A pair of sizable bronze boots have paused in a Bruges canal, the whereabouts of their owner unknown. The striking bronze sculpture titled “Who?” by Ivan Argote appears as if an 18th-century statue has been shorn at the knees, inviting speculation about the wearer’s identity.

Argote’s work references the toppling of monuments depicting those with ties to colonialism, seen today as memorializing dark legacies of human enslavement, violence, and abuses of power. Belgium has a long and brutal colonial history, primarily in Africa. “Monuments are scars in our cities and memories, often telling us of a history of dominations and humiliations,” the artist says. “It is up to us to reclaim the right to create new narratives and heal the wounds of our violent histories.”

“Who?” is part of Triënnale Brugge, which continues through September 1. Argote will also present an outdoor sculpture in the Giardini for the 60th Annual Venice Biennale. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

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Get ready to immerse yourself in a world of artistry and creativity at The Other Art Fair presented by Saatchi Art, returning to Dallas for its 7th edition from May 9 to 12. Unlike your typical fair experience, this event promises to be a dynamic and vibrant celebration of art in all its forms.

Since its inception in 2011, The Other Art Fair has made its mark on the art scene with its independent artist-led approach, spanning over 80 editions across the globe. Now, it’s Dallas’ time to shine as it stands alongside London, Los Angeles, Chicago, Brooklyn, and Sydney in hosting this exciting event.

Discover new talent, engage in creative conversations, and step into the unexpected as you enter a realm where art meets innovation. Featuring 120 independent artists, hailing from the local North Texas region and from around the globe, this fair offers a diverse range of artistic styles, artwork sizes, and prices. This welcoming fair is for everyone, offering a dynamic atmosphere filled with immersive experiences, large-scale installations, shoppable collections of works under $500, a well-stocked fair bar, and plenty of opportunities for gift purchases ahead of Mother’s Day. Who knows, maybe you’ll get your first tattoo by Poetic Pokes’ Lis Pico? Whether you’re a seasoned art enthusiast, a first-time buyer, or just looking for a creative experience, there’s something for everyone to discover and enjoy.

The fair kicks off with a buzzing Thursday Opening Night providing attendees with first access to high-demand artworks, followed by a Friday Late experience for those looking for an energizing party atmosphere. And for those celebrating Mother’s Day, why not make it a memorable day filled with creativity and inspiration by exploring the fair with a special mom in your life?

Here are five artists showcasing their work at the fair: 

Lorenzo Demaria navigates traditional Italian painting alongside collage and embraces chaos in creation, drawing inspiration from external fragments. Influenced by Georges Rousse and Felix Gonzalez-Torres, he reconstructs forms and emotions with maternal language, inviting participation in new existences.

Shiri Phillips, “Exploration” (2024), acrylic on fine art paper

Exhibited throughout the United States, abstract artist Shiri Phillips creates vibrant works with impasto strokes and layered textures, drawing inspiration from Mediterranean and Californian surroundings. Influenced by Impressionism and the geometric nature of graphic design, she hopes to offer viewers of her art a unique, emotionally charged experience.

Natasha Kanevski, “The desire to be in control #12” (2024), clay and acrylic on canvas

Natasha Kanevski crafts monochrome meta-modernistic sculptures on canvas, spotlighting texture and composition. Her works, acclaimed in U.S. and European juried shows, grace galleries worldwide.

Melanie Norris, “You’re Doing a Great Job” (2019), watercolor, oil, pastel, and spray paint on wood

Based in rural North Carolina near Asheville, Melanie Norris delves into portraiture, infusing bold strokes in oil to explore the psyche. Her work merges abstraction with delicate watercolor ephemera, revealing multifaceted perspectives on the human face.

Marcus Wilson, “Makeyah” (2022), oil on canvas

Self-taught oil painter Marcus Wilson celebrates the beauty, diversity, and culture of the Black diaspora. He aims to inspire introspection and spiritual exploration through allegorical narratives, drawing from life, history, music, and personal spirituality.

The party is open to everyone, no matter what your vibe is.

Grab your tickets for an unforgettable weekend at theotherartfair.com.

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 Dive Into the Dallas Art Scene: 5 Artists Not to Miss at The Other Art Fair appeared first on Colossal.

The ancient city of Pompeii was divided into nine regions, each known as a Regio that was further organized into a number of blocks called Insula. And in Regio IX, Insula 10, archaeologists recently unearthed stunning frescoes that are seeing the light of day for the first time since volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius engulfed the site in 79 C.E.

In a grand banquet room about 15 meters long and six meters wide that opens onto a courtyard, spectacular decorations in the Third Style, also known as the “ornate style,” cover every wall. Painted architectural details like columns and cornice motifs separate individual tableaux with popular figures from Greek myths centered on dense, black backgrounds.

Mythological figures in Roman residential wall paintings were intended to entertain guests; a mural was the ultimate conversation piece. The Archaeological Park of Pompeii says in a statement, “The dominant theme seems to be that of heroism, shown by the depictions of pairs of heroes and deities involved in the Trojan War, but also of fate and, at the same time, of the possibility, often not seized, that humans have of changing their own destiny.” These pieces emphasize storied couples, such as Helen and Paris, or Trojan priestess Cassandra depicted with Apollo.

The frescoes’ black background, while dramatic, also served the practical purpose of camouflaging the smoke from oil lamps that darkened the walls over time. “People would meet to dine after sunset; the flickering light of the lamps had the effect of making the images appear to move, especially after a few glasses of good Campanian wine,” says park director Gabriel Zuchtriegel.

Regio IX is one of Pompeii’s larger neighborhoods at 3,200 square meters, yet much of it remains unexplored. Excavations began in 1888 only to stop for nearly a century. Today, work continues as part of a broader project to “shore up” the perimeter between the excavated and unexcavated areas and to improve the ancient hydrogeological structure that serves 1,070 historic residential units and public and sacred spaces.

Additional finds in the neighborhood include a detailed painting of a banquet and what appears to be a 2,000-year old proto-pizza uncovered last year, plus new sites open to the public like a “bakery-prison,” a laundry room, and two connected houses. If you’re in town, might also enjoy a stop at this inviting snack bar. Explore more on the park’s website.

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 2,000 Years Ago, Pompeiians Dined Amid the Splendor of These Newly Excavated Frescoes appeared first on Colossal.

In 2015, Thandiwe Muriu (previously) began CAMO, a series that takes a kaleidoscopic view of the lives of contemporary African women. Nearly a decade later, hundreds of self-portraits and photos are gathered in a new book from Chronicle Chroma that celebrates the project’s striking visual impact and the nuanced, multi-faceted stories hidden in each image.

Muriu first picked up her father’s Nikon camera at age 14, experimenting with photography by recreating fashion spreads in magazines like Vogue. By 17, she started to work with large brands on advertising campaigns, and her clients have included Apple and the United Nations. These foundational experiences shine through in CAMO, which harnesses Muriu’s impeccable style to communicate larger messages about beauty, resourcefulness, women’s visibility, and the ways different cultures entwine.

In each photo, the photographer either positions a small group or stands against a boldly patterned Ankara backdrop. Also known as African wax prints, these colorful textiles were first introduced to the continent by the Dutch in the 19th century and are still common for garments and accessories today. Muriu and her subjects always wear clothing identical to their surroundings, literally camouflaging their bodies into a backdrop loaded with cultural and colonial history.

The photographer also fashions playful eyewear for each portrait. She designs these wearables from ubiquitous, found waste materials like bottle caps, sponges, and hinges that directly reference the Kenyan ethos of repair and repurposing. She writes in the introduction:

This habit of combining and remodeling materials is very much the Kenyan way. It is commonplace for a population often lacking in means but not in ingenuity. It goes a step further than achieving a do-it-yourself objective. We call it jua kali: a Swahili phrase to mean
“hot or fierce sun.” The term is used to refer to our informal, blue-collar economy and the ways in which these workers labour—often outside in the blazing sun—to handcraft items through methods such as welding or carpentry.

“CAMO 44,” for example, spotlights brilliant orange eyewear made of plumbing tape and bangles and is an ode to handymen, while “CAMO 5” recycles cupcake wrappers, an autobiographical nod to her childhood excitement for baked goods. Similarly pointing to labor and the economy, “The Crown of Curiosity” features glasses outfitted with bright red coffee berries, which are typically harvested by women and continue to be one of Kenya’s major exports.

The other considerable component of Muriu’s portraits is the architectural hairstyles and headwraps. Drawing on the traditions of J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere, a renowned photographer best known for documenting Nigerian women’s elaborate arrangements, she explores the cultural importance of sprawling, sculptural hairstyles traditional to African beauty standards. In the section titled Material Culture, Muriu writes, “Every time a woman puts on a headwrap, she adorns herself with the African equivalent of a regal coronet, transforming a humble piece of fabric into a beautiful piece of art that crowns her head like that of a queen.”

CAMO will be released on April 16 and is available in the Colossal Shop.

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 Thandiwe Muriu’s New Book Celebrates the Multi-Faceted Beauty of Kenyan Culture appeared first on Colossal.

Tiffany & Co. and Hong Kong’s Landmark mall have extended their digital marketing partnership by unveiling an exclusive digital art collaboration on social media. 

Created by Chinese 3D artist and motion designer Shane Fu, the surreal artwork aims to breathe new life into Tiffany & Co’s signature “Bird on a rock”, which was first introduced in 1965 by designer Jean Schlumberger, symbolising joy, freedom, and endless possibilities.

The project was co-created by Landmark and Tiffany & Co.’s Hong Kong teams, with support from the jewellery brand’s global headquarter. The communications and PR aspects of the initiative are also handled in-house by both teams.

This exclusive partnership in Hong Kong aims to exemplify the innovative and boundary-pushing nature of the two companies, creating captivating experiences for their audiences.

In a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, a spokesperson said while digital art combines creativity, visual appeal, and compelling storytelling, its versatility across various digital platforms allows it to reach wider audiences and facilitates the potential for viral sharing, amplifying its brand’s presence online.

“By embracing digital surreal art, we not only showcased innovation but also established a distinct brand identity that captured the attention of potential customers,” said the spokesperson. 

The artwork showcases a colossal Tiffany & Co. blue box opening at the Landmark atrium, which reveals the “Bird on a rock” perched upon a regal purple gemstone. The bird flies over the atrium,  traverses the space and glides towards the Tiffany & Co. store. It eventually lands at the storefront, casting a radiant glow upon the gemstone beneath it.

When it comes to marketing strategies, the spokesperson said this digital art initiative has leveraged cross-brand synergies, fostering collaborations that amplify both brands’ presence and resonate with a wider audience. “To captivate and engage our target market, we have incorporated the power of digital art, blending surreal elements with compelling storytelling to create a captivating brand narrative.”

Furthermore, Landmark has leveraged its social media platforms, aiming to connect with its audience on a more personal level and generate buzz around this collaboration. 

This initiative also comes in line with Hong Kong’s Arts Month, taking advantage of the heightened attention and participation during this period. “Our marketing endeavours have been cost-effective, as we have successfully executed almost everything in-house, optimising our resources while maintaining a high level of creativity and quality. These strategies collectively contribute to our brand’s visibility, relevancy and resonance.”

In terms of the medium of promotion, the spokesperson said the surreal artwork is launched on Landmark’s social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram. Its Facebook post has generated over 730k views, 11k reactions and 93 comments since its launch on 29 March 2024, a check by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE saw. Meanwhile, its Instagram post has also generated over 33.4k likes and 203 comments. This video has also been played on LANDMARK’s in-mall screens from 10 April 2024.

Don’t miss: Hongkong Land unveils ‘LANDMARK Xmasverse’ to enrich digitised customer experience

Back in December 2022, Hongkong Land launched the “LANDMARK Xmasverse” as part of its Christmas campaign to deliver impact to customers, assets and the enterprise through innovative technology. It featured numerous digital accompaniments in addition to the magical extravaganza, including interactive digital games.

Join us this coming 26 June for Content360 Hong Kong, a one-day-two-streams extravaganza under the theme of “Content that captivates”. Get together with our fellow marketers to learn about AI in content creation, integration of content with commerce and cross-border targeting, and find the recipe for success within the content marketing world! 

Related articles:

Landmark celebrates love of giving with special installations
Landmark partners with Tatler Asia to celebrate styles over the years
Harvey Nichols to close Landmark store due to weak retail spending

ince its invention in 1839 until the last decades of the Twentieth Century, photography has been a privileged profession requiring a skill, gadgets (often expensive and imported), professional knowledge and a space to produce a picture. Photography studios provided one’s identity – for affixing on official papers, like passports, national identity cards, driving licences, domiciles, visa documents, etc. But after the circulation of smartphones and digital media, the previously used chemicals, photo-sensitive papers, printing laboratories, dark rooms and photographer’s speciality (power) have turned dysfunctional, are abandoned, and appear unnecessary.

In the selfie mode, today, one has become the model, photographer, director, editor and client. Perhaps, the structure of the art market may soon follow the same course. Traditionally, galleries have had the power (monopoly) to forge the careers of artists, by agreeing to exhibit their creations. So, people not familiar with the name or style of an emerging or unknown artist come and see his/ her work on display, to admire, acquire or reject. In order to help the creative individuals (and as a business strategy), gallerists manage a perfect order of installation, invite a lot of viewers – and potential buyers, print artist’s brief but impressive bio-data, artistic statements and frequently engage curators to add a new angle to the pieces made – usually without any link or cohesion while made in the artist’s messy, crowded and unkempt studio.

Some of them take a step further and contact art critics, reviewers and journalists to cover the exhibitions for print media, hoping to get positive and fruitful feedback. They also, invite important personalities from the press, other artists, prominent collectors and the art academia to dinner after the inauguration of the show. Efforts are made to promote, project and elevate the artist, because the more successful the artist, the more prosperous the gallery. This phenomenon is not specific to one city or country, but spread across the globe.

However, with the inception of social media networks, for instance X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and other platforms, now a maker of art is not solely dependent on the support of an art gallery, expertise of a curator or the word of a pen-pusher. He/ she can be a self-exhibitor, dealer, curator, commentator and the PR manager. Viewing is also not limited to a gallery’s inclusive invitee/ patrons list, or a certain art audience. It has expanded to regions far in distance and time. One may spot a work added on an artist’s page some years back, and decide to approach the maker situated thousands of miles away, to negotiate the price, matters of packing, schedule of shipping and the method of payment.

Art as a form of investment is a relatively new concept in our midst.

If this recent development has liberated a creative person to an extent, it has also hampered the quality of art. Any art teacher can testify that when asked about their inspirations, influences and references, most graduating artists cite unheard names who happen to be excessively visible on the Internet. The democratisation of art is commendable, but it has also eclipsed the discerning eye. One can call it discrimination based upon some (probably false) criteria. Buying books is one example of this process of value judgment. A browser on a bookstall cannot read the entire content of a 200-page book to determine if it’s worth buying or not, but a familiar author, a reputed publisher, a few blurbs on the cover and back-cover help towards taking a decision, which may prove wrong 

at the end and the book disappointing and yet are necessary to pick one from hundreds of unknown titles.

If a new artist is able to exhibit works at an established gallery, known for representing major and significant practitioners, visitors would be inclined to attend the exhibition. This may open a whole new avenue – both for the buyer and the maker. Hence, the long list of recent graduates applying for group shows and solo exhibitions at a respected gallery. The gallery of high standing can guide a collector too in building a valuable (in every sense of the word) collection.

Collectors are a varied lot in Pakistan, not only in their taste, but in their approaches and origins as well. Some started filling their walls with original (unique) articles, some purchased for their personal likes, some on the recommendation of friends and professionals. But many of them have evolved into serious buyers, researching artists’ careers, future prospects, besides formal issues such as style, imagery, content. A number of collectors, comparatively young, have been concentrating on unknown artists who have demonstrated great promise at an early stage. Thus, one of them acquired a majority of the artwork from Waqas Khan’s first exhibition in Karachi for reasonable prices. Those are now worth a lot more money than what he paid. Likewise, people who got early Salman Toors from his exhibitions are now proud of their great investment.

Art as a form of investment is a relatively new concept in our midst. Thus, people purchase plots of land, get gold biscuits, put their money in the stock market, but seldom consider art as a means of making huge bucks. Although a small work on paper of an artist graduated in 1994 that was bought in 1995 for Rs 1,500 from his first solo show in Lahore, is now estimated at Rs 3 million. Compared to property, jewellery and cash, artworks in Pakistan are generally safe. Some years ago, an artist in Lahore created a piece of conceptual art, by composing 6 currency notes of Rs 5,000 each. The work was later sent to a gallery in Karachi. After a few months some gallery staff took Rs 30,000 away and left the empty frame, without realising that several other artworks in the same storage place were worth much more.

In present times, with NFTs circulating in the art market, the possibility of an artwork being stolen is not imminent, but one wonders if with the danger of theft suspended, artistic value of an artwork may also be decreasing.

The writer is an art critic, curator and a professor at the School of Visual Arts and Design at the Beaconhouse National University, Lahore