Nishikawa’s newest solo exhiibition, Mossy Mossy, is a physical reflection of her musings from Hokuto-shi, Japan.
Yuko Nishikawa’s Sprawling Mobiles Mimic the Rambling Growth of Moss and Plants
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Yuko Nishikawa’s Sprawling Mobiles Mimic the Rambling Growth of Moss and Plants
All images © Yuko Nishikawa, shared with permission
For the last two years, Yuko Nishikawa (previously) has prioritized traveling. Chasing the unbridled inspiration that new environments bring to her practice, the Brooklyn-based artist has found herself in Japan, participating in residency programs and appreciating time on her own. Using local materials, crossing paths with people, and immersing herself in different landscapes has become the starting point for much of her recent work.
Nishikawa’s previous body of work incorporates more bulbous vessels, whereas the artist’s newest solo exhibition, Mossy Mossy, returns to the classic paper pod mobiles she’s known for and evokes a physical reflection of her musings from Hokuto-shi. Located in Yamanashi Prefecture, the city is replete with moss sprawling atop rocks, alongside waterfalls, and covering buildings. This simple plant “spreads from the center to the periphery and grows and increases,” she says. Methodically balanced by weight and connected by wire, Nishikawa suspends a plethora of green pods uniquely shaped from paper pulp.
Composed of more than 30 sculptures, all works in Mossy Mossy represent a system of growth that evokes the plants’ rambling qualities and always stem from a single, fixed line hanging from the ceiling. Delicate, dangling elements invite each mobile to respond to the movement of viewers and airflow. “Rather than looking at it from one point, the shape changes when you move your body to see and experience it from all directions,” she explains.
Mossy Mossy is on view now at Gasbon Metabolism until May 27, and Nishikawa is also preparing for an exhibition and lecture in October 2024 at Pollock Gallery. Follow on Instagram for updates, and see her website for more work.
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 Yuko Nishikawa’s Sprawling Mobiles Mimic the Rambling Growth of Moss and Plants appeared first on Colossal.
Camilla’s dogs to appear in sculpture form at first Highgrove shop at Chelsea
The display will be created by weaver Emma Stothard in honour of the Queen’s two terriers.
Public is invited to an afternoon of prose, poetry, art, and photography
ROCK SPRINGS — Western Wyoming Community College (Western) invites the community to attend the reading of the 2023-2024 Boars Tusk literary journal on Wednesday, May 8, from noon to 3 p.m. The event will be held in room 1302, by Western’s pendulum. The journal is an annual publication created and edited by Western students and community members.
Boars Tusk is a literary journal that focuses on publishing poetry, fiction, nonfiction, artwork, and photography from Western students and residents of Sweetwater County. Prizes of $75 for first place and $30 for second place were awarded in each category. The journal provides a forum for students and community members to showcase their work and gives the journal’s student staff members hands-on experience in producing, editing, designing, and publicizing the journal – skills that will be valuable in the workplace.
Artists work from across the country feature in Burlington’s Waterfront Sculpture Trail
The Burlington Waterfront Sculpture Trail is now in its third season, with the goal of bringing sculptures into the public realm
Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 is the world’s most insane street photography lens
The Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG is one of those lenses that’s become so legendary it’s pretty much a meme at this point. It’s a lens that many people would want to have in their collection – if only they had 26 grand to throw away.
But how does such an extreme telephoto zoom stand up to something like street photography? Well, photographer and YouTuber Tom Calton decided to find out and document it in this video.
Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 – The real Bigma!
The Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 is one of those lenses that almost everyone knows exists, but almost no one knows someone who owns one. There have been a few reviews and videos about them before, including an equally ridiculous portrait session (also by Tom).
In typical British sarcastic humour, Tom walks us through the history of the lens and its significance in lens history. It’s a lens that’s no longer being made, but when it was available, it cost a whopping $26K. But it was the world’s first ultra-telephoto zoom lens to offer an f/2.8 aperture at 500mm.
That wide f/2.8 aperture is why this lens is so huge. It’s why most of the something-500mm zooms a lot of us use have such small apertures. Wider apertures mean larger optics. That means more size and weight.
With the lens being discontinued and many existing owners choosing to hold onto them, they’ve become somewhat rare in the used market. And even though it’s discontinued, there’s still a listing on B&H, which has a couple of amusing reviews on it. Honestly, I’m surprised there aren’t more.
One of the world’s smallest cameras
To make the scenario even more ridiculous, he paired one of the largest lenses in the world with one of the smallest cameras in the world. He chose the Panasonic Lumix GM1, a Micro Four Thirds camera with a 2x crop.
However, Tom also went with a Canon EF to Micro Four Thirds speed booster. This brought the crop back to a more reasonable 1.29x. This effectively made the 200-500mm lens a 258-645mm full-frame equivalent as far as the field of view goes.
Obviously, a lens like this has distinct advantages for things like sports and wildlife. But Tom takes it on several adventures, including some street photography.
I don’t want to spoil things too much, but the images do look intriguing. They offer a unique and interesting perspective and presentation that shorter focal lengths do not. And sure, there are other 500mm zooms out there, but how many have an f/2.8 aperture?
The Insane Prices Some Photographers Command
Understanding the pricing landscape in photography can be a daunting task for both emerging and seasoned photographers. The vast range of prices, from a simple potato image fetching millions to a seasoned professional receiving a few hundred dollars for a day’s work, can leave many scratching their heads.
Coming to you from Justin Mott, this interesting video looks at the complexities of photography pricing and explores the factors influencing these disparities. Mott uses the example of Kevin Abosch, a photographer known for his minimalist portraits of Silicon Valley executives and celebrities, who commands exorbitant fees for his work. Despite the seemingly simple nature of his portraits, Abosch’s strong branding and network have enabled him to transcend typical market rates.
Mott emphasizes that while technical skill is undoubtedly important, branding and networking play a crucial role in a photographer’s ability to command higher prices. He compares Abosch’s work to that of legendary photographers like Richard Avedon and Irving Penn, noting that while their minimalist styles might appear similar, the latter possessed a unique ability to capture the essence of their subjects’ personalities, elevating their work beyond mere technical proficiency.
The video underscores the importance of recognizing the dynamics that drive pricing in creative industries. As a photographer, understanding your niche, target audience, and unique value proposition is essential for establishing a sustainable career. While stories of exorbitant prices often grab headlines, it’s crucial to remember that these are outliers. Mott encourages aspiring photographers to focus on honing both their technical skills and marketing acumen to carve their own path in the industry. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Mott.
If you would like to learn more about the business of photography, check out “Making Real Money: The Business of Commercial Photography With Monte Isom!”
Indigenous artists to speak
SHERIDAN — Four Ucross Native American Fellows will travel from across the nation to engage with the Sheridan community in free events for students and the public on Friday.
The artists will discuss their work in “Celebrating Complexities” — the current exhibition on view at the Ucross Art Gallery. The exhibition artists, who received the 2022 and 2023 Ucross Fellowship for Native American Visual Artists, include Gerald Clarke of the Cahuilla Band of Indians and Anza, California; Savannah LeCornu of the Tsimshian, Haida and Nez Perce tribes and Bellingham, Washington; Mikayla Patton of the Oglala Lakota Nation and State College, Pennsylvania; and Cara Romero of the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The exhibition is guest curated by Brenda Mallory of the Cherokee Nation and Portland, Oregon.
Sansuni Sound Sculpture, Latvia
Organised by Buildner – the competition seeks proposals for a ‘dynamic’ new stage to host a series o…
Who is William and Kate’s private wedding photographer?
Royal fans keen to mark the 13th wedding anniversary of the Prince and Princess of Wales were delighted to discover a previously-unseen portrait of William and Kate from their special day this afternoon.
Posted to Instagram with the caption ’13 years ago today!’, the black and white photograph was taken not by the couple’s official wedding photographer, Hugo Burnand, but by their private photographer, Dorset-based Millie Pilkington.
When asked abut her biggest break, Millie, who received her first camera from her mother at the age of 8, told The Gold Edition:
‘I’m not sure you can ask for a bigger break than being asked to capture the private wedding photographs for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding in April 2011.’
Prince William, 41, and Kate Middleton, 42, married at Westminster Abbey in 2011, with around 37 million people watching in the UK and while official photographs were released after the big day, Millie was chosen to take more intimate shots for their private wedding album.
And Millie, described as ‘one of the UK’s most respected and accomplished portrait photographers’ on her website, turns out to be the woman behind a whole host of royal images.
Most recently, the photographer, who specialises in children and family, took a smiling picture of King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Released on Friday 24 May, the image accompanied Charles’s encouraging health update announcing that the King would be returning to some of his public duties after undergoing cancer treatment.
Millie is open about the enjoyment she gets from working with the royal family. Speaking to The Gold Edition in April 2023 she explained that, rather than finding the royals intimidating, she considers them to be ‘more humble, kind, thoughtful and approachable’ than a lot of people who lack their titles.
Millie has also taken photographs of William and Kate’s three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.
As well as taking portraits of their youngest child, Prince Louis, which have been released on various birthdays, Millie was on hand to capture Prince William with all three children ahead of Father’s Day last year.
According to her website, Millie, who is based near Sherborne in Dorset, ‘is known for doing whatever it takes to get the shot’.
The combination of her professional mindset and playful personality has seen her balance on top of a ladder and wade through a pond to get the right shot.
When she’s not photographing royals, Millie is busy taking pictures of families and pursuing editorial projects for publications including Country Life and Hello!
Speaking to The Gold Edition, Millie explained that her mother gave her a camera for her eighth birthday.
‘I quickly became obsessed with, taking photos of almost anything that moved, albeit predominantly my dog and horse,’ she said.
But Millie believes her ‘love of portraiture’ stems from upgrading her camera to a Minolta SLR at the age of 15. At that time, she especially enjoyed taking pictures of her family and friends.
Millie credits Jane Brown, the late English photographer who spent six decades at The Observer, as one of her most important influences.
She elaborated: ‘Be they candid snaps, such as her portrait of three Beetles fans or Cilla Black sipping tea, or even a close-up portrait of Mick Jagger laughing, her striking portraits all contain an honesty which I aspire to achieve in my portraiture.’
Another key feature of Millie’s oeuvre is her work with Country Life magazine, her biggest editorial client.
For the November 2018 issue, she photographed Dame Judi Dench for the magazine and has since shared that Country Life was a publication she had ‘always wanted to work for’.
While she has honed her craft since her early childhood, becoming a fulltime photographer after she married in the year 2000, Millie is happy to admit that sometimes a brilliant portrait comes down simply to ‘a stroke of luck – being in the right place at the right time and being quick.’
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