Tag Archives: may

A New Book Chronicles the 125-Year History of the Button, Its Design, and Its Role in Cultural Change
A New Book Chronicles the 125-Year History of the Button, Its Design, and Its Role in Cultural Change
September 10, 2020

If something is “fit for the back of a postage stamp,” it’s generally understood as lacking depth and nuance. A similarly sized object, however, has been upending that saying for 125 years. From political campaigns to punch lines to keepsakes, the button has packed bits of incredibly rich history into just a few inches. “It seems like a niche little object, but it really tells a very general American history,” collector and manufacturer Christen Carter tells Colossal. More Continue reading →

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Towels: An Animated Battle for Beach Real Estate Serves as a Metaphor for Rising Global Tension
Towels: An Animated Battle for Beach Real Estate Serves as a Metaphor for Rising Global Tension

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In her animated short Towels, Prawta Annez explores her frustration and concern with global tensions as a rollicking ocean-side battle for prime towel space. While fairly light-hearted and comedic, the film was conceived during the political climate of 2017 and might as well use Ghandi’s famous quote “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” as a thesis. “I hope this short can be 4 minutes of fun and escapism for anyone who watches it, no matter where they may be or whatever they may be going through,” Annez Shares. More Continue reading →

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Vivid Botanics and Butterflies Encircle Photographer Fares Micue in Striking Self-Portraits
Vivid Botanics and Butterflies Encircle Photographer Fares Micue in Striking Self-Portraits
August 26, 2020

Surrounded by monarchs or a blanket of blue leaves, Fares Micue (previously) captures vividly composed self-portraits. The Spain-based photographer conceals her face and instead focuses on the organic elements surrounding her torso. Whether a series of origami birds or yellow and red twigs resembling flames, the natural additions merge seamlessly with Micue, who bends and contorts her figure to follow the shapely forms of the arranged objects.
In a note to Colossal, the photographer said she’s been more inclined to create since the onset of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, considering her work an invitation into self-reflection. More Continue reading →

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The Best Studio Easels for Creating Your Next Painting
The Best Studio Easels for Creating Your Next Painting
July 31, 2020

For many, easels are an essential part of the painting process. Artists have used them for millennia: One of the first recorded uses of an easel dates back 2,000 years to the Romans; medieval monks used them to display precious illuminated manuscripts. Easels gained popularity during the Renaissance as artists created fewer paintings directly on […] Continue reading →

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The Descendants: Photographer Drew Gardner Recreates Portraits of Historically Significant Figures
The Descendants: Photographer Drew Gardner Recreates Portraits of Historically Significant Figures
July 10, 2020

To prepare for a recent portrait, Shannon LaNier pulled a black coat over his head and wrapped a thick, layered collar around his neck, a costume to match what Thomas Jefferson wore in an iconic 18th-century painting. The Houston news anchor was participating in an ongoing series by British photographer Drew Gardner that recreates photographs, paintings, and other images of historical figures by styling their descendants in similar garb. LaNier’s photograph is particularly significant, though, because he’s the sixth-great grandson of Jefferson and Sally Hemmings, who the third U.S. More Continue reading →

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