Conservation

Under Lock and Key, Ant Hamlyn’s Synthetic Flowers Scramble for Space

Encased in transparent cubes and smushed behind panes of acrylic, Ant Hamlyn’s (previously) brilliant blooms and verdant stems are perpetually preserved. Polyurethane-coated fabrics, which he hand-sews and then stuffs, shape a cartoonish view of our predilection to try to harness and preserve things of beauty. Often focusing on bright botanicals and fungi, Hamlyn’s playful sculptures […]

Conservation

In London, a 15-Foot Flower by Shepard Fairey Advocates for Environmental Justice

At 36 Boundary Street in London, a bold new mural rises 15 feet above the street. Anchored by scales atop a small seedling, the public artwork by Shepard Fairey addresses environmental justice and our responsibility to care for the planet. “I believe that our individual and collective actions will dramatically impact current and future generations, […]

Conservation

Spider Lilies and Cherry Blossoms by Sakae Unfurl in Wire and Resin Hair Pieces

Originating during the ancient Jōmon period in Japan, the kanzashi is a rod or stick worn in the hair. This accessory evolved over time to encompass other ornaments like barrettes and fabric flowers. Today, they’re worn by geishas and brides. Tokyo-based artist Sakae (previously) continues this centuries-old tradition through an ongoing series of contemporary hairpins. […]

Conservation

Dreamlike Narratives Arise from Alefes Silva’s Fantastic Illustrations

“My work arises from the interplay between memory and the present,” says Bogotá-based illustrator Alefes Silva. Themes of stillness and solitude, growth and death, and love and heartbreak recur in Silva’s drawings, which fuse fantastic plants and animals with human details. In one piece, a nude figure slumps over while trees and small shrubs grow […]