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  • 15 Artists Explore the Potential of Fabric and Fiber in ‘Textile Art Redefined’ Kate Mothes
    Until just the past few decades, textiles were generally created with only practical applications in mind. Although fiber and cloth in its myriad forms had been produced for millennia around the globe, fabrics were woven for either domestic or industrial use, and crafts such as knitting, weaving, basket- and net-making, and more were considered purely functional. Think clothing or decor. Even ornate medieval tapestries were conceived as utilitarian objects, used in stone buildings like church
     

15 Artists Explore the Potential of Fabric and Fiber in ‘Textile Art Redefined’

16 April 2026 at 14:42
15 Artists Explore the Potential of Fabric and Fiber in ‘Textile Art Redefined’

Until just the past few decades, textiles were generally created with only practical applications in mind. Although fiber and cloth in its myriad forms had been produced for millennia around the globe, fabrics were woven for either domestic or industrial use, and crafts such as knitting, weaving, basket- and net-making, and more were considered purely functional. Think clothing or decor. Even ornate medieval tapestries were conceived as utilitarian objects, used in stone buildings like churches and large homes to soften sounds and insulate against the cold.

Within the canon of Western art history, in particular, the hierarchy of fine art has long been quite definite: painting and sculpture were chief among mediums. Anything else fell under categories of preparatory processes, craft, or ornament. But in the mid-20th century, that delineation began to shift. Anni Albers, who taught at the Bauhaus and later Black Mountain College, was one of the first artists to approach weaving as both a craft and an art. She laid the foundations for later artists like Sheila Hicks, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Cecelia Vicuña, Faith Ringgold, and many more. Today, artists like Bisa Butler, Do Ho Suh, Nick Cave, and countless others continue to challenge boundaries and redefine the role of textiles in art.

a stitched textile work by Chiachio & Giannone depicting numerous patterns and two inset portraits of two bearded men in profile
Chiachio & Giannone. “Conversación sobre arte” (2022), hand-embroidered quilt with cotton threads on toile de Jouy, 164 x 200 centimeters. Photo by Nacho Iasparra. Courtesy of Bendana | Pinel Art Contemporain, Paris

A new exhibition at Saatchi Gallery takes a fresh look at how fiber has become a celebrated facet of contemporary art. Textile Art Redefined is curated by Helen Adams, founder of the platform Textile Curator. Vibrant colors and patterns infuse the show with a sense of joy and optimism, while the selection highlights the broad range of approaches to different materials, such as Ian Berry’s large-scale installation titled “Secret Garden,” which mimics Delft tiles and yet is made entirely of recycled denim. And Kenny Nguyen’s large-scale wall piece, made of thousands of colorful strips of silk, appears to undulate and swirl.

For some of these artists, like Argentinian duo Chiachio & Giannone and knit designer Kaffe Fassett—who continues to work alongside his long-term partner, designer Brandon Mably—the union of art and craft lends itself to a entire lifestyle built around fiber as a form of expression, brimming with color and patterns. Colossal readers may also recognize work by Anne von Freyburg, Signe Emdal, Deniz Kurdak, and Benjamin Shine, in addition to Caroline Burgess, Sara Impey, Simone Pheulpin, Jakkai Siributr, Magda Sayeg, and Jenni Dutton. “In an increasingly digital world, creating by hand has taken on a new appreciation,” says a statement.

Textile Art Redefined continues through May 10 in London. Adams is also the author of the new book Textile Fine Art, published by Laurence King.

a colorful, abstract textile work by Anne von Freyburg in a gallery
Anne von Freyburg, “In Flight Mode (After Fragonard, The Swing)” (2026), textile wall installation painting: acrylic ink, synthetic fabrics, PVC fabric, tapestry-fabric, sequin fabrics, hand-embroidery, polyester wadding and hand-dyed tassel fringes on canvas, 350 x 260 centimeters. Courtesy of K Contemporary Denver + Santa Fe. Photo by Pasquale Viglione
an installation view of the group exhibition 'Textile Art Redefined,' depicting numerous different wall works and sculptures made from various kinds of colorful, textile materials
Installation view of ‘Textile Art Redefined,’ Saatchi Gallery, London. Photo by Pasquale Viglione
a large-scale installation by Ian Berry in blue-and-white with decorative tile features
Ian Berry, “The Secret Garden” (2026), denim on denim, dimensions variable. Photo by Debbie Bragg
a detail of a large-scale installation by Ian Berry in blue-and-white with decorative tile features
Ian Berry, “The Secret Garden” (detail). Photo by Debbie Bragg
Kenny Nguyen, “Echo Series No. 6” (2025), hand-cut silk fabric, acrylic paint, canvas, mounted on wall, 289.56 x 332.74 x 12.70 centimeters
a colorful knitted blanket by Kaffe Fassett with geometric patterns
Kaffe Fassett, “Geometric Sampler” (2019), cotton and wool, 150 x 188 centimeters. Photo by Brandon Mably
an installation view of the group exhibition 'Textile Art Redefined,' depicting numerous different wall works and sculptures made from various kinds of colorful, textile materials
Installation view of ‘Textile Art Redefined,’ Saatchi Gallery, London. Photo by Pasquale Viglione
a textile artwork depicting a colorfully patterned machine gun over a series of equally colorfully patterned spheres
Top to bottom: Magda Sayeg, “The Machine Gun” (2017), replica of Bushmaster XM15-E2S: acrylic mix triple worsted yarn, vintage children’s sweaters, 200 x 68 centimeters. Magda Sayeg, “Yoga Balls” (2025), acrylic yarn and inflated PVC ball, approx. 55 x 75 centimeters. Photo by Pasquale Viglione
an installation view of the group exhibition 'Textile Art Redefined,' depicting numerous different wall works and sculptures made from various kinds of colorful, textile materials
Signe Emdal, “Dreams of Gaia” (2024), Italian mohair, Shetland wool, Swedish cotton warp, gold-plated artist’s signature, 195 x 60 x 18 centimeters. Created with funding support from the Danish Beckett Foundation. Installation view of ‘Textile Art Redefined,’ Saatchi Gallery, London. Photo by Pasquale Viglione

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  • Roda Medhat Subverts Traditional Kurdish Narratives Into Modern Tactile Experiences Jackie Andres
    Toronto-based Kurdish artist Roda Medhat pushes the boundaries of fabric into the realm of sculpture, exploring the ways in which traditional West Asian textiles can be translated into various media. As digital fabrication and 3D scanning cross paths with memory and material, Medhat’s practice asks “how we carry our stories, and what happens when those stories are translated into new, synthetic languages?” The artist’s new solo exhibition, titled From the Loom, fills Toronto’s Abbozzo Gall
     

Roda Medhat Subverts Traditional Kurdish Narratives Into Modern Tactile Experiences

29 May 2026 at 20:00
Roda Medhat Subverts Traditional Kurdish Narratives Into Modern Tactile Experiences

Toronto-based Kurdish artist Roda Medhat pushes the boundaries of fabric into the realm of sculpture, exploring the ways in which traditional West Asian textiles can be translated into various media. As digital fabrication and 3D scanning cross paths with memory and material, Medhat’s practice asks “how we carry our stories, and what happens when those stories are translated into new, synthetic languages?”

The artist’s new solo exhibition, titled From the Loom, fills Toronto’s Abbozzo Gallery with large-scale sculptures in conversation with a new series of textile works. Known in part for his neon installations, the artist also presents several glowing light-based works encased within glass or acrylic, redolent of patterned Kurdish rugs.

a Jacquard weaving by Roda Medhat depicting a boy holding a circular object
“Def” (2026). Photo by Fraser Carr Moore

Several of Medhat’s images and symbols—most prominently young boys riding horses and interacting with nature—are sourced from Kurdish children’s books. These icons are woven directly into the surface of each textile by way of an electronic Jacquard machine, further accentuating the contrast between preserved cultural objects and contemporary reconstruction. In the exhibition’s statement, Medhat shares that his work “functions as a distillation of a wider body of research,” including the contemporary subversion of archival materials.

“The Sheep and the Chevrolet,” an anchoring work within the exhibition, reimagines François Balsan’s problematic 1947 ethnographic work of the same title. Pitting bucolic Kurdish life with Western modernism, Balsan’s off-key travelogue presented a stereotypical, highly subjective view of Kurdish culture. Medhat’s bold sculpture invokes 3D printing to construct a monumental sheep composedly sitting atop a small Chevrolet vehicle, offering a playful point of reconceptualization.

From the Loom is on view through May 26. You can find more from the artist on Instagram.

a sculpture by Roda Medhat of a pink sheep sitting atop a small Chevrolet car
“The Sheep and the Chevrolet” (2026). Photo by Darren Rigo
a neon sculpture by Roda Medhat depicting patterns reminiscent of traditional Kurdish rugs
Photo by Darren Rigo
a neon sculpture by Roda Medhat depicting patterns reminiscent of traditional Kurdish rugs
“A Rug Falls in Four Frames” (2025). Photo by Fraser Carr Moore
a neon sculpture by Roda Medhat depicting patterns reminiscent of traditional Kurdish rugs
Photo by Darren Rigo
a neon sculpture by Roda Medhat depicting patterns reminiscent of traditional Kurdish rugs
a Jacquard weaving by Roda Medhat depicting a boy on a bike playing outside
“Boy, Cat, Bike, Mother” (2026). Photo by Fraser Carr Moore
a Jacquard weaving by Roda Medhat depicting patterns reminiscent of traditional Kurdish rugs
“Jajim 1” (2026). Photo by Fraser Carr Moore
detail of a geometric Jacquard weaving by Roda Medhat
Detail of “Jajim 2” (2026). Photo by Fraser Carr Moore
a neon sculpture by Roda Medhat depicting a boy running
Photo by Darren Rigo
two a neon sculptures by Roda Medhat depicting patterns reminiscent of traditional Kurdish rugs
Photo by Darren Rigo
detail of a Jacquard weaving by Roda Medhat depicting a boy holding a circular object
Detail of “Def” (2026). Photo by Fraser Carr Moore

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  • ‘BlowUp Jubilee’ Celebrates Inflatable Public Art in the Center of The Hague Kate Mothes
    While the Dutch city of The Hague may be best known for the judicial arm of the United Nations, there’s a lot more to it than global peace and justice organizations. It’s home to some of Europe’s most esteemed art museums, such as the Mauritshuis, where you can visit Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. Then there’s the immanently popular Madurodam, a sprawling scale model of some of The Netherlands’ most famous and historic palaces and public buildings. That, in turn, is located in
     

‘BlowUp Jubilee’ Celebrates Inflatable Public Art in the Center of The Hague

27 May 2026 at 18:00
‘BlowUp Jubilee’ Celebrates Inflatable Public Art in the Center of The Hague

While the Dutch city of The Hague may be best known for the judicial arm of the United Nations, there’s a lot more to it than global peace and justice organizations. It’s home to some of Europe’s most esteemed art museums, such as the Mauritshuis, where you can visit Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. Then there’s the immanently popular Madurodam, a sprawling scale model of some of The Netherlands’ most famous and historic palaces and public buildings. That, in turn, is located in the charming Scheveningen district, which boasts a wide, popular beach on the North Sea.

Madurodam, for one, is where you’ll find a handful of playful inflatable art installations as part of BlowUp Jubilee, an anniversary edition of The Hague’s popular BlowUp Art event. Now in its sixth year, the open-air public art exhibition curated by Mary Hessing brings together 20 pieces that interact with monuments and buildings in a celebration of heritage and access for all.

Eugenie Boon

For BlowUp Jubilee, artists whose work has been shown during the past five years have been invited back. In many cases, the sculptures are in new locations or configurations. Scale, color, and form interact in surprising ways as inflatable orbs, shell-like shapes, spikes, and more reimagine a variety of landmarks.

At Madurodam, size and scale are on particularly curious display, as what appears to be a giant pink chair in the middle of a fountain is actually quite small. Other works around town, however, celebrate historic architecture with genuinely monumental creations, such as Steve Messam’s bulbous, green passageway installation or Eugenie Boon’s ode to her Caribbean heritage in a piece titled “koncha pa dilanti,” which refers to a board game played on the islands. You’ll also find a giant yellow donut by John Körmeling, a pink pavilion by Sigrid Calon, and a cosmic cafe concept by Yamuna Forzani.

BlowUp Jubilee continues through June 21. Learn more and plan your visit by checking out the event’s website. You might also enjoy Bubbletecture.

a tiny inflatable chair sculpture that looks enormous within a formal garden of a miniature city at Madurodam, The Hague
An installation at Madurodam
an inflatable, green, spiky tube installation around a sculpture in The Hague
Steve Messam
a pink inflatable pavilion with a pointy roof in a park in The Hague
Sigrid Calon
inflatable sculptures loosely resembling branches or coral in a seafoam green color, installed in a park in The Hague
Studio Meike Meijer
an orange and pink inflatable installation wedged between two buildings in The Hague
two inflatable sculptures in a park in The Hague
Foreground: Raw Color
a small spiked sculpture sits on the pointed tower roof of a model palace at the miniature tourist attraction Madurodam, The Hague
A miniature installation by Steve Messam at Madurodam

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  • Delcy Morelos Tends to Sepulchral Installations in a Divine Connection to the Land Grace Ebert
    The Colombian artist Delcy Morelos describes her hometown of Tierralta as “a paradise full of butterflies and unpaved streets.” In the late 1960s and early ’70s, Morelos spent her days in her grandmother’s garden, running barefoot and gleaning what it meant to live in connection with the land. When paramilitary and guerrilla troops moved in, though, the region was plunged into a chaotic state of grief and fear. In her earliest works, Morelos translated the death and destruction plaguing he
     

Delcy Morelos Tends to Sepulchral Installations in a Divine Connection to the Land

12 June 2026 at 13:14
Delcy Morelos Tends to Sepulchral Installations in a Divine Connection to the Land

The Colombian artist Delcy Morelos describes her hometown of Tierralta as “a paradise full of butterflies and unpaved streets.” In the late 1960s and early ’70s, Morelos spent her days in her grandmother’s garden, running barefoot and gleaning what it meant to live in connection with the land. When paramilitary and guerrilla troops moved in, though, the region was plunged into a chaotic state of grief and fear.

In her earliest works, Morelos translated the death and destruction plaguing her home into two-dimensional compositions. As she details in a new segment for Art21, acrylic painting was not long her primary mode of working, and quickly, she returned to the earth, incorporating soil, straw, and grass into large-scale installations. The film follows the artist as she installs a sepulchral mound in Seville’s Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, a former Carthusian monastery turned art museum that once housed Christopher Columbus’ remains.

Throughout the film, we witness Morelos grab gobs of straw-laden soil and affix the chunky material to a standing structure, which eventually grows a range of produce native to both sides of the Atlantic. In contrast to the space’s colonial ties, the artist’s work presents a way of creating and living that’s entwined in natural rhythms. Visitors are greeted by notes of cinnamon, cloves, and fecund soil before being enveloped by towering walls of growth. Within the vaulted monastery, Morelos’ indomitable forms offer a direct tie to the sacred and divine right beneath our feet.

“Many people believe they are in a bubble, and that is why they can do things that harm nature, harm others, and also harm themselves,” she says, demonstrating a profound sense of care for and connection to all that gives life.

This segment is part of Art21’s Human Nature episode and is available to watch on its site. Find additional films on YouTube.

two large soil structures
a person walks through soil walls
a large scale earth sculpture

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  • Faig Ahmed Weaves Mysticism, Science, Technology, and Craft into ‘The Attention’ Kate Mothes
    Faig Ahmed is known for his vibrant textile sculptures that take traditional Azerbaijani ornamental carpets as starting point, often appearing to melt, pool, or glitch. In his current solo presentation at the 61st Venice Biennale, where he is representing Azerbaijan, the Baku-based artist branches out into more conceptual territory, exploring science, alchemy, spirituality, and perceptions of self in a sprawling, maze-like installation called The Attention. Curated by Gwendolyn Collaço, th
     

Faig Ahmed Weaves Mysticism, Science, Technology, and Craft into ‘The Attention’

14 May 2026 at 13:42
Faig Ahmed Weaves Mysticism, Science, Technology, and Craft into ‘The Attention’

Faig Ahmed is known for his vibrant textile sculptures that take traditional Azerbaijani ornamental carpets as starting point, often appearing to melt, pool, or glitch. In his current solo presentation at the 61st Venice Biennale, where he is representing Azerbaijan, the Baku-based artist branches out into more conceptual territory, exploring science, alchemy, spirituality, and perceptions of self in a sprawling, maze-like installation called The Attention.

Curated by Gwendolyn Collaço, the exhibition expands upon Ahmed’s interest in the dialectic between digital processes and time-honored, hand-crafted techniques. The artist considers how advanced scientific inquiry, such as quantum physics and neuroscience, relates to how we “articulate cosmologies of belonging,” says a statement.

an installation view of Faig Ahmed's 'The Attention' at the 61st Venice Biennale, featuring an outdoor courtyard with a machine-woven rug spilling down the stairs and running into another room
“Garden of Awakening” (2026), directional audio system

Ornamental carpets continue as a through-line in The Attention, undulating, scrunching, distending, and balling up through a series of rooms. They even extend outdoors, creating a kind of continuous runner that spills out of doorways and stretches into long lines of color.

“Ahmed bridges the 15th-century Hurufi mystic tradition—which viewed the universe as a coded text—with modern information theory,” says a statement. “By channeling the ‘human energy’ of the weave, he uses this ancient textile paradigm to address our era’s information overload and collective grief.”

Ahmed taps into a theoretical framework coined by physicist John Wheeler that can be summed up, rather enigmatically, as “it from bit.” It’s a short way of describing an approach to information theory that string theorists and quantum mechanics researchers have tested. In other words, “…every it—every particle, every field of force, even the spacetime continuum itself—derives its function, its meaning, its very existence entirely—even if in some contexts indirectly—from the apparatus-elicited answers to yes-or-no questions, binary choices, bits.”

In The Attention, the binaries of “it from bit” are not only present in the way digital methods and the physical labor of the loom converge but also in Ahmed’s interests.

a detail of a colorful, uniquely patterned wool carpet
Detail of “Ancestors”

“I have always been drawn to exploring consciousness for as far back as I can remember,” he says in a statement, continuing:

This search has guided my attention in two directions: on one hand, toward science—biology, physics, and mathematics—and on the other, toward spirituality, art, poetry, and creative expression. At first glance, these fields appear opposite, even contradictory. One form of knowledge is directed out-ward, toward what can be measured, calculated, observed, and verified. The other turns inward, toward the subjective, the unprovable, and the inexpressible. It is an experience that cannot be confirmed or fully shared with another, just as it is impossible to truly know what it feels like to be someone else.

Merging 15th-century Hurufi mysticism with science, digital interfaces with the analog, and introspective personal experiences with objective data, Ahmed’s carpets guide visitors through the immersive space. The largest one, a monumental machine-woven piece, is titled “I Can Contain Both Worlds But I Do Not Fit Into This One.” It forms what the artist describes as a “breathing body” that climbs the architecture, knots itself, collapses, and spills. “Ancestors,” a faintly anthropomorphic wall piece that glows psychedelically in black light is woven by hand. And a work called “Entropy Altar” uses a quantum random number generator to translate visitor presence into an evolving language.

The Attention remains on view through November 22 at Campo della Tana, Castello 2124/A–2125, Venice. See more on Ahmed’s Instagram and Vimeo.

an installation view of Faig Ahmed's 'The Attention' at the 61st Venice Biennale, featuring text on the left wall and a long carpet installation throughout the rooms
Installation view of ‘The Attention’
a handmade wool carpet illuminated by a black light on a wall with a symmetrical, undulating, psychedelic form in the middle
“Ancestors” (2026), handmade wool carpet, 170 x 385 centimeters
a ball of blue, machine-woven carpet in a corner
“The Knot” (2026), part of “I Can Contain Both Worlds But I Do Not Fit Into This One,” 200 centimeters in diameter
a detail of a colorful, patterned wool carpet where traditional designs appear "stretched" at the bottom
Detail of “I Can Contain Both Worlds But I Do Not Fit Into This One”
an installation view of Faig Ahmed's 'The Attention' at the 61st Venice Biennale, featuring a rug "spilling" out of a doorway
“I Can Contain Both Worlds But I Do Not Fit Into This One” (2026), site-specific machine-printed carpet spanning all seven rooms
artist Faig Ahmed stands in a doorway with his large-scale carpet installation on the ground, spilling out onto the street
Faig Ahmed at the entrance to ‘The Attention’

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  • Amoako Boafo Weaves His Portraiture into an Architectural Replica of His Accra Studio Grace Ebert
    The expression “wherever you go, there you are” is often wielded to describe futile attempts to escape hangups, anxieties, and a variety of unwanted emotions. Although this truism is typically offered as a negative, it can also be read as a positive that provides comfort and stability amid new environments. In I Bring Home with Me, Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo recreates his Accra studio in an architectural reproduction within Roberts Projects’ Los Angeles gallery. Boafo is known for his st
     

Amoako Boafo Weaves His Portraiture into an Architectural Replica of His Accra Studio

10 February 2026 at 19:51
Amoako Boafo Weaves His Portraiture into an Architectural Replica of His Accra Studio

The expression “wherever you go, there you are” is often wielded to describe futile attempts to escape hangups, anxieties, and a variety of unwanted emotions. Although this truism is typically offered as a negative, it can also be read as a positive that provides comfort and stability amid new environments.

In I Bring Home with Me, Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo recreates his Accra studio in an architectural reproduction within Roberts Projects’ Los Angeles gallery. Boafo is known for his stylized portraiture of Black people, whose skin the artist renders in swirling gestures made with his fingers. This exhibition presents a collection of paintings embedded within the life-sized replica, created in collaboration with architect and designer Glenn DeRoche.

a portrait by Amoako Boafo of a Black woman with a floral shirt
“Floral Shirt” (2025), oil on canvas, 39.125 x 39.125 x 1 inches

According to a statement from the gallery, Boafo wanted to reflect both the “images, sounds, people, stories, and events that shape his sense of place” and how community gatherings in his studio are essential to his process. While some portraits depict imagined subjects, many portray friends, family, and public figures.

Monstera wallpaper, porous wall dividers, and floral seat covers add color and texture to the largely black, wooden structure and echo Boafo’s use of paper transfers, embroidered details, and thick impasto. Paired with his portraiture, these architectural details guide viewers through the space and capture how presence and memories shape our inner and outer environments.

I Bring Home with Me is on view through March 21. Find more on the artist’s Instagram.

a detail image of a floral garment in a portrait by Amoako Boafo
a portrait by Amoako Boafo of a Black woman in wedding dress
“Bouquet of White Roses” (2025), oil on canvas, 81 x 66 inches
an installation view of a dining table and chairs with a portrait by Amoako Boafo
Installation view of ‘I Bring Home with Me’
a portrait by Amoako Boafo of a Black man reclining on a chair
“Self Portrait – Ivy Leaf Sofa” (2025), oil and paper transfer on canvas, 65 x 59 inches
a portrait by Amoako Boafo of a Black man on a bike
“Black Cycle”
a portrait by Amoako Boafo of a Black woman with a white top
“Pink Dial” (2025), oil on canvas, 35.5 x 39.125 x 1 inches
a detail image of a portrait by Amoako Boafo of a Black man on a bike
Detail of “Black Cycle”
an installation view with portraits by Amoako Boafo
Installation view of ‘I Bring Home with Me’

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  • Ben Zank’s Portraits Teeter Between Surrealism and the Mundane Jackie Andres
    Tensely contorted or standing pin straight, Ben Zank’s signature faceless subjects evoke ineffable yet familiar emotions. The New York City-based photographer has a knack for turning ordinary settings and unaccompanied figures into strangely perplexing sights. Mismatched socks, bold garments, and awkward poses go a long way in evoking a visceral response through his lens, tapping into a sort of uncanny realism. Zank’s work traveled to Festival Cargo Les Photographiques—a.k.a. The C
     

Ben Zank’s Portraits Teeter Between Surrealism and the Mundane

20 March 2026 at 18:42
Ben Zank’s Portraits Teeter Between Surrealism and the Mundane

Tensely contorted or standing pin straight, Ben Zank’s signature faceless subjects evoke ineffable yet familiar emotions.

The New York City-based photographer has a knack for turning ordinary settings and unaccompanied figures into strangely perplexing sights. Mismatched socks, bold garments, and awkward poses go a long way in evoking a visceral response through his lens, tapping into a sort of uncanny realism.

a surreal portrait by photographer Ben Zankn depicting a contorted figure sliding off the edge of a bed

Zank’s work traveled to Festival Cargo Les Photographiques—a.k.a. The Cargo Festival—in Saint-Nazaire, France last summer. Since its debut in 2022, the annual event typically features several outdoor exhibition areas, highlighting contemporary photographers.

The artist’s plein air installation for the festival included large reproductions of images affixed to leaning wooden pallets and covering brick walls. The minimalist, Earth-toned portraits complemented their surroundings, scattered across sparse grounds.

Zank is currently working on a series that is focused on capturing strangers in their own homes, rather than the constructed settings he typically employs. Find more from the artist on Instagram.

an outdoor installation of surreal portraits by photographer Ben Zank
a surreal portrait by photographer Ben Zankn depicting a figure clutching two legs, almost as if he is contorted in a tense way
an outdoor installation of surreal portraits by photographer Ben Zank
a surreal portrait by photographer Ben Zankn depicting a figure fully clothed in a bathtub with bubbles, looking into a mirror
a surreal portrait by photographer Ben Zankn depicting a figure covered in arrow signs
a surreal portrait by photographer Ben Zankn depicting a figure wearing a pair of bold blue pants on his face, with glasses over them

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  • Luscious Hair Sculptures Sprout Like Branches in a Symbiotic Exhibition Grace Ebert
    A visit to Lincoln Park or the Garfield Park Conservatory is one of the outings Chicagoans rarely pass up, particularly when we need some reprieve from all the concrete and steel. Two beloved green spaces in the city, these spots boast oases blanketed in verdant foliage even in the depths of winter and house an array of specimens not native to the Midwest. For artists Merryn Omotayo Alaka and Sam Frésquez, the immersive nature of a conservancy, with plants above and below and all around,
     

Luscious Hair Sculptures Sprout Like Branches in a Symbiotic Exhibition

6 May 2026 at 18:38
Luscious Hair Sculptures Sprout Like Branches in a Symbiotic Exhibition

A visit to Lincoln Park or the Garfield Park Conservatory is one of the outings Chicagoans rarely pass up, particularly when we need some reprieve from all the concrete and steel. Two beloved green spaces in the city, these spots boast oases blanketed in verdant foliage even in the depths of winter and house an array of specimens not native to the Midwest.

For artists Merryn Omotayo Alaka and Sam Frésquez, the immersive nature of a conservancy, with plants above and below and all around, became a central point for a collaborative project. Your Birth is My Birth presents the duo’s synthetic hair sculptures, which suspend from the ceiling of Jane Lombard Gallery and splay across the wooden floor like organic growths. Alaka and Frésquez describe the exhibition as a sort of “Kanekalon forest,” referring to the brand behind the luscious material.

people walk through a collection of suspended hair sculptures at various lengths. one emerges from pods on the floor
Installation view of ‘Your Birth is My Birth.’ Photo by Adam Reich

Five different “species” emerge in the space, including Listening RootsHearing BellsMother & ChildStacking Pearls, and Umbra Pods. Dark, dyed locks and domed shapes are throughlines, although each takes on a distinctive form. The series are influenced by epiphytes, non-parasitic plants that make their homes on a host specimen. Think orchids, cacti, moss, and kelp.

Surging upward from lily pad-shaped discs suctioned to the floorboards, the largest sculpture is part of Listening Roots, which tethers singular shoots to a central form. This connection between smaller pieces—like the feather-duster-shaped Stacking Pearls—and more comprehensive structures recurs throughout the exhibition, gesturing toward an intimate and intentional symbiosis.

Several works also reference genetics and what’s passed down through generations, as mirrored forms emerge within the same vertical tendril. “Similar to an epiphyte and its host tree, these sculptural works have their own life cycles evoking systems of dependence and exchange, where one form sustains from another,” says a statement.

Your Birth is My Birth is on view through June 13. Explore more from Alaka and Frésquez on Instagram.

a hair sculpture that swooshes out onto the floor with three bulbs at the top like a handle
“Stacking Pearl (Adolescent) I” (2026), Kanekalon hair and steel support, 24 x 24 inches
a collection of suspended hair sculptures at various lengths
Installation view of ‘Your Birth is My Birth.’ Photo by Adam Reich
a detail the underside of a hair sculpture with a wide bell shape and smaller fringe inside
Detail of “Umbra Pods I” (2026), Kanekalon hair and steel support, 45 x 27 inches
a collection of suspended hair sculptures at various lengths. one emerges from pods on the floor
Installation view of ‘Your Birth is My Birth.’ Photo by Adam Reich
a detail the underside of a hair sculpture with a wide bell shape and smaller fringe inside
Detail of “Umbra Pods III” (2026), Kanekalon hair and steel support, 45 x 27 inches
a collection of suspended hair sculptures at various lengths and some emerge from pods on the floor
Installation view of ‘Your Birth is My Birth.’ Photo by Adam Reich

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  • 7 Artists Discuss the Power and Urgency of Textiles Grace Ebert
    “We live with so many hard things,” says Sheila Hicks, “that we’re crying for softness.” The pleasure, simplicity, and tactile qualities of textiles ground a new film from Louisiana Channel, which explores the ways in which fiber art remains both evocative and relevant in this increasingly digital era. “7 Artists on Soft Sculptures” weaves together a variety of distinct approaches to textiles. Nick Cave describes incorporating found plastics, toys, metals, fringe, and more into elaborate s
     

7 Artists Discuss the Power and Urgency of Textiles

28 April 2026 at 16:43
7 Artists Discuss the Power and Urgency of Textiles

“We live with so many hard things,” says Sheila Hicks, “that we’re crying for softness.” The pleasure, simplicity, and tactile qualities of textiles ground a new film from Louisiana Channel, which explores the ways in which fiber art remains both evocative and relevant in this increasingly digital era.

7 Artists on Soft Sculptures” weaves together a variety of distinct approaches to textiles. Nick Cave describes incorporating found plastics, toys, metals, fringe, and more into elaborate suits that mask the wearer’s identity, while Icelandic artist Shoplifter shares her obsessions with brightly dyed synthetic hair, which she transforms into immersive installations.

And Kaarina Kaikkonen offers her deeply personal reason for incorporating used clothing into her large-scale installations: “When I was 14, after my father’s death, I wanted to wear his clothes,” she says. “I felt very strongly that my father is near me if I wear his clothes.” This invisible presence continues to inform her work, offering a connection to people and times passed.

Louisiana Channel hosts a trove of videos featuring artists, writers, and designers, including earlier studio visits with Shiota and Shoplifter, on Vimeo.

ernesto neto sits on the floor while touching his sculpture
Ernesto Neto

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 7 Artists Discuss the Power and Urgency of Textiles appeared first on Colossal.

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  • Tavares Strachan’s First Monograph Surveys an Encyclopedic Practice Grace Ebert
    Tavares Strachan is an artist whose interests, references, and approaches to making stretch so broadly, it’s not surprising that one of his more well-known works is an encyclopedia. Created in 2018, the 2,400-page volume contains 15,000 entries on individuals, events, places, and more that are critical to understanding our shared history, and yet were omitted from the Encyclopedia Britannica. This inverse book-cum-sculpture is one of many pieces within Strachan’s oeuvre that question the narr
     

Tavares Strachan’s First Monograph Surveys an Encyclopedic Practice

5 June 2026 at 18:18
Tavares Strachan’s First Monograph Surveys an Encyclopedic Practice

Tavares Strachan is an artist whose interests, references, and approaches to making stretch so broadly, it’s not surprising that one of his more well-known works is an encyclopedia. Created in 2018, the 2,400-page volume contains 15,000 entries on individuals, events, places, and more that are critical to understanding our shared history, and yet were omitted from the Encyclopedia Britannica. This inverse book-cum-sculpture is one of many pieces within Strachan’s oeuvre that question the narratives we collectively disseminate.

Born in Nassau, the Bahamian artist is one of the leading conceptual artists working today, and his first monograph, out in July from Phaidon, peers into decades of his expansive practice.

a collage with images of owls, crosswords, jet magazine, queen elizabeth and more
“Every Tongue Shall Confess” (2023), oil, enamel, pigment, and acrylic on two panels, 213 x 213 centimeters

While much of Strachan’s work considers colonialism and historical erasure, the artist is deeply rooted in the present and future. Our changing climate and the push for space exploration figure prominently and even sparked the scientific research platform, Bahamas Aerospace and Sea Exploration Center (BASEC), which Strachan founded in 2018. That project launched a 3U satellite into space for a three-year orbit around the sun that same year, which shared the story of Robert Henry Lawrence Jr., the first African-American astronaut within any national space program.

The book’s release coincides with Strachan’s exhibition The Day Tomorrow Began at The Pizzuti, part of the Columbus Museum of Art in Ohio, which runs through January 3. In true Strachan fashion, creating the monograph goes beyond simply gathering the various projects and shows within his practice. “When you make a book, you are participating in this very long historic lineage of bookmaking and sharing information,” he says, adding that there’s a strong spiritual connection between presenting work in person and on the page.

Get your copy from the Colossal Shop.

a black titled sculpture of a person riding a horse with a mirrored scene upside down
“In Praise of Midnight (Christophe × Napoleon)” (2025), resin and steel, 485 x 345 x 155 centimeters
an installation in a dark room of a barber shop
“The Barber Shop” (2025), performance, installation, dimensions variable. Installation view at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
a ship with a black star on it
“Black Star” (2024), aluminum, fiberglass, steel, painted wood, 543 x 1210 x 200 centimeters. Installation view at Hayward Gallery, London
an aerial view of the artist's studio
a photo of the artist in his studio
Tavares Strachan, Isolated Labs, New York, 2025. Photo by Jason Schmidt
the cover of Tavares Strachan's monograph

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 Tavares Strachan’s First Monograph Surveys an Encyclopedic Practice appeared first on Colossal.

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  • From Two Tons of Celadon, Jean Shin Sculpts a Metaphor for the Korean Diaspora Grace Ebert
    Incorporating nearly two tons of porcelain fragments, a monumental pair of vessels spills out into a pool of lustrous green. Shards of broken cups and saucers, pots, and other voluptuous forms blanket the gallery of the Green-House at Green-Wood for a new installation by Jean Shin. Celadon Landscape is one of the latest projects in which the artist transforms a singular material into a sprawling sculpture. Found objects that bear traces of their former purposes and users are prized possess
     

From Two Tons of Celadon, Jean Shin Sculpts a Metaphor for the Korean Diaspora

19 May 2026 at 17:46
From Two Tons of Celadon, Jean Shin Sculpts a Metaphor for the Korean Diaspora

Incorporating nearly two tons of porcelain fragments, a monumental pair of vessels spills out into a pool of lustrous green. Shards of broken cups and saucers, pots, and other voluptuous forms blanket the gallery of the Green-House at Green-Wood for a new installation by Jean Shin.

Celadon Landscape is one of the latest projects in which the artist transforms a singular material into a sprawling sculpture. Found objects that bear traces of their former purposes and users are prized possessions in Shin’s New York studio, as these often-discarded items are nested into dynamic works that consider the relationship between consumption, environmental care, and community.

detail of celadon mosaic

Green-Wood presents the second iteration of Celadon Landscape, which originated during the artist’s visits with ceramicists and makers in South Korea. Celadon production has a lengthy history in the region and dates back to at least the 10th century. As Shin encountered the heaps of imperfect pieces these artisans had cast aside, she found the pale green-blue material an apt metaphor for belonging, repair, and the diaspora.

“Celadon vases occupy a prized place in Korean cultural history—objects of reverence, painstakingly made and carefully preserved,” the artist says. “In Celadon Landscape, I shift the gaze to what is usually discarded: thousands of broken ceramic shards. I see in their imperfection not loss, but beauty—fragments that still pulse with the memory of Korea’s enduring legacy.”

With materials donated by studios in and near the city of Icheon, Shin conceived of two bulbous vessels cloaked in patterned, painted, stamped, and textured bits of pottery. Resting on their sides, the mosaic forms appear to emerge from the earth below, as if they’ve been uncovered in an archaeological dig. None of the vessels—the original pieces or the large-scale reconstructions—is presented whole and unblemished, suggesting a fragmentation that doesn’t disappear but rather is made anew.

Fabricated by Miotto Mosaics Art Studios, Inc., Celadon Landscape is on view through January 17 in New York, where Shin is based. Keep up with her projects on Instagram.

a vessel on the floor of mosaiced celadon fragments that cloak the form and spill out into a pool
two large vessels on the floor of mosaiced celadon fragments that cloak the forms and spill out into a pool
two large vessels on the floor of mosaiced celadon fragments that cloak the forms and spill out into a pool
detail of celadon mosaic
detail of celadon mosaic
two large vessels on the floor of mosaiced celadon fragments that cloak the forms and spill out into a pool
detail of celadon mosaic

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 From Two Tons of Celadon, Jean Shin Sculpts a Metaphor for the Korean Diaspora appeared first on Colossal.

PrimeScape Fence and Stain Highlights No-Dig PostMaster V3 Posts for Stronger, Cleaner-Looking Wood Fences

3 May 2026 at 15:21

LIVINGSTON, La. — PrimeScape Fence and Stain is highlighting its use of No-Dig PostMaster V3 steel posts for property owners who want a stronger, cleaner-looking, and longer-lasting wood-fence system. The company now offers PostMaster V3 installations as part of its commitment to durable fencing solutions that combine curb appeal, structural performance, and professional workmanship.

The PostMaster V3 steel-post system is designed to solve several common problems associated with traditional wood posts, including rotting, warping, insect damage, and long-term movement. Unlike exposed round metal posts, PostMaster posts can be concealed behind fence boards, creating a finished appearance on both sides of the fence. This hidden-post design helps homeowners maintain the natural look of a wood fence while gaining the structural benefits of galvanized steel.

PrimeScape Fence and Stain is positioning the system as an upgrade for homeowners who want a fence built for long-term performance. The company’s website notes that the PostMaster V3 steel-post system is engineered to withstand winds up to 73 mph, resist warping, rot, and insects, and create a clean, seamless look by hiding the posts from view. The system is also described as low-maintenance, recyclable, and backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

“A fence should look good on day one, but it should also be built to stay strong for years,” said a representative of PrimeScape Fence and Stain. “By offering No-Dig PostMaster V3 posts, we can give customers a wood-fence appearance with the added strength and durability of steel. It is a smart option for homeowners who want beauty, function, and long-term value.”

Product information from Master Halco, the manufacturer of the PostMaster+ system, supports the strength and design benefits of the steel-post approach. Master Halco states that PostMaster+ is a family of steel posts designed as an alternative to wood posts and traditional round metal posts, and that its engineered design can be covered to create a “good neighbor” fence. The manufacturer also states that PostMaster+ can be installed with any fence style, allowing customers to choose the look they want while using a stronger steel-post framework.

Wind resistance is one of the key reasons many homeowners consider a steel-post upgrade. Master Halco’s PostMaster+ details page lists wind resistance ranging from 73 to 112 mph, depending on the post type. The same manufacturer’s detail page states that PostMaster+ line posts are rated at 73 mph, while PostMaster+ gate posts are rated at 112 mph. That distinction is important because it keeps the performance claim accurate while helping customers understand that ratings may vary across the system.

PrimeScape’s use of the PostMaster V3 system also supports a cleaner design for residential properties. The posts are designed to be concealed behind fence boards, creating a more finished look from both sides. This is especially useful for homeowners who want the warmth of a wood fence without the visual interruption of exposed metal supports. The result is a fence that can provide privacy, structure, and curb appeal without sacrificing appearance.

The system also offers practical maintenance advantages. Wood posts can be vulnerable to ground-contact moisture, termites, rot, cracking, twisting, and gradual weakening over time. Galvanized steel posts are designed to avoid those common wood-post issues, helping reduce the need for post replacement and ongoing structural repairs. For homeowners, that can mean fewer maintenance concerns and a more dependable fence structure over the life of the installation.

PrimeScape Fence and Stain also emphasizes professional installation as part of the upgrade. Proper layout, post placement, alignment, gate planning, rail attachment, and board installation all affect the finished result. With a hidden-post system, installation quality is especially important because the structure must perform well while preserving the clean, finished appearance customers expect.

The No-Dig PostMaster V3 option may be especially useful for property owners seeking a faster, cleaner installation with less disruption than traditional post-setting. PrimeScape describes no-dig fence posts as an alternative to traditional posts that require digging and concrete, using ground anchors or metal spike-driven systems instead. The company notes that this approach can reduce soil disruption, avoid concrete-curing delays, and support a more efficient installation process when site conditions are appropriate.

Because site conditions can affect fence performance, homeowners should work with a qualified installer to determine whether a no-dig approach is suitable for their property. Soil type, fence height, slope, wind exposure, drainage, gate placement, and local project requirements can all influence the best installation method. PrimeScape’s professional installation process helps customers evaluate those details before choosing the right fence system.

For homeowners focused on long-term value, the PostMaster V3 system can also support curb-appeal and property-improvement goals. A durable, attractive fence can help define outdoor space, improve privacy, support pet and family use, and create a more polished property boundary. When paired with professional installation, hidden steel posts, and a wood-fence design, the system offers a balance of strength and appearance.

Customers who want to learn more about PrimeScape’s fencing services and PostMaster V3 options can visit PrimeScape Fence and Stain in Livingston, Louisiana, for service information, project examples, and consultation details.

PrimeScape Fence and Stain can be reached by phone at (225) 316-2104.

About PrimeScape Fence and Stain

PrimeScape Fence and Stain provides fence installation, fence repair, staining, and related outdoor improvement services for residential and commercial customers in Livingston, Louisiana, and the surrounding areas. The company offers a range of fencing solutions, including wood, aluminum, chain-link, steel, wrought-iron, and automatic-gate options, with a focus on durable materials, clean installation, and long-term customer value.

Media Contact

PrimeScape Fence and Stain
Livingston, Louisiana
Phone: (225) 316-2104

The post PrimeScape Fence and Stain Highlights No-Dig PostMaster V3 Posts for Stronger, Cleaner-Looking Wood Fences appeared first on Social Lifestyle Magazine.

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