Nestled in the thicket of bushes and trees, a cast of curious figures resemble a variety of fungi. Crafted by Riitta Ikonen and photographed on film by Annie Collinge (previously), the symbiotic project aims to nurture the relationship between human beings and fungal species. Disguised as human-sized mushrooms, a troupe of models rest on leafy…
In Haikou, Hanan Island, China, a strikingly contemporary, single-material design for a new cinema and coffee shop by One Plus Partnership Ltd. has risen from humble brick. Swooping overhead and swelling up from the foundation, the monochromatic interior of the Haikou Gaoxingli Insun Cinema & Coffee Bar is animated by light and shadow, a jack-on-jack…
About 200,000 light-years from Earth is the Small Magellanic Cloud, a relatively tiny galaxy containing several hundred million stars. At its edge is a cluster known as NGC 602, which has an environment similar to that of our universe in its early stages. Thanks to the James Webb Telescope, we’re now able to view this…
Showcasing incredible close-up, macro, and micro photography from around the world, Close-up Photographer of the Year (previously) has announced its shortlist for the 2024 competition. From flowing kelp to baby animals to itty bitty arachnids, the images highlight the diversity of life on our planet in fantastic detail. Jurors sifted through more than 11,600 entries…
The cat’s pajamas take on new meaning in Helga Stentzel’s fashionable menagerie. Working in what she calls “household surrealism,” the London-based artist styles cheeky illusions from socks, sweatshirts, and even onesies that, once draped over a washline, appear like a cow grazing in a pasture or a sloth hanging lazily from a branch. Her latest…
As a communication designer, Kelli Anderson began her career in information design. “The act of data visualization is all about bringing facts from the abstract and numerical realm into the sphere of perception, so you can see them,” she says in a video on Kickstarter. “And I thought, why stop there? What if you could…
From seeds to slime molds to spider eyes, the foremost entries in Nikon’s Small World 2024 Photomicrography Competition (previously) illuminate details invisible to the naked eye. This year, jurors sifted through more than 2,000 entries from 80 countries. First place was awarded to Dr. Bruno Cisterna and Dr. Eric Vitriol of the Medical College of…
For Emily Van Hoff (previously), the possibilities of quilts extend far beyond two dimensions. From geometric tapestries to faceted weavings and sculptural constructions, the artist traverses a wide array of textile forms. “I love giving my quilts more visual weight,” Van Hoff tells Colossal. “I like when they feel more chunky and object-like… So I’ve…
Whimsy and ingenuity hold the soul of Colossal, so how does that translate to a website that shines as a space for arts and humanity? At the simplest level: scale, color, and clean typography. This is the third and final installment of our three-part series illuminating the questions and values that guided our collaborative rebrand and…
Around the world, Jonathan Jimenez, a.k.a. Jonk, has visited more than 1,500 abandoned sites in nearly 50 countries. From crumbling churches to vacant theaters, the Paris-based photographer (previously) seeks unique ruins that nature gradually subsumes. In Naturalia III, his tenth book, Jonk documents a range of striking locations from Portugal to Georgia to Japan. Find…