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Susannah Carson Evokes the Amorous Tradition of the Lover’s Eye Through Antique Plate Paintings

By in Art World News

Susannah Carson Evokes the Amorous Tradition of the Lover’s Eye Through Antique Plate Paintings

All images © Susannah Carson, shared with permission

On vintage serving ware and ornately decorated plates, artist Susannah Carson renders fragmented portraits of women who peer out from the center of the vessels. The oil paintings evoke the Georgian tradition of the “lover’s eye,” sentimental miniatures depicting the facial features of a spouse, child, or family member often found on jewelry of the time. These tiny works would also allow the wearer to obscure the exact identity of the subject, making them ambiguous keepsakes for affairs and other clandestine activities.

For Carson, this amorous practice becomes the basis of inquiry as she imagines her lively characters, their stories, and how they connect to the history of such unconventional canvases—an avid antique collector, she’s currently working on an illustrated guide on the process, as well as a series of paintings paired with the antiques they depict. Blending past and present, her pieces highlight the unknown, whether the lineage of the vessel itself or the identity of the subject. She explains:

I’m interested in painting as not just an optical illusion, but as an illusion of life—of otherness, of richness, of engagement, of that delicate connection we have with other beings which allows us to feel, for a moment, not so alone. With compositions highlighting the gaze, these subjects tell us their stories with a single look and ask for us to tell them our stories in return, thereby creating—unlike the alienation of much modern art—a welcoming intimacy.

Carson will soon release a series of works combining coveted Staffordshire dog figurines and painted portraits, which you can watch for on Instagram. Shop originals and prints on her site.

 

Individual eyes peer out from seven dinner plates decorated with primarily red patterns

Two images, both of eyes peering out from antique dinnerware

A fragment of a portrait peers out from antique dinnerware

Four eyes peer out from antique dinnerware

Two images, both of eyes peering out from antique dinnerware

Four eyes peer out from antique dinnerware

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 Susannah Carson Evokes the Amorous Tradition of the Lover’s Eye Through Antique Plate Paintings appeared first on Colossal.

‘Step Afrika!’ blends traditional African dance with contemporary art forms

By in Art World News

‘Step Afrika!’ blends traditional African dance with contemporary art forms
image

Even if you’ve never heard of it, you won’t soon forget it once you’ve seen it.

The Kimmel Cultural Campus is presenting this culturally-rich, history-based performance of the unforgettable dance troupe “Step Afrika!,” the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping. The performance takes place Friday, April 28, at the Miller Theater (formerly the Merriam Theater) at 7 p.m.

Something to Think About as AI Infiltrates Photography

By in Photography

Something to Think About as AI Infiltrates Photography

While the presence of AI in photography has caused anything from fear to excitement, one thing is for sure: it is here to stay and will have a significant impact on the industry in many ways. The interesting video essay discusses the issue and something important to keep in mind as the industry changes and the role of the photographer evolves. 

Coming to you from aows, this great video essay discusses the photographer’s role as AI becomes a larger presence in the industry. No doubt, the issues like AI generation are cause for concern in many areas of the industry, but I think the video’s focus on the idea of the human role in the story is something certainly worth focusing on and keeping in mind as we move forward. That is not to diminish the impact AI might have on the professional side of things and how photographers may have to evolve as businesspeople, but in terms of our relationship to the craft, I think it is important to double down on what it really means to be a photographer and why we fell in love with it in the first place. Check out the video above for the full rundown. 

Art Exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum Explores Climate Optimism and Action

By in Native

Art Exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum Explores Climate Optimism and Action

Science is objective; art is subjective. Science involves facts and figures, and art employs whimsy and creativity. But the Peabody Essex Museum’s exhibit Climate Action: Inspiring Change proves that science and art are just two sides of the same coin—often helping each other communicate information more effectively together rather than alone.

Science and art are two of humanity’s most impressive hallmarks, and together they help inspire optimism about climate change at the exhibit in the museum’s Art & Nature Center. Curated by Janey Winchell, director of the center and curator of natural history, Climate Action: Inspiring Change assembles the work of nineteen artists and nine youth artists, using media like paintings, drawing, sculptural works, clothing, an installation piece, and interactive art.

Naima Penniman, Foresight, 2018 | Image courtesy of the artist

The exhibit brings together the perspectives of artists and the science behind climate change to help folks understand “how we got here,” says Winchell, “and where we can take meaningful action to move us toward a future we want to be in.”

Some pieces are data-driven and look like they’re right out of a digestible textbook. An interactive piece explains the connection between the fossil fuel industry and our banks, and data art by Jill Pelto turns graphs into beautiful landscapes, helping viewers better conceptualize what the graph explains.

Other works take a more artsy form. Surrealist paintings envision a subaquatic future, clothing by Emily McNichols becomes powerful wearable art, and David Greendeer, of the Narragansett and Ho-chunk tribes, displays a set of hand drums.

The nine youth artists whose work Winchell pulled for this exhibit were featured in Bow Seat’s Ocean Awareness Contest, an annual international competition in which youth artists are encouraged to submit work relating to the health of our oceans. The youth climate movement and its diligent work, says Winchell, is what inspired her to pursue this exhibit in the first place.

Anjali Mitra, The Seas are Rising, So Are We | Image courtesy of Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs, Inc.

Most of the exhibit’s 28 artists, including multiple youth and Native American artists, are based in New England, a crucial facet of the exhibit’s curation, according to Winchell. “I do think that sometimes people look at this as an issue that’s happening somewhere else,” says Winchell, “and actually there are very real and tangible impacts of climate change already evident in our region.”

Like the exhibit’s title says, the exhibit means to be a catalyst for change, says Winchell, succinctly answering the question, “What climate action is really going to make the biggest difference right now?”

“The exhibits we do in the art and nature center are really intended to be inviting and welcoming to family audiences,” says Winchell, noting that when curating the exhibit she took care to choose pieces that were accessible and engaging, rather than overwhelming. “We have reason to be hopeful and reason to be optimistic, especially if we are acting with urgency and with intention,” says Winchell.

Moon Hee Kim, Melt and Slide, 2019 | Image Courtesy of Moon Hee Kim

The museum partnered with the Climate Museum in New York, directed by Miranda Massie, on Climate Action: Inspiring Change. “Over the past few years, there’s been a rise in artists communicating about the climate crisis across nations and genres,” says Massie, adding that art can create a sense of community and connection vital for mobilizing collective action about the climate crisis.

That’s the important role art can play in climate action—in an exhibit like the Peabody Essex Museum’s, art meets the viewers where they’re at. While scientific facts provide a solid framework, artwork connects with folks “on an emotional level,” says Winchell. 

“It’s exciting to emphasize the importance of how art can communicate important scientific information,” says Lela Clawson-Miller, manager of the museum’s Art & Nature Center, describing the exhibit as a “celebration of art and science together.” Climate change is an emotional issue, and for folks who feel concerned or even hopeless about the crisis, this exhibit provides the powerful message that the solutions are already out there.

The museum will also put on special programming in conjunction with Climate Action: Inspiring Change this April vacation. On April 19 and 20, Jill Pelto hosts data-art workshops and art-making drop-ins; on April 21, David and Danielle Greendeer hold a morning drum-making workshop and afternoon drumming and movement workshop, along with a reading and craft session geared toward younger children; and on April 22, UMass professor Elizabeth Sweet hosts an afternoon body-mapping workshop. 

Throughout the week, the museum also partners with leading climate and conservation organization Rare on small pop-up exhibits, each giving viewers bite-sized climate actions we can all easily take.

Digestibility is the key to the museum’s current programming on the climate, a topic we’re often barraged with information about. “That can start to feel kind of numbing, as though there’s just more and more bad news,” says Winchell. The works in Climate Action: Inspiring Change aim to leave viewers feeling empowered, not dejected, and engage with viewers on a personal level. It’s from that place, says Winchell, that folks can then “recognize our own potential for impact,” she says. “We’re not powerless.”

“Prints in May @DRA” Art Exhibit

By in Printmaking

“Prints in May @DRA” Art Exhibit
Prints in May @ DRA Art Exhibit
May 5–27, 2023
Opening Reception: Friday, May 5 from 7–9pm
The Prints in May @ DRA: Exploring the Possibilities exhibit at Del Ray Artisans gallery features art that explores the possibilities of printmaking and…

Fintech firm Klarna overhauls its app with a TikTok-like discovery feed as A.I. hype swirls

By in Art World News

Fintech firm Klarna overhauls its app with a TikTok-like discovery feed as A.I. hype swirls
  • “Buy now, pay later firm” Klarna on Tuesday made some sweeping changes to its app, including a TikTok-inspired discovery feed that recommends products to users.
  • David Sandstrom, Klarna’s chief marketing officer, says the firm took inspiration from Chinese tech platforms’ ability to target users with uncanny precision.
  • Among the other features Klarna is rolling out is a resale option that lets people sell used clothing, electronics and other items through a partner platform.
The Swedish “buy now, pay later” pioneer said Tuesday that its new design would help users find the items they want by using more advanced AI recommendation algorithms, while merchants will be able to target customers more effectively.
Rafael Henrique | SOPA Images | LightRocket via Getty Images

Klarna announced a sweeping redesign of its app, adding a TikTok-inspired discovery feed powered by artificial intelligence, customized shops for social media content creators, and the ability to sell secondhand goods.

The Swedish “buy now, pay later” pioneer said Tuesday that its new design would help users find the items they want by using more advanced AI recommendation algorithms, while merchants will be able to target customers more effectively.

The AI will build a personal profile of shoppers based on their shopping behavior and which brands they like. They’ll then be shown recommendations from Klarna’s network of 500,000 retailers, which includes Nike, H&M and Instacart. Klarna counts over 150 million users globally — including users accessing its online checkout tools via retailers.

According to David Sandstrom, Klarna’s chief marketing officer, the firm took inspiration from Chinese tech platforms, which he said have mastered the art of algorithm driven-shopping.

“In China, a couple of years ago, 90% of transactions started with a search,” Sandstrom said. “Nowadays, less than 50% of purchases start with a search because recommendations are so tailored to them.”

The Klarna app has been redesigned to tailor product recommendations to users based on their shopping habits using artificial intelligence.

“Our ambition is to basically offer people products and brands before they knew they wanted them,” he added.

TikTok, in particular, has become the envy of major online platforms, thanks to its advanced targeting. The company has been rapidly growing its e-commerce business, which handled a reported $1 billion in sales in the first quarter, according to The Information.

Still, Sandstrom admits Klarna’s technology is nowhere near as sophisticated as TikTok’s — but he’s confident the company can get to that level one day.

“It would be naïve to compare us to TikTok’s recommendation engine. It would be a blatant lie to say we’re close to that,” he said. “But we have the prerequisites to do that.”

Klarna joins a host of other tech firms which have been loading their services with AI software to better tailor content to users as the surge in popularity for OpenAI’s ChatGPT drove up hype for the technology.

Klarna CEO sets out plan to profitability after posting loss

Music streaming platform Spotify recently rolled out an AI-powered DJ that selects songs based on a person’s listening habits, for example.

Klarna itself previously launched the ability to integrate ChatGPT into its service with a plugin that lets users ask the popular AI chatbot for shopping inspiration. 

But Klarna isn’t relying on AI alone to personalize its service to users. The app also launched an “Ask Klarna” feature Tuesday which lets shoppers chat with or video call human customer advice specialists.

Among the other features Klarna is rolling out is a resale option that lets people sell used clothing, electronics and other items through a partner platform. Klarna declined to disclose the partner for its resale service.

In its home market of Sweden, Klarna already offers the ability to sell secondhand goods through a partnership with resale marketplace Tradera.

Resale platforms like Depop and Vinted have grown more popular in recent years, thanks in part to Gen Z’s embracing of the circular economy, which promotes sustainability by reducing waste through reuse and recycling.

Targeting monthly profitability in summer

Klarna is also launching a tool that lets content creators set up their own storefronts to promote items from brands they’ve struck affiliate deals with. The service, called “Creator Shop,” launches in the U.S. soon.

It also launching a self-service tool for advertisers, called “Ads Manager,” that lets marketers track paid product listings they’ve taken out in Klarna’s app. Of late, Klarna has sought to diversify into advertising to reduce its dependence on fees from merchants. Marketing makes up 10% of Klarna’s overall revenue, having jumped 131% in 2022 from a year ago. 

Livestream shopping is growing on Amazon Live, TikTok Shop and YouTube after taking China by storm

Klarna is one of a slew of buy now, pay later firms that let people split the cost of their purchases over a period of monthly installments, interest-free. The firm makes its income by charging a small fee on each transaction for retailers offering its payment method.

The company is hoping to turn its fortunes around after a brutal year in which it cut its valuation by 85% to $6.7 billion, laid off over 10% of its workforce, and reported a $1 billion loss.

Sandstrom said he expects Klarna will reach profitability on a monthly basis by the summer, echoing messaging from CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski late last year.

“The growth we’re seeing now is sustainable,” he said. “Going forward, I think AI is going to play a big role in the efficiency gains we’re seeing.”

He added that Klarna is hiring for engineers to drive its AI efforts — but that the “profile of people we’re looking for has changed quite dramatically in the last couple of months.”

“What a single extremely talented engineer can achieve versus what we used to need an entire team for is massive,” Sandstrom said.

Klarna and other buy now, pay later products proved popular during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Online shopping became more prevalent as in-person spending opportunities were restricted.

However, as the war in Ukraine stoked global inflation and sparked fears of a recession, central banks around the world raised interest rates, shaking investor sentiment around buy now, pay later platforms offering zero-interest credit.

Meanwhile, buy now, pay later has come under scrutiny from regulators because of fears that it is pushing some consumers, particularly younger people, into arrears. In the U.K., the government has proposed new rules aimed at adding some friction to the process of applying for a buy now, pay later loan.

WATCH: Bitcoin at $10,000 — or $250,000? Investors are sharply divided on 2023

Bitcoin at $10,000 — or $250,000? Investors are sharply divided on 2023

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