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In one of his most ambitious bodies of work to date, artist Collin van der Sluijs ( previously) references two forces being incidentally forced together. "These strange times have caused a collision between me as a person and my work," he shares, "I want to be free and not a puppet on strings directed by anybody."

This sentiment pervades the Dutch artist's latest collection opening this week at both Vertical Gallery and Vertical Project Space in Chicago. Aptly titled Collision, the solo show is broad in medium and subject matter, containing 15 canvas paintings, 12 on panel, and more than 50 works on paper. Similar to his earlier pieces, this collection harnesses van der Sluijs's signature dreamlike style, whether through depictions of nature's most ethereal qualities or frenzied mishmashes of brushstrokes and smaller, more realistic elements. The works include emotionally chaotic portraits, serene renderings of singular birds, and dense landscapes in which life and death converge.

Collision runs from July 9 to 30. While in Chicago, van der Sluijs will also create a few murals, which you can follow on Instagram.

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A New Collection of Works by Collin van der Sluijs Channels a Dreamlike Collision of Emotion

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In one of his most ambitious bodies of work to date, artist Collin van der Sluijs (previously) references two forces being incidentally forced together.

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Vibrant Botanicals Spring from Cheerful Pups in Hiroki Takeda’s Playful Watercolors

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Sprouting flowers and botanical sprigs, the subjects of Hiroki Takeda’s watercolor works exude the boundless joy and energy we tend to associate with canine companionship. The vividly rendered pieces are part of the Japanese artist’s whimsical body of work that defines the contours of cats, birds, a

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Throughout Russia's war, photographer Oleg Oprisco ( previously) has remained in his native Ukraine creating works that reflect the unjust aggression and its devastating effects. Oprisco is known for his conceptual shots that involve elaborately constructed props and scenes that capture his distinct sense of surreality. Relying on neutrals and subdued tones rather than a bold color palette, the mysterious, dreamlike images tend to center on a single figure within a quiet and unoccupied landscape.

In one recent photo directly addressing the war, a woman stands in the center of a deserted cobblestone street, her architectural backpack glowing with light. The poignant shot references the millions of people who have been forced to flee their homes in Ukraine since Russia's invasion, and a similar image of a figure sheltering a dog from the rain speaks to the countless animals now struggling to survive without their human companions.

All of Oprisco's works are available as prints. For a behind-the-scenes glimpse of his process and sets, check out his Instagram.

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Mystery and Disquieting Stillness Pervade the Surreal, Conceptual Photos by Oleg Oprisco

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Throughout Russia's war, photographer Oleg Oprisco (previously) has remained in his native Ukraine creating works that reflect the unjust aggression and its devastating effects. Oprisco is known for his conceptual shots that involve elaborately constructed props and scenes that capture his distinct

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The Skewed, Anamorphic Sculptures and Engineered Illusions of Jonty Hurwitz

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Some figurative sculptors carve their artworks from unforgiving stone, while others carefully morph the human form from soft blocks of clay. Artist Jonty Hurwitz begins with over a billion computer calculations before spending months considering how to materialize his warped ideas using perspex, ste

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British sculptor Alex Chinneck has a history of manipulating facades- previously slumping the brick face of an apartment in Margate and completely upending a building in London. Chinneck's newest monumental manipulation is a condemned office building in Kent, England. The 1960s structure seems to unzip from its middle with a XXXL zipper, revealing the ruin of the forgotten interior. Two folded segments near the top act like a collar, giving the entire installation the appearance of a retro polo shirt. Catch the soon-to-be-demolished intervention while you can: Open to the Public opened August 2 at Brundrett House, Tannery Lane, Ashfield, TN23 1PN. (via It's Nice That and Dezeen)

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Alex Chinneck Unzips a Condemned Building in the Style of a Retro Shirt

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British sculptor Alex Chinneck has a history of manipulating facades-previously slumping the brick face of an apartment in Margate and completely upending a building in London. Chinneck's newest monumental manipulation is a condemned office building in Kent, England. The 1960s structure seems to unz

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At first glance, Slinkachu 's scenes might appear to be a heap of multi-colored pills or a mess of children's toys left behind on a London street corner. Closer inspection, however, reveals minuscule figures navigating human-sized items as if they occupy an alternate, miniature world occurring in sidewalk alcoves and planter boxes. Characters find themselves in a sea of medication that's reminiscent of arcade ball pits, while others create a tower to fend off a nearby bee that's triple each of their heights. Imbued with humor, the site-specific scenes often comment on contemporary social issues.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Slinkachu ( previously) has shifted to creating works in his home to minimize exposure to passersby. Although many of his projects were canceled or postponed, the Natural History Museum commissioned both the mushroom and bee works shown below for its Urban Nature project, a biologically diverse green space in central London. "My work has always reflected the sense of isolation and loneliness that a big city can imbue, but the isolation of being inside is new to me," he shares with Colossal. "These were recreations of small parts of city streets built in my living room with concrete paving slabs and weeds and moss." The shift in venue has the British artist reconsidering parts of his practice:

It was a bit surreal recreating the outside world inside, but it has opened up new possibilities for me to create narrative images. By experimenting with mixing miniature sets and photographic backdrops, I've had many ideas about creating images that are not always possible to create outside on a real street without digital manipulation. It is different from my usual street work but a new avenue to explore.

Follow Slinkachu's latest installations on Instagram, and pick up a puzzle or print of his miniature figures from Affenfaust Galerie.

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Miniature Figures Navigate Human-Sized Threats in Slinkachu's Humorous Interventions

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At first glance, Slinkachu's scenes might appear to be a heap of multi-colored pills or a mess of children's toys left behind on a London street corner. Closer inspection, however, reveals minuscule figures navigating human-sized items as if they occupy an alternate, miniature world occurring in sid

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When Cape Town-based photographer Dillon Marsh learned about the commercial copper mines near Springbok, South Africa, he decided to document the remains of the excavation sites. "The first of these mines was established in 1852, and back then the digging was done by hand. The extracted copper ore was then transported by ox wagons to the coast 140 kilometers away, and from there, it was shipped to England to be processed," he tells Colossal.

This curiosity sparked his CGI series titled For What It's Worth, which positions metallic orbs representative of the amount of material extracted within the original mines. The striking juxtapositions are profound visual indictments of how uncovering and selling precious metals like copper, gold, and platinum and stones like diamonds have consistently been prioritized over the health of the land. "My feelings have consistently and rapidly fluctuated between a sense of awe for what was gained and a sense of sadness for what it cost," Marsh shares.

Framing many of the locations as scars in the earth, the images show 4.1 million tons of copper semi-buried in the steep gash of the Palabora Mine and 335 million troy ounces resting on the now-converted Free State Gold Field. The 7.6 million carats of diamonds pulled from Koffiefontein is so minuscule in comparison to the gaping hole required to obtain it that it's barely visible without magnification.

Marsh is considering continuing For What It's Worth at mines in other parts of the world, and you can see the blighted sites already in the collection on his site and Instagram. (via This Isn't Happiness)

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Insightful Digital Images Juxtapose Extracted Resources with the Original Mining Sites

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When Cape Town-based photographer Dillon Marsh learned about the commercial copper mines near Springbok, South Africa, he decided to document the remains of the excavation sites. "The first of these mines was established in 1852, and back then the digging was done by hand. The extracted copper ore w

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Oil Paintings by Paco Pomet Brighten Vintage Scenes with Satirical Elements in Color — Colossal

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Succeeding his series of paintings titled Beginnings, Paco Pomet’s Endings applies a similarly satirical veil to his provocative and outlandish scenarios: a cleaved camper reveals red steak marbled with fat, businessmen shake hands through an elongated finger trap, and a woman walks a hand-standing…

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Within the confines of a coin, Bryanna Marie paints quaint cabins, idyllic landscapes, and whimsical mushrooms with spotted caps. The Tucson-based artist's fascination with miniature canvases started back in 2014 when she painted a 3 x 3-inch piece, and she's since gravitated toward smaller spaces, ending up with the 1-inch diameters of pennies and other currencies. Rendered in oil paint, each work corresponds to the coin's origin. "For instance, I'll use an Irish penny for their rolling hills, or a Euro to paint my trips to France," she shares.

For more of the artist's miniature creations, visit her site and Instagram, and shop available pieces at Abend Gallery. (via Escape Kit)

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Minuscule Landscapes and Tiny Creatures Nestle Inside Painted Pennies and Other Coins

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Within the confines of a coin, Bryanna Marie paints quaint cabins, idyllic landscapes, and whimsical mushrooms with spotted caps. The Tucson-based artist's fascination with miniature canvases started back in 2014 when she painted a 3 x 3-inch piece, and she's since gravitated toward smaller spaces,

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Lee Sangsoo ( previously) bends angular strips of metal into coiled bellies and long, curled tails that form the bodies of his colorful creatures. The Seoul-based artist is known for his minimal sculptures in stainless steel that mimic line drawings in three dimensions. Shaped with as few metal components as possible and painted in subtle gradients or fantastical hues, Lee's animals range from a pair of cats and a parrot on a perch to deer and flamingos, all of which exude energy and vitality.

The artist has a solo exhibition in Singapore slated for July, and you can see more of his process, which starts with digital renderings before he shapes the final forms, on Instagram.

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Coiled Cats, Parrots, and Deer Form a Menagerie of Metal Animal Sculptures by Lee Sangsoo

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Lee Sangsoo (previously) bends angular strips of metal into coiled bellies and long, curled tails that form the bodies of his colorful creatures. The Seoul-based artist is known for his minimal sculptures in stainless steel that mimic line drawings in three dimensions. Shaped with as few metal compo

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A scroll through Tatsuya Tanaka's Instagram chronicles the everyday happenings of a cleverly designed world in miniature. The Japanese artist ( previously) has spent the last decade reimaging life-sized objects like pencil sharpeners, sponges, and slippers as tiny sets for his cast of characters: a "P" key rests on a painter's easel, bobsledders barrel through a bowl on a hot pepper, and ice skaters race across a white surgical mask.

Released daily as part of his ongoing Miniature Calendar project, the works often correspond with current events and cultural moments, including Tanaka's recent scenarios referencing the Winter Olympic Games. "The theme of my work is 'mitate'... to replace something around us with something similar or that looks like it. It is important to use something that everyone knows as a motif for my work," he writes.

For a look behind-the-scenes, click through each day on Tanaka's site, where he shares multiple perspectives of every work.

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A Daily Project by Tatsuya Tanaka Turns Everyday Goods into Quirky Miniatures

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A scroll through Tatsuya Tanaka's Instagram chronicles the everyday happenings of a cleverly designed world in miniature. The Japanese artist (previously) has spent the last decade reimaging life-sized objects like pencil sharpeners, sponges, and slippers as tiny sets for his cast of characters: a "

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Wooden Apple Sculptures by Yosuke Amemiya Melt Into Succulent Puddles

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An apple oozing into a flat puddle or a round bulge is likely a sign of softening and rot, although the fruits carved by Yosuke Amemiya retain their supple, juicy freshness despite their melting appearance. The artist, who moved to Yamanashi, Japan, from Berlin a month ago, shapes succulent pieces a

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Cats are known to wedge themselves into tiny spots and generally treat people as human jungle gyms, and artist Hiroko Kubota ( previously) translates that lack of spatial awareness into her tiny embroideries. Stitched onto collared shirts, the Nara-based artist's portraits are cleverly placed to depict furry faces peering over the edge of a pocket and sometimes, attempting to climb out from their garment confines. Since she started the designs about a decade ago, Kubota has embroidered hundreds of characters, each with their distinct personalities and mischievous expressions.

This spring, Kubota is participating in an Osaka cat event with photographers and other handcraft artists and is planning a solo exhibition this fall. She's paused international commissions for now, but you can stay updated on her work on Instagram.

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Cats Peek Out from Shirt Pockets in Hiroko Kubota's Clever Embroideries

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Cats are known to wedge themselves into tiny spots and generally treat people as human jungle gyms, and artist Hiroko Kubota (previously) translates that lack of spatial awareness into her tiny embroideries. Stitched onto collared shirts, the Nara-based artist's portraits are cleverly placed to depi

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Japanese sculptor Yoshitoshi Kanemaki ( previously) captures the emotional complexities of youth in his glitched 3-dimensional portraits. Kanemaki carves tree trunks into figures-often young women-whose faces are multiplied in expressions that range from distressed to joyful in a single sculpture. The figures' casual, natural poses seem to capture them in real time: some of the artist's characters perch on chairs mid-conversation, and others gesture with their arms to express confidence or bashfulness. In his finished works, Kanemaki usually uses lifelike coloring, but for one recent sculpture shown in detail below, the artist experimented with creating the sensation of an out-of-focus image by using soft, blurred shapes and colors to complete the expression. See more of the sculptor's finished and in-progress works on Instagram and Facebook. (via Hi-Fructose)

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Mercurial Emotions Carved into New Glitched Sculptures by Yoshitoshi Kanemaki

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Japanese sculptor Yoshitoshi Kanemaki (previously) captures the emotional complexities of youth in his glitched 3-dimensional portraits. Kanemaki carves tree trunks into figures-often young women-whose faces are multiplied in expressions that range from distressed to joyful in a single sculpture. Th