Known for his large origami-style works, Sipho Mabona turns his attention to a deeply personal object in a new series: the calabash. The hollowed, dried gourd is native to tropical Africa and utilized across the continent as a bottle-like vessel for food and beverage. In The Calabashes We Never Drank Amasi From, Mabona translates his familial connection to the functional fruit into vibrant patterns made from recycled milk cartons.

“The starting point for my audiovisual series of works is my childhood memories of my late father’s stories about his own childhood in the rural Eastern Cape of South Africa,” he says. “One memory that was especially close to his heart, and which he often told my siblings and me, was of drinking his favourite drink, Amasi (Xhosa for fermented milk), from calabashes.”

To create the works, Mabona first cut triangular and rectangular pieces from the gourd, which he replaced with colorful, text-laden snippets of Tetra Pak containers secured with equally vibrant threads. Near the center of each piece is a small mirror that reflects the surroundings through a slightly distorted, curved perspective. When up close, viewers can also hear quiet recordings of Mabona’s father, the late scholar and activist Mongameli Mabona, reading his original poems and excerpts of his doctoral thesis on Xhosa cultural history.

Materially and conceptually, the works highlight how the personal and cultural intersect alongside the distinctly South African sense of resilience, one that emerges in the Black population’s upcycling traditions. The artist shares that the series reflects “how growing up and living in different cultural contexts shapes our worldview, and what interactions arise between generations through the transmission of these worldviews and the exchange that comes with it,” adding:

The works thus represent, on one hand, a juxtaposition of the different ways of life my father and I grew up in, and on the other, a dialogue between my own artistic work to date and his academic work as an anthropologist, in which he studied, among other things, the significance of symbols within his Xhosa culture… (The sculptures) also refer to the fact that calabashes serve not only to store food and drink, but in Xhosa culture are also the resonating bodies of musical instruments (Uhandi), and are used in rituals to communicate with the ancestors, to whom significant spiritual relevance is attributed.

To display the auditory works, the artist constructed cylindrical plinths made from soil, cow dung, glue, and water, an earthen concoction shaped into round stands reminiscent of the rondavel huts in which the elder Mabona spent his childhood in apartheid South Africa. “This is meant to lend the calabashes, with their anthropomorphic forms, a sense of home in an unfamiliar place, within a kind of animist worldview,” Mabona writes.

Find more from the artist, including additional works collaging found materials into rich, symbolic patterns, on his website and Instagram.

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From mysterious lights and malevolent mists to ghosts and spirits like the Diné’s skinwalkers, the desert has long spawned myths and tales of the supernatural. The American West, in particular, is characterized by its vast canyons, plateaus, and mountains, along with the rugged individualism of its inhabitants who make their lives in a landscape many would deem inhospitable. It’s also not difficult to imagine how the atmospheres of powerful monsoons, the unrelenting sun, or the light of a full moon may conjure the uncanny.

Wiley Wallace, who is based in Phoenix, harnesses the magic of the desert in glowing acrylic paintings featuring crystals, enigmatic energy forces, starlight, and specters. His current solo exhibition, Night Bloom at Arch Enemy Arts, features suitably gem-like works that are 16 inches wide at the largest and as small as six by six inches, exhibiting incredible detail.

In dusky desert scenes, figures convene around nebula-like swirls of light and giant prismatic crystals that appear to rise right in front of them. Wallace evokes wonder and contemplation more than fear or trepidation, as if these events have been sought or even summoned. They may also represent portals, perhaps to other spirit realms or phases of life, with their inherent enchantment in the unexplained and the sublime.

Night Bloom continues through August 30 in Philadelphia. See more on the artist’s Instagram.

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Inspired by both the 20th-century funk art movement in the Bay Area and the visual language of the country of her birth, Iraqi-American artist Maryam Yousif merges ancient cultural heritage and contemporary playfulness in vibrant ceramics. Born in Baghdad, she immigrated to the U.S. when she was young and is currently based in San Francisco.

Over the past several years, Yousif has developed her signature Habibti figures, which encapsulate the Arabic endearment for “sweetheart” or “darling,” each adorned with a dress of flowers, landscapes, and other shapes. Many of the works shown here were recently on view in the artist’s solo exhibition at The Pit titled Above Earth, Under The Rays of the Sun, which took its title from a curse tablet uncovered in the Assyrian queens’ tombs in the ancient city of Nimrud.

Few materials are as timeless and versatile as clay, which has been used to make pottery and other objects for thousands of years. Just last year, a 3,000-year-old pottery workshop was unearthed by archaeologists in an Iron Age settlement in Iraq. “Clay, as a medium, has a way of connecting us to the past, and in using it, it opened an interest into historical research,” Yousif tells Colossal. “It’s been so rewarding to study ancient objects, learn how to distill what I’m looking at into new ideas, and create my own world and mythology.”

The artist describes how she’s compelled to follow rabbit holes in her research, from supernatural beings to queens and their gravesites to industry and commerce. She’s particularly interested in the nature of objects as symbolic or representative of places. Having left her first home for an entirely new experience in a different culture, she explores what it means to bring things with us or, indeed, leave them behind.

“Most of the research I’ve delved into takes place in and around Mesopotamia, too, which I’m always curious about since it’s linked to my background and home country of Iraq,” Yousif says. “I feel like working this way keeps me metaphysically connected to a place that I feel essentially far from in many ways.”

Yousif is currently working toward another solo exhibition with Rebecca Camacho Presents in San Francisco, slated for January. A commissioned work titled “Midrib” will also be included in the exhibition Ancient Queenship: Art, Power, and Presence at the Getty Villa starting in February.

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Whether on walls or in boxes, the frisky foxes of Annatomix’s murals and mixed-media sculptures bring vibrancy, playfulness, and just the right amount of cunning. The street artist is known for her vivid geometric animal murals evocative of origami, where planes of color and bold shadows make the animals pop from brick surfaces and wooden containers alike.

“I am particularly fond of foxes because I find them so relatable,” the artist tells Colossal. “Sacred to some, vermin to others. Wrapped in mythology and misunderstanding. Fond of trash and screaming into the void.” Although the shapes are simplified, the artist summons animated expressions and dramatic movement.

While Annatomix is consistently drawn to the motif of the fox, she also highlights other animals, such as a red panda on a wall at the Belfast Zoo and a pair of soaring seabirds. The artist’s large-scale works are complemented by smaller sculptures, and she has recently been experimenting with metalwork thanks to support from a “Develop Your Creative Practice” grant from Arts Council England. In turn, Annatomix is also interested in using those funds to research ways to build stronger creative communities and encourage public art projects, especially in her home city of Birmingham.

“I have learned so much in my 10 years of professional work, travelling all over the country and overseas making public artworks,” the artist says. “I’ve also gained a wealth of knowledge about intellectual property law and how to protect my work. Now I want to put all that knowledge and experience to the best possible use back home, and help support as many other artists as I can in the process.”

See more and follow updates on the artist’s Instagram.

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In the introduction of a new book titled Great Women Photographers, Fiona Rogers writes, “If ‘greatness’ has long been defined by visibility and remembrance, then the continued documentation and celebration of women’s photographic practice is not only relevant but essential.”

The forthcoming title spans a multitude of photographic works from 68 countries and covers nearly 200 years of history. It’s the fourth volume in Phaidon’s series of books commemorating influential women in the artistic sphere, with previous installments focusing on distinct creative mediums such as painting and sculpting.

Highlighting more than 250 women in the field of photography, Great Women Photographers is organized alphabetically by name. Each artist entry includes recently commissioned texts written by leading scholars, accompanied with iconic images from the featured photographers.

From photojournalism and editorial portraiture to cameraless images and conceptual landscapes, Great Women Photographers is not only a visual record of the diverse contributions made by women but also, as the publisher notes, “a new lens on the world, inviting readers to discover, engage with, and be inspired by the work of some of the world’s greatest image-makers.”

You may also enjoy exploring other titles in the series, including Great Women Artists, Great Women Painters, and Great Women Sculptors. Great Women Photographers is slated for release on October 14, 2026. Pre-order your copy in the Colossal Shop. We also have a copy of Great Women Sculptors available now.

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From the collection of the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, which features a wealth of artwork and artifacts related to social justice and community organizing, a new exhibition highlights American democracy and freedom of speech through the lens of art as an agent of change.

Turn the volume up! includes works by a diverse group of contemporary artists and photographers, from Spider Martin’s dramatic documentation of Freedom Marches during the Civil Rights Movement to Kara Walker’s multimedia interrogations of U.S. history and racial stereotypes. Visitors will also encounter works by the Guerilla Girls, Carrie Mae Weems, Kiki Smith, Bruce Davidson, and many more.

The Nasher has organized the exhibition into five thematic areas: Remarks, Organize, Records, Dissents, and Petitions. Photographs, sculptures, installations, paintings, and more illustrate the array of visual languages artists use to convey important messages, influencing how people discuss issues and are spurred toward civic action.

The Guerilla Girls, for example, famously pasted posters around Manhattan in the 1980s that shone a light on the glaring lack of representation of women artists in not only visual art but across popular culture. Davidson is renowned for illuminating social inequality in visceral photographs, from the Jim Crow South to impoverished neighborhoods in New York City. And Carol Summers’ bold screenprint of a giant red “X” over a photo of a Vietnamese mother and her children was part of a campaign by Artists and Writers Protest urging the end of the war in Vietnam.

Throughout the show’s run, pieces will be rotated in and out so that visitors can experience a wide array of works in the museum’s collection. Turn the volume up! opens on August 27 and will continue through July 11, 2027. Everything Now All at Once also continues through November 1.

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Our oceans are places of mystery and biological wonders as much as they are essential to communities’ livelihoods. We tap these expansive bodies of water for recreation, food, transportation. From the Atlantic to the Arctic, oceans cover around 70 percent of the earth’s surface, and there is an incredible wealth of life yet to be discovered.

As the continuing climate crisis melts ice caps and raises sea levels, and industrial fishing and waste threatens endangered marine animals and habitats, reminders of the oceans’ irreplaceable value and power are ever more critical. That’s where Oceanographic magazine and Blancpain’s annual Ocean Photographer of the Year contest comes in as a catalyst for conservation.

This year’s finalists span categories from Adventure and Human Connection to Ocean Unseen and Conservation. To really delve into the complexity of issues facing our saltwater expanses, the latter is organized in two parts: Hope and Impact. Throughout, there is a sense that in order for people to really become aware of the problems facing our oceans, let alone feel motivated to act, we need to understand both the beauty and the terribleness of these waters, whether inherent or human-inflicted.

Founder and director Will Harrison describes the contest as a platform for stories to reach the world. “These photographs don’t just capture what’s beneath the surface; they surface the stories our planet most needs us to hear. As the pressures on our ocean grow, so does the importance of the artists who bear witness to them.”

The winners will be announced in September. See all the finalists in the competition’s online gallery, and follow updates on Instagram.

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“The wind is my nemesis!” says Jennifer Latour, and rightly so. In her sculptural assemblages, single flowers or small clusters of blooms sprout from tree branches or thick stems, appearing like otherworldly forms standing in the landscape. A soft breeze could topple the Vancouver-based artist’s ephemeral works, scattering their delicate petals and spindly shoots before she has the chance to snap a photo.

These fleeting moments are preserved in Latour’s Bound Species series, which she began during lockdown by piecing together objects found around her home into unconventional, ikebana-style compositions. “During this time, I started having a recurring dream of giant flowers growing around me with multiple species of other flowers growing off one stem. I draw a lot of inspiration from my dreams, and this was something I had to test out in real life,” she tells us.

After a few trials, the process clicked. She ideated on the ways different colors and shapes might puzzle together into a sort of hybrid character and envisioned photographing on location, presenting the unorthodox arrangements in stunning, natural settings. When travel became possible, she jumped at the opportunity to bring the sculptures outdoors. That’s when she encountered the wind. “I quickly discovered how much more difficult this was,” she says. “It takes so much more patience and time to make my sculptures out in the wild but all that much more satisfying when it works out!”

Today, Latour continues to venture outdoors and often sources materials from local garden centers, flower shops, and even the occasional grocery store, should the botanicals be locally grown. She assembles each piece by hand, connecting stem to stem in a way that evokes “the interconnectedness found in nature, and serves as a reminder that all creatures are bound simultaneously by both their similarities and their differences.”

With trips planned to Arizona and the U.K. seaside in the coming months, the artist will continue to transform colorful specimens into strange, mishmashed forms. “I dream of taking the work all around the world to the most remote and unique locations,” she adds. “It’s a practice I see myself continuing to create and evolve until either my hands or my body stop working.”

Latour’s images are currently on view in two group exhibitions—Where the Seasons Endure at Gallery COA in Montreal and The House and the Forest at Can Balaguer in Palma, Mallorca—and she’s also planning for a solo show in 2027. Keep up with her travels and projects on Instagram.

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From materials we normally discard like padded packaging or the mesh sleeves that protect fruit from bruising, Suzanne Jongmans summons elegant and dreamlike Renaissance portraits.

The artist drapes models in lush velvet fabrics and typically positions them against deep backgrounds in the vein of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Lady with an Ermine” (1489-91) or Antonello da Messina’s “Portrait of a Young Man” (c. 1470). The settings and the addition of fine garments contrast found plastic detritus with hints of refinement and the figures’ dignified postures, mirroring the solemn, pious expressions of individuals in Renaissance portraiture. Recently, she has also incorporated copper coils extracted from the electric motors of disused household appliances and fuses.

Jongmans infuses her works with nods to gender roles and issues that still raise the hackles of “polite society,” such as breastfeeding in public. The artist seamlessly ties a centuries-old aesthetic to salient contemporary concerns, exploring femininity, individuality, and the nature of concealment. Through the latter especially, she delves into the human capacity for wonder and its significance at a time when technology, the gears of so-called progress, and revisionism endanger our connections to the natural world, our histories, and one another.

The artist describes her approach as an exploration of the space between the material and the immaterial world, one where society, eras, emotions, and cosmic forces converge. “Since the Enlightenment, reason has been glorified and the Western tendency towards a drive for modernization and mechanization has increased,” Jongmans says in a statement. “The significance of myths and imagination in our daily lives seems to have been lost or at least faded into the background.”

By exploring the past, Jongmans creates exquisitely contemporary compositions, prompting us to consider the meaning of value and how it is assigned. The works are also sensitive, introspective meditations on human feeling, and she has even occasionally turned the camera on herself. “In the Midst of It All,” for example, is a self-portrait taken during the pandemic that serves as a reminder to slow down, rest, and reconnect not only with the surrounding environment but with oneself.

See more on Jongmans’ Instagram.

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Scientists have long studied how magnetic energy powers solar activity. The constant motion of plasma particles and the sun’s rotation are major contributors to its cycles and events, such as flares and coronal mass ejections, which lob huge quantities of plasma and gas into space.

Sometimes these explosions reach the earth’s magnetic field and cause geomagnetic storms, which are when we see some of the most brilliant auroras. But they also disrupt or damage our communications systems, power grids, GPS, and satellites. Researchers want to further understand how the sun builds up its magnetic energy so we better know how to guard against its massive fits of activity. They’ve also been trying to figure out why the sun’s corona, or atmosphere, is millions of degrees hotter than its surface.

Thanks to the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, which has pride of place at the National Solar Observatory on Maui, Hawaii, the highest-resolution image of the sun ever captured has revealed unique features that may give solar scientists some insight into how this magnetic energy builds.

Rippling forms that physicists call Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability (KHI) demonstrate the effect of two fluids flowing past each other at different velocities. It’s a phenomenon named for the two scientists who observed it for the first time around 1870, and it can be seen in clouds, ocean waves, and the atmospheres of gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn.

The Inouye telescope, the most powerful of its kind, was able to capture features smaller than 12 miles across, providing insights that remained hidden in earlier photos. The details may illuminate part of a solar process that scientists refer to as “flux braiding,” so named because of the way the sun’s magnetic field lines move around one another result in a plaited effect. The tension builds and builds before eventually breaking, which is when we see flares and similar events. The swirls of KHI may have something to do with how these twists happen in the first place.

“This could solve this biggest mystery of the last half a century for solar physics and astrophysics,” team scientist Dr. David Kuridze told The Guardian. “When you have this instability in the system, it is very easy to cascade the energy into smaller scales. And at some point, it just dissipates as a heat. This could make hot coronas, hot outer atmospheres of the sun and similar stars.”

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