Category Archives: Art/Craft
Moleculart
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The art (and science) of biologist David Goodsell (what are the chances?): to wit, molecular level depictions of biological processes, cellular structures and viruses like HIV, Ebola and Zika. Of his process, Goodsell sez:
Since the early 1990s, I have been working with a type of illustration that shows portions of living cells magnified so that you can see individual molecules. I try to make these illustrations as accurate as possible, using information from atomic structure analysis, electron microscopy, and biochemical analysis to get the proper number of molecules, in the proper place, and with the proper size and shape.
From top: Zika virus, 2016; Red Blood Cell, 2005; Measles Virus Proteins, 2019; HIV in Blood Plasma, 1999; Ebola Virus, 2014; Mycoplasma mycoides, 2011.
Assemblages of discarded ceramic by Dutch sculptor Bouke de Vries: shattered vases contained within a clear glass vessels, porcelain shards as the thorns on a rose, broken blue willow plates reformed into a map of China.
A new miniature kinetic sculpture from Russian artist Roman Butin, who adds brilliant, elaborate hand-engraved designs and mechanisms to vintage coins.
Previously: Mechanical Coins
Time Is…
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‘Time Changes Everything’ – a paraphrased quote from the poem ‘Time Is’ by Henry Van Dyke (sometimes misattributed to Shakespeare) picked out in shadow on the facade of a former bookstore in Las Vegas by anonymous artist DAKU as part of last month’s Life Is Beautiful festival.
‘Cytokiesis Variations’: two recent sculptures by paper artist (he, himself is not made of paper, you understand) Rogan Brown.
The 1.2m long highly detailed representations in hand-cut and laser-cut white paper explore the biological process of cell division or mitosis. The artist tells Colossal:
At any given moment millions of cells in your body are dividing and multiplying in order to replenish and maintain your skin, hair, intestine and bodily organs, etc. Cytokinesis is the final and most dramatic stage of mitosis when the cell wall ruptures and splits in two to form identical daughter cells. I have tried to freeze the ultimate moment of transformation and becoming.
The works are currently on exhibition at the Wellcome Collection in London, if you’re passing.
Best Before
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Oversized sculptures of mould-covered fruit – their encroaching fungal growth simulated with translucent precious and semi-precious stones (like malachite, opal and smoky quartz) pinned to painted foam forms by artist Kathleen Ryan.
More of her work here.
Before ‘Sesame Street’ and ’The Muppet Show’ there was ‘Sam And Friends’ (1955 – 1961) – a quirky little Jim Henson confection that gave both he and Kermit The Frog their start.
If you have time to spare and a penchant for unhinged felted characters, this installment of Defunctland’s miniseries is a fascinating watch.
