The touch-me-not plant, officially known as mimosa pudica, quickly contracts its leaves when shaken or brushed by assumed predators. When one of these specimens senses danger like a nearby herbivore ready to take a bite, calcium erupts within its system, prompting exposed areas to recoil.

Scientists have known since the 1980s that other plants, not just those deemed sensitive like the touch-me-not, similarly transmit such warnings. And thanks to molecular biologists at Japan’s Saitama University, we now have visual evidence of the process.

A video released by Science Alert shows bright green quickly illuminating the leaves of the thale cress, or Arabidopsis thaliana. Researchers had genetically modified the plant so that when calcium flowed through their cells in greater proportions, a biosensor fluoresced. This color change occurred in response to airborne chemicals emitted by nearby plants overrun with caterpillars. The damaged specimens released the compounds to warn their fellow flora, which then triggered the calcium reaction in their neighbors.

You can read more about the science behind the groundbreaking study in Nature. (via PetaPixel)

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“Night photography is one of the most challenging aspects of photography, which is one of the reasons why I enjoy it so much,” says Dave Jordano, whose atmospheric images cast landscapes in a unique light. The Chicago-based photographer gets to work after the sun goes down, traversing the streets of cities and towns, most often across the U.S., where he seeks illuminated  corners, architectural curiosities, and urban idiosyncrasies.

“For me, it’s mostly about the quiet solitude, the empty streets, sometimes surreal nature of a city that looks and feels as if it’s frozen in time,” Jordano tells Colossal. His photos invite us on a journey through American towns in the late hours when they are not often observed, devoid of people yet hinting at their presence through an illuminated kitchen windows or an open tavern door. He adds, “The pace of everything slows down, and time becomes irrelevant. Under this artificial light, the buildings often take on a theatrical look as if they’re performing for me, showing me their best side.”

Green House with Cooling Tower, Michigan City, Indiana (2023)

Working at night presents a technical challenge, as the medium fundamentally relies on light to produce clear images. “The harsh, contrasty street lighting and the deep, dark shadows challenge even the most experienced photographers to test their limits of creativity and technical expertise,” Jordano says. Advances in digital photography significantly aid the process since images can be viewed immediately on the back of the camera rather than needing to leave the scene, develop film, and hope for the best. And the art of post-processing is “a major part of producing night photos with any kind of enduring quality.”

Jordano approaches his subjects as if they are “mature actors, starting to lose their polish,” spotlighting the qualities of their locations or the patina of age using only the existing light sources, like street lamps, porch bulbs, or ambient background illumination. “Bringing these characteristics out is one of the most enjoyable things that I try to do, making the viewer see these places in a way that hasn’t been revealed before,” he says.

Last summer, Jordano embarked on a five-week road trip around the Northwest to document the region, resulting in more than 300 photographs that he hopes to compile into a book. He is currently sharing many of these images on Instagram, and you can explore much more of his work on his website.

Temple Bar, Midtown, Detroit (2022)

Back Lot, Havana, Cuba (2016)

Purity, Fort Bragg, California (2023)

Saint John Kanty Catholic Cemetery, Northwest Indiana (2022)

Paxton Inn Motel, Paxton, Illinois (2018)

Small Church, Marshalltown, Iowa (2023)

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“After the fire brigades rescued the London Natural History Museum from German incendiaries, Albizia silk-tree seeds bloomed on their herbarium sheets, liberated from two hundred years of dormancy by the precise combination of flame and water,” writes Daniel Mason in an essay about thriving urban flora. The post-Blitz surprise, which became a beacon of hope amid WWII’s destruction, confirmed that nature is fiercely resilient and loyal to starting anew.

This moment is also one artist Nataliya Vladychko returns to as she sculpts spindly specimens in glass, capturing both their delicacy and strength in a single form. Beginning with a drawing or watercolor rendering, Vladychko translates the early stages of common crops like mung beans and wheat into delicate sculptures. The initial sketch determines the artist’s twists and turns at the glass burner and allows her to “concentrate better on the movement, plasticity, and colour composition I find appropriate for a particular model,” she says. “For me, the little plants are independent individuals who gain their own identity during the making process.”

Displayed on sheets or nested inside egg-shaped porcelain forms, the tiny specimens sprout wriggling roots, leaves, and vivid buds colored with deep reds and purples. “My aim in making a germplasm is not to mimic nature but to interpret how I see and experience it,” she says. “Playfully balanced compositions of glass germs that occupy their own space emerge. Admiration of the beauty and strength of a plant sets my visual process to work!”

Explore an archive of Vladychko’s botanical drawings and sculptures on her site.

“Vigna radiata” (2023),
porcelain and flameworking glass, 70 x 14 centimeters. Photo by Hein van Liempd

Left: “Dance” (2020), flame-shaped borosilicate glass, approximately 12 x 4 centimeters. Photo by Steven van Kooijk. Right: Detail of “Vigna radiata” (2020), flame-shaped borosilicate glass,
about 6 x 3 centimeters.​
Photo by Steven van Kooijk

Detail of “Dance” (2020), flame-shaped borosilicate glass, approximately 12 x 4 centimeters. Photo by Steven van Kooijk.

Left: “no title” (2022),
flameworked glass and porcelain, 17 x 12 x 6 centimeters. Right: “no title” (2022),
flameworked glass and porcelain, 13 x 8 x 4 centimeters. Photos by Hein van Liempd

“Wheat” (2022), porcelain and flameworking glass, 70 x 14 centimeters.
Photo by Hein van Liempd

“Vigna radiata” (2020), flame-shaped borosilicate glass,
60 x 50 centimeters.​
Photo by Steven van Kooijk

“Me” (2021),
flameworking glass, drawing and painting, laser cut, hand-bound book, 21 x 18 x 5 centimeters. Photo by the artist

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In our era of multi-functionality, our phones are cameras and flashlights, desks fold into wall art, and now, lighting features can also dampen noise. “Oloïd,” a new luminaire conceived by Swiss design studio atelier oï for Impact Acoustic, assembles high-performance, sound-absorbing felt panels into a sleek, contemporary fixture. Made from recycled plastic bottles, it has the added glow of sustainability.

Impact Acoustic transforms the waste material into rigid panels of dense felt, so atelier oï had to work with its board-like stiffness. The team devised an intricate series of scores and folds in an undulating shape that can be cut in different sizes and interlocked to create the shell of the piece.

“Oloïd” is available in 32 colors, and you can learn more on the Impact Acoustic website. (via Design Milk)

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A cardiologist by day, Surf Durrani ventures around the world with his camera in his spare time, drawn to lush scenery and magnificent vistas. “I find the natural world profoundly beautiful and spiritually moving,” he tells Colossal. “In nature, I see art forms everywhere that are emotionally very satisfying for me.” One recent series takes us on an atmospheric journey through the Big Cypress Bayou at the edge of Caddo Lake in eastern Texas—part of the largest cypress forest in the world—reveling in the unique effect of the trees as they transform into autumnal shades of orange and yellow, draped ethereally in moss.

Drawn to the region last year after he saw photos of the area, Durrani decided to make the trip to Texas from his home in Northern Virginia. “I am blown away by the beauty of the cypress forest in the swamp draped with the Spanish moss and egrets and herons living in their magical, hidden little corner in Texas,” he says. “There is a two-week period in November when the colors come alive, and the lake becomes magical.”

As he travels, Durrani looks for an array of vibrant landscapes, from the villages of Provence to the otherworldly expanses of Iceland. “I photograph places and animals mainly as a form of therapy for my own self, but I also want other people to see through my eyes and lens and enjoy the moment of discovery and joy that I feel when I capture a sliver of time,” he says.

Durrani is currently in the preliminary planning stages to implement an art therapy program in his hospital. Find prints available for purchase in his shop, and explore more on his website and Behance.

“Riot of Red and Gold”

“Angels of Caddo Lake #1”

“The Secret Light”

“Caddo Cove”

“Caddo Lake Autumn Beauty”

“Secret Rendezvous”

“Stumps”

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 In the World’s Largest Cypress Forest, Surf Durrani Captures Atmospheric Autumnal Colors appeared first on Colossal.

From lethargic lions to a fragmented figure with a distinguished chuckle, the sculptures of Brooklyn-based artist and designer Todd St. John are tailored toward surprise and wonder.

Alongside personal projects, St. John collaborates with editorial clients like The New York Times and The New Yorker and brands like Netflix and Google to illustrate ideas or emotions that words are inadequate to convey. He frequently reaches for pine, walnut, and other woods, carving stylized characters and objects that are both amusing and approachable.

“I initially learned woodworking as a kid working with my father who always had a woodshop, and I’ve always built furniture on the side,” he tells Colossal. “I used it mainly for animation and stop-motion projects, but dimensional forms quickly found their way into other work, as well.”

The medium lends itself to the disjointed, abstract structures St. John gravitates toward as he sculpts Cubist-style busts or a tousled spider plant. He explains:

I do think that sometimes creating tactile objects opens up more opportunities for surprises. There are a lot of processes with digital work that get pre-determined by the software itself, and while working practically has its own constraints, it can be a more novel and even direct way to realize certain ideas.

St. John has a few exhibitions planned for this year, and you can follow news about those, in addition to his newest works, on Instagram. Find prints in his shop.

“Relief Head”

“Relief Heads”

“Lion”

“Wave”

“Spider Plant”

“Untitled,” raw pine

“Untitled (Raw Pine)”

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 Todd St. John Hones Surprise and Delight in His Jocular Wooden Characters appeared first on Colossal.

Change is afoot in the art world. Auction houses are registering a 30 per cent increase in new buying clients, while the normalisation of online bids has fostered a democratisation of the industry. Asia is continuing to flourish, with Japan – the go-to destination for HNW travellers in recent years – tipped for a resurgence on the world stage. Then, there is the great wealth transfer – a hot topic in economics which has filtered through to this passion investment market. Baby Boomer collectors are making way for Gen Z, and the landscape needs to keep up.

This year, amid global economic and geopolitical uncertainty, the desire for stability could drive a trend towards an even more rational buyer’s market. With interest rate reductions expected but not yet in place, buyers may approach art purchases with greater caution and consideration. This could result in a softer start to the year, but it also presents an opportunity for collectors to acquire artworks at potentially lower price levels.

[See also: the best art advisers for ultra-high-net-worth collectors]

Collectors, in search of stability, may increasingly focus on ‘safe’ blue-chip artists. By investing in established names, they can feel more ‘comfortable’ in an uncertain market with a long-term sustainable investment. Connoisseurship and selectivity will be vital in an unstable market, as works of scarcity and quality tend to hold their value better.
Auction houses, on the other hand to ensure their turnover, may increase the number of guarantees for artworks to attract potential.

Lower average price levels of comparable artworks could also be expected in 2024. Auction estimates will likely become less speculative, and asking prices on the secondary private market may become more sensible. This shift towards more realistic pricing may lead to increased openness to negotiation. Private sales may increase as an alternative to public auctions. Lower pricing and the desire to protect artists’ results may drive this shift.

Gen Z collectors make their mark

Another significant development is the continued rising interest in female, younger, and LGBTQ+ artists. As Gen Z enters the art market, there is a growing demand for artists from historically marginalised or underrepresented groups. This trend not only provides new exhibition platforms for these artists but also creates market momentum.

The rising popularity and current revival of cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, may impact the art market. High-quality and recognised NFT art might drive an increase in price from the dramatic turmoil in 2023, driven by the growing adoption of digital currencies and regained wealth of the crypto-currency owners. And fractionalised and tokenised ownership of art could continue to grow in 2024. Tech-savvy investors looking for financial returns may find this model appealing.

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[See also: Why this Diego Velázquez portrait is poised to ‘ignite the art market’ and break auction records]

Art’s value may also shift towards personal gratification rather than financial returns. As individuals seek emotional connections and personal fulfilment, the intrinsic value of art becomes more important. And art isn’t solely about commerce; it requires a sustainable ecosystem to flourish. Artists, museums, galleries, critics, reviewers, buyers, and collectors all play integral roles. Cultivating such an ecosystem is crucial to the long-term success of contemporary art.

Art market goes (even more) global

And globalisation will continue to shape the art market. Increased access and technology will redefine how collectors build their collections. Cross-category collecting, younger collectors, and emerging markets will play a more significant role in the global art world. And it cannot be excluded that we might face further mergers and take-overs (primary and secondary market) as size, international presence and optimal synergies can be decisive to ‘win the race’.

[See also: Christie’s New York defies sluggish art market with $864 million Fall Marquee Week]

Worldwide, Asia will gain particularly greater international visibility. Asian creativity across various mediums, from art to music and cinema, will continue to influence global culture. Additionally, the Chinese market will undergo a repositioning on the global art stage, with a more nuanced understanding of its nuances and trends. And especially Japan might resurge further as a global art world hotspot, attracting artists, collectors, and dealers. Tokyo could once again become a crucial destination for art enthusiasts.

It’s crucial to remember that these predictions are speculative, and the actual state of the art market in 2024 may differ due to unforeseen events and changing trends. The dynamic nature of the art world and the influence of unpredictable factors should always be considered when forecasting its outlook.

Thomas Reinshagen, previously senior director at Sotheby’s in Zurich, is an independent art and luxury consultant

Extravagant garments and quirky accessories adorn Irene Saputra’s characters encapsulating the boundless possibilities of fashion. The Tangerang, Indonesia-based embroidery artist, a.k.a. Nengiren, centers her work around dressing a nona kecil, or little woman.

Nengiren creates each character with no plan in mind. In the same way we might get dressed in the morning, she spontaneously designs the components of each figure’s outfit of the day, or “OOTD,” as she embroiders. She shares with Colossal:

Nona Kecil’s evolution mirrors my own journey as an artist. Initially, she adorned simple OOTDs with muted colors and straightforward patterns. However, the turning point occurred three years ago when I embraced motherhood. Balancing time between my son and art intensified my experimentation, leading Nona Kecil to explore more expressive and elaborate outfits.

With a graphic design background, illustration experience, and an interest in fashion, overarching motifs of typography, flashy patterns, color combinations, and texture guide the fabrication of each outfit, creating an array of harmonious looks. By way of vibrant threads and satin stitches, geometric shapes join together to construct a completely unique ensemble every time.

See more work on Nengiren’s Instagam, and keep an eye out for shop updates.

Detail of “Nona Kecil #OOTD, Kenny’s Private Collection”

“Kieran & Li”

Detail of “Nona Kecil #OOTD, Kenny’s Private Collection”

“Nona Kecil #OOTD, Spring Season Collection”

Detail of “Nona Kecil #OOTD, Kenny’s Private Collection”

Detail of “Nona Kecil #OOTD, Kenny’s Private Collection”

“Nona Kecil #OOTD, Worried Season Collection”

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 Nengiren’s Embroidered Figures Embrace Feeling Carefree in Clothing appeared first on Colossal.