From thousands of plastic bags, nets, and hanks of yarn, Indonesian artist Mulyana (previously) illuminates the fragility of marine ecosystems. In his solo exhibition Remembering Our Collective Future at Sapar Contemporary, the artist has incorporated recyclable materials and distilled the palette to white, evoking a symbol of purity and drawing attention to the consequences of…
On March 11, 2011, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sendai, Japan, sent a catastrophic tsunami crashing into the island. Waves towering 40 meters high ripped across the region, killing 15,500 people and destroying the homes of more than 450,000. When the tsunami reached the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, it caused three nuclear reactors…
Around the frame of a spherical pendant lamp, designer Alkesh Parmar wraps an unexpected shade. Through Studio Arp, his ongoing project Citrus Sinensis reimagines orange peel waste into a leather-like, organic patchwork fabric that can be applied to an array of functional and decorative objects. In biological terms, Citrus sinensis refers to the species of…
Many cities around the U.S. use a microphone-powered system known as ShotSpotter to help law enforcement detect the location of gunshots. In Chicago, for example, the controversial program was implemented a little over six years ago, then turned off on September 22 when the contract expired. A study found that the app had unintended consequences…
Phillip Keefe’s furniture appears like it might scuttle away in the night. The Chicago-based designer uses traditional techniques like hand-carving and wood joinery to sculpt lively pieces evocative of spiders, crabs, and other creepy, crawly critters. The Tim Burton-esque furnishings were initially inspired by Keefe’s dog Iggy, who frequently accompanied him to the studio. “His…
How did we land on the new Colossal identity? The second part of our series peeking into our rebrand and redesign reviews the steps and atypical progression of our collaboration. Head behind the scenes to explore the inspiration, process, and even a rare glimpse at the concepts left on the cutting room floor. Explore Part…