2025-11-27 19:12:00
Through large-scale tapestries of fringed strips of fabric, Abdoulaye Konaté explores the contemporary relevance of ancient signs and symbols. The Malian artist began working with textiles in the 1990s, when it became clear to him how prevalent they are in our everyday lives, from clothing and home goods to tools and more. This early interest began what’s become a research-driven artistic practice, and today, he layers long, stitched pieces of Bazin and Kente fabrics into dynamic, largely abstract works.
Konaté and his team create each monumental tapestry entirely by hand, from the dyeing process to cutting and stitching. The final layout typically occurs on the studio floor after the artist sketches in marker and digitally refines this preliminary drawing to determine the exact composition.
Most works incorporate gradients that begin with lighter colors on the bottom before reaching deep navys, reds, and blacks up top. Patterns and various motifs often emerge from the gathered strips as a way to invoke the artist’s broad research interests from “Malian craftsmanship, Tibetan art, Tunisian ceramics, Berber textiles, etc,” says a statement from Templon.
“Motif du Mandé et Calao Sénoufo,” for example, features a geometric mark derived from the Manding people of West Africa. “I took this symbol and deconstructed it, breaking it down into a central element, and then I tried to rework it from both sides,” the artist shares in a video interview. This enormous piece—which stretches upwards of 17 feet long—also features small Kalao birds, which, for the Bambara tribe, represent wisdom and protection. They’re also thought to facilitate communication between our realm and the spiritual.
Despite his commitment to textiles, the artist likens his work to painting and the ways it allows for self-expression. “The material changes, but I think of it as painting,” he adds.
If you’re in Paris, you can see Konaté’s most recent exhibition, Le tissu du réel, or The fabric of reality, on view at Templon through December 31.
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2025-11-27 02:30:00
“I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that our perceived reality is shaped by our minds and reflecting our inner world,” says artist Michelle Blancke, whose ethereal photographs of trees, glens, and foliage invite us into a familiar yet uncanny world. Her lens-based practice explores themes of interdependence, consciousness, and concealment, especially through the subject of nature.
Blancke’s vivid Secret Garden series comprises a total of five sub-categories: Realm, Ascent, Essence, Veins, and Origin. Whether capturing the waxy surface of an intricately veined leaf or the way vines create shadowy veils over gnarled trees, she’s interested in relationships between “transformation, mysticism, and the thin veil between the seen and the unseen,” she says. “When I enter woodland, it feels like stepping into a parallel space where something hidden becomes perceptible.”
Much of Blancke’s process involves walking—moving through forested areas until a certain atmosphere or interaction with sunlight resonates with her. “When I photograph, I’m responding to that feeling rather than to the literal scene in front of me,” she says.
It’s during digital post-production that Blancke begins to make more deliberate choices, shifting hues “to amplify the emotional tone I sensed in the moment,” she says. “The colours are a way of revealing an inner layer that already felt present while I was standing there. It’s an attempt to make the invisible atmosphere visible.”
Blancke’s work is on view through January 25 as part of the 2025 Aesthetica Art Prize exhibition at York Art Gallery. She also works closely with BBA Gallery. Explore more on the artist’s website and Instagram.
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 Otherworldly Photos of Forests by Michelle Blancke Explore Mysticism and Transformation appeared first on Colossal.
2025-11-27 00:27:29
In 2024, while Timo Fahler was out for a run in Los Angeles, he came across a discarded bedspring. It lingered in his studio for months until one day, its thirteen rows of springs revealed themselves as the red and white stripes of the American flag. It also turned out to be the last work he made in the U.S. before he and his family relocated to The Netherlands.
Fahler’s slouched “flag” is one of a number of recent stained glass sculptures on view in his solo exhibition Terminal Classic at Sebastian Gladstone that reference major changes in the artist’s personal life and the U.S.’s tumultuous socio-political climate. Time becomes slippery as he taps into imagery that is both contemporary and ancient.
Fahler often incorporates vibrant Mesoamerican motifs like skulls, serpents, and glyphs derived from Mayan codices. Through the likenesses of Mayan gods and imagery derived from ancient tombs, he explores dualities of past and present, ecological precarity, socio-economic and political divides, and the distances between people and places. Juxtaposed with centuries-old, non-Western motifs, Fahler also delves into deeply symbolic American iconography, like the Stars and Stripes and the bald eagle.
The latter, of course, is also a profound symbol in many Indigenous American cultures, emblematic of courage and wisdom. And despite the Trump administration’s rollbacks of environmental protections, the creature is also a stark reminder of the importance of conservation efforts. After dangerous pesticides reduced the total number of breeding pairs of bald eagles to only a little more than 400 in the 1960s, years of work by ecologists and a government-mandated ban on DDT finally allowed populations to rebound.
The White House is also an apt symbol for clashes of ideals, as the more than 230-year-old building represents American democracy and liberty while also being a place of contradictions. Enslaved people worked alongside other laborers to build it—information that has now been entirely omitted from histories touted by the Trump administration. The current president is also frequently condemned for his authoritarian leanings and his disregard for the country’s democratic foundations.
In Fahler’s piece “Idyllic, Idealic, Idea lick, i’d eel lick, i deal ick,” the structure is viewed through its Pennsylvania Avenue fence. Flattened like a stage backdrop, the White House seems to fade into the background as our attention is continually drawn to its cage-like barrier. The building sits, in a sense, within a prison of its own making.
“Fences, gates, and beds all hold us in different ways—on our land, in our homes, in our sleep,” the gallery says. Fahler repeats the motif over and over, often using gates, chainlink, and window security grates to emphasize the contrast between inside and outside; confinement and freedom.
Terminal Classic continues through December 13 in New York City. Find more on Fahler’s website and Instagram.
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 ‘Terminal Classic,’ Timo Fahler Grapples with Dualities and Contradictions appeared first on Colossal.
2025-11-26 08:55:31
Experience design firm Murmur Ring, in partnership with Empathy and the Institute of Design, invites artists, designers, makers, and creatives of all kinds to join the Reclaiming Value: Sacred Valley Design Immersion from June 15 to 19, 2026, in Peru’s Sacred Valley. The Colossal team previously joined Murmur Ring for a transformative week-long immersion in Oaxaca, Mexico, and looks forward to joining this excursion, as well.
This is not a tourist program. Mumur Ring’s Immersions are creative exchanges born from years of research and relationship-building. Intimate site visits with Peruvian makers and innovators offer rare, behind-the-scenes access to the perspectives, techniques, and community-centered models shaping the region’s most visionary work. Participants will find new inspiration, forge collaborative relationships, and leave with ideas that will transform their practices.
In the coming weeks, Colossal will highlight several of the Peruvian makers whom participants will meet during the immersion, including Awamaki and Cerámicas Seminario.
Awamaki—named for the Quechua word meaning “made by hand”—helps women weavers of the Andes access global markets, develop business skills, and build financial independence to sustain their communities for generations. Murmur Ring’s immersion will venture into the mountains to see this social enterprise model in action and:
Since it began as an individual arts practice over 30 years ago, Cerámicas Seminario has evolved into a thriving studio blending ancient artistic language with a bold, contemporary visual style. The family-run business stands not only as a celebrated center of innovation in Peruvian ceramics but also as a powerful economic engine for its surrounding community. The immersion will allow participants to:
A place where food, land, art, and ancestral knowledge converge, MIL Centro is far more than a restaurant. It is an innovative research lab dedicated to preserving traditional Peruvian crops, restoring endangered agricultural practices, and sustaining the communities who have lived on and worked with this land for centuries. Theirs is a model that honors tradition, empowers community, and pushes the boundaries of what food, and art, can be. During a visit to MIL Centro, participants will:
Early bird reservations are available through November 30, 2025. Apply now to secure your spot at the exclusive rate, and join us for an unforgettable journey into the creative soul of the Sacred Valley.
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 Immerse Yourself in the Creative Culture of Peru’s Sacred Valley with Murmur Ring’s Unique Program appeared first on Colossal.
2025-11-26 04:41:00
A vibrant new pavilion rises to meet the square’s picturesque trees in Cradle of Country Music Park in Knoxville, Tennessee, connecting the city’s Old Town and its theater district. Made from tens of thousands of individual pieces of painted aluminum, the vivid “Pier 865” provides both a resting place and a vantage point in a reinvigorated public square.
The reptilian sculpture is the work of Marc Fornes / THEVERYMANY, continuing the designer’s interest in high-tech, large-scale installations that involve meticulously assembled elements. Conceived digitally, the structure has a bold, futuristic quality that looks exactly like a 3D model made real—one can imagine its pixel-like pieces puzzling together in a computer program.
The pavilion is painted in greenish gradients in a nod to its surrounding trees. “Its organic shape brings to mind different life forms from different angles: from ground level, the sculpture suggests alien flora growing from the concrete—but viewed from the sky, a tensile, reptilian form reveals itself,” a statement says.
See more work by Fornes on his website and Instagram.
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 A Sculpture Made of Tens of Thousands of Aluminum Facets Writhes in a Knoxville Park appeared first on Colossal.
2025-11-26 04:09:29
The end of the year is quickly approaching and so is the season of giving. By choosing to shop with us this year, you’re supporting independent publishing and allowing us continue to share important stories every day.
This year’s Colossal Gift Guide highlights some of our favorite art and design products. From world-renowned artist tools and one-of-a-kind calendars to quirky bags and detailed monographs, we’ve curated everything you need to be named Best Gift Giver of the Year.
Grouped by each unique recipient—whether it be your creative sibling, grandkids, or that one uncle whose vibe is impossible to identify—there’s something here for everyone on your list.
Grab a cup of tea, get cozy, and happy shopping! Thank you for supporting Colossal.
For the Studio Rat
We all know and love a studio rat who never clocks out—yes, we’re talking about that special someone with a paint-stained wardrobe and a desk that’s more clay than surface. From pencils and pastels to supply sacks and art theory, this collection is dedicated to artists, design nerds, and critical visual thinkers alike.
For the Game Night Host
It’s time to gather the crew! Show your friend group’s designated game night host some appreciation with an elegant deck of cards, an artful puzzle, and more. (If you’re into introverted brain-teaser time, that works too!)
For the Young Artist
It’s never too early to encourage young ones to get creative. From specially-crafted wooden toys to unique crayons and imaginative books, finding an encouraging gift for that mini maker in your life has never been easier.
For the Art Book Buff
Beautifully bound, striking, and compelling in thought, our collection of books is curated for creative minds. Including monographs, design and architecture surveys, visual and social theory, and even children’s books, there’s something here for everyone.
For the Tastemaker
Matchboxes, prints, and coffee table books galore! Explore our selection of creature comforts for the homebodies who treat their space like a carefully curated gallery.
For the Crafter
Know a DIY devotee who can’t resist a good embroidery kit or crochet project? Show them how much you support their lovely handmade creations with a new craft, a handy bag for their supplies, and more.
Don’t forget: Colossal Members always receive 15% off in the shop, and from now until the holiday season is over, get free shipping on all U.S. orders over $150.
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 The Colossal Shop’s 2025 Gift Guide: Gift Like an Artist appeared first on Colossal.