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Art

Deceptive Stone Sculptures by Hirotoshi Ito Unzip to Reveal Surreal Scenes in Miniature

Stone isn’t naturally malleable, and yet, Japanese artist Hirotoshi Ito (previously) carves his sculptures to make the material appear as if it can be unzipped or sliced with a butter knife. Using rocks he finds near his home in Matsumoto City, Ito chisels tiny caverns that he lines with clasps or simple fasteners. He then tucks miniature objects like teeth, a collection of seashells, and futuristic scenes into those pockets, creating surreal and intriguingly deceptive scenarios in the span of a few inches.

Ito’s family has worked in stone sculpting since 1879, and although he planned to take over the business, his experience studying metalsmithing in college prompted him to begin an art practice instead. Some of his sculptures are on view through the end of the month at Tokyo’s Gallery Little High, and keep an eye on his Instagram for news about upcoming shows.

 

Art

A Sprawling Installation Explores the Power of Protest as It Floats Above a MASS MoCA Gallery

Rocky debris, vintage photographs, and a wooden ship colliding with its own hull are suspended above a 100-yard gallery at MASS MoCA for “In the Light of a Shadow.” The work of Los Angeles-born artist Glenn Kaino (previously), the monumental installation generates a sprawling environment filled with thousands of floating elements that speak to the vast impact of protest and collective movements.

Lined with an aisle of light and constantly moving shadows, the hovering artworks fuse memories of past injustices and a brighter, hopeful path forward in an immersive experience. Specifically, Kaino uses “In the Light of a Shadow” as a response to the horrific events of Bloody Sunday in both Selma, Alabama, and Derry, Northern Ireland. He models the wrecked ship after the Shadow V, a modest boat Lord Mountbatten often used for fishing, that the Irish Republican Army bombed in 1979 to assassinate the member of the royal family.

The towering display is also paired with a metal sculpture comprised of tuned bars that emit the melody from U2’s protest anthem “Sunday Bloody Sunday” when pinged in succession. A collaborative video with singer and activist Deon Jones, who police nearly blinded after shooting with a rubber bullet for protesting George Floyd’s murder, plays nearby, drawing together the historic tragedies with those happening today.

“In the Light of a Shadow” is on view through September 5. Find more of Kaino’s works, which span installation and sculpture to film, on his site.

 

Art

Granite and Quartz Stones Are Carved to Appear Like Fabric and Clay by José Manuel Castro López

Spanish artist José Manuel Castro López (previously) transforms nondescript chunks of granite and quartz into squished and dough-like objects, as if each object morphed from solid to liquid and back again in the sculptor’s capable hands. López seems to delight in convincing the viewer that he works with stone as if it were clay. Lately, he’s begun to introduce additional objects that seem to stitch, clamp, or stretch the stones in various ways. While the pieces are obviously not as complex as a Bernini or Michelangelo, they do function as unusual and often humorous studies of various stone carving techniques. You can explore a steady stream of work old and new on his Facebook timeline. (via My Modern Met)

 

Photography

Moody Photographs by Jan Erik Waider Capture the Rocky Terrain of Icelandic Landscapes

Based in Hamburg, Germany, Jan Erik Waider (previously) frequently travels across Europe to photograph the rocky landscapes and textured terrains of locales like Stuðlagil canyon and Iceland’s sandy shores. On a recent trip to the island country, Waider captured moody images of jagged, basalt-lined waters in four different locations, including Reynisdrangar, Stuðlagil, Kálfshamarsvík, and Gerðuberg. He shares with Colossal:

Not more than 20 million years ago, the island rose out of the sea due to volcanic activity on the ocean floor of the Atlantic Ocean. But even today the landscape is changing due to the constant volcanic activity. There are many places on the island with very bizarre-looking geological formations and I was especially interested in basalt, with its strict and geometric structure and volcanic origin. With the monochrome character of the series, I wanted to focus clearly on the rocks and also give the photos a slightly mysterious character.

Waider generously agreed to allow Colossal to share his photographs on our social media pages for the next few months. To follow his Nordic adventures, head to Instagram and Behance.

 

 

Food

Toast Slices Undergo Edible Makeovers into Rock Gardens, Pantone Swatches, and Flower Beds

While many of us slather our toast with butter day-after-day, Manami Sasaki is transforming thick slices of bread into Zen Japanese rock gardens and Pantone swatches that make breakfast into the most jubilant meal of the day. A watercolor artist turned toast connoisseur, the Japanese designer combines the stocks available in her fridge and pantry to assemble delightful bread-based creations.

In a patch of flowers, she adorns a tomato-sauce base with margarine petals and mint leaves that are finished with mustard details. Another dense slice is torn and reassembled with edible gold before being smothered in sour cream and garnished with ketchup to resemble Kintsugi, the Japanese art of pottery repair.

To see the latest in Sasaki’s delightful series of nourishments, follow her on Instagram. You also might like this candy garden. (via Spoon & Tamago)

 

Animation Science

Fantastical Video Imagines the Crystalized Intricacies of Mineral Deposits

In an enchanting new video titled “Waiting to Be Found,” Dan Hoopert dives into the details within Earth’s minerals. The United Kingdom-based designer highlights the sprawling crystallization process as it expands within each deposit and alters its colors. One piece even grows a sparkling mass off its left side.

Hoopert’s project is based on a 2019 article in Earth, which states that the International Mineralogical Association recognizes more than 5,000 distinct minerals, including well-known silicates and carbonates that are frequently found in masses around the world. “Most are documented based on just a few known occurrences. It’s unlikely that scientists will stumble across many new finds of singularly abundant minerals on Earth, but numerous rare minerals are probably yet to be discovered,” the article says. In the last decade, about 1,000 new species were added to the association’s growing list.

The designer brought the project to life using 3D special effects software Houdini and Redshift. For more of his imaginary explorations of natural processes, follow him on Instagram and Behance.