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Greg Corbino’s Fish Puppets Made from Reclaimed Trash Migrate Along the Hudson River

2025-06-21 21:23:33

Greg Corbino’s Fish Puppets Made from Reclaimed Trash Migrate Along the Hudson River

Beginning in the Adirondack Mountains and flowing south into New York Harbor, the iconic Hudson River stretches 315 miles through scenic valleys and creative towns. It’s also a migration route for numerous species of fish, from sturgeon and bass to herring and eels, which head upstream every year to spawn. Contending with habitat destruction due to pollution and the effects of the climate crisis, the survival of these fish is increasingly imperiled. Fortunately, art and activism have a way of bringing these urgent issues to light while also bridging local communities.

Last weekend marked the inaugural Fish Migration Celebration organized by Riverkeeper, an outfit devoted to protecting and advocating for the health of the Hudson River watershed. Unmissable amid the festivities were a series of large-scale puppets by artist Greg Corbino, part of his ongoing sculpture-meets-performance series, Murmurations.

people carry a large puppet of a whale on a pole
2022 performance of “Murmurations” at the River to River Festival. Photo by Robin Michals

Corbino designed a larger-than-life gold sturgeon to adorn a sailing ship that led a flotilla from Chelsea Pier in New York City up to Croton-on-Hudson, home of Hudson River Music Festival. Corbino’s papier-mâché marine creatures, ranging from oysters and sturgeon to a seahorse and a whale, performed their own migration, parading along the riverbank in both locations.

The artist describes the collective performance as a “puppet poem of city and sea” and creates each work from plastic trash he removes from New York City waterways and beaches. Through partnerships with events like the Fish Migration Celebration and New York City’s River to River Festival, he aims to highlight the impacts of climate change and raise awareness of increasing plastic pollution in our oceans.

See more of Corbino’s work on his site.

a detail of a sailing ship on the Hudson River with gold decorations to make it look like a fish
Riverkeeper’s Fish Migration Celebration. Photo by Priya Shah
a sailing ship on the Hudson River with gold decorations to make it look like a fish
Riverkeeper’s Fish Migration Celebration. Photo by Rhiannon Catalyst
two people hold up a large puppet of a sturgeon
Riverkeeper’s Fish Migration Celebration. Photo by Priya Shah
a group of people perform an art piece, dressed like oysters
2022 performance of “Murmurations” at the River to River Festival. Photo by Robin Michals
a procession of people walk along a river carrying puppets of sturgeons and a seahorse on poles
Riverkeeper’s Fish Migration Celebration. Photo courtesy of Riverkeeper
people carry a large puppet of a whale on a pole
2022 performance of “Murmurations” at the River to River Festival. Photo by Robin Michals
two small ships on the Hudson River decorated with fish-themed ornamentation
Riverkeeper’s Fish Migration Celebration. Photo courtesy of Riverkeeper

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Greg Corbino’s Fish Puppets Made from Reclaimed Trash Migrate Along the Hudson River appeared first on Colossal.

Lucy Davidson’s Stop-Motion Animation ‘Baggage’ Travels Through an ‘Insecurity Inspection’

2025-06-21 03:00:00

Lucy Davidson’s Stop-Motion Animation ‘Baggage’ Travels Through an ‘Insecurity Inspection’

For those of us who have regularly traveled through airports, the process of checking in—and checking bags—always seems undergirded by latent anxiety. What if a suitcase gets routed onto the wrong plane or never arrives? What if it falls open or gets searched? For filmmaker Lucy Davidson, it’s not so much about the luggage as it is about what we stuff inside.

As a recent student of Aardman Academy, which is operated by its Academy Award-winning namesake animation studio, Davidson tapped into not only the universal experiences of travel but a playful exploration of the multiple meanings of “baggage.” In her stop-animation short, aptly titled “Baggage,” we follow a trio of women, who are incidentally also suitcases, heading on a trip.

Davidson’s charming black-and-white narrative leads us on a brief yet powerful voyage through human emotions, especially the spectrum of feelings we associate with self-confidence, past experiences, and relationships. “Three girlfriends check in their baggage at the airport, but one is carrying a little more than the others,” the film’s tagline goes. “As they travel along the conveyor belt to security, can she hide what’s inside?”

This year, Davidson’s animation was an official selection at the SXSW Film & TV Festival and a finalist at the Sydney Film Festival. See more on the film’s website, and discover more of the filmmaker’s work on her site, Vimeo, and Instagram.

a still from a black-and-white animation showing a bottle labeled "bottled up emotions"
a still from a black-and-white animation showing a suitcase with hands and a head, labeled with a sticker that says "heavy"

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Lucy Davidson’s Stop-Motion Animation ‘Baggage’ Travels Through an ‘Insecurity Inspection’ appeared first on Colossal.

Seth Armstrong Sets the Hills of Los Angeles Aglow in Vibrant Oil Paintings

2025-06-21 01:00:00

Seth Armstrong Sets the Hills of Los Angeles Aglow in Vibrant Oil Paintings

Capturing the magical glow of the golden hour, the rich blue of early evening, and the butter-yellow of morning, Seth Armstrong transports us to Southern California in his ongoing series of oil paintings. Bright bungalows, electrical lines, palm trees, and shrubs dot the foothills that shape Los Angeles, with the San Gabriel Mountains often rising in the background.

Greenery plays a central role in Armstrong’s suburban portraits, revealing and concealing roads, homes, and infrastructure—evocative of the city’s reputation as a place where any dream seems possible. Yet its sprawling neighborhoods, immense wealth, and locus of the entertainment industry tend to obscure undercurrents brought to light by recent immigration protests or last year’s devastating wildfires.

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Next month, Armstrong opens a solo exhibition titled Subrosa at Unit London, borrowing from the Latin phrase “under the rose,” signifying secrecy or discretion. The artist draws upon his own observations of his L.A. neighborhood during long, early-morning walks with his young son.

Viewed from a distance, the hillside neighborhoods appear idyllic, even paradisiacal, but he hints at out-of-frame elements in this city constantly in flux: simmering socio-political tensions, scorched mountains and fire-leveled homes, and palpable economic disparities. Sometimes people are present, half-hidden in windows and often only noticeable when viewed up-close. “There’s substance behind the forms,” Armstrong says. “Sometimes you get a peek inside. Sometimes you don’t.”

Subrosa runs from July 9 to August 17. See more on Armstrong’s website and Instagram.

an oil painting of a Los Angeles home partially concealed by trees and greenery
an oil painting of a Los Angeles hillside illuminated by the morning sun
an oil painting of a Los Angeles hillside at dusk
an oil painting of a Los Angeles hillside in the morning
an oil painting of a Los Angeles hillside at sunset
an oil painting of a Los Angeles hillside at sunset
an oil painting of a Los Angeles hillside at dusk
an oil painting of a Los Angeles hillside at sunset

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Seth Armstrong Sets the Hills of Los Angeles Aglow in Vibrant Oil Paintings appeared first on Colossal.

African Mythology and Ancestry Merge in Zak Ové’s Exuberant Sculptures

2025-06-20 21:45:16

African Mythology and Ancestry Merge in Zak Ové’s Exuberant Sculptures

Merging themes of interstellar travel and cultural convergences, Zak Ové creates large-scale sculptures and multimedia installations that explore African ancestry, traditions, and history. The British-Trinidadian artist’s practice is deeply rooted in the narratives of the African diaspora, focusing on traditions of masquerade. He delves into its role in performance and ceremony, as well as masks as potent instruments for self-emancipation and cultural resistance.

Ové’s interdisciplinary work spans sculpture, painting, film, and photography, exploring links between mythology, oral histories, and speculative futures. “His sculptures often incorporate symbols, iconography, and materials drawn from African, Caribbean, and diasporic traditions, merging them with modern aesthetics to celebrate the continuity and adaptability of culture,” his studio says.

a detail of a vibrant, tall, totem-like sculpture with an African mask on the top and lace-like motifs
Detail of “Black Starliner” (2025), stainless steel, aluminium, fiberglass, and resin, 40 x 22.6 x 27.4 feet

Ové often delves into the relationship between contemporary lived experiences and the spirit world, like in “Moko Jumbie” or a glass mosaic installation in London titled “Jumbie Jubilation.” In these works, the artist brings an ancestral spirit rooted in African and Caribbean folklore known as a Jumbie to life as a spectral dancer, cloaked in banana leaves with a torso of a golden, radiant face.

The motif of rockets has emerged in Ove’s recent installations, like “The Mothership Connection” and “Black Starliner,” which feature totem-like stacks of African tribal masks and lattice-like Veve symbols—intricate designs employed in the Vodou religion to represent spiritual deities known as Lwa.

“The Mothership Connection” combines architectural elements referencing the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., and a ring of Cadillac lights nodding to Detroit, “Motor City.” The crowning element is a giant Mende tribal mask that glows when the 26-foot-tall sculpture is illuminated at night, with a pulsing rhythm suggestive of a heartbeat.

The title is also a reference to the iconic 1975 album by Parliament-Funkadelic, Mothership Connection, in with outer space is a through-line in the group’s celebration of what BBC journalist Frasier McAlpine described as a response to the waning optimism of the post-civil rights era. Mothership Connection soared at a time when “flamboyant imagination (and let’s be frank, exceptional funkiness) was both righteous and joyful,” he wrote.

a tall, totemic, colorful sculpture illuminated at night, with a blue African mask on the top
“The Mothership Connection” (2022), stainless steel, bronze, resin, and mixed media, 9 x 1.8 meters. Installed at Frieze London 2023

Ové echoes this exuberance through vibrant colors, repetition, and monumental scale. Library Street Collective, which exhibited “The Mothership Connection” on the grounds of The Shepherd in Detroit late last year, describes the work as a nod “to a future where Black people are included in all possible frames of reference.”

In a monumental assembly of African masked figures titled “The Invisible Man and the Masque of Blackness,” Ové conceived of 40 graphite sculptures organized in a militaristic grid, each six-and-a-half feet tall, that have marched across the grounds of Somerset House, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, San Francisco City Hall, and Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The title of this piece references two groundbreaking works in Black history—Ralph Ellison’s 1952 novel Invisible Man, which was the first novel by a Black author to with the National Book Award, and Ben Jonson’s 1605 play The Masque of Blackness, noteworthy for being the first time blackface makeup was used in a stage production.

an installation on a lawn of numerous graphite figures resembling African sculptures
“Invisible Man and the Masque of Blackness” (2016), graphite. Installed at Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Ové reclaims and reframes dominant narratives about African history, culture, and the diaspora, interrogating the past to posit what he calls “potential futures,” where possibilities transform into realities. “By fusing ancestral wisdom with Afrofuturist ideals, Ové ensures that the voices of the past remain integral to shaping the futures we envision,” his studio says.

“The Mothership Connection” will be exhibited later this summer and fall at 14th Street Square in New York City’s Meatpacking District, accompanied by a gallery show at Chelsea Market. Dates are currently being confirmed, and you can follow updates on Ové’s Instagram.

a vibrant sculpture with a gilded Black man's face in the center, serving as the body of another smaller, masked, dancing figure, surrounded by tropical leaves
“Moko Jumbie” (2021), mixed media, overall 560 centimeters
a detail of a vibrant sculpture with a gilded Black man's face in the center, serving as the body of another smaller, masked, dancing figure, surrounded by tropical leaves
Detail of “Moko Jumbie” (2021), mixed media, overall 560 centimeters, installed at Art Gallery of Ontario, commissioned with funds from David W. Binet and Ray & Georgina Williams, 2021. Photo courtesy of AGO
a series of vertical glass mosaic panels installed on the facade of a building in bright patterns and showing Black figures in colorful regalia
“Jumbie Jubilation” (2024), glass mosaic panels, dimensions vary around 11.5 x 1.2 meters per panel
a detail of a glass mosaic showing a Black figure
Detail of “Jumbie Jubilation” (2024)
a suspended sculpture of a sphere with an African mask on the front and nodes of power fists, overall resembling a virus
“Virulent Strain” (2022), graphite, 22-carat gold leaf, and bronze, 120 centimeters in diameter
an installation in a courtyard of numerous graphite figures resembling African sculptures
“Invisible Man and the Masque of Blackness” (2016), graphite. Installed at Somerset House, London
a vibrant, tall, totem-like sculpture outside of a contemporary museum building
“Black Starliner” (2025), stainless steel, aluminium, fiberglass, and resin, 40 x 22.6 x 27.4 feet. Installed at Louvre Abu Dhabi
a vibrant, tall, totem-like sculpture
“The Mothership Connection” (2022), stainless steel, bronze, resin, and mixed media, 9 x 1.8 meters. Photo courtesy of Library Street Collective

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article African Mythology and Ancestry Merge in Zak Ové’s Exuberant Sculptures appeared first on Colossal.

Sculptural Embroideries on Wood by Nosheen Iqbal Translate Architectural Motifs into Thread

2025-06-19 05:17:09

Sculptural Embroideries on Wood by Nosheen Iqbal Translate Architectural Motifs into Thread

Semicircles notched into smooth wooden panel structure Nosheen Iqbal’s floral embroideries. Laying colorful lines with impeccable precision, the Dallas-based artist (previously) creates vivid arabesques and geometric motifs that resemble those of her Pakistani and Islamic heritage.

Iqbal is interested in the interplay of light and shadow, which tends to be most prominent in the sunless sides of the three-dimensional forms. Delineating petals and leaves with small beads bolsters, their surfaces glimmering when illuminated. “As light moves across my pieces, it enhances the saturation of colors and emphasizes the intricate threadwork, shifting and revealing new dimensions,” she says.

three sculptural floral embroideries on wood
“Botanical Allegory”

Evoking architecture, her series Botanical Allegory features several works with rounded edges and arch-like shapes. Blending ancient design and craft traditions mirrors the artist’s desire to bring seemingly disparate mediums, techniques, and ideas together. “Living in the West while holding Eastern heritage has driven me to innovate—merging elements from different art movements to create a blend that honors my roots while embracing new influences,” she adds.

Galleri Urbane in Dallas will show a collection of Iqbal’s works in the group exhibition roll the windows down from June 21 to August 8. Find more from the artist on Instagram.

a close up of sculptural floral embroideries on wood
Detail of “Botanical Allegory 5”
a sculptural floral embroidery on wood
“Botanical Allegory 15”
a close up of a sculptural floral embroidery on wood
Detail of “Botanical Allegory 14”
a sculptural floral embroidery on wood
“Botanical Allegory 1”
a close up of sculptural floral embroideries on wood
Detail of “Botanical Allegory 1”
a collection of sculptural floral embroideries on wood
hands working on a sculptural floral embroidery on wood
“Botanical Allegory 5” in progress

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Sculptural Embroideries on Wood by Nosheen Iqbal Translate Architectural Motifs into Thread appeared first on Colossal.

In Immersive Mixed-Media Tapestries, Lillian Blades Reflects on Pattern and Presence

2025-06-19 01:49:09

In Immersive Mixed-Media Tapestries, Lillian Blades Reflects on Pattern and Presence

Reveling in the interplay of light, material, and space, Lillian Blades creates expansive and immersive installations that reflect on how we experience pattern and texture. Through the Veil, now on view at Sarasota Art Museum, marks the artist’s first institutional solo exhibition, bringing together a sweeping array of the Atlanta-based artist’s large-scale works.

Blades takes a multimedia approach to tapestry, combining fabric, stained glass, wood, acrylic, and found materials to create glimmering surfaces. She suspends some pieces from the ceiling, meandering through the gallery space like mixed-media curtains, while other assemblages hang on the wall. Colored light bounces onto the floor, and the loose latticework casts dramatic shadows onto the surrounding walls.

an assemblage made from tapestry elements and dozens of picture frames
“Perennial” (2024)

“My patchwork veils are wired tapestries of images and texture…I want it to feel complex but simple at the same time,” Blades says. “I want the details and the objects to carry memory and trigger viewers into thinking about their associations with certain patterns and textures.”

Through the Veil continues in Sarasota through October 26. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

an installation view of colorful, suspended mixed-media tapestry installations
a detail of rectangular pieces of colorful material, part of a suspended tapestry installation
a suspended mixed-media tapestry installation made of black pieces of material, casting shadows on a gallery wall
a colorful, suspended mixed-media tapestry installation, casting shadows on the wall
an abstract wall artwork made from assembling numerous pieces of different material
a colorful, suspended mixed-media tapestry installation
an installation view of suspended mixed-media tapestry installations
Installation view of ‘Through the Veil’ at Sarasota Art Museum
artist Lillian Blades standing on a step stool and working on a suspended mixed-media tapestry installation
The artist working in her studio. Photo by Marie Thomas

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article In Immersive Mixed-Media Tapestries, Lillian Blades Reflects on Pattern and Presence appeared first on Colossal.