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An Emotional Stop-Motion Ad Follows a Family Revitalizing Their Organic Farm

 Ten years after Irish animator and director Johnny Kelly (previously) brought us a charming stop-motion ad for Chipotle about a farmer’s return to organic methods, he’s back with an emotional sequel that revisits the now-aging protagonist. Th

A Striking Short Film Documents the Otherworldly Organisms Living Just Beneath the Water’s Surface

 With the aid of multiple microscopes, filmmaker and photographer Jan van IJken (previously) unveils the otherwise imperceptible maneuvers and bodily transformations of plankton. He focuses on a diverse array of underwater organisms, which all fall under t

Shop 19 New Prints from Sebastian Foster’s Fall Collection

Austin-based gallery Sebastian Foster just announced its Fall Print Set, the first collection of its kind in almost a decade. The new release features 19 works by well-established illustrators, printmakers, artists, and painters from across the U.S. and Europ

Reality and Imagined Meditative States Converge in Tomás Sánchez’s Tranquil Landscapes

Through serene, idyllic landscapes, Tomás Sánchez visualizes his long-harbored fascination with meditation. The practice, the Cuban painter says, is “where I find many of the answers to questions that transcend from the personal to the universal. Medi

A Cube of Scaffolding Encloses a Glowing Red Sphere That Looms 25 Meters Above Madrid

As a visual metaphor for the intensity and urgency of the ongoing climate crisis, urban artist SpY erected a luminous orb that towers nearly 25 meters above Madrid’s Plaza de Colón. The large-scale work, titled “Tierra,” features a cage of

This Is Not a Gun: An Interview with Cara Levine Explores Collective Trauma, Grief, and the Power of Ritual

In December 2016, Harper’s Magazine published a list of more than 20 objects that had been “mistaken for guns during shootings of civilians by police in the United States since 2001.” Artist Cara Levine found herself stunned then grief-stricken by the i

Abstract Shapes Respond to a Relaxing Melody in a New Animated Music Video for Janek Murd

 Colorful shapeshifting animations dance across the screen in an experimental music video for a newly released single by Estonian musician and composer Janek Murd. Created by the design studio Tolm, a collection of floating orbs, speckled discs, and a mish

The Natural Landscape Photography Awards Spotlight Phenomena and Stunning Topographies Around the World

After garnering 13,368 entries across 47 countries, the first annual Natural Landscape Photography Awards released a striking collection of rugged topographies and serene wildernesses. The inaugural contest eschews digital manipulations in favor of highlighti

Social Issues and the Climate Crisis Intertwine in Subversive Crocheted Works by Jo Hamilton

From a mix of wool fibers and yarn made from plastic waste, Scottish artist Jo Hamilton crochets large-scale portraits and architectural landscapes delineated with dangling threads. Her knotted pieces push the boundaries of art and craft traditions, bringing

Surreal Characters Vacation at a Fantastic Resort in a 1,500-Piece Puzzle by Marija Tiurina

Marija Tiurina is known for her chaotic, fictionalized worlds that offer a brief escape from reality, so it’s fitting that London-based artist (previously) turned one of her larger watercolor renderings into a daunting 1,500-piece puzzle. Brimming with

A ‘Staircase to Heaven’ Installation Ascends into the Sky as a Trippy Optical Illusion

South African artist Strijdom van der Merwe’s deceptive “Staircase to Heaven” sculpture is designed to make you wonder. When viewed straight on, the towering optical illusion appears to ascend into the sky at an incline, although the 4.5-meter-t

An Adventurous Drone Films Spectacular Aerial Footage of Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall Volcano

 Braving the molten lava and fiery ash spewed by Geldingadalur’s Fagradalsfjall volcano, the team at Iceland Aerials sent a GoPro into the midst of the event mid-eruption. The spectacular footage, which captured the 6,000-year occurrence earlier t

Impasto Layers Blur Portraits and Landscapes in Li Songsong’s Fragmented Oil Paintings

Chinese artist Li Songsong (previously) obscures portraits and wider landscapes with thick dabs of oil paint. His textured, impasto works are based on found photographs or imagined scenes, and each conveys a narrative tied to ordinary moments or a broader sha

Serendipitous Shots Capture the Unexpected Everyday Humor of New York City’s Streets

Photographer Eric Kogan is adept at spotting quirky coincidences on New York City’s streets. He captures bizarre and extraordinary scenarios in which pigeons mirror an X painted on a wall in the backdrop, a drippy vent creates a green cascade toward a w

Vintage Objects and Driftwood Form Minimal Animal Sculptures and Quaint Seaside Scenes

From hunks of driftwood and tins with chipped paint, Kirsty Elson (previously) assembles minimal sculptures of animals, homes, and methods of transportation. The Cornwall-based artist highlights the raw simplicity of her found objects and lets the materials d

A 14-Foot Box Truck Transforms into an Intimate Glimpse of Domestic Life in Swoon’s Mobile Sculpture

Exploring trauma and addiction through intricate paper cuttings, pasted murals, and mythical stop-motion animations is at the heart of Caledonia Curry’s practice, and the Connecticut-born artist, who works as Swoon (previously), extends that approach i

Artificial Organisms: Shimmering Digital Creatures Undulate and Pulse with Light in Maxim Zhetskov’s New Film

In “Artificial Organisms,” Russian director Maxim Zhestkov (previously) enlivens machine intelligence to create palpitating marine organisms that radiate with vibrant bands of light. The hulking, life-like specimens, which are comprised of countle

A New Book Flies Through the Vast World of Birds from Art and Design to History and Ornithology

Bird: Exploring the Winged World is an extensive celebration of feathered creatures across thousands of years of art, science, and popular culture. Published by Phaidon, the stunning, 352-page volume compiles works from hundreds of artists, illustrators, phot

Recycled Building Materials Construct a Multi-Purpose Zero Waste Center in Japan

Back in 2003, Kamikatsu, a town in Tokushima Prefecture, became Japan’s first municipality to go zero waste, establishing a whopping 45 categories for recycling. Today, the village reuses about 80 percent of the garbage it generates, and the Kamikatsu Z

Discarded Wind Turbine Blades Are Upcycled into Sleek Bike Shelters in Denmark

It’s estimated that before 2050, we’ll generate 43 million tons of waste worldwide from one of the most promising clean energy producers alone. Wind turbines, while a cheap and carbon-free alternative to fossil fuels, are only 85 percent recyclabl

Ornate Painted Patterns Conceal Photographer Cecilia Paredes Against Textile Backdrops

Peruvian artist Cecilia Paredes continues her ongoing series of camouflaged self-portraits with deceptive new works that leave only her hair, eyes, and ears untouched. Set against lavish backdrops printed with birds in shades of blue, floral motifs, and ornat

Otherworldly Hybrid Characters by Toco-Oco Consider Human Existence Through Emblems and Myth

Lara Alcântara and Guilherme Neumann, the duo behind the fantastical figurine maker Toco-Oco, envision an alternate world populated by curious animalistic creatures. Sculpted from a combination of wood, resin, fabric, clay, and wax, the hybrid characters wea

A Polar Bear Made of Ice Navigates a Melting Arctic Landscape in a Powerful Stop-Motion Short

 A poignant short film by London-based animation studio Nomint is a stunning reminder that we can’t reverse climate disasters. Produced for WWF’s Arctic Programme, “We Can’t Negotiate with Ice” follows a polar bear as it trave

‘A Library of Misremembered Books’ Is a Witty, Illustrated Compendium of Mistaken Titles

Marina Luz’s A Library of Misremembered Books is an ode to all of our favorite titles that we can’t quite recall: there’s the ’80’s high-school classic “Popular Girls Who Shoplift,” the one with the “Cat Possibl

Exquisitely Cut Paper Sculptures by Rogan Brown Highlight the Effects of Coral Bleaching

“The coral reef is a microcosm of a macrocosm,” says paper artist Rogan Brown. “What is happening to the reefs today will ultimately happen to the planet tomorrow unless action is taken.” Through new paper sculptures comprised of delic

Wild Animals Occupy Suburban Nights in Nicholas Moegly’s Mysterious Illustrations

In Nicholas Moegly’s shadow-laden illustrations, wild animals descend on backyards and unoccupied streets illuminated by artificial lights. The Cincinnati-based artist largely focuses on the quiet, mundane landscapes of Midwestern suburbia, although each o

Artists Cut Through Digital White Noise With .ART Website Domains

A surprisingly positive outcome of the pandemic is the renewed vigor with which artists and art institutions are going digital. With major players like Gagosian launching its temporary, high-end salesroom and Sotheby’s hosting online-only auctions, it’s c

Gold Ornaments and Precious Stones Adorn Tender Photographic Portraits by Tawny Chatmon

In If I’m No Longer Here, I Wanted You to Know, photographic artist Tawny Chatmon overlays portraits of young children and families with dabs of 24-karat gold leaf, precious stones, and watercolor details. The heavily adorned images are the latest in Ch

Knotted Systems of Red Thread Dangle from Fabric Books and Letters by Rima Day

Bound with loose threads and inscribed with sinuous lines that crawl across the page, the textile works created by Tennessee-based artist Rima Day evoke the Japanese good luck charms called sennibari. Translating to “thousand person stitches,” th

Life and Death Meet in a Striking Macro Timelapse of Carnivorous Plants and Their Prey

 “The Green Reapers” is the latest timelapse from French video artist Thomas Blanchard that captures the cutthroat relationship between insects and carnivorous plants in microscopic detail. Shot in 8K during the course of four months, the ex

An Adorably Eccentric Cast of Googly-Eyed Characters Exude Joy and Whimsy

The quirky troupe of characters crafted by Kyiv-based doll designer Lidiya Marinchuk sport a wide range of emotions from surprised three-eyed monsters and gloomy rain clouds to sly foxes in polka-dotted socks. Sometimes leaving them as soft, plush creatures a

Hundreds of Hand-Sculpted Flowers and Leaves Envelop Porcelain Vessels by Artist Hitomi Hosono

Japanese artist Hitomi Hosono (previously) translates the billowing leaves of an underwater plant or the clusters of Hawthorn tree flowers into intricate sculptural assemblages devoid of their natural colors. The monochromatic bowls and vases appear to sprou

Innumerable Cuts Transform Single Sheets of Paper into Exquisite Flora and Fauna

Cutting ornate lace patterns, spindly roots, and scaly chameleon skin with meticulous detail, Yorkshire-based artist Pippa Dyrlaga (previously) continues to turn single sheets of paper into elaborate works. Her process involves drawing a design that typicall

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

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

An Illustrated Children’s Book Is a Sensitive Retelling of a Timber Elephant’s Role in WWII

Meet Bandoola, an Asian timber elephant the British Army enlisted in WWII. Purchased as a calf, the lumbering creature was shipped to a teak plantation where he was forced to drag and push logs across the landscape to construct bridges and other structures. B

Ten Degrees of Strange: Moving Clay Scenes Animate a Music Video About Escaping Anxiety

 In the music video for Robert Macfarlane and Johnny Flynn’s new song “Ten Degrees of Strange,” director Lynn Tomlinson (previously) captures the endless transformations of human emotion through moving clay. The Baltimore-based animato

Meet Chassie: The Unconventional Desk and Table Company

Andrew and Jane Daines started Chassie with the belief that furniture should be made locally and customers should have a connection to the people who make the goods. People used to know the butchers, tailors, cobblers, and craftspeople of their lives by name

Mystery and Fantasy Veil Black-and-White Illustrations by Artist David Álvarez

Continually fascinated by the potential of the human figure, Mexico-based artist David Álvarez (previously) illustrates richly textured scenes with a dose of fantasy and surrealism: a bird’s perch transfixes a character who’s sprouted a branch no

A Sleek Pool Reflects an Illuminated ‘Moon’ and the Rugged Landscape of China’s Mount Tai

A lucent half-circle, “Hometown Moon” is nestled within the rugged topography of China’s Mount Tai. The glowing orb, which was designed by Syn Architects, radiates on a surrounding water feature, creating a dramatic, mirrored reflection tha

Phantom Clouds Descend from the Sky in Vorja Sánchez’s Illustrated Photos

In Vorja Sánchez’s ghostly dreamworld, spectral creatures plunge from the sky with long, wispy appendages that grasp onto the landscape. The Barcelona-based artist and illustrator (previously) disrupts otherwise peaceful photos with the massive forms that
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