December 2023 – CAPACIMIENTO

Otherworldly Plants Sprout Colorful Stems and Blooms in Kaori Kurihara’s Incredibly Detailed Ceramics

An abstract sculpture of an imaginary plant made from ceramic.

“Clown verdoyant” (2023). All images © Kaori Kurihara, shared with permission

Elegant petals, scalloped fans, and seed-like textures coat the Kaori Kurihara’s whimsical ceramic sculptures (previously). She incorporates delicate botanical details with eccentric forms, melding realism with fiction. “I try to associate imaginary plants with a more realistic feeling, so I observe more consciously the environment in which they grow,” Kurihara tells Colossal. She also grows different types of plants from seed in order to observe and record details as they grow. “The aim is to create something that looks more alive and closer to life,” she adds.

Kurihara’s work is featured in the forthcoming book Ceramic Artists on Creative Processes, scheduled for release in February. Pre-order your copy on Bookshop, and explore more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

A detail of the base of a ceramic sculpture with details that resemble cut Brussels sprouts, tiny cabbages, or flowers.

Detail of “Clown verdoyant”

“Collectionneur de silence” (2023)

An abstract sculpture of an imaginary plant made from ceramic with a large yellow flower on top.

“En réponse au claire de lune” (2023)

Detail of “En réponse au claire de lune”

“Hug Me Quick” (2023)

Two images side-by-side, each showing details of ceramic sculptures inspired by flowers and plants.

Left: Detail of “Collectionneur de silence.” Right: Detail of “Hug Me Quick”

“Danseuse de boîte à musique” (2023)

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Otherworldly Plants Sprout Colorful Stems and Blooms in Kaori Kurihara’s Incredibly Detailed Ceramics appeared first on Colossal.

Finely Rendered Birds and Animals Cling to Dried Flowers in Steeven Salvat’s Wheatpastes

four bird wheatpastes cover a conical structure with a cupola on top in a lush green landscape with brick buildings on either side

All images © Steeven Salvat, shared with permission

Sprouting between windows and tucked around corners, Steeven Salvat’s wheatpastes add a dose of natural history to everyday urban life. The French artist has spent the last few years meticulously rendering gem- and mechanic-encrusted beetles and butterflies, amassing a vast insectarium that draws attention to the intersections of art, science, and history and underscores the preciousness of each creature.

During the last two years, though, Salvat has begun to consistently work outdoors and on walls, creating public pieces that capture his painstaking linework on a larger scale. Whether painted in acrylic or slathered with wheatpaste, the realistic renderings are similarly detailed and delicate, conveying the smooth fur of a field mouse or the fluffed plumage of a bird mid-flight. Many of his recent works, part of the ongoing Petite Nature project, pair renditions of oversized dried flowers with tiny creatures “to awaken awareness on the fragility of ecosystems such as grasslands and natural water points, often sacrificed in the name of urbanisation.”

In addition to the wall works, Petite Nature also features smaller drawings on paper, which will be on view in January at Le Cabinet d’Amateur in Paris. Salvat generously shares glimpses into his process on Instagram, and you can find originals, prints, and postcards in his shop.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Finely Rendered Birds and Animals Cling to Dried Flowers in Steeven Salvat’s Wheatpastes appeared first on Colossal.

Finely Rendered Birds and Animals Cling to Dried Flowers in Steeven Salvat’s Wheatpastes

All images © Steeven Salvat, shared with permission

In Surreal Portraits, Rafael Silveira Plunges Into the Mysteries of the Human Psyche

A vibrant and colorful portrait of a figure without a head, but instead a bark-like textured neck and bouquet of flowers.

“Extravaso.” All images © Rafael Silveira, shared with permission

Brazilian artist Rafael Silveira supplants heads with bunches of flowers, flocks of birds, and plumes of smoke in fantastical portraits that delve into the inner workings of the human psyche. Lively hues of pink, yellow, and blue come together as he continues to convey the permeation of emotions through surreal phenomena.

Since childhood, Silveira has harbored a profound interest in the complexities of the mental universe. “I believe that my art is a profound dive into the human mind,” the artist tells Colossal. “I find inspiration in the mysteries of the human psyche and in the energies, both tangible and intangible, that permeate our lives and the nature surrounding us.”

As he translates these concepts to oil paintings, familiar anatomical features partake in unusual sights, as eyeballs hover like hot-air balloons, lips emerge from flowers, and brains converge with swans.

From his studio in Brazil, Silveira is currently working toward his first major solo exhibition next summer at KP Projects Gallery in Los Angeles. Make sure to visit the artist’s website for more work, keep an eye on his Instagram for studio views, and pick up one of his new prints.

A vibrant and colorful portrait of a figure without a head, but instead birds flying nearby, with two eyeballs

“Free Mind”

A vibrant and colorful portrait of a figure without a head, but instead a large cloud of smoke, lightning, flames, and sunglasses.

“Burning Desire”

A vibrant and colorful portrait of a figure without a head, but instead two eyebals hovering above the rest of the body, like hot air balloons in the background

“Ebulição”

“Recanto”

an Ibis with a large eyeball on its body, a hibiscus flower, and another flwoer make up the eyes and lips of a face.

“Polyphonic Nature of Existence”

A vibrant and colorful portrait of a figure without a head, but instead pink and red flwoers growing upwards from the body, and a hat on top.

“Flora Intimista”

A vibrant and colorful portrait of a figure without a head, but instead a large pink cloud.

“Vapores de Mente”

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article In Surreal Portraits, Rafael Silveira Plunges Into the Mysteries of the Human Psyche appeared first on Colossal.

The Artists of ‘PULP’ Fold, Emboss, and Quill Their Way Through the Possibilities of Paper

A sculpture of a figure made from cardboard. The figure holds a cell phone and their torso is hollow with an upside-down tree inside.

James Lake. All images © the artists, courtesy of MAKE Southwest

Strips of cardboard, papier-mâché, and precision folding are just a few of the techniques artists employ as they explore of the endless potential of paper. Whether using found pages of magazines and books, intricately folding single sheets into detailed figures, or designing unique wearable pieces, artists are constantly finding original ways to use the humble material.

Kicking off next month at MAKE Southwest, a group exhibition titled PULP celebrates the possibilities of the medium in all its forms, from quilled flowers to figurative sculptures to playful miniatures. Collaboratively curated by the Paper Artist Collective and GF Smith, PULP presents the work of more than two dozen international artists, including several we’ve shared here on Colossal over the years, like Layla May Arthur, Daphne Lee, Juho Könkkölä, Kate Kato, and more.

PULP opens on January 20 and runs through April 13 in the town of Bovey Tracey, on the edge of Dartmoor. If you’re in the area, you can plan your visit and learn more via MAKE Southwest’s website.