Blog Pick :: COLOSSAL

Blog Pick :: COLOSSAL
Re-blog by: By Steve Marcelin, BArch Candidate

Founded in 2010, Colossal is a Chicago based blog that focuses on art, crafts, design, and visual culture. Their goal is to give artists and designers a place where they can introduce their work to the public. The blog is divided into four categories-- art, design, photography, and video.

Image by Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada

One of my favorite posts on the blog is WISH by Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada. The artist created an 11-acre portrait in Belfast, Ireland and made it completely out of natural materials. Sometimes when you see public art at that scale, it has a negative impact on the environment, but this project used only soil, sand, rock, and other natural materials.

What makes this post and many other posts on Colossal extraordinary is the fact that we get to see the process work or in some cases get to read a quote from the maker. This approach make me feel more connected to the design, and allows me to effectively understand the messages that the art or design is trying to convey.

Dragon Teapot by Johnson Tsang

Another post that I could clearly see the artist's intentions, is the Dragon Teapot by Johnson Tsang. The artist made a teapot with a dragon sculpture squeezing it. Looking at the pictures while the design was in process you could almost feel the sensation of the pot being squished. I though it was a prime example of the use of expressive form.

Colossal's daily posts make me think about design's connection to the world. If you are ever looking for inspiration for a project, I suggest checking out thisiscolossal.com. It full of ideas from smart artists and designers that you can learn from.