Piece Together the Geography of the Earth and Moon in Infinite Combinations with Nervous System?s Jigsaw Puzzles

   16 hours ago  |  ThisIsColossal

Longtime Colossal readers are likely familiar with Nervous System?s unmistakable jigsaws, two of which we just added to the Colossal Shop. Both Earth and Moon designs are infinity puzzles, meaning you can start exploring their expansive geographies from any spot?there’s no fixed shape, and they can be completed in thousands of arrangements. Each jigsaw also comes with whimsy pieces and is made from laser-cut birch plywood in the team’s studio in the Catskills. More

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Red-Eyed Subjects Peer Forward in Bright, Impasto Portraits by Artist Annan Affotey

   07 May 00:00:07  |  ThisIsColossal

Annan Affotey has an affinity for bold, bright colors that set his subjects apart from the negative space framing their figures. Through gestural strokes that sweep across the canvas, the Ghanaian artist renders intimate portraits of his friends, family members, and the occasional public figure who, through distinctly red eyes, look directly at the viewer, a decision that’s both aesthetic and cultural.
“When I moved to the U.S. from Ghana, I was often questioned why my eyes were red and whether it meant I hadn’t slept or was doing drugs, neither of which was true. More

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Striking Photos Frame the Half-Renovated Houses of a Former Mining Region in Germany

   07 May 00:00:07  |  ThisIsColossal

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Assembled Sculptures by Artist Willie Cole Cluster High Heels into Expressive Masks

   06 May 00:00:15  |  ThisIsColossal

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A Painstakingly Crafted Village Perches Atop a Wooden Tower in Ognyan Stefanov?s Miniature Utopia

   06 May 00:00:15  |  ThisIsColossal

Bulgarian artist Ognyan Stefanov pairs his day job as an aviation photographer with an equally lofty practice of crafting lavish architectural miniatures that soar high in the air. One of his creations is this utopic village, aptly named “Skyville,” which was designed as a self-sustaining enclave complete with shops, farms and gardens, a library, and a few homes, including the main house with the individually tiled pitched roof. Posted atop a latticed tower, the heavily landscaped town was designed to mimic real functionality with a water drainage system, pulleys, and walkways that climb from level to level. More

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May 2021 Opportunities: Open Calls, Residencies, and Grants for Artists

   05 May 00:00:09  |  ThisIsColossal

Every month, Colossal shares a selection of opportunities for artists and designers, including open calls, grants, fellowships, and residencies. If you’d like to list an opportunity here, please get in touch at hello@colossal.art. You can also join our monthly Opportunities Newsletter.
 
Open Calls
Backroads: The Art Less-Travelled at Vestige Concept Gallery
This open call from Pittsburgh’s Vestige Concept Gallery seeks artworks that venture off the beaten path, especially with regard to travel, and is open to artists in the U.S. More

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A Mirrored Ceiling and Gleaming Tile Floor Turn This Chinese Bookstore into an Immersive M.C. Escher-Style Illusion

   05 May 00:00:08  |  ThisIsColossal

X+Living is known for its deceptively designed Zhongshuge bookstores that mimic M.C. Escher woodcuts and trippy infinite spaces. The latest iteration is this dreamy location in Chengdu featuring bold archways, a reflective tile floor that makes the display tables appear like floating boats, and a mirror embedded in the ceiling to create a seemingly endless loop of stairways and shelving. Completed in 2020, Dujiangyan Zhongshuge has a cafe on the first floor, along with a children’s area occupied by a bamboo forest and pandas climbing the bookcases. More

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Miniature Scenes, Cross-Stitch Flowers, and Works from Art History Nestle into Eva Krbdk?s Tiny Tattoos

   04 May 00:00:14  |  ThisIsColossal

Havva Karabudak, who works as Eva Krbdk, thrives on inking minuscule details. Focusing on innumerable lines and dot work, the Turkish tattoo artist (previously) illustrates textured florals in cross-stitch, realistic portraits of animals, and micro-paintings in the likes of van Gogh, Magritte, and Fornasetti. Many of the vivid renderings are small enough to fit into a perfectly round circle or a skinny stretch of a client’s upper arm.
Karabudak’s background coalesces in her tattoos, including her formal education at the Fine Arts Academy of Ankara in Turkey and her love of textiles. More

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Years of Storms Rage Across the Sky in a Dramatic New Timelapse by Mike Olbinski

   04 May 00:00:14  |  ThisIsColossal

Grab your hat before pressing play on Mike Olbinski?s “Shadows in the Sky.” The Phoenix-based filmmaker, photographer, and storm chaser (previously) just released a turbulent film that shows funnel clouds pouring down to the ground, multiple tornadoes tearing across the landscape in a single blur, and the sky heaving and contorting in constant motion. The dramatic, sometimes dizzying compilation blends Olbinski’s favorite clips from the last few years and is set to Eric Kinney and Danica Dora’s foreboding ?The Last Goodbye.” As the track builds in intensity about halfway through, “Shadows in the Sky” switches from monochrome to capture the circulating clouds in full color. More

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