Colossal | A blog about art and visual ingenuity.

‘Stacked’ by Ai Weiwei: 760 Stacked Bicycles at Galleria Continua

Stacked by Ai Weiwei: 760 Stacked Bicycles at Galleria Continua multiples installation bicycles

As part of his first exhibition at Galleria Continua in San Gimignano, artist Ai Weiwei (previously) has installed 760 stacked bicycles in a sprawling installation on a raised stage within the gallery. It’s important to note that the bikes are not simply “stacked” but have been physically attached creating a single cohesive structure which can be explored from within, similar to his 2011 work Forever Bicycles. The exhibition is comprised of several sculptures, installations, video and photographs from the Chinese artist who was bestowed last May with the inaugural Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent from the Human Rights Foundation. Last year Weiwei was also the subject of the documentary Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry directed by American filmmaker Alison Klayman, which follows the artist through several nasty scuffles with Chinese authorities while he creates several new provocative artworks and organized social actions. Easily one of the best documentaries of 2012 and I highly recommend it (stream it on Netflix).

The exhibition at Galleria Continua is on view through February 16th, and you can see many more images here. All imagery above was provided courtesy Galleria Continua.

Moonwalk: Free Climber Dean Potter Walks a Highline Across a Rising Full Moon at Yosemite National Park

Moonwalk: Free Climber Dean Potter Walks a Highline Across a Rising Full Moon at Yosemite National Park timelapse stunts moon

This is one of the more impressive full moon ~~time-lapses~~ films you’ll ever see. Directed by Mikey Schaefer and produced by adventure filmmaker Bryan Smith, this remarkable clip captures American free climber Dean Potter as he traverses a highline tied to Cathedral Peak in Yosemite National Park. To get the wild perspective Potter used a camera equipped with a Canon 800mm super telephoto lens positioned over a mile away. Beautiful.

Update: Several people have written to clarify that this is technically not a “time-lapse” film, as both the climber and moon are actually moving in real time, it’s only the magnification of the moon that seems to mimic similar films that capture it in motion. Fair enough.

By Christopher on January 8, 2013 • moon stunts timelapse

A Skull Made from Repurposed Skateboard Decks by Haroshi

A Skull Made from Repurposed Skateboard Decks by Haroshi wood skulls sculpture anatomy

This incredibly detailed skull made from repurposed skateboard decks is one of several new artworks from self-taught Japanese artist Haroshi (previously) who will be opening his second solo show at Jonathan Levine Gallery in New York on January 12. Don’t miss it.

By Christopher on January 8, 2013 • anatomy sculpture skulls wood

Organic Sculptures Sanded from Hundreds of Pencils by Jessica Drenk

Organic Sculptures Sanded from Hundreds of Pencils by Jessica Drenk sculpture pencils multiples

South Carolina-based artist Jessica Drenk was born and raised in Montana where she developed an understanding and appreciation of the natural world that has since deeply influenced the course of her artistic career. Her installations and sculptures often imitate organic shapes, patterns, and textures even when using a medium that is often manufactured by human hands. Drenk’s most recent sculptures are a series called Implements, each of which begins with a mass of standard No. 2 pencils that have been tightly glued together. Using an electric sander she then molds the piece into a form that seems more likely to have originated in a dark cave or deep within the ocean than from a school desk. Of her work she says:

By transforming familiar objects into nature-inspired forms and patterns, I examine how we classify the world around us. Manufactured goods appear as natural objects, something functional becomes something decorative, a simple material is made complex, and the commonplace becomes unique. In changing books into fossilized remnants of our culture, or in arranging elegantly sliced PVC pipes to suggest ripple and wave patterns, I create a connection between the man-made and the natural.

You can find her work at Paia Contemporary in Hawaii, or Foster/White in Seattle, and see many more images over on Facebook. All images courtesy the artist. (via booooooom)

By Christopher on January 7, 2013 • multiples pencils sculpture

Flying Houses by Laurent Chehere

Flying Houses by Laurent Chehere illustration flying digital

French photographer Laurent Chehere is known for his commercial work for clients such as Audi and Nike, but after a change of interest he left advertising and traveled the world with stops throughout China, Argentina, Columbia, and Boliva. From his numerous photographs along the way was born his flying houses series, a collection of fantastical buildings, homes, tents and trailers removed from their backgrounds and suspended in the sky as if permanently airborne. The collection of work appeared at Galerie Paris-Beijing last year with an appearance at Art Miami in December. You can see much more on his website. (via it’s nice that)

By Christopher on January 7, 2013 • digital flying illustration

Winners & Honorable Mentions of the 2012 National Geographic Photography Competition

Winners & Honorable Mentions of the 2012 National Geographic Photography Competition nature contests
Grand Prize / Photo and caption by Ashley Vincent/National Geographic Photo Contest. The subject’s name is Busaba, a well cared for Indochinese Tigress whose home is at Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Thailand. I had taken many portraits of Busaba previously and it was becoming more and more difficult to come up with an image that appeared any different to the others. Which is why I took to observing her more carefully during my visits in the hope of capturing something of a behavioural shot. The opportunity finally presented itself while watching Busaba enjoying her private pool then shaking herself dry. In all humility I have to say that Mother Nature smiled favourably on me that day!

Winners & Honorable Mentions of the 2012 National Geographic Photography Competition nature contests
First Place for People / Photo and caption by Micah Albert/National Geographic Photo Contest. At the end of the day women are allowed to pick through the dumpsite.

Winners & Honorable Mentions of the 2012 National Geographic Photography Competition nature contests
First Place for Places / Photo and caption by Nenad Saljic/National Geographic Photo Contest. The Matterhorn 4478m at full moon.

Winners & Honorable Mentions of the 2012 National Geographic Photography Competition nature contests
Honorable Mention / Photo and caption by关嘉城/National Geographic Photo Contest. Dragon boating is a chinese traditional entertainment. As an acquatic sport to memorise qu yuan, a patriotic poet in ancient china, it is usually held in festivals, which can be traced back to two thousands years ago.

Winners & Honorable Mentions of the 2012 National Geographic Photography Competition nature contests
Honorable Mention / Photo and caption by Eric Guth/National Geographic Photo Contest. Glacial ice washes ashore after calving off the Breiamerkurjˆkull glacier on Iceland’s eastern coast. During the waning light of summer this image was created over the course of a 4 minute exposure while the photographer backlit the grounded glacial ice with a headlamp for 2 of those 4 minutes.

Winners & Honorable Mentions of the 2012 National Geographic Photography Competition nature contests
Viewers’ Choice for People / Photo and caption by Kai-Otto Melau/National Geographic Photo Contest. A race that follows in the path of the famous explorer Roald Amundsen brings the contestants to the Hardangervidda Mountainplateu, Norway. 100km across the plateau, the exact same route Amundsen used to prepare for his South Pole expedition in 1911 is still used by explorers today. Amundsen did not manage to cross the plateau and had to turn back because of bad weather. He allegedly said that the attempt to cross Hardangervidda was just as dangerous and hard as the conquering of the South Pole. The group in the picture used the race as preparations for an attempt to cross Greenland.

Winners & Honorable Mentions of the 2012 National Geographic Photography Competition nature contests
Honorable Mention / Photo and caption by Micheal Eastman/National Geographic Photo Contest. With his exceptional hearing a red fox has targeted a mouse hidden under 2 feet of crusted snow. Springing high in the air he breaks through the crusted spring snow with his nose and his body is completely vertical as he grabs the mouse under the snow.

Winners & Honorable Mentions of the 2012 National Geographic Photography Competition nature contests
Honorable Mention / Photo and caption by ulrich lambert/National Geographic Photo Contest. Stilt fishing is a typical fishing technique only seen in Sri Lanka. The fishermen sit on a cross bar called a petta tied to a vertical pole planted into the coral reef. This long exposure shot shows how unstable their position is.

Winners & Honorable Mentions of the 2012 National Geographic Photography Competition nature contests
Viewers’ Choice / Photo and caption by Sanjeev Bhor/National Geographic Photo Contest. Everyday in mara starts with something new and different and day ends with memorable experiences with spectacular photographs. I was very lucky of sighting and photographing Malaika the name of female Cheetah and her cub. She is well known for its habit to jump on vehicles. She learned that from her mother Kike, and Kike from her mother Amber. Like her mother she is teaching lessons to her cub. Teaching lessons means addition of another moment for tourist. This is one of the tender moment between Malaika and her cub. I was very lucky to capture that moment.

Honrable Mention / Photo and caption by Fransisca Harlijanto/National Geographic Photo Contest. I was surrounded by thousands of fish that moved in synchrony because of the predation that was happening. It was an incredible experience.

The winners have been announced for the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest which saw over 22,000 entries from 150 countries this year. The winners were selected by a panel of experts comprised of natural history photographer Christian Ziegler and documentary photographers Gerd Ludwig and Debbie Fleming Caffery. Three additional Viewers Choice awards were also given. Above are some of my favorites but you can see additional Honorable Mentions over on National Geographic. In a kind gesture National Geographic made all the winning photographs available as downloadable desktop images, as a fan of large numbers I’m personally going with Predation for a few weeks.

By Christopher on January 7, 2013 • contests nature

GoPro Camera Attached to a Trombone Slide

GoPro Camera Attached to a Trombone Slide trombones music

I love the visual of this small GoPro camera attached to this man’s trombone. The music becomes perfectly synchronized with the actions, which while totally predictable is still unexpectedly awesome to watch. (via kottke)