“Paintings arrive at the studio in all states of disrepair,” shares art conservator Julian Baumgartner, who receives artworks in need of attention all the time. He adds, “It is, however, odd to have a painting arrive in a manner that can’t help but make one wonder just how bad it is.” An anonymous portrait was indeed folded inside a parcel that itself had been mangled enough in transit to make one think, Is this going to be salvageable? For the highly trained painting restorer, though, “Fortune favors the fold.”

Baumgartner has seen his fair share of bad overpainting and, in this case, pretty substantial creases, tears, and worn-away paint. He runs Baumgartner Fine Art Restoration, a Chicago-based studio focused on ensuring that works of art are conserved and repaired so future generations can continue to enjoy them. With painstaking attention to detail and—just as importantly—the use of reversible, archival materials, this neglected portrait is given what seems like an almost miraculous second chance.

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In 1979, with the publication of The Lowbrow Art of Robt. Williams, Williams unintentionally coined a term that would come to define an art movement. But he began intentionally carving out its place in the world long before... Read the full article on Robert Williams by clicking above.

The post Birth of A Movement: The Art of Robert Williams first appeared on Hi-Fructose Magazine.

Home might be a mutable concept, but some objects retain the aura of belonging and comfort even outside the walls we reside in. For Monica Rohan, those items are patterned fabrics and bentwood dining chairs, which venture outdoors in her vibrant oil paintings.

The Brisbane-based artist has long depicted the supple folds and bright motifs of textiles, which tended to swaddle her characters or hide their faces among natural landscapes. Upholstered loungers and carved wood seats have similarly appeared in unusual spots, precariously holding a figure while nested in a slim hedge or slumping down a small hill.

In recent years, though, Rohan’s characters have slowly disappeared. Arms that once pulled back a curtain or reached out for stabilization are no longer present, leaving just the domestic objects in place. “I’ve found this quite freeing, allowing me to explore new ideas about the relationship between people and the landscape,” the artist tells Colossal, noting that bentwood chairs have become human stand-ins. “I love their elegant yet rickety construction, and I grew up with them around my kitchen table, so they’re a strong reminder of home for me.”

Many of the works shown here are part of this transition and will be shown this June at Sophie Gannon Gallery in Melbourne for Rohan’s solo exhibition, Invitations. Against dramatic alpine summits, fast-moving streams, and lush, springtime meadows—scenes derived from the artist’s hiking trip through Tasmania—plaid tablecloths and crocheted blankets float above the earth as if hung on an imperceptible line strung between two invisible poles.

“With their exaggerated patterns and strange billowing forms, they appear more ambiguous, wavering between unassuming decoration and smothering intrusion,” the artist adds. “From their precarious vantage points, the bentwood chairs no longer offer safe and restful repose. They invite the viewer to join their predicament.”

Explore more of Rohan’s paintings on 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 Monica Rohan’s Paintings, Tablecloths and Chairs Uncannily Perch in Remote Landscapes appeared first on Colossal.

Growing up as a queer kid in the ‘80s, I was well aware from an early age that I was different, and that different was not okay, especially living in Missouri,” says New Mexico artist Anthony Hurd, who recently shifted away from abstracts, to delve into what may be deemed “controversial” figurative work. Not only […]

The post Boy Howdy! Anthony Hurd Embraces the Personal first appeared on Hi-Fructose Magazine.

"I’m more interested in revealing the quiet violence of what we call ‘normal’ than in telling anyone what to feel. If a viewer finds their own discomfort in that—it’s a gift, not something I try to control.”
Read the full articl on the artist by clicking above.

The post Helena Minginowicz Paints Personal Works Utilizing & Depicting Disposable Materials first appeared on Hi-Fructose Magazine.

Silk has been crafted in Vietnam for centuries, where it’s treasured as a lightweight, luxurious fabric used in traditional garments and art. For Kenny Nguyen, who was born in Ben Tre Province and is currently based in Charlotte, North Carolina, the material provides the foundation for vibrant, large-scale wall works that combine elements of weaving and tapestries, garment production, painting, and sculpture.

Using thousands of hand-cut strips of silk, Nguyen draws on his background in fashion design, employing techniques such as pinning, weaving, sewing, and layering to create what he describes as “deconstructed paintings.” Each work is created around a kind of imaginary body, its creases and undulating forms evoking movement and versatility.

Even though the works appear fixed, they are actually very malleable. Every time a piece is installed, its undulations are determined by where the pins are placed, and it assumes something of a new version. This complements Nguyen’s approach to silk as a kind of “second skin,” he says, which adapts to its environment, represents memories and heritage, and serves as a metaphor for his personal identity.

Nguyen’s work is currently on view in Textile Art Redefined at Saatchi Gallery in London and Earth to Sky at Sundaram Tagore Gallery in Singapore. His work will also be included in the exhibition Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses at the Brooklyn Museum, which opens on May 16, and a forthcoming group exhibition at Sundaram Tagore’s London location. See more on the artist’s 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 Thousands of Strips of Silk Undulate in Kenny Nguyen’s ‘Deconstructed Paintings’ appeared first on Colossal.

A fine balance of light, dark, serious, and silly, the paintings of Rachel Hayden are the culmination of her life experiences, expressed through peculiar motifs, alluring symmetry, and disassociated figures. There is at once something inviting, yet withdrawn, about this work... Read the full article and interview with the artist by clicking above.

The post Happy Crying: The Art of Rachel Hayden Balances Tension With Whimsy first appeared on Hi-Fructose Magazine.

In 2019, Kayla Mahaffey reached a turning point with her art. The Chicago-based artist had a solo show at Line Dot Editions in April of that year. Titled Off to the Races, the series of paintings centered around children ready to hit the road. Some sat with their growing legs crouched in tiny cars or […]

The post Child’s Play: The Paintings of Kayla Mahaffey first appeared on Hi-Fructose Magazine.

Sean Norvet has long been described as a Renaissance-inspired satirist, a mish-masher of photorealism and cartoons into goofy–gruesome critiques of consumer culture or social media habits or other twenty-first-century concerns. Read the full article by clicking above..

The post Tropical Flavored Nightmare: Sean Norvet’s Paintings Are Reflective Mountains of Disgusting Excess first appeared on Hi-Fructose Magazine.