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Art Colossal

Interview: Kate MccGwire On Discerning Duality, Connecting with Nature, and Making Art in the Belly of a Dutch Barge

February 13, 2023

Kate Mothes

Shown above is “EVACUATE” (2010), mixed-media installation with game feathers, 120 x 400 x 350 centimeters. Photo by Jonty Wilde. All images © Kate MccGwire, shared with permission

Growing up on the Norfolk Broads, a network of waterways in the eastern lobe of England that are mostly navigable by boat, Kate MccGwire explored the area’s wetlands and observed wildlife that would set in motion an artistic practice centered in nature. The artist is known for her site-specific installations and serpentine sculptures that incorporate thousands of bird feathers into otherworldly specimens that writhe, squish, and spill.

Often there is an obfuscation of what we know to be real and a shift that allows a sort of reverie and suspension of reality, and due to the convincing placement of the feathers over natural undulating forms, the impression that it could be real, that it could move, flow, and uncoil. —Kate MccGwire

MccGwire speaks in this interview about the tensions and dualities between containment and movement, attraction and revulsion, and nature and the self.

Read the interview.

 

“LIMINAL” (2019), mixed media with goose feathers in a bespoke cabinet, 76 x 57 x 50 centimeters. Photo by JP Bland

 

 

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Photography

Dramatic Landscapes and Dazzling Portraits Highlight Global Perspectives in the 2023 Sony World Photography Awards

February 8, 2023

Kate Mothes

A photograph of a cyclist illuminated by street lamp on a rural road juxtaposed with a city in the background.

Gyu Seob Shim, Republic of Korea, 1st Place, National Awards. All images © the photographers, shared with permission courtesy of the Sony World Photography Awards

From the sinuous lines of a leaping cat, to a giant tortoise gliding alongside a snorkeler, to a lone cyclist illuminated on a road juxtaposed against a looming city, the winning images from this year’s Sony World Photography Awards (previously) showcase remarkable slices of life captured by photographers hailing from 55 countries around the globe. Now in its 16th year, the competition garnered more than 415,000 entries from more than 200 nations and territories, about half of which were entered into the running for the National Awards, an initiative set up by the World Photography Organization and Sony to support local photographic communities around the world.

Check out some of our favorite images below, and if you’re in London, stop by Somerset House between April 14 and May 1 to see all of the winning images on display, including top picks from the student, youth, open, and professional categories.

 

The Milky Way photographed over a mountain range and a frozen body of water.

Filip Hrebenda, Slovakia, Shortlist, Regional Awards

An overview photograph of a figure snorkeling beside a giant tortoise.

Thiện Nguyễn Ngọc, Vietnam, Winner, National Awards

A dramatic glacial shelf.

Huazheng Hong, Singapore, Winner, National Awards

A cat jumping in the air, photographed in black-and-white and creating an abstract, linear composition.

Kazutoshi Ono, Japan, 2nd Place, National Awards

A photograph of an owl peeking out from behind a tree limb.

Protap Shekhor Mohanto, Bangladesh, Winner, National Awards

A portrait of two women in black-and-white, one seated and one standing, holding an umbrella.

Nukabari Opuama, Nigeria, Winner, National Awards

A profile view of a colorful tree frog.

Manuel Rodríguez, Costa Rica, Shortlist, Latin America National Awards

A portrait of a woman seated in a classic convertible, resting on the door with her eyes closed, holding flowers and with flowers in the background.

Samia Berbiche, France, Winner, National Awards

A volcanic lava flow.

Niks Freimanis, Latvia, Shortlist, Regional Awards

 

 



Photography Science

The Astonishing Biodiversity of Fungi Blooms in Max Mudie’s Macro Photographs

February 2, 2023

Kate Mothes

A macro photograph of fungi.

All images © Max Mudie, shared with permission

“I’m not the first person to say it, and I’m not going to be the last, but when you find out how integral fungi are to our existence, it makes everything else feel insignificant,” says Max Mudie, whose foraging expeditions reveal the otherworldly elegance, diversity, and minutiae of the myriad denizens of the “wood wide web.” Documenting a range of fungi and slime molds living in the U.K., the Sussex-based photographer is fascinated by the sheer breadth of colors, sizes, and textures he encounters in both rural and urban spaces. “I like to try and find as many species as possible,” he tells Colossal. “The more obscure, the better.”

Mudie’s lifelong love for mushrooms blossomed when he moved back to a rural area around five years ago, and he couldn’t resist the opportunity to forage, document, and cultivate specimens. He regularly joins a local group of amateur mycologists on walks to find and identify different types, and a recent highlight included documenting a bioluminescent species. Even with more than 140,000 types of fungi on record around the world, new discoveries are made all the time. He loves the thrill of stumbling across species that are rare or aren’t listed in textbooks, which requires some sleuthing and team effort to identify. “I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of such a vast subject,” he says. “Many species out there are yet to be described, meaning there’s lots of work to be done—making this, for me, one of the most exciting subjects to focus on.”

In many cases, the specimens Mudie encounters are so tiny that powerful macro lenses are required to capture their intricate details. He often shares behind-the-scenes footage of his finds on Instagram, where you can also follow updates about upcoming print releases and events.

 

A photograph of fungi.

A photograph of fungi.

A macro photograph of fungi.

A macro photograph of slime mold.

Two macro photographs of fungi.

A macro photograph of fungi.

A macro photograph of fungi.

A macro photograph of fungi with frost covering the cap.

A macro photograph of yellow slime mold.

 

 



Art Craft

Jennifer McCurdy Harnesses an Island’s Natural Rhythms in Captivating Porcelain Vessels

January 30, 2023

Kate Mothes

A porcelain vessel photographed on a black background.

“Gilded Wind Vessel,” porcelain, 12 x 12 x 10 inches. All images © Jennifer McCurdy, shared with permission. Photos by Gary Mirando

The natural patterns of turning tides and changing seasons illuminate the delicate porcelain sculptures of Martha’s Vineyard-based artist Jennifer McCurdy. Responding to the shifts of island life—and “island time”—she draws inspiration from the surrounding environment and organic forms, like  “the cracked conch shell on the beach revealing its perfect spiral to the milkweed pod burst in the field, its brilliant airborne seeds streaming into the sunlight,” she explains in a statement. Her wheel-thrown porcelain vessels capture both subtle and dramatic shifts in light and shadow, mimicking waves, gales, smoke, and flames.

In 2020, when, like many, McCurdy was obliged to slow down and approach her studio practice under the constraints of canceled exhibitions, she seized the opportunity to re-evaluate her own work, telling Colossal that “once my panic receded, I settled into the mindset of the sabbatical, exploring new forms and testing different carving patterns in the porcelain for optimal movement in the firing.” She broadened the questions she asked of her process and the influence it took from nature, such as how the rocks and shoreline met the surrounding sea or whether she could generate the energy of constant movement in her sculptures. “I think the direction of my work did not change, but it gained clarity from focusing on the space between and around each form,” she says.

McCurdy uses a translucent porcelain that she first shapes on a potter’s wheel and then manipulates, slices, or molds to create a sense of motion, often with a swirling or spiraling effect. A series of “pattern studies” highlight dynamic cuts that extend and slump with the assistance of gravity when fired upside-down in a kiln heated to cone ten—or 2,350 degrees Fahrenheit. With the addition of gold or platinum leaf on the interior, which is applied by the artist’s long-time collaborator, former sign painter, and husband Tom McCurdy, the vessels reflect light and evoke warmth, as if formed around a heat source

McCurdy’s work will be on display in Florida at Art Wynwood and The Palm Beach Show with Steidel Fine Art from February 16 to 19. In May, she will also exhibit in the Smithsonian Craft + Design Show in Washington, D.C. Find more on her website and Instagram.

 

A porcelain vessel photographed on a black background.

“Gilded Chrysalis Vessel,” porcelain and gold leaf, 16 x 11 x 10 inches

A porcelain vessel photographed on a black background.

“Ripple Vessel,” porcelain, 13 x 10 x 10 inches

A porcelain vessel photographed on a black background.

“Smoke Vessel Family,” porcelain, between 4 and 21 inches tall

A porcelain vessel photographed on a black background.

“Gilded Halo Vessel,” porcelain, 24-karat gold leaf, and palladium leaf, 16 x 11 x 10 inches

A porcelain vessel photographed on a black background.

“Sunrise Vessel,” porcelain, 18 x 10 x 10 inches

A porcelain vessel photographed on a black background.

“Pair of Gilded Fire Vessels,” porcelain and gold leaf, 16 x 10 x 10 inches

A porcelain vessel photographed on a gray background.

Overview of “Gilded Lotus Nest,” porcelain, gold leaf, and platinum leaf, 8 x 16 x 16 inches

A porcelain vessel photographed on a black background.

“Gilded Lotus Nest,” porcelain, gold leaf, and platinum leaf, 8 x 16 x 16 inches

 

 



Craft

Delicate Knots, Velvet, and Beads Entwine in Julia Shore’s Mossy Embroideries

January 25, 2023

Kate Mothes

Embroideries made to look like moss that also incorporates real moss, surrounded by beads and thread.

All images © Julia Shore, shared with permission

Dappled with French knots, glinting materials, and pieces of moss, botanical embroideries by Julia Shore replicate the forest floor’s supple textures in fiber and beads. The Los Angeles-based artist also uses hand-dyed velvet, wool, felt, and sequins to add a variety of hues ranging from emerald green to golden yellow. “I tried to capture its intricacy—all the different shades and forms of moss; its soft and calming nature,” she says.

Shore’s next series of moss pieces will be released on Etsy in February. She shares embroidery tutorials on YouTube and has kits and downloadable patterns available for purchase on her website. You can also follow more updates on Instagram.

 

An embroidery made to look like moss that also incorporates real moss. Pictured held in someone's hand surrounded by beads and thread.

An embroidery made to look like moss that also incorporates real moss, pictured surrounded by natural moss.

An embroidery made to look like moss that also incorporates real moss, pictured surrounded by beads and thread.

An embroidery made to look like moss that also incorporates real moss, pictured surrounded by natural moss.

A photo of a moss-like embroidery

A photo of a multiple moss-like embroideries

An embroidery made to look like moss that also incorporates real moss, pictured surrounded by natural moss.

 

 



Art

Through Whimsical Wooden Sculptures, Christian Verginer Explores Childhood Curiosity and Connection

January 17, 2023

Grace Ebert

A photo of a wood sculpture of a child with treebranch pigtails

Detail of “The Tree in Me.” All images © Christian Verginer, shared with permission

From large pieces of basswood, artist Christian Verginer carves figurative sculptures that meld the play and wonder of adolescence with the vitality of the natural world. Leafy branches grow like pigtails, a bird perches on the zipper of a hoodie, and two young boys sit on ladders that lead to treetops and clouds. Textured by small gouges, the works contrast realistic renditions of children with fantastical elements, the latter of which the artist tends to paint in a single color like vibrant green, slate gray, or beige.

Verginer is broadly interested in the ways humans and nature intersect, which he conveys through a sense of curiosity and embodied connection between the two. Some sculptures foster such relationships through three-dimensional forms, like the deceased bird the girl pinches between her fingers as in “Different Stories.” Others reference shadows, including “Two Stories” and “Different Time,” which overlay silhouettes of trees and flowers atop the young figures’ bodies.

Based in the Alto Adige region of northern Italy, Verginer works in a studio he shares with his father Willy Verginer (previously) and brother Matt Verginer. Each maintains a distinct practice, although the artist shares that the environment is well-suited for feedback and critique. All three will show together this May at a gallery in Nürnberg, although you can see Christian Verginer’s work this month with Kirk Gallery at Art Herning. Otherwise, find more of his sculptures on his site and Instagram.

 

Two photos of a wood sculpture of a child with a green bird

“Too far too close” (2023), plinth, limewood, iron wire, and acrylic, 140 x 40 centimeters

A photo of a wood sculpture of a child with treebranch pigtails

“The Tree in Me”

Two photos of two wood sculptures of children sitting atop tall ladders

A photo of a wood sculpture of a child sitting on a ladder with a scissors and leaves

Two photos of a wood sculpture of a child holding a dead bird

“Different stories” (2021), limewood and acrylics, 135 x 41 centimeters

A photo of a wood sculpture of a child with his leg in a bucket and a plant shadow

“Different times” (2022)

Two photos of a wood sculpture of a child with a scissors and bouquet

A photo of a wood sculpture of a child stepping in a planter wiht a tree shadow

“Two stories” (2022), limewood and aluminum acrylics, 68 centimeters