seasons

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with seasons

Craft Photography

In Roberto de la Torre’s Documentary Photos, Yearly Masking Rituals Celebrate the Change of the Seasons

In regions throughout Europe, ancient religions often welcomed solstices and equinoxes by crafting elaborate garments that evoked different points in the agricultural cycle. Bulky suits of fur and hide might reference the slow movements of winter’s dormancy, while the straw dresses associated with the Tafarrón festival ask for fertility in the coming year. More vibrant iterations with patterns and towering headdresses are known as boteiros, or the centuries-old garments associated with the entroido of the Viana do Bollo region in Spain.

Capturing what remains of these seasonal celebrations is what drives Galicia-based photographer Roberto de la Torre, whose ongoing documentarian series Microcosmos records those who participate in the yearly rituals. “There is little information about them, so I often travel through these regions and ask the people of the towns,” he tells Colossal. “It is also research work. Going to the sites to be able to photograph the masks also means going on a certain date. Many of these rituals are done only one day a year.”

Each suit is just one facet of a broader character with its own name, talismans, shamanic references, and specific purpose within the celebration. The garments interpret the physical conditions of the land, and in his images, de la Torre intends to dissolve the boundary between the subjects and their surroundings, instead exposing the inherent, and sacred, connection between the two. “In Microcosmos, I present a hierophantic landscape where the mythical beings that build the magical places are manifested,” he says, referring to his photos as “a visual game between the tangible and the intangible in a physical and natural setting, a heritage and cultural memory that has treasured its uniqueness over the centuries.”

De la Torre is hoping to compile his images in a book, and you can follow news about that release, along with more of his documentary work, on Instagram.

 

Photography

Spring Emerges in an Enchanting Timelapse of Denmark’s Landscapes

Roskilde, Denmark-based photographer Casper Rolsted ventures into the deciduous forests of Skjoldungernes Land National Park, out to the mist-covered inlets of Ise Fjord, and across the ice-age regions of West Zealand to capture springtime transformations in Scandinavia. Daffodils and lilies slough off the remaining snow as they burst open, the sunlight illuminates the environment for longer periods, and expanses of brown grass and leaf cover morph into verdant terrain.

A timelapse shot both on the ground and aerially, “Seasons of Denmark—Spring” is the first of four short films chronicling the country’s seasonal landscapes. Keep an eye out for the remaining three on Rolsted’s Vimeo, where you can also find more of his montaged adventures around Norway, Scotland, and other remote areas.

 

 

Art Craft

Assembled Figurines by Garret Kane Appear to Burst with the Seasons

Assemblage artist Garret Kane just unveiled this new series of figurative sculptures depicting fractured individuals who appear to merge with the seasons. Each piece was first partially designed using digital sculpting software called Zbrush, and then 3D-printed components were affixed to wood, rocks, leaves, and other materials to reach the final forms seen here. You can see more views on his website. (via The Operating System)

Photography

An Ancient Chinese Ginkgo Tree Drops an Ocean of Golden Leaves

This towering ginkgo tree is located within the walls of the Gu Guanyin Buddhist Temple in the Zhongnan Mountains in China. Every autumn the green leaves on the 1,400-year-old tree turn bright yellow and fall into a golden heap on the temple grounds drawing tourists from the surrounding area. You can see more photos here and here. (via F*ck Yeah Chinese Garden)

Music

Life and Death Animated through the Four Seasons in New Music Video for Chet Faker

In this superbly shot stop-motion music video for Chet Faker’s latest single Talk is Cheap, creative directors Toby and Pete create a striking visual of the four seasons. It gets a tad macabre at the end, but it’s still beautifully executed. If you liked this, check out Emma Allen’s makeup stop-motion short Ruby.

Art History Illustration

Secret Fore-Edge Paintings Revealed in Early 19th Century Books at the University of Iowa

A few days ago Colleen Theisen who helps with outreach and instruction at the Special Collections & University Archives at the University of Iowa shared an amazing gif she made that demonstrates something called fore-edge painting on the edge of a 1837 book called Autumn by Robert Mudie. Fore-edge painting, which is believed to date back as early as the 1650s, is a way of hiding a painting on the edge of a book so that it can only be seen when the pages are fanned out. There are even books that have double fore-edge paintings, where a different image can be seen by flipping the book over and fanning the pages in the opposite direction.

When I realized the book Theisen shared was only one of a series about the seasons, I got in touch and she agreed to photograph the other three so we could share them with you here. Above are photos of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter which were donated to the University of Iowa by Charlotte Smith. How much fun are these? Keep an eye on the University of Iowa’s special collections Tumblr as they unearth more artifacts from the archives.

Update: Because this post is getting so much attention, here are some more amazing fore-edge paintings found on YouTube.