“The Trees” Stockwood Discovery Center, Luton, UK, 2022

For nearly a decade, Jin Choi and Thomas Shine of Choi + Shine Architects have turned to the community to produce elaborate crocheted lacework for their public installations. From the Netherlands to the United States to Japan, they've used the power of art to bring people together and create something beautiful for all to enjoy.

While Shine focuses on the structural aspect of the installation, Choi creates a crochet pattern that can be produced by people of different skill levels. Often referencing 16th-century patterns, Choi notes that lace weaves across many cultures and traditions, making it the perfect item to bring people together. While the duo initially turned to volunteers in order to produce large-scale work in a tight timeframe, they quickly realized that working with others instilled their art with a deeper meaning.

“Through community involvement, the work enables participants to share the ownership and sense of achievement,” the architects tell My Modern Met. “It is most rewarding when participants enter the studio every day, asking ‘How is our work today?’ or when they tell us, ‘My sons, who never spoke to me like that before, told me that they are proud of me,’ with such joy and pride in their eyes.

“When we witness many different people from all walks of life, young and old, different languages and origins, come together, laugh together, and help each other, we understand the purpose of art.”

The finished pieces are quite impressive, with the lace providing a familiar warmth to structures that are often quite modern. And though most of the public who view these pieces don't see the group effort that goes into completing them, this process is an important part of the story for Choi and Shine.

“For us, making art is as significant as the outcome, if not more so. It is a process of finding one’s own power to create while taking part in a change with our artwork that contributes to the beauty around us,” they share.

“In its making, we hope to share the power of making art—the power of telling the story in its quiet beauty, the experience of working with focus and rigor for a common goal, the experience of being the creator and sharing the memory of making every stitch with others—our collective journey for empowerment.”

The power of the creative journey will once again be on display this September when Choi + Shine reveals a reimagination of their popular URCHINS installation. Set to be displayed in Barcelona during Manifesta15, the pieces were realized during a three-week workshop that involved hundreds of crocheters working with 70 miles of marine cord.

Choi + Shine Architects are known for their elaborate lacework public installations.

“Arizona!” Scottsdale, Arizona, 2018

“The Power of One” Fukuoka Asian Art Museum Grand Studio, 2023

“Arizona!” Scottsdale, Arizona, 2018

The pieces are a marriage of modern structure and traditional lace patterns.

“The Trees” Stockwood Discovery Center, Luton, UK, 2022

“Arizona!” Scottsdale, Arizona, 2018

“The Lace” Amsterdam Light Festival, 2016 (Photo: Janus van den Eijnden, ©2016)

Around the world, the architects hold community workshops to help produce their public art.

Making of “The Trees”

Assembly of “The Power of One”

Making of “Arizona!”

“When we witness many different people from all walks of life, young and old, different languages and origins, come together, laugh together, and help each other, we understand the purpose of art.”

Making of “The Trees”

Making of “The Lace”

Choi + Shine Architects: Website | Instagram | Facebook

All images ©2016-2024 Choi+Shine Architects except where noted. My Modern Met granted permission to feature Choi + Shine Architects.

Related Articles:

Gigantic Crocheted Doilies Take Over Gallery Walls Like Beautiful Spider Webs

65-Foot-Tall Hand-Crocheted Tree “Grows” Inside Zurich’s Central Train Station

Immersive Installation Invites Viewers to Traverse a Suspended Crocheted Spiral

Master Yarn Artist and Team of Refugee Women Cover House in Pink Crochet as a Symbol of Hope

READ: Architects Work With Global Crochet Communities To Create Giant Lacework Installations

The new school year is either about to begin or has already begun for many, but even if you're well past your grade school years, that doesn't mean you still can't learn. And to make things easy for you, My Modern Met Academy is getting you ready to go back to school with a bundle of our favorite online art classes. Our Back to School bundle offers three online classes that will help you learn to draw, paint, and illustrate.

It's a great way to enhance your creative skills and transform yourself into a well-rounded artist. Packaged together at a discounted price of $95, you'll save $20 from what you'd pay if you purchased them individually. This makes it our most discounted bundle yet. But don't delay; this offer is only good until September 10, 2024.

This year's Back to School bundle includes three courses that will allow you to stretch and grow as an artist. It features Drawing 101: Learn the Building Blocks of Sketching with Margherita Cole, Abstract Realism: Introduction to Mixed Media Painting with Dimitra Milan, and Acrylic Painting Masterclass with Luiza Niechoda.

Drawing 101 is a great course for anyone who wants to feel more comfortable with sketching. Margherita Cole will show you how to break down subjects into simple shapes and discover the essential drawing tools that you'll need to start drawing.

Dimitra Milan's painting course, Abstract Realism: Introduction to Mixed Media Painting, is a wonderful way to dip into the world of mixed media art. She'll take you step by step through different techniques that you can use to create marvelous effects on the canvas.

Lastly, artist Luiza Niechoda helps you get comfortable with acrylic paints through the creation of two abstract landscape paintings. Along the way, you'll learn how to stretch your own canvas and work with color.

Get a sneak peek of each class below, and then purchase the Back to School bundle through My Modern Met Academy until September 10, 2023.

To celebrate the new school year, we've put together a special Back to School bundle.

For just $95, you'll receive three of our popular online art courses packaged together with a savings of $20.

In Drawing 101, Margherita Cole teaches the fundamentals of sketching.

She'll show you how to break down any subject into common shapes.

Go over sketching techniques.

And take you through how to draw three different subjects.

Get a sneak preview of Drawing 101: Learn the Building Blocks of Sketching.

Pick up your paintbrush for the Acrylic Painting Masterclass.

Artist Luiza Niechoda helps you get comfortable with acrylic paint by creating two abstract landscape paintings.

Along the way, you'll learn how to stretch your own canvas and work with color.

Get a sneak preview of Acrylic Painting Masterclass.

The last course in our bundle, Abstract Realism: Introduction to Mixed Media Painting, is a wonderful exploration of creative painting techniques.

Artist Dimitra Milan shows you how to create your own animal portrait.

She'll take you step by step through different techniques that you can use to create marvelous effects on the canvas.

Get a sneak preview of Abstract Realism: Introduction to Mixed Media Painting.

My Modern Met Academy: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok

Related Articles:

9 Expert Tips on How to Successfully Work With Acrylic Paint

10 Tips and Tricks for Using Colored Ink to Create Stunning Illustrations

Learn How to Draw Your Favorite People in This Beginner-Friendly Online Class

This Is One of the Best Online Classes To Learn Abstract Painting, According to Students

READ: Head Back to School With a Bundle of Painting and Drawing Classes for a Special Price

Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles. Photo © 2024 Yubo Dong; photo credit @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong.

Sewing machines are often used to create garments and accessories; but, for artist Erick Medel, they are fully rounded artistic tools. Using colorful thread on deep blue, heavyweight denim, Medel depicts the daily routines of the latino community of Los Angeles' Boyle Heights neighborhood, where he lives. His images, which blur the lines between photography and memory, truly capture the vibrancy that runs through the area.

Medel began experimenting with thread art in 2019. “At that time, I was creating soft sculptures with fabric, then I began to introduce thread in the work to add small details,” he tells My Modern Met. “In 2020, with the lockdowns, I started to see the sewing machine as a drawing tool, which led me to experiment with that process using denim and thread primarily. Eventually, I started to stretch them like a canvas over a frame.”

Medel works mostly from photographs, but he sometimes designs a composition on his own. At the center of his art, are the immigrant communities of Boyle Heights, through which he has rekindled a relationship with his heritage. “After returning from the east coast for grad school, I began to have a deeper understanding of my identity,” the artist recalls. “I moved to a heavily Latino immigrant neighborhood, which reminded me a lot of my childhood in Mexico. I find it very inspirational and that’s why I make work about it.”

In Medel's works, the intangible connection between the community members works as a narrative thread. Whether it's a tray full of pan dulce at a local bakery, a man painting a mural, a flower arrangement by a door, or happy couples dancing together at a plaza, there's always a sense of life. Even though many figures remain faceless, the energy of the community persists. Boyle Heights is clearly the place where many have found themselves comfortably at home.

Ultimately, while only a handful of people live in Boyle Heights, the feeling of belonging is universal. That's why Medel hopes his works “create some kind of connection, on a human level, even if they aren’t from the same background as me.” He says, “If it can evoke a memory or emotion, that’s successful to me. For the people from my background, I hope they might see themselves or loved ones in the work.”

The exhibition Erick Medel: Vidas runs through August 31 at Charlie James Gallery in Los Angeles. To learn more, visit the gallery's website.

Erick Medel uses colorful thread to depict the daily routines of the latino community of Los Angeles' Boyle Heights neighborhood.

Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles. Photo © 2024 Yubo Dong; photo credit @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong.

His images, which blur the lines between photography and memory, truly capture the vibrancy that runs through the area.

Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles. Photo © 2024 Yubo Dong; photo credit @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong.

In Medel's works, the intangible connection between the community members works as a narrative thread.

Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles. Photo © 2024 Yubo Dong; photo credit @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong.

Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles. Photo © 2024 Yubo Dong; photo credit @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong.

Ultimately, while only a handful of people live in Boyle Heights, the feeling of belonging is universal.

Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles. Photo © 2024 Yubo Dong; photo credit @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong.

That's why Medel hopes his works “create some kind of connection, on a human level, even if they aren’t from the same background as me.”

Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles. Photo © 2024 Yubo Dong; photo credit @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong.

Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles. Photo © 2024 Yubo Dong; photo credit @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong.

Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles. Photo © 2024 Yubo Dong; photo credit @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong.

Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles. Photo © 2024 Yubo Dong; photo credit @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong.

Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles. Photo © 2024 Yubo Dong; photo credit @ofphotostudio Yubo Dong.

Erick Medel: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Charlie James Gallery.

Related Articles:

Artists Merge Thread Painting With the Japanese Art of Kintsugi on Vintage Plates

Artist Uses Produce Boxes as Canvases for Portraits of Immigrant Farmworkers Who Put Food on Our Tables

Artist Creates Realistic Embroidery of Special Moments and Beloved Pets To Spread Love and Inner Peace

Stunning Embroidered Still Lifes Made With Countless Stitches of Colorful Thread

READ: Colorful Thread Art Depicts Day-To-Day Life of Los Angeles’ Latino Communities

Working in three dimensions, sculptors throughout history have shaped marble, bronze, wood, and other materials into incredible forms. From our earliest times, sculpture has been an important way to understand culture and society, whether from portrait busts of great leaders or symbolic renderings of ethical principles.

When you stop to consider famous sculptures throughout history, the list is endless. From the armless beauty of the Venus de Milo to the great army of terracotta warriors built to protect the Chinese Emperor, the function of ancient sculpture moves toward modernity through groundbreaking work by Duchamp. And yet, the classical is always present, whether it be through the iconically symbolic Statue of Liberty or Boccioni's early 20th-century sculptures taking cues from ancient Greek art.

We take a look at 20 famous sculptures throughout history to show the variety of art that has captured the public's imagination. Groundbreaking, beautiful, and often thought-provoking, these works have withstood the test of time.

20 famous sculptures that have become iconic pieces of history:

Venus of Willendorf (c. 30,000-20,000 BCE)

Photo: MatthiasKabel via Wikimedia Commons (GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0)

The Venus of Willendorf is a 4.4-inch-tall figurine made from limestone discovered in Willendorf, Austria. It is believed to have been crafted between 30,000 and 25,000 BCE, making it one of the world's oldest known works of art. Because of the figure's prominent breasts, rounded abdomen, and shapely hips, many researchers over time have concluded that the carving was intended to be a fertility statue, or “Venus figurine.”

Bust of Nefertiti by Thutmose (1345 BCE)

Photo: Philip Pikart via Wikimedia Commons (GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0)

This painted limestone bust, now in the Neues Museum in Berlin, is a beautiful portrait of Nefertiti, the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten. Found in the workshop of an artist named Thutmose, his iconic rendering made Nefertiti a symbol of ideal feminine beauty for centuries to come.

Terracotta Warriors (late 3rd century BCE)

Photo: Bule Sky Studio via Shutterstock

The terracotta warriors are a collection of statues in Xi'an, China, depicting the army of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. Counted among the warrior statues are 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots, and 670 horses. The figures are an incredible example of funerary art, created to guard to Emperor in the afterlife. They were only discovered in 1974 when farmers digging a well happened upon them in a location almost 1 mile from the Emperor's tomb. Portions of the collection are often part of traveling exhibitions around the world and the mausoleum in Xi'an has been a World Heritage Site since 1987. The works have inspired everything from 3D sidewalk art to pizza dough sculptures.

Laocoön and His Sons (c. 323 BCE – 31 CE)

Photo: IR Stone via Shutterstock

Since its 16th century excavation, Laocoön and His Sons has attracted art historians and art lovers alike. Located in Rome's Vatican city, this Hellenistic sculpture depicts three marble figures in an action-packed scene based on an ancient Greek myth. According to legend, Laocoön was a priest from Troy who—along with his two sons, Antiphantes and Thymbraeus—was attacked by sea serpents sent by a god. Although the original sculptor remains a mystery, the work is lauded for its technical mastery and emotional impact.

Nike of Samothrace (c.190 BCE)

Photo: warasit via Depositphotos

Located in the Louvre Museum, the Winged Victory of Samothrace or Nike of Samothrace is an iconic example of Hellenistic Greek sculpture. Depicting Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, it is one of the few remaining Hellenistic sculptures that is a Greek original and not a later Roman copy. With her clothes clinging to her body, the goddess triumphantly moves forward as though on the prow of a ship leading troops to victory. One of the most famous sculptures in history, it would later influence Umberto Boccioni's Unique Forms of Continuity in Space.

Venus de Milo (c.130 BCE)

Photo: Bradley Weber via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Also located in the Louvre, the Venus de Milo is also known as the Aphrodite of Milos and is thought to depict Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. The marble sculpture stands 6 feet 8 inches tall and is known for its missing arms. As any limbs were in peril of breaking off over time, it's not uncommon for ancient sculpture to be missing their limbs. The world famous sculpture was found on the Greek island of Milos in 1820 by a peasant, who discovered it fractured into two pieces. The work has long influenced artists, including Dalí, who created the Venus de Milo with Drawers in 1936.

David by Donatello (1430-1440)

Photo: Patrick A. Rodgers via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Almost 100 years before Michelangelo's David, Italian Renaissance sculptor Donatello created an iconic version of the Biblical tale. As one of the most renowned bronze sculptures, Donatello's David is younger and more contemplative, having just slain Goliath. In fact, Donatello cleverly uses Goliath's head and David's sword as support for the structure. The sculpture caused a scandal at the time, as David is nude except for his boots, and was considered so naturalistic it was disturbing. The early Renaissance sculpture has the distinction of being both the first unsupported bronze cast sculpture, as well as the first freestanding male nude since antiquity.

David by Michelangelo (1501-1504)

Photo: Jörg Bittner Unna via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Originally commissioned for the roof of Florence's cathedral, Michelangelo was only 26 years old when he won the job. One of the most iconic sculptures in history, Michelangelo's oversized David is calm and collected, with his slingshot slung over his shoulder, confidently waiting to take on Goliath. Michelangelo's skill is demonstrated in his attention to detail, from the bulging veins in David's hand to the mastery of contrapposto in his pose.

Moses by Michelangelo (1513-1515)

Photo: Livioandronico2013 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Michelangelo created Moses, a depiction of the Biblical figure and prophet, after his David. The sculpture portrays Moses with his characteristic horns and serves as the centerpiece for Pope Julius II's grand tomb. Located in the Church of San Pietro, Moses features Michelangelo's unparalleled artistic abilities, with the face appearing seamlessly blended and exceptionally soft despite being chiseled out of marble.

The Rape of Proserpina by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1621-1622)

Photo: irisphoto1 via Shutterstock

Known to symbolize freedom in the United States, the Statue of Liberty is a copper statue that was a gift from the French government and shows a robbed figure representing the Roman goddess Libertas. In her arms, she holds a tablet with the date of the US Declaration of Independence. The idea for the gift was dreamed up by Édouard René de Laboulaye, president of the French Anti-Slavery Society, to celebrate and honor the Union victory in the Civil War and the abolition of slavery. The green patina, now associated with the celebrated sculpture, only appeared after 1900 as the copper oxidized.

Statue of Liberty, designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and built by Gustave Eiffel (1876-1886)

Photo: byvalet via Shutterstock

Known to symbolize freedom in the United States, the Statue of Liberty is a copper statue that was a gift from the French government and shows a robbed figure representing the Roman goddess Libertas. In her arms, she holds a tablet with the date of the US Declaration of Independence. The idea for the gift was dreamed up by Édouard René de Laboulaye, president of the French Anti-Slavery Society, to celebrate and honor the Union victory in the Civil War and the abolition of slavery. The green patina, now associated with the celebrated sculpture, only appeared after 1900 as the copper oxidized.

The Thinker by Rodin (1880, cast in 1904)

Photo: Attila JANDI via Shutterstock

This masterpiece by French sculptor Auguste Rodin was originally titled The Poet and was actually meant to be part of a larger composition called The Gates of Hell. The Thinker was actually retitled by foundry workers who found similarities with Michelangelo's sculpture Il Penseroso (The Thinker) and became an independent work of art. The celebrated sculpture has been cast multiple times, with 28 full-figure castings, though many not made during Rodin's lifetime. The Musée Rodin has the honor of displaying the first full-scale cast of this figure, often used to represent philosophy.

Unique Forms of Continuity in Space by Umberto Boccioni (1913, cast in 1931)

Photo: Umberto Boccini via Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

Though he died at 33, Italian artist Umberto Boccioni had an enormous impact on the art world. Helping shape the aesthetics of the Futurist movement, he was interested in the dynamism of form and deconstructing solid shapes. Now located in New York's MoMA, his Unique Forms of Continuity in Space is the apex of his ideas. Suggesting a windswept movement, the sleek bronze at once embraces modern machinery, yet is also a nod to the ancient past. Bursting with energy, it fulfills Boccioni's wish, “Let us fling open the figure and let it incorporate within itself whatever may surround it.”

Fountain by Duchamp (1917)

Photo: Marcel Duchamp Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

Marcel Duchamp turned the artwork on its ear with his readymade Fountain, a porcelain urinal.  The Dada artist first submitted the work to the Society of Independent Artists for an exhibition in New York, but it was rejected. The original, then photographed by Alfred Stieglitz in this studio, is now lost, but Duchamp commissioned numerous replicas in the 1960s that still exist. With this groundbreaking work, Duchamp challenges us to think about whether or not traditional concepts of craftsmanship or aesthetics are important when considering something art.

Lincoln Memorial, designed by Daniel Chester French & carved by the Piccirilli Brothers (1920)

Photo: S. Borisov via Shutterstock

Originally designed to be 10 feet tall, this marble sculpture of the 16th president of the United States was enlarged to 19 feet from head to foot. It depicts Lincoln in contemplation, sitting inside the majestic temple structure that forms the rest of the Lincoln Memorial. From the 1930s, the space has gained importance as a symbol of race relations in the United States.

The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer by Edgar Degas (1922)

Photo: Edgar Degas via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)

Edgar Degas, widely known for his oil paintings of dance, also made sculptures. The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer is a bronze sculpture that stands at one-third the height of its model, Marie van Goethem, a ballerina at the Paris Opera Ballet dance school. The sculpture features a real tutu around her waist and a silk ribbon in her hair, adding an interesting aspect of realism. Interestingly, Degas originally crafted the sculpture in wax, and since then, 28 bronze-cast replicas have been made and are displayed in museums around the world.

Bird in Space by Constantin Brancusi (1923)

Bird in Space is a series of sculptures by Romanian artist Constantin Brancusi, the first being cast in 1923. Seven are made of marble and nine are cast in bronze. Rather than focus on a physical depiction of a bird, Brancusi wished to depict a feeling of movement. Stripping the animal of its wings and feathers, and elongating its beak and midsection, the sleek form emerges. A masterclass in symmetry and harmony, the sculpture set a record in 2005, when it was sold at auction for $23.5 million. At the time, it was a record high for a piece of sculpture. Currently, the original marble version is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons (1994-2000)

Photo: Hayk_Shalunts via Shutterstock

Love him or hate him, Jeff Koons is responsible for some of the most memorable art of the 20th century. In 2013, his Balloon Dog (Orange), made of stainless steel with a transparent coating, set a record for a living artist when it sold at Christie's for $58.4 million in 2013. Part of a series that transforms a playful child's party favor into a monumental sculpture, Koons also created other versions in blue, magenta, red, and yellow.

Maman by Louise Bourgeois (1999, cast in 2001)

Photo: Rudy Mareel via Shutterstock

Standing over 30 feet high, Louise Bourgeois‘ Maman at the Guggenheim in Bilbao is a masterpiece that marries physical and psychological power. Impressive in its size, the large spidery sculpture is associated with the artist's own mother, who worked repairing tapestries. We see the spider, protecting fiercely her sac of 26 marble eggs, provokes fear through her size, but vulnerability through the stilt-like legs, which could seemingly topple at any moment. The spider is a recurring theme in Bourgeois' work, first featuring in drawings in 1947 and continuing throughout her career, including the 1996 sculpture Spider.

Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor (2004)

Photo: photo.ua via Shutterstock

When he's not stirring controversy by exclusively licensing the blackest black paint on the planet, Anish Kapoor is known for his headline-making sculpture. One of his most well-known public art pieces, Cloud Gate in Chicago's Millennium Park, was inspired by liquid mercury. Kapoor won the commission after submitting to a design contest, and though the design was controversial—many believed the seamless design was impossible to construct and upkeep—it's now become a beloved part of the city.

This article has been edited and updated.

Related Articles:

Art History: What is Line Art?

Art History: The Evolution of Hypnotic Kinetic Sculptures

Exploring the Cutting-Edge History and Evolution of Collage Art

2,000+ Years of Dogs in Art, From Ancient Mosaics to Instagram Selfies

READ: 20 of the Most Famous Sculptures You Need To Know

Photo: Francesco Pierantoni via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

In 1974, legendary performance artist Marina Abramović performed Rhythm 0, a daring 6-hour work inviting her audience to do anything to her unmoving body. Through her work, Abramović attempted to explore human nature when given complete freedom and themes of sexual violation.

Before the performance, Abramović laid out 72 items on a table, ranging from harmless objects like a pen, perfume, a feather, and a rose to increasingly dangerous ones like a scalpel, a saw, a metal bar, a gun, and a bullet. She motionlessly stood there with the instructions: “There are 72 objects on the table that one can use on me as desired. Performance. I am the object… During this period I take full responsibility.”

According to Abramović, the evening started calmly, with nothing eventful occurring at the beginning. Her spectators would adjust her body and play with her, giving her kisses and a rose. Towards the third hour, the audience turned wild: someone used the sharp knives provided to cut the clothes off her body, and her neck was cut open so her blood could be sucked from it. A knife was later stuck between her legs, and rose thorns were pushed into her stomach. While crying, Abramović remained unmobile.

Groups formed in the audience, representing different sides of humanity: kindness and cruelty. Some tried to protect the artist and wiped her tears away.

The height of the performance came when the gun was loaded and put to her head, with someone guiding her finger to the trigger. People in the audience wanted to test her limits, pushing to see how far she would go for her art.

When the sixth hour had elapsed, Abramović explains that she began moving and returning to herself, no longer in the puppet-like form she had maintained. In response, everyone ran away, unable to face her as a human after seeing her as an object to be used.

Through her performance, in which she tested her mental and physical limits, Abramović intended to answer the question: “What is the public about, and what are they going to do in this kind of situation?” Abramović later reflected on the experience, realizing that the audience is capable of killing the artist if given the opportunity.

Rhythm 0 is one endurance performance out of many that Abramović has done throughout her career, including four other works in her Rhythm series: Rhythm 10, Rhythm 5, Rhythm 2, and Rhythm 4. In each performance, she explores the limits of her body through extreme pain or physical exhaustion.

Abramović is not only a pioneer in performance and endurance art, but also an explorer of human psychology and the boundaries of the human body and mind. At age 77, she continues to influence the art world with her work through her foundation, the Marina Abramović Institute.

Watch Abramovic's full reflections on the groundbreaking performance in an interview published by the Marina Abramović Institute.

In 1974, Marina Abramović performed Rhythm 0, a daring 6-hour work that invited her audience to do anything to her unmoving body.

Photo: Leo Reynolds via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

The items she provided ranged from food and flowers to a loaded gun and knives.

Photo: Marc Wathieu via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

The performance escalated to extreme levels of danger and violence, revealing the cruelty of human nature when given the opportunity.

Photo: Francesco Pierantoni via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Abramović's endurance performances and her ongoing work through the Marina Abramović Institute continue to influence the art world by pushing the limits of performance art.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Marina Abramović Institute (@abramovicinstitute)

Marina Abramovic Institute: Website | Instagram | Facebook

Related Articles:

Powerful Portraits of People Crying by Marina Abramovic

Yoko Ono Invites Visitors To Participate in Immersive Exhibit at Tate Modern

Precarious Performance Art Turns Everyday Activities Into Awe-Inspiring Spectacles

Meet the Innovative Artists Who Pioneered Performance Art and Elevated Its Importance

READ: 50 Years Ago Marina Abramović’s Revolutionary ‘Rhythm 0’ Tested Human Nature

Have you ever seen a house blow a bubble? Deep in the Japanese countryside, visitors to Murono Village discover an ancient wooden house blowing a luminous bubble. Ephemeral Bubble, the brainchild of MAD Architects’ Ma Yansong, was created for the 2024 Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale (ETAT), one of the world’s largest international outdoor art festivals.

The semi-transparent installation extends from the 100-year-old China House Huayuan, a local hub of Chinese art and cultural exchange. It’s made of PVC film that filters and blurs the natural world outside its curves, creating an enclosed cocoon- or den-like experience for visitors. It is arguably most striking in the evening when it lights up with a soft, welcoming glow.

The ETAT festival launched in 2000, occurs every three years, and now permanently hosts more than 230 permanent works. The festival is rooted in Satoyama, the sustainable coexistence between human civilization and natural ecosystems. Similarly, MAD Architects states that it “endeavors to create a balance between humanity, the city, and the environment.” Aptly, the glowing bubble structure is intended to “open a dialogue” with the local countryside, according to MAD Architects, as it creatively merges the internal space of the traditional home with its natural surroundings.

MAD Architects views the temporary bulbous extension in Murono as ideal for communing with nature, reflecting spiritually, or holding gatherings and performances. The firm sees the interactive space as playful, as well. Yansong told Dezeen, “Picture our century-old house drifting off to sleep, gently blowing bubbles as it dreams.” This innovative team also made a noteworthy nature-centric contribution to ETAT in 2018 with Tunnel of Light.

One of ETAT’s goals is to honor and revitalize the Echigo-Tsumari region, known for rice cultivation, heavy snowfall in winter, and an aging population—and it has seen considerable success, so far. The festival has brought a wealth of new visitors, employment, and tourism revenue to the area.

When the sun sets and Ephemeral Bubble illuminates, it also resembles a lantern or light bulb, perhaps calling to curious travelers. (If this aesthetic appeals, you might also like the various large-scale electric bulb-themed works that pepper the annual Glow festival in Eindhoven, Netherlands.)

Ephemeral Bubble will be open to ETAT guests through November 2024.

In the Japanese countryside, MAD Architects’ Ephemeral Bubble appears like a giant bubble being blown out of the 100-year-old China House Huayuan.

Visitors can explore the peaceful, semi-transparent unwavering balloon.

MAD Architects created this ephemeral space for the 2024 Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale (ETAT), one of the largest international outdoor art festivals.

At night, Ephemeral Bubble also glows within a neighborhood of traditional houses.

MAD Architects: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by MAD Architects.

Related Articles:

Enormous Lakeside Arts Center in China Mimics the Shapes of Waves in Its Design

Cultural Center in China Has Roof Inspired by the Shape of Bamboo Leaves

16-Story Residential Tower Will Have a Nature Trail Going Through It

READ: 100-Year-Old House in Japanese Village Looks Like It’s Blowing a Bubble

“Young Girl in Green (Young Girl with Gloves)” by Tamara de Lempicka. ca. 1931 (Photo: © 2024 Tamara de Lempicka Estate, LLC / ADAGP, Paris / ARS, NY Digital image © CNAC/MNAM, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY)

Nothing represents the opulence of the 1920s quite like Tamara de Lempicka‘s art. Her Art Deco-style portraits of women exemplify newfound female independence during the “Roaring Twenties,” and now, for the first time, a major retrospective of her art is coming to the United States.

Opening this October at the de Young, part of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Tamara de Lempicka brings together over 120 works. These not only include her avant-garde portraits, which combine classical and modern sensibilities, but also features rare drawings and experimental still-lifes.

The exhibition unfolds over four sections marked by her changing identity: “Tamara Rosa Hurwitz” (her newly revealed birth name), “Monsieur Łempitzky,” “Tamara de Lempicka,” and “Baroness Kuffner.” This allows visitors to follow Lempicka as her life evolved from her childhood in Poland to her move to St. Petersburg, where she married a prominent Polish lawyer named Tadeusz Łempicki. The couple later fled the Russian Revolution to Paris. While they later divorced and Lempicka later married Baron Raoul Kuffner de Dioszegh, she continued using her first husband's name to sign her art.

The portraits on display also constitute a look at her life, as they are filled with influential figures. Paintings of her daughter and husbands are mixed with the muses and lovers who were also dear to Lempicka. These personal paintings are mixed with images of the European and American elite who commissioned work by the artist.

“The combination of varied artistic influences in Europe during the interwar period constitute the ingredients for Lempicka’s unique visual language, a captivating and unique blend of classicism and modernism,” explains Gioia Mori, exhibition co-curator, professor of Contemporary Art History, and leading Lempicka scholar.

The exhibition will also celebrate the unique role of fashion in Lempicka's art. Garments from the 1920s and 1930s present in the museum's costume and textile collection demonstrate the new, modern vision of women that was also folded into her bold paintings.

“Beyond celebrating Lempicka’s Art Deco persona, Tamara de Lempicka will reveal the artist’s layered artistic influences, demonstrating how her appreciation and knowledge of European art history informed the deliberate design process behind her memorable paintings,” shares Furio Rinaldi, exhibition co-curator and curator in charge of the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

Tamara de Lempicka runs from October 12, 2024, to February 9, 2025, at the de Young. The exhibition will then travel to Houston and be on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, from March 9 through May 26, 2025.

Tamara de Lempicka is the first retrospective exhibition of the artist's work in the United States.

“Portrait of Ira P.” by Tamara de Lempicka. 1930. (Photo: © 2024 Tamara de Lempicka Estate, LLC / ADAGP, Paris / ARS, NY © 1969 Christie’s Images Limited)

Her Art Deco-style portraits of women exemplify newfound female independence during the “Roaring Twenties.”

“Tamara de Lempicka working on “Portrait of Tadeusz de Łempicki””, ca. 1929. (Photo: Thérèse Bonney © The Regents of the University of California, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley. Source : Ville de Paris / Bibliothèque historique)

The exhibition opens at the de Young in San Francisco on October 12, 2024.

“The Beautiful Rafaëla (La belle Rafaëla)” by Tamara de Lempicka. 1927. (Photo: © 2024 Tamara de Lempicka Estate, LLC / ADAGP, Paris / ARS, NY Banque d'Images, ADAGP / Art Resource, NY)

Related Articles:

14 Famous Female Painters Every Art Lover Should Know

Precisionism: The Modern American Style Sparked by Industrialization

20+ Revolutionary Art Movements That Have Shaped Our Visual History

5 Art Deco Buildings That Embody the Vintage Glamour of This Architectural Style

READ: Tamara de Lempicka’s Revolutionary Art To Be Exhibited in First U.S. Retrospective

Artist Carla Grace Ollwitz crafts stunning paintings that showcase the beauty of animals in breathtaking detail. Born in South Africa and having lived on multiple continents during her childhood, her experiences resulted in a deep love for nature that shines through in her work.

“I spent many years in different parts of Africa as a child and youth,” Ollwitz tells My Modern Met. “Being so exposed to wildlife had a huge impact on my decision to focus on wildlife as my core brand.”

From vibrant tropical birds to majestic mammals like lions and bears, each fascinating animal is captured with impressive detail. Bird portraits feature textured plumage brought to life through thousands of meticulously applied brushstrokes, while the furry manes of lions are rendered in rich layers of oil or acrylic.

Impressively, Ollwitz is entirely self-taught. After dropping out of university, she set up her own business and began teaching herself how to paint. Her daily commitment to refining her craft is evident in her work, and she even generously shares painting tips with her followers on social media.

Ollwitz aims to inspire her viewers to connect with nature through her art. “I believe that the majority of humans are drawn to wildlife. An individual's affinity to help creatures that cannot help themselves tends to reveal the truth about a human's character,” she says. “My work has become focused on creating an experience between the viewer and the subject that feels tangible.”

Check out some of the anrtist’s incredible wildlife paintings below, and be sure to follow Ollwitz on Instagram for more artwork and painting tips.

Carla Grace Ollwitz creates wildlife-inspired paintings that showcase the beauty of animals in incredible detail.

Bird portraits feature textured plumage brought to life through thousands of meticulously applied brushstrokes.

And furry mammals are rendered in rich layers of oil or acrylic.

The self-taught artist frequently shares her journey and progress, showing that dedication is the key to improvement.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Carla Grace Ollwitz (@carla_grace_art)

Carla Grace Ollwitz: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Carla Grace Ollwitz.

Related Articles:

Life-Sized Animal Paintings Look Just Like Emotional Black and White Photos

Lifelike Animal Paintings Raise Real Awareness for Vulnerable Endangered Species

Artist Promotes Wildlife Conservation With Her Awe-Inspiring Animal Paintings

Surreal Animal Paintings Reimagine Wildlife and Their Connection to Nature

READ: Self-Taught Artist Captures Every Tiny Hair and Feather in Hyperrealistic Animal Paintings

Recasting Pittsburgh

For the last 10 years, artist Norwood Viviano has been exploring the relationship between industrial growth and population changes in American cities through sculptures. His series of kiln-cast glass sculptures, titled Recast Cities, vividly captures iconic, ever-changing skylines while reflecting each city’s rich manufacturing history.

Viviano’s interests are rooted in his family’s migration from Sicily to the U.S. in the early 1900s and his own experience growing up in Detroit during the 1970s and 80s—a period marked by economic turmoil and mass migration due to changes in the auto industry.

“I initially wanted to examine the power dynamic between industry and the early immigrant population in the city of Detroit,” the artist tells My Modern Met. “This then led me to research other periods of history where major population shifts took place and their relationship to rapid industrial growth and decline.”

Viviano, who worked with historians, urban planners, demographers, climate scientists and statisticians to deepen his understanding of these shifting urban landscapes, explains, “I explore settlement patterns and the events that shaped them.” His glass sculptures represent each city, their stories of migration, and the fragility of urban populations.

For his Recasting Detroit sculpture, Viviano cast a miniature version of the city perched atop a glass car engine, symbolizing the pivotal role of the auto industry in Detroit's history. Similarly, his Recasting Pittsburg cleverly features a glass beam as the base—mirroring the large beams typically used in construction—emphasizing Pittsburgh's industrial history. Even Viviano’s Recasting New York piece features the city’s iconic skyline perched atop a stack of glass newspapers, symbolizing The New York Times and its significance in the city's history.

“My installations and objects encourage individuals to make connections and ask questions about the interconnectivity between their and other communities,” says Viviano. “As an artist, I present data-driven information in a three-dimensional format using traditional craft materials in ways that allow viewers to place themselves in the work. By representing thousands of individual people as points in space, viewers can locate when and where they or someone they knew lived in a particular city.”

Each cityscape begins with 3D scans, which are then combined with objects such as a car engine to create a rubber mold. From this mold, a wax replica is created, which burns away after it’s filled with glass and fired in a kiln at 1550 degrees Fahrenheit.

“I find myself looking at the world as a surveyor—telling stories through objects,” says Viviano. “The evolution of physical environments parallels the movement of peoples and helps me further understand questions raised in my formative years growing up in the landscape of Detroit.”

Check out the artist’s Recast Cities series below and find more work on Viviano’s website.

Norwood Viviano's Recast Cities series features kiln-cast glass sculptures that capture the iconic skylines of U.S. cities.

Recasting Pittsburgh (detail)

Recasting New York

Recasting New York (detail)

Each cityscape is cast to sit above an object that represents the location's industrial past.

Recasting Grand Rapids

Recasting Grand Rapids (detail)

Recasting Detroit

Recasting Detroit (detail)

Recasting Houston

Recasting Houston (detail)

Recasting Chicago

Recasting Chicago (detail)

Recasting Portland

Each glass sculpture represents stories of migration and the fragility of urban populations.

Recasting Philadelphia

Recasting Toledo

Recasting Toledo (detail)

Norwood Viviano: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Norwood Viviano.

Related Articles:

8 Contemporary Glass Artists Who Shatter the Boundaries of the Craft

Mini Sculptures of Los Angeles Capture the Gritty Personality of City Neighborhoods

Weathered Façades of Gritty Urban Buildings Are Meticulously Replicated in Tiny Sculptures

Glass Sculptures of Hands Knitting Themselves Celebrate the Act of Making

READ: Glass Sculptures of U.S. Skylines Highlight Iconic Cities and Their Industrial History

After opening up a package, most of us break down the cardboard box and bring it to the recycling bin, but not Josh Gluckstein. This London-based artist uses the material to create incredible sculptures of wildlife, transforming the brown stiff paper into animals like giraffes, lions, and gorillas. Most recently, he's pushed himself to complete his most ambitious project to date—an 8-foot-tall cardboard coral reef filled with over 50 different species of animals.

Gluckstein has been documenting the entire creative process on Instagram and TikTok, with 10 videos leading to the final reveal. From colorful coral to giant sea turtles, an octopus, and a spotted blue ray, the sculpture is a meticulous look at life underwater. According to the artist, it “celebrates the wonder and rich biodiversity of our oceans while raising awareness for the fragility of and challenges facing our marine life.”

Created for Homo Faber, a month-long exhibition in Venice that celebrates modern artisans, the sculpture was a creative challenge for Gluckstein, who used to work as a freelance prop maker. In order to create the necessary textures for the reef, he turned to different types of cardboard.

“To create my coral reef, I really needed to expand my search and ended up making friends with my local greengrocers and supermarket staff to collect hundreds of fruit trays to create the rocks and colored cardboard to represent the bright colors of the fish,” he tells My Modern Met. “That's the beauty of cardboard—it's so widely used, and you can find it anywhere if you keep your eyes open.”

His videos give a fascinating glimpse at how he manipulates the cardboard. We watch as he shapes and molds individual pieces of coral, which come to life when painted and placed on the reef. Next are the animals, including eels, different fish, and an octopus. As each one is added to the reef, the sculpture takes on an immersive quality and becomes a 360-degree experience.

So rich in detail, it's difficult to choose a favorite part of the reef, but Gluckstein does have his personal selection. “The cardboard straw anemone and clown fish,” he confesses. “I love the simplicity of the cardboard straws representing the anemone, and also the subtle message about the threat of plastic waste in the ocean and the difference we can make by making more sustainable choices.”

Now, as his work is on its way to Venice, he hopes that his reef will remind people of the ocean's magical beauty and show the incredible creative possibilities of cardboard.

To celebrate his commitment to ocean conservation, Gluckstein is donating 10% of the proceeds from this special piece to the charity Oceana, which works to protect and restore the world’s oceans globally.

Anyone wishing to view the piece in person will want to visit Homo Faber, which is taking place across Venice, Italy, for the entire month of September.

Cardboard artist Josh Gluckstein has created his most ambitious sculpture yet—an 8-foot-tall coral reef.

The sculpture includes over 50 marine species, including sea turtles, an octopus, and a blue spotted ray.

@joshglucksteinartist How I make my cardboard turtles ♻️ Which process video would you like to see next? #Turtle #recycledart #cardboardsculpture #sustainableartist #viralreels #fyp #foryoupage #artinspo #art #wildlifeart #animalart #animalsculpture #sculptureartist #seaturtle ♬ origineel geluid – hanna

Gluckstein detailed his creative process with a series of behind-the-scenes videos.

@joshglucksteinartist Part 2: Making a 2.5metre Cardboard CORAL REEF ♻️ Using supermarket cardboard fruit trays ♻️ What do you guys think? I'll be dropping a new process video every week so you can watch as the piece comes to life. #cardboardcoralreef #recycledart #cardboardsculpture #oceanart #oceanconservation #marine #reef #oceanwildlife #oceanlover #scubadiving #coral #marinelife #fyp #fypage #viralreels #cardboardart #cardboardcreations #tiktokart #artinspo #art #wildlifeart #paperart #interiordesign #artforsale #reels ♬ Adventure of a Lifetime – Coldplay

@joshglucksteinartist Part 4: Octopus Making a 2.5metre Cardboard CORAL REEF ♻️ Scuba diving has been my favourite wildlife experience to date, it's always an explosion of life and colour, and I love the feeling of entering into another world With this piece, I really wanted to capture the feeling of being immersed in a thriving underwater ecosystem I'll be dropping a new process video every week so you can watch as the piece comes to life. ♻️ #cardboardcoralreef #recycledart #cardboardsculpture #Octopus #secretsoftheoctopus #oceanart #oceanconservation #marine #reef #oceanwildlife #oceanlover #scubadiving #coral #marinelife #fyp #fypage #viralreels #cardboardart #cardboardcreations #artstudio #tiktokart #artinspo #art #natgeotravel #sculptorsofinstagram #wildlifeart #conservationartist #paperart #interiordesign #reels ♬ Soso – Kabusa Oriental Choir

@joshglucksteinartist Part 5: Moray Eels Making a 2.5metre Cardboard CORAL REEF ♻️ I'll be dropping a new process video every week so you can watch as the piece comes to life. ♻️ #cardboardcoralreef #recycledart #cardboardsculpture #morayeel #octopus #oceanart #fyp #fypage #oceanconservation #marine #reef #oceanwildlife #oceanlover #scubadiving #coral #marinelife #viralreels #cardboardart #cardboardcreations #artstudio #tiktokart #artinspo #art #natgeotravel #wildlifeart #paperart #interiordesign #reels ♬ Electric Feel – MGMT

@joshglucksteinartist Part 8: Green Turtles Making a 2.5metre Cardboard CORAL REEF ♻️ What do you think of the reef so far? ♻️ #cardboardcoralreef #recycledart #cardboardsculpture #greenturtle #turtle #coralreef #oceanart #fyp #jellyfish #fypage #oceanconservation #marine #reef #oceanwildlife #oceanlover #scubadiving #coral #marinelife #viralreels #cardboardart #cardboardcreations #artstudio #tiktokart #artinspo #art #wildlifeart #paperart #interiordesign #reels ♬ Paradise – Coldplay

@joshglucksteinartist Part 9: Sea Creatures Making a 2.5metre Cardboard CORAL REEF ♻️ It's bittersweet to be getting towards the end of the reef… Final Part 10 will be released next week! ♻️ #cardboardcoralreef #recycledart #cardboardsculpture #tropicalfish #turtle #coralreef #oceanart #fyp #jellyfish #fypage #oceanconservation #marine #reef #oceanwildlife #oceanlover #scubadiving #coral #marinelife ##tiktokart #tiktokartist #cardboardart #cardboardcreations #artstudio #artinspo #art #sculptorsofinstagram #wildlifeart #paperart #interiordesign ♬ misses – Dominic Fike

@joshglucksteinartist COMPLETED Cardboard Coral Reef ✨️ Five months of work and my coral reef is now complete and on its way to Venice! #cardboardcoralreef #recycledart #cardboardsculpture #tropicalfish #turtle #coralreef #oceanart #fyp #jellyfish #fypage #oceanconservation #marine #reef #oceanwildlife #oceanlover #scubadiving #coral #marinelife ##tiktokart #tiktokartist #cardboardart #cardboardcreations #artstudio #artinspo #art #sculptorsofinstagram #wildlifeart #paperart #interiordesign ♬ Sunshine (feat. Dan Harkna) (Extended Mix) – TIEKS

Josh Gluckstein: Website | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Josh Gluckstein.

Related Articles:

French Artist Creates Ethereal Cardboard Bridges Suspended by Balloons

Giant Lifelike Animal Sculptures Made Entirely From Upcycled Cardboard

Japanese Artist Transforms Old Amazon Cardboard Boxes into Amazing Sculptures

Artist Connects With Family History by Building Cardboard Sculptures That Look Like Wood

READ: Artist Turns Old Cardboard Boxes Into 8-Foot-Tall Coral Reef Filled With Over 50 Marine Species