogue between what the material offers me and where I want to take it. I have to let myself be guided by the accident and instantaneity,” she tells Colossal.

“Vitrail soufflé” for ‘RIVELAZION’ at Museo Sant’Orsola Florence

While the physical properties are endlessly appealing, Minchin is also intrigued by wax’s cultural and spiritual connotations, particularly superstitions and funerary rites. Romans would sculpt lifelike masks to immortalize the deceased, and the ancient embalming method of mummifying shares an etymological root with the Persian word for wax. Candles, though, also signify light and hope for the future, and the contrast between life and death adds to the material’s ambiguity.

Minchin sees her work in this same vein, “as much a destruction as a rebirth” because she re-melts and molds the materials from one piece into subsequent projects. “Paradoxically, the process of destruction makes the work very much alive, since it evolves without the artist’s hand and generates forms autonomously,” she adds, likening wax to human flesh for its protective and vulnerable qualities. This bodily metaphor returns again and again in her practice, particularly as it relates to life’s cycles and time passing. The melting process, she explains:

…is like a soul leaving one body for another… I am inspired by the classical concept of memento mori when two opposite states, two contradictory times cohabit in the same object: stability and fall, presence and absence, birth and (disappearance). Is it disappearing or being born?  I want to produce an image of a ruin where some parts were saved and partially reconstructed and that we have the feeling of a day after a party.

Minchin’s work will be on view in June at Art Basel with Anne-Sarah Bénichou Gallery and later that month for a solo exhibition at Museo Sant’Orsola in Florence. Until then, find an archive of her projects on her website and Instagram.

Installation view at Beaulieu Abbey in Rouergue of “The Cross, vigil with thorns,” wax and steel, 28 meters x 11 meters x 2.25 centimeters. Photo by Damien Aspe

“Solstice” (2021), wax, steel, and ceramic beads, 100 x 200 x 240 centimeters. Image ©ABAD

“Lustre” (2024), wax and steel, 200 x 120 centimeters. Installation view of ‘Rivelazioni’ in Florence. Photo by Cinestudio

“Veillée aux racines (Vigil with roots),” installation view for ‘RIVELAZIONI’ at Museo Sant’Orsola, Florence. Photo by Cinestudio

“Oculus” (2023), wax and brass, 80 x 20 centimeters

Juliette Minchin with “Cascade” (2023), 5 x 3.4 meters, wax and steel, at Patinoire de Saint-Ouen. Photo by Romain Darnaud

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 Inspired by Impermanence, Juliette Minchin Burns Down Her Elegant Wax-Dipped Installations appeared first on Colossal.

“Breathing lV” (2023), magnolia leaf and cotton thread. All images © Susanna Bauer, shared with permission

Merging organic forms with timeless craft, Susanna Bauer emphasizes incredible details in her intimate leaf sculptures. Working with a range of foraged species, from ginkgo to magnolia to oak, the artist (previously) meticulously stitches around the edges or fills in tiny incisions, creating intricate lacework compositions.

A new monograph Susanna Bauer: IN LEAF, published by 5 Continents Editions, celebrates her use of natural ephemera to create elegant pieces exploring the relationship between strength and fragility. “Nature becomes a metaphor for humanity: the artfully interwoven threads remind us that we are all part of a vaster network and therefore generators of connections,” Valentina de Pasca writes in an introductory essay.

Bauer created a limited edition that includes a magnolia leaf circle crocheted into the opening page. She is releasing these in batches, which have previously sold quickly, so keep an eye on her website for the next update. You can also preorder a standard copy of IN LEAF on Bookshop.

If you’re near Austin, stop by the Affordable Art Fair, which runs May 16 to 19 at the Palmer Events Center, where Bauer is showing work with Muriel Guépin Gallery. Follow more updates on the artist’s Instagram.

“Holding Memories” (2024), magnolia leaf and cotton thread

“Three ll” (2017), magnolia leaves and cotton thread, 18 x 18 centimeters. Photo by art-photographers.co.uk

“All I Need” (2023), magnolia leaves and cotton thread

“Seven” (2022), fatsia leaf and cotton thread, 29 x 22.5 centimeters. Photo by art-photographers.co.uk

Left: “Adornment XVlll” (2024), magnolia leaf and cotton thread, 19.2 x 10.6 centimeters. Photo by art-photographers.co.uk. Right: “Whisper ll” (2023), oak leaf and cotton thread

“Side by Side” (2022), magnolia leaves and cotton thread, 14.5 x 12.5 x 4 centimeters. Photo by art-photographers.co.uk

Left: “Ginkgo Pair lll” (2022), ginkgo leaves and cotton thread. Right: “Shine” (2023), magnolia leaf and cotton thread, 11.7 x 16.4 centimeters. Photo by art-photographers.co.uk

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 Susanna Bauer’s Intricately Crocheted Leaves Celebrate the Elegance and Ephemerality of Nature appeared first on Colossal.

Vincent Glielmi

Vincent Glielmi’s Website

Vincent Glielmi on Instagram

Photo by Brandon Getty

More photos from our most recent issue.

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Photo by Christopher Radney

Photo by Dave Glass

Photo by Louis Fabries

Photo by Sila Yalazan

“Aureus” (2022). All images © Jon Foreman, shared with permission

Nature’s subtle irregularities and variations are fodder for Jon Foreman (previously). Using found leaves, stones, and sand, the Wales-based artist assembles swirling gradients and organic motifs that radiate across forest floors and beaches. He precisely arranges each composition by size and color, relying on basic geometric principles to transform a humble material and unconventional backdrop into stunning artworks. Considering the constructions last just a short time before they’re blown or washed away, head to Foreman’s Instagram to see them in pristine condition.

“Stone Knitting” (2024)

“Pontis” (2024)

“Aqua Exemplaria” (2024)

“Triplex Motus” (2023)

“Stella Spiralis” (2023)

“Helix” (2024)

“Crescents Glow” (2024)

“Quadratura” (2024)

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 Sand and Stone, Jon Foreman Sculpts Hypnotic Gradients and Organic Motifs appeared first on Colossal.

All images © Sungai Watch and Sungai Design, shared with permission

Despite the idyllic photos that populate Instagram feeds and travel blogs, Bali has a plastic problem. The island produces 1.6 million tons of waste each year, and thanks to ocean currents, it also receives tidal waves of pollution from neighboring islands that bury its beaches in mounds of trash, debris, and even rotting animal carcasses during monsoon season. To mitigate the problem, two sister organizations have teamed up to clean Bali’s waterways and transform the uncovered waste into useful goods.

Sungai Watch leads the first part of the process by identifying problem rivers and installing wide barriers to trap pollution. Since launching in 2020, the nonprofit has pulled 1,718,562 kilograms, nearly 1,900 tons, of plastic from the waterways.

Once cleaned and sorted, the waste is handed off to Sungai Design, which shreds and presses the material into large panels. CNC machines cut parametric components that are fashioned into a line of modern chairs, while offcuts are recycled into other products. Available in two shapes and three colors, the speckled designs both feature wide, sloping seats and angular legs. Each recycles an estimated 30 kilograms of plastic.

To dive into the trash collection process, head to YouTube, and shop available products from Sungai Design.

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 A Nonprofit Is Creating Modern Loungers Entirely from Plastic Pulled from Bali’s Waterways appeared first on Colossal.

Armed with his trusty Hasselblad XPan and a Sprocket Rocket camera, film photographer Nuno Cruz decided to try out panoramic format in the streets of Amsterdam. We sent him some Lomography Lady Grey and Berlin Kino film and spoke with him about how each combination performed.

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Detail of “Ants,” 50 x 50 x 15 centimeters. All photos by Griffin Simm, © Greg Olijnyk, shared with permission

Hordes of ants with serrated mandibles, a coiled caterpillar, and puffy white cotton-ball clouds materialize in Greg Olijnyk’s Melbourne studio. The artist continues his ever-growing collection of cardboard sculptures augmented with LED lights, toothpicks, and “a lot of hours and lots of coffee.” His most recent works include a trio of mechanical insects presented like entomological displays, their legs and heads revealing Olijnyk’s meticulous attention to detail and devotion to rendering minuscule features. Keeping with the wondrous world that he’s been expanding the last few years, the artist also fashioned a “Dream Factory,” a whimsical manufacturing plant shipping out the most fantastical imaginings.

For more of Olijnyk’s sci-fi universe of robots and uncanny architecture, visit his site and Instagram.

“Ants,” 50 x 50 x 15 centimeters

“Fly,” 50 x 50 x 15 centimeters

Detail of “Fly,” 50 x 50 x 15 centimeters

“Caterpillar,” 50 x 50 x 15 centimeters

Detail of “Caterpillar,” 50 x 50 x 15 centimeters

“The Dream Factory,” 75 x 90 x 65 centimeters

Detail of “The Dream Factory,” 75 x 90 x 65 centimeters

Detail of “The Dream Factory,” 75 x 90 x 65 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 Cardboard Takes a Fantastical Turn in Greg Olijnyk’s Mechanical Insects and Wondrous Dream Factory appeared first on Colossal.

All images © Muhammed Sajid, shared with permission

“The two things I love the most are observing people and playing with colours,” says Bangalore, India-based artist Muhammed Sajid, whose vivid digital illustrations highlight personalities, garments, and visual culture inspired by his home state of Kerala. Ornate fabrics and objects surround figures who gaze directly at the viewer or interact with flora and fauna, and symbolic references to vernacular architecture and art fill each vibrant composition.

Sajid was inspired to start making portraits while he was in college, and over time, he honed his interest in portraying people and their surroundings. Initially, he worked in watercolor and poster paints, but found it difficult to achieve the saturated hues he was drawn to. “In the digital era, things are entirely different, and I started using different types of colours,” he says, exploring the full spectrum and building bold contrasts.

In his Folks from Kerala series, Sajid draws from memories and renders subjects who are reminiscent of people he would see around his childhood town. “Some of the pieces that I had done in that series show people who are familiar folks and faces from the village,” he says. “I felt that no one gave much attention to how simple and beautiful their lives were.” He continues to build on these initial explorations, combining elements of pop culture, fashion, and landscape.

Later this year, Sajid will show a couple of new pieces with Galerie Kurokama in Paris, which focuses on contemporary Asian art. Find more of the artsit’s work on Behance and 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 Vibrant Digital Illustrations by Muhammed Sajid Evoke Memories of the Artist’s Hometown appeared first on Colossal.

Ending the year on a positive note, our picks of positive trends and admirable global breakthroughs of 2023.

Part of our Beautiful News project. There we surface the good news and happy data we can’t always see when fixated on the negativity of the news.

» See the charticle
» Explore the data and sources

Erinn Springer

Erinn Springer’s Website

Erinn Springer on Instagram

We recently supplied Spanish photographer Leo Amaya with Lomography film for his trip to South Africa, and he surpassed expectations with these amazing pictures of wildlife.

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JESSE’S VISUAL INTERVIEWS: Carlos Estevan Barceló

Q1: Who are you? 

Q2: What is your favorite way to waste money?

Q3: What do you consider the most underrated virtue? 

Q4: When are you happiest? 

Q5: What did your first kiss feel like? 

Q6: Where is home?

Q7: Which body parts (yours or otherwise) do you feel the most affection for? 

Q8: What is your favorite vice?

Q9: How do you define childhood? 

Q10: What is your favorite time of day?

Q11: Who is your favorite person?

Q12: What is the most important thing in any relationship?

Thank you for your responses, Carlos!

First met Carlos at Berry a hidden bar in the Nakameguro area in Tokyo then again on the PhotoPeace charity walk we (JCH) did in 2022 making the photography connection. Always consistently interesting photography, especially in his Instagram stories, I finally reached out for this visual interview. Hell of a bartender as well haha. Check his Instagram here.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

See my other interviews here: Then click here to go to the archives.
-JF

The post JESSE’S VISUAL INTERVIEWS: Carlos Estevan Barceló appeared first on Japan Camera Hunter.

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Hovertext:
St. Peter just taps the crudely drawn No Girls Allowed sign made by God.

Whoever made the A City on Mars wikipedia entry, bless you. Now when people argue against stuff that we didn't actually say, I'm just linking to the page.

Aaron Luckman

Aaron Luckman’s Website

Aaron Luckman on Instagram

1969

After too short a visit to Athens’s Parthenon in 1964, I vowed to return soon. By 1969 I was standing on the deck of a wave tossed Yugoslavian freighter with my back to New York City. Watching the grey, stormy, November Atlantic from the quiet of the Navigation Bridge was a peaceful retreat. Our first port-of-call was Casablanca. As a travel companion I had Greek philosopher Nikos Kazantzakis's book, Report to Greco, basically a story of Kazantzakis's search for his identity. It seemed a good reading choice for me, a 26-year-old, also searching for my identity.

The Parthenon, The Acropolis

Parthenon, Acropolis, Athens, Greece

Two months later, I was finally climbing the Acropolis again to view the Parthenon and the experience surpassed my memories! The Parthenon's white Marble, from nearby Mount Pentelicus, shown in the sun. To help understand the complex Greek culture I read Nikos Kazantzakis's writings and Edith Hamilton's book on Greek mythology. Edith Hamilton describes in her book Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, a contest between the God Poseidon and the Goddess Athena. Athena made an olive tree, "the most prized of all the trees of Greece," grow on the Acropolis. Athena was judged winner of the contest! Through Edith's eyes I felt connected to an early mythical belief system that formed a base for Greek culture. From Piraeus I took the night ferry to Iraklion, Crete where Nikos Kazantzakis was born in 1883.

Horns of Consecration

Minoan sculpture "Horns of Consecration" Knossos Palace, Iraklion, Crete

In 3,500 BC Iraklion, Crete was the center of the Minoan civilization. The Minoans were skilled in metallurgy and engineering, working with copper & bronze. They also practiced ritual bull leaping. The sculpture Horns of Consecration represent the bull's horns that athletes would jump over. In Greek Mythology, the Palace of Knossos was the site of the Minotaur's Labyrinth. The Labyrinth was built by Daedalus, father of Icarus who famously flew too close to the sun.

Vineyard workers, Crete

Pruning Grape Vines, Knossos,  Crete, Greece 1970

The vineyard that these men were pruning in 1970 (near the Knossos Palace) was also a Minoan vineyard in 2,500 BC! A favorite Minoan wine was 'Passum'! The Minoans built a valuable trade exporting their wines and olive oil around the Mediterranean. The photograph shows a smiling vineyard pruning crew near the Knossos Palace. Edith Hamilton wrote, "Dionysus, the God of the Vine, was born of fire and nursed by rain, the hard burning heat that ripens the grapes and the water that keeps the plants alive."

Donkey saddle, Delphia

Pruning vine, Crete

Olive Grove

Donkeys were used to carry olives to a press to make olive oil. This family-owned olive grove was within site of Mount Parnassus, Delphi where the Temple of Apollo's oracle, the Pythia, would provide Seekers of Truth with answers. In the past, the Temple had a large inscription of the letter E (Epsilon) on the front. Today E's meaning still remains an enigma!

Ripe, "gray-gleaming olive", Delphi

The Ripe Olives

In January the olives were gathered. They knocked the olives from the trees with long poles. The olives were gathered up by hand and put into baskets which the donkeys caried to an olive press. In Greek mythology Athena created the olive trees. Here is my photograph of "The gray-gleaming olive, Athena showed to men," described by Edith Hamilton. Also a photograph of the family olive grove owners having lunch. I helped pick up the ripe olives from the ground and later shared lunch. They introduced me to sesame-seed Halva, one of the best of many Greek sweets!

Lunch, Delphi

Gathering Olives

Building Donkey Saddles, Sita, Crete

Many craftsmen were involved in making donkey saddles. Carving a wooden donkey saddle, Sita, Crete.

Skillfully building by hand the frame for a donkey saddle.

Byzantine Church

The 13th Century Byzantine Church of Panagia Kera is the major attraction to Krista, a small  mountain village in Eastern Crete. On a hike I climbed upward from the village to the music of the goat herd bells. Nikos Kazantzakis wrote that the shepherds choose bells to provide a unique sound for their flock. A haunting Fresco depiction of Christ is part of the many 13th century frescos in the Church of Panagia Kera in Krista. Kazantzakis wrote, "three great figures, Odysseus, Nicephorus Phocas and Christ were toiling inside me to acquire faces."

Krista

Kazantzakis

As warm and sunny weather approached my Winter Journey extended to Easter! Kazanatzakis wrote, "I said to the almond tree, Sister, speak to me of God, And the almond tree blossomed."

Nikos Kazantzakis's grave site, Iraklion, Crete.

Iraklion's old city wall

Nikos Kazantzakis's grave site is located on Iraklion's old city wall. He wrote, "Standing on a street corner with hands reaching out to passers-by: Alms, brothers! A quarter of an hour from each of you  Oh, for a little time, just enough to let me finish my work.  Afterwards, let Charon come."

This photograph shows a small Wayside Chapel miles from any village. The Chapel was immaculate and freshly whitewashed. It provided me with a reminder of the importance that religion has in Greece.

"A Winter in Greece, 1970"

"A Winter in Greece, 1970" will be exhibited at the Watertown Free Public Library, Watertown, Massachusetts for the month of October, 2024. Twenty-one Gelatin Silver Prints will be exhibited. In 2023 I received a Grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council which allowed me to print this exhibit. The print image size is 10 X 15 inches. I worked with two Nikon F cameras and 35mm, 50mm & 105mm lenses. For exposure readings I used a Weston Master V meter. These negatives are now 53 years old! I reprinted the negatives in 2023 on ILFORD Multigrade Fiber Base Classic Paper working with ILFORD Multigrade Printing Filters.

Weaving Donkey Saddle Bags, Xanthi

Images ©Joseph Flack Weiler

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You can't see it but he's wiping his eyes on Georgia O'Keeffe originals.

Of all the compliments on the new book so far, kind words from Jonathan McDowell mean the most. Or, well, anyway, tied with the nice stuff Mary Roach said.

Jaka Teršek

Jaka Teršek on Instagram

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How come nobody ever considers the increased CO2 emissions of causing the trolley to switch tracks?

Another prestigious publication compelled to say Weinersmith.

“Symbiose” (2021), Cransac, France. All images © Arthur Maslard, shared with permission

As if made of porcelain or glass, the monumental, serene faces of Arthur Maslard’s subjects fragment into sharply contrasted leaves. The French artist, also known as Ratur, draws on a background in graphic design and intimacy with nature to blend realistic features with fantastical, botanical explosions and abstract fields of color. “Every wall is challenging and different!” he says. “There is always a part of improvisation and adaptation. I would say that the most constraining factor is time.”

Maslard counts Hungarian painter István Sándorfi among his influences, honing the detailed interaction of light with flesh and folds of fabric. He often works alongside his brother Oscar, known as SCKARO, to realize hyperrealistic imagery portraying what Ratur describes as “humans faced with a nature in ruin, mythical figures, and symbols of perpetual rebirth.”

Ratur’s next project takes him to Sand City, California, for the West End Mural Festival in October. Explore more work on his website, and follow updates on Instagram.

Untitled (2023), Annemasse, France

“Renaissance” (2020), Rouen Impressionnée Festival, Rouen, France

“Summer Vibe” (2023), North West Walls Festival, Belgium

“Innate Connection” (2021), Vancouver, B.C., Canada

“Sweet Life” (2023), Great Falls, Montana, U.S.A.

“Daphné” (2020), Dijon, France

“Above It All” (2022), Vancouver, B.C., Canada

“Together” (2021), Paris, France

“L’Oranger” (2021), Saint Brieuc, France

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 Hyperrealistic Portraits Burst Into Botanical Shards in Vibrant Murals by Ratur appeared first on Colossal.

Jacobin pigeon. All images © Brendan Burden, shared with permission

Often seen clambering for scraps on city streets, pigeons tend to be an overlooked and even despised species. The birds’ ubiquity in urban areas, and their colloquial characterization as “flying rats,” have given them a lackluster reputation that Brendan Burden upends in his ongoing series of portraits.

The Ottawa-based photographer originally encountered the crest of the Jacobin pigeon, a lavish crown of plumage that wraps around its neck like a voluminous garment. “I had no idea pigeons could look this way and started doing some research and came to find out that there is a wide variety of pigeons, wild and domestic, many of which are quite beautiful,” he says. “I wondered whether I could apply more formal portrait techniques to these birds.”

After coming across the Canadian Pigeon Fancier’s Association in Ottawa Magazine and diving into the organization’s member listing, the Fancy Pigesons series began to take shape. “My intention was to juxtapose the lowly pigeon with formal portraiture techniques and provide a new perspective on something ubiquitous, bordering on completely invisible,” Burden shares. Set against solid, paper backdrops resting in a large, show cage, the images evoke studio shots and capture each creature’s unique features. The Kormorner tumbler, for example, appears as if it’s wearing a turtleneck of brown feathers with a puffy collar, while the Moden’s gleaming, iridescent neck contrasts the soft, black and orange plumes of its body.

Left: English long-faced tumbler. Right: Lavender racing homer pigeon

As Burden photographed the birds—all are in the care of fanciers and avian enthusiasts rather than breeders—he learned about the unique relationship they have with humans. Pigeons are likely the first species to be domesticated, a history reflected in Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets and Egyptian hieroglyphics that suggest the practice was likely happening more than 5,000 years ago. He explains:

Had you asked me prior to undertaking this project, where they came from, I would have just assumed that they were wild and had some kind of symbiotic relationship with humans, like rats or mice or any number of other creatures. But in fact, they’re feral domesticated birds, and the reason they’re everywhere is in part because humans have been breeding them, often for nothing other than their beauty, for thousands of years.

As Burden adds to the Fancy Pigeons series, he’s shifting to photographing wild species, a change that requires more travel, time, and patience. “Being that they’re birds, sometimes you just don’t get what you hoped for and have to reshoot,” he says. You can follow his progress on Instagram, and shop limited-edition prints on his site. (via PetaPixel)

Kormorner tumbler

Bald head roller

Top left: Crested pigeon. Top right: Copper black wing archangel. Bottom left: Egyptian swift. Bottom right: Crested pigeon

Domestic flight

Ring necked dove

Left: Show homer pigeon. Right: Racing pigeon

Indian fantail

Moden

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 ‘Fancy Pigeons,’ Brendan Burden Captures the Flair of Underappreciated Birds appeared first on Colossal.

Didymium squamulosum with ice crown. All images © Barry Webb, licensed

Photographer Barry Webb (previously) continues his hunt for the speckled, glimmering, and ice-crested organisms that pop up near his home in South Buckinghamshire, U.K. Armed with a 90-millimeter macro lens, Webb ventures into woodlands and other natural areas where slime molds and fungi thrive. There, he zeroes in on their microscopic features, documenting their wildly diverse characteristics that often last for just a brief moment in time. Recent shots include a tuft of Muppet-like fuzz topping Metatrichia floriformis, a water droplet suspended between two cup-like Craterium minutum, and a cluster of Pink stemonitis filaments propped on spindly black legs.

Webb has won several awards in recent months, including from the Royal Photographic Society and Close-Up Photographer of the Year. Four of his photos will be featured at the Vienna Mushroom Festival next month, prints are available on his site, and you can find more of his work on Instagram.

Metatrichia floriformis and physarum

Cribraria

Pink stemonitis

Craterium minutum

Leocarpus fragilis

Holly parachute fungus, Marasmius hudsonii

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 Macro Photos, Barry Webb Captures the Fleeting, Otherworldly Characteristics of Slime Molds and Fungi appeared first on Colossal.

“Made of Gold” (2021). All images © Lauren Marx, shared with permission

The living and the dead coexist in vivid color in the fantastic tableaus of artist Lauren Marx (previously). From her St. Louis studio, Marx entangles predators and prey with flora and fauna in dense scenes rendered in a mix of pen, watercolor, and colored pencil. Snakes burst open to reveal feathered wings, an owl snacks on the maroon entrails of a rabbit, and a three-headed creature sprouts dried grass from its midsection. Straddling the line between the beautiful and the brutally grotesque, the works intertwine myriad species and states of being.

Given the trauma of the Covid-19 pandemic and the increasingly destructive effects of the human-caused climate crisis, Marx says the theme of loss of life has become more poignant and profound. “I feel the tension is even greater now after seeing death become part of our daily lives nonstop for years. It went from a casual observation to a persistent one,” she shares. “It’s honestly very overwhelming for me.”

The artist translates this grief into the mythological, rendering creatures like unicorns and dragons in vibrant hues. Fanciful by nature, these pieces twist lush florals and technicolor serpents around the horned beasts, with their deep purple intestines peeking through white fur. “I felt this urge to create bright pieces in order to cheer myself,” she says. “Now, those subjects play a huge role in where I want to take my work in the future.”

In November, Marx’s work will be included in a group exhibition at Haven Gallery in Long Island. Peek into her process on Instagram, and shop prints and stickers on Etsy.

“The First” (2016)

“Starry Eyed” (2021)

“Good Luck Spells” (2022)

“Crow and Blueberries” (2020)

Left: “Unicorn II” (2021). Right: “Unicorn” (2020)

“Queen of the Night” (2021)

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 Flora and Fauna Entwine in Lauren Marx’s Mixed-Media Studies of Life and Death appeared first on Colossal.