From left, artist Lily Luna Bennett, Allez! gallery co-owner Karen Sippy, artist Lily Kip, artist Jules Lucero, Allez! co-owner Brian Sippy and University of Montana art professor Kevin Bell on Thursday night help set up the alleyway gallery’s newest mural project, “New Perspectives: Art at UM,” which will showcase work by current UM art students and recent graduates in the School of Visual and Media Arts. The alleyway mural gallery is part of a new collaboration with the university.
Hélène Amouzou’s story is hard to stomach. She was forced to flee her home country, Togo, in 1992, as years of political turbulence erupted into protests and violence. Her husband’s political affiliations put them in danger – they, like hundreds of thousands of Togolese, ended up in Benin, Toga’s eastern neighbour. From there, the couple and their infant daughter went to Germany to seek asylum, but soon after their arrival, found their name on a deportation list. When Amouzou’s husband went to attend a registration appointment, he never returned. Amouzou and her young daughter went into hiding.
Amouzou eventually returned to Benin to search for her husband, not realising the German government had sent him back to Togo. In the autumn of 1997, she decided to return to Europe, but this time to Brussels. She began again, building a life from scratch, without her husband. But for almost two decades, Amouzou lived without any official status – that hellish loop that forces immigrants to live in intolerable conditions, tormented by bureaucracy. She eventually became a Belgian citizen in 2015.
Amouzou took photographs throughout. In a small but sublime solo show at Autograph in London, aptly titled Voyages, we see her becoming and growing as an artist, going from her first camera, a classic 35mm Canon AE-1, and later a medium format Rolleicord.
Voyages is focused around a series of self-portraits taken in the decrepit, abandoned attic of the building Amouzou lived in, in the Molenbeek area of Brussels, from 2007 to 2011. In many, Amouzou is barely there – a ghostly blur, the result of experimenting with long exposures of more than a minute, while she moved around in the frame. These are self-portraits that all but obliterate the self, reducing it to only a thin image on a peeling wall. In this cold and uninviting space, Amouzou drifts in and out of the frame, clothed and nude, always alone, save for a suitcase. Unwittingly, her self-portraits are reminiscent of Francesca Woodman’s, though Amouzou was not aware of Woodman when she started. Yet they share a sensibility: in a world that didn’t see them, both are trying to figure out whether they are really there or not.
The exhibition spans 15 years of Amouzou’s life, but time slips away – lost or stolen? – in the photographs. Amouzou is still in the attic, with the same symbolic suitcase, the bag that is always packed and ready should she need to leave at short notice once again. In a pair of pictures, also blown up to larger-than-life size, the artist sits on top of her suitcase, fixing the camera with a deep stare. In the next picture, the identical scene appears – but Amouzou is gone. It is a devastating image that lets you into her despair. It is like a scream, piercing but silent.
“Photography has helped me,” Amouzou says, “and continues to help me – to escape, to think about something other than my everyday life.” In a more recent self-portrait, shot in colour, she appears in the attic again – but this time resplendent in traditional Togolese dress, seated on a coral-hued chaise longue, her whole figure visible and in focus. It is no surprise to learn the photograph was taken after Amouzou gained citizenship. It is a statement about the reclamation of identity, about confidence, but it also shows Amouzou’s ability to shift to formal portraiture. It’s a world away from the earlier photographs.
The self-portraits, all exquisitely handprinted by Amouzou, represent a significant chapter in Amouzou’s life, moving from an atmosphere of stark oppression to jubilant self-exploration. The works perhaps begin and end with her life experiences, but ultimately shirk them off. Instead, they become lyrical expressions of instability, grief, loss and resilience.
There are glimpses, too, of the outside world beyond the privacy and safety of the attic – such as a clutch of photographs taken during a trip to Togo in 2011, when the artist was at last able to return to visit her mother after 20 years. In one image, a hand extends across the frame, towards a beach, where tents are pitched in the background. The ocean curls on the shore. Home is there – but it is still beyond reach, as flimsy as the canvas of these temporary structures, dwarfed by the infinity of the ocean.
Home cannot be grasped or held. Memories with loved ones cannot be remade. Amouzou tries to repair lost time with photography, in a solemn portrait with her mother. This woman, now elderly, is seated as her daughter, now a mother too, stands by her side. It is a formal portrait, not the typical image of the long-awaited reunion. The faces of two women are etched with the exile that has kept them apart. Their gaze is penetrating, hard to shake off, long after I’ve left the gallery.
In an interview with Bindi Vora, the exhibition curator, Amouzou says: “I look at my passport and identification cards and sometimes think, ‘All my life for this.’ I don’t think I could do this again.”
Scott Hargis Photo Vs. Pacifica Senior Living has wound its way through California’s Central District court system and the result is a massive victory for photographers everywhere. The damages award is one of the largest ever recorded for a photographic copyright infringement case.
Scott Hargis Photo Vs. Pacifica Senior Living began as a routine infringement case that escalated when the infringing party refused to offer a settlement. The 43 images in question were used by the infringing party without a license agreement, and after surviving multiple lines of argument from the defendants claiming that there was no infringement, a jury found every image in question to be a willful infringement, awarding Hargis the maximum $150,000 per image allowed by law.
There are three categories of infringement: innocent, non-willful, and willful, and each category can be awarded a different range of statutory damages depending on the degree of severity that a judge or jury perceives. The penalty for a willful infringement of a timely-registered image ranges from $30,000 to $150,000 each. Clearly, the jury intended to send a very clear message with this verdict.
This verdict further solidifies the importance of timely registration of photographs with the United States Copyright Office and the importance of diligently tracking usage and licensing.
This case is a victory for photographers and creatives everywhere, and will go a long way towards making potential infringers reconsider their actions in the future. There likely isn’t a single photographer reading this who has not had their work infringed one way or another (whether or not they know it) – and if it hasn’t happened yet, it absolutely will over the course of a photographer’s career; It’s part and parcel of working in this field.
During a brief interview, Hargis mentioned that he was ‘thrilled’ with the result and that he ‘hadn’t quite processed it yet’. The toll that a case this size can take on one’s psyche cannot be overstated, and I am sure we will learn more details as more news and interviews are released.
Remember, if your photographs are registered with the USCO, you have many options in an infringement situation. While this is an issue that photographers face every single day, you have recourse if you take the simple steps of registering your photographs. It is personally something that I do four times a year – once a quarter – to ensure that I am staying current with registrations and that I have a leg to stand on when my work is infringed.
“It’s incredible seeing a lot of brands are starting to work with the actual Indigenous artists, instead of pulling inspiration from us,” says Glasses. “It’s beautiful to see that collaboration because you get to see these designs interpreted from these original artists.”
It’s a full-circle moment for Glasses, who often wore Ralph Lauren clothing as a child. Once she and her brother chose to weave full-time, their business-minded parents asked them to come up with some practical goals. She replied that she’d like to one day make floor rugs, blankets and clothing with Diné designs. Asked to write down which brands she wanted to collaborate with, she put Ralph Lauren at the top of the list. Seeing her name on the tags beside Ralph Lauren’s is completely unreal, she says. “There are no words to describe it.”
On a video call ahead of the launch, Glasses wears a multitude of turquoise and silver jewellery pieces – they appear on her fingers, earlobes and scarf – representing each of the seven Navajo and Hopi artist families whose jewellery she curated for the collection’s campaign. A selection of their handcrafted pieces was used to style the capsule and will also be available for purchase.
“I wanted to lift up other Indigenous artists along with me because this is going to be a huge release,” she says. “It’s a big platform, and I would love to be able to share that along with others.”
All images courtesy of Case Studyo
French artist Jean Jullien (previously) has teamed up with Case Studyo to create a jolly sculpture titled “La Baleine,” a.k.a. “The Whale.” With a functional blowhole that can hold pencils, plants, or flowers, the porcelain vessel features Jullien’s signature chunky line drawings. The wide, toothy grin adds a sense of optimism and goodwill, while the artist likens the blowhole to “an emblem of exhaling and releasing creative energy.”
“La Baleine” is available in an edition of 500 from Case Studyo. Find more from Jullien on Instagram. (via Hypebeast)
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 Jean Jullien Designs a Cheery Whale Sculpture with a Functional Blowhole appeared first on Colossal.
The third edition of the Isola Design Awards has announced its winners!
The competition aims to inspire and empower designers to explore new horizons while pushing the boundaries of their craft. Ten categories explore the latest design trends, with a focus on quality, innovation, and sustainability: Furniture, Seating, Lighting, Tableware, Textile, Product, Material, Sustainability, Outdoor, and Innovation.
Selected by an international jury, each category’s winner was announced at an awards ceremony held at the iconic BasicVillage in Milan on December 1, 2023. Each winner was awarded a trophy designed by the multidisciplinary design studio Tellurico and participation with Isola at Milan Design Week 2024.
The money prize was given to “+/- Brace” by Nils Sorger, the designer most voted by the jurors who also received the highest number of votes from the public. The Community Choice Award went to ProBioGenesis by Hana Cvelbar, Sharifunnisa Mynasabgari, and Mounika Maddipatla, while Sedia 2 by Julia Chiaramonti won the “Selected by Monkey47” award.
Explore the winning projects from each category below!
Furniture + Sustainability Winner: Radiance of Nature with Urushi by Yu Watanabe Photo courtesy Shinji Yagi, Yoshihiro Ozaki + Yu Watanabe
“Urushi lacquer is a sustainable, biodegradable and beautifully glossy natural Japanese sap harvested from the trees in a respectful way. Unfortunately, the traditional craft of Urushi is in decline due to the emergence of alternative materials. This project aims to revitalize this craft and create a space that connects us with nature.”
Furniture + Sustainability Winner: Radiance of Nature with Urushi by Yu Watanabe Photo courtesy Shinji Yagi, Yoshihiro Ozaki + Yu Watanabe
Seating Winner: Big Marshmallow (Ottoman) by Paul Ketz Photo: Pim Top
“Big Marshmallow Ottoman is a Louis Quatorze metropolitan fusion. The streams of the segments are like a fountain of youth smoothly flowing around itself. Blush berry bouclette upholstered fellow that serves in many environments from throne room to lounge area.”
Seating Winner: Big Marshmallow (Ottoman) by Paul Ketz Photo: Pim Top
Lighting Winner: Squeeze Inflatable Lamp by Eva Ausmann Photo courtesy Eva Ausmann
“SQUEEZE is the result of experimenting with air as a design principle. The lamp is made of TPU coated nylon to ensure a constant air pressure. The lamp can be attached to the edge of a table through the pressure created between two air cushions at the bottom of the lamp. The light is controlled by an integrated air pressure sensor which reacts to the light’s membrane being pressed. SQUEEZE is incredibly lightweight and when deflated and folded flat, it keeps transportation costs and emissions low.”
Lighting Winner: Squeeze Inflatable Lamp by Eva Ausmann Photo courtesy Eva Ausmann
Tableware Winner: Circular Ceramics by Sara Howard Photo: Putu Wiadnyana
“Circular Ceramics is the embodiment of symbiotic relationships and material flows that previously did not exist. Designing a new way of consuming that reduces the harm inflicted on our planet and preserves our natural resources – without compromising on design. The fourteen-piece collection is handmade from locally-sourced materials destined for landfill in collaboration with Kevala Ceramics. The clay body is made from 100% waste sourced from our ceramic factory’s wastewater treatment system. The glaze ranges from 50% to 100% waste, sourced from natural stone factory slurries, glass consumer waste retrieved from rivers, and glaze residue from ceramic factory production, all within a 5 mile radius of the ceramic manufacturing site.”
Tableware Winner: Circular Ceramics by Sara Howard Photo: Putu Wiadnyana
Textile + Money Prize Winner: +/- Brace by Nils Sorger Photo courtesy Nils Sorger
“+/- Brace is a pain relieving elbow brace, promoting comfort and reducing the risk of injury or irritation during demanding physical tasks or sport activities. With the +/- Brace app the user can easily customize size, form, structure, and padding. Taking the user’s data and existing users measurements into account, the scripted algorithm calculates the optimal design for your personalized +/- brace. The user could then either fabricate the brace on their own, order it within the maker community, or proceed with buying the brace on the platform.”
Textile + Money Prize Winner: +/- Brace by Nils Sorger Photo courtesy Nils Sorger
Product Winner: Paper Stratum Vase by WKND Lab Photo: courtesy WKND Lab
“‘Paper Stratum No. 1’ and ‘Paper Stratum No. 2’ are remarkable pieces created entirely from paper. Through the imaginative repurposing of Harper’s Bazaar Magazine and L’Occitane’s shopping bags, these vases showcase the boundless possibilities inherent in the medium. The construction of these vases involved two distinct techniques, resulting in visually captivating outcomes. One method involved meticulously stacking and layering cut pieces of paper, while the other utilized paper pulp derived from the remnants of the cut paper. The combination of these techniques produced an exquisite interplay of colors and textures.”
Product Winner: Paper Stratum Vase by WKND Lab Photo: courtesy WKND Lab
Material Winner: Copper Moss by Piece of Cake Photo: Luda Galchenko
“Using a closed system approach as a starting point, [the] Copper Moss project underlines the similarity between transformation processes observed in non-living matter and living beings, such as flora and fauna, where nothing truly disappears but rather undergoes a metamorphosis into a different substance or material.”
Material Winner: Copper Moss by Piece of Cake Photo: Luda Galchenko
Outdoor Winner: BUZZZ – Rethinking the Facade by Emma Johan Photo: Emma Johan
“BUZZZ creates suitable habitats for wild bees within cities by using the untapped vertical potential. By incorporating nesting sites into facade design along with accessible food sources, it provides wild bees a suitable habitat within urban landscapes. By doing so, BUZZZ is not only promoting biodiversity, but also cultivating a harmonious coexistence between people and nature.”
Outdoor Winner: BUZZZ – Rethinking the Facade by Emma Johan Photo: Emma Johan
Innovation Winner: Biosphere Cellulose Kitchen by Abi Lambert Photo: Austin Presley
“The Biosphere Cellulose Kitchen presents how the production of bacterial cellulose, as a replacement for single-use plastic, can be integrated into our everyday routines. In between doing your laundry and taking out the trash, you could be fermenting, washing, drying, and waterproofing cellulose right at home. This cellulose kitchen is a kitchen island furniture piece that creates storage bags and film cover.”
Innovation Winner: Biosphere Cellulose Kitchen by Abi Lambert Photo: Austin Presley
“ProBioGenesis originates from the fusion of words “Pro” (signifying “for”), “Bio” (representing “vīvus” or “living”), and “Genesis” (denoting “creation” and “origin”). When combined together they embody the essence of our philosophy: “For the Biological Rebirth.” The primary focus of our study centered around microorganisms and their mutually beneficial relationships, which contribute to the resilience and effectiveness of greenery. Therefore, we developed a self-sustaining living system that is long-lasting and nurtures a welcoming environment for a diverse range of species to colonize.”
Selected by Monkey47: Sedia 2 by Julia Chiaramonti Photo courtesy Julia Chiaramonti
“The continuous line, a graphical element that usually is infinitely slim becomes a bold object by inflating it. This materialized line forms the backrest and legs and is completed by its own reflection in the mirror polished stainless steel seat. Depending on the observers point of view, the physical and mirrored creates ever changing graphical compositions.”
Selected by Monkey47: Sedia 2 by Julia Chiaramonti Photo courtesy Julia Chiaramonti
Kevin, 71
Two chicken wings
They were pre-cooked and cold, “plundered from my mate’s fridge. Still feel guilty about it. I’m an honest person.”
Liv, 54
Milky Way Chocolate Stars and a coffee
From volunteers on Christmas Day during the pandemic. Lived off junk food during this time (what most of the donations were).
Mei, 63
Sliced sausages
This was from the supermarket reduced section. “I can’t cook hot food because of my injury.”
Matt, 54
Mince pie and a Stella
They were brought during the pandemic by a stranger. They drank the beer together.
Paul, 56
Ice cream
“In hospital with a punctured lung, due to street violence. Couldn’t eat anything else.”
Kamga, 42
Ketchup pasta
“Made using long-life food donations. Cooked it in a hostel.”
Abraham, 43
£1.99 McDonalds big mac + chips
Someone gave him a voucher on the back of a bus receipt.
Yusuf, 38
Cold fish and chips
It was raining so hard he couldn’t go anywhere, so he stayed in a tent. When it eased, he went to a nearby restaurant. They gave him a cold fish and chips.
Wassa, 56
Baked beans
He ate them cold with the free supermarket wooden fork.
Ali, 35
Prawn cocktail crisps, digestive biscuits, and a chocolate
These were long-shelf-life donations handed out by volunteers during the pandemic.
Urban Faces New York City – Cover
Urban Faces – New York City offering viewers a glimpse into the vibrant tapestry of life in one of the world’s most iconic cities.
— Marcel Sauer
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, December 11, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — Esteemed photographer Marcel Sauer is proud to announce the release of his latest photobook, “Urban Faces – New York City”. This highly-anticipated collection showcases over 150 pages of captivating street and portrait photography, offering viewers a glimpse into the vibrant tapestry of life in one of the world’s most iconic cities.
“Urban Faces – New York City” transports readers through the bustling streets, capturing the essence of the city that never sleeps. With a keen eye for detail, Sauer beautifully captures the diverse individuals who call this metropolis home. Each photograph tells a unique story, showcasing the beauty, complexity, and vitality of New York City.
Featuring stunning black and white imagery that highlights the raw emotions and personality of each subject, Sauer’s work is a testament to his exceptional talent. His ability to capture raw moments in a city constantly in motion is a testament to his skill and dedication to his craft.
Marcel is thrilled to share ‘Urban Faces – New York City’ with the world. This city served as his muse, and he hope that viewers will be transported into the vibrant streets and feel the energy of this amazing city through his photographs.”
“Urban Faces – New York City” is available for purchase both in stores and online. Readers can find the book at select retailers nationwide, as well as on popular online platforms such as Amazon and on Urban Faces website www.urban-faces.com.
For those seeking a unique and captivating visual experience, “Urban Faces – New York City” is a must-have addition for any photography enthusiast’s collection. With its poignant images and masterful storytelling, Sauer’s photobook will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression.
About Marcel Sauer:
Marcel Sauer is an internationally acclaimed photographer known for his exceptional ability to capture the essence of cities and the individuals who inhabit them. With a passion for street and portrait photography, Sauer creates images that bridge the gap between reality and art. His work has been widely exhibited and published in prestigious art galleries and publications worldwide.
For media inquiries or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Marcel Sauer
hello@urban-face.com
www.urban-faces.com
+49 (0) 171 9741410
Marcel Sauer
Urban Face Photography
+49 171 9741410
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Instagram
YouTube
Urban Faces – New York City
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