The order that silently governs our seemingly disorderly world. ‘Square Wave’ by @ivanblacksculpture is based on the Fibonacci, the basic structure that makes up every living thing. #IvanBlack #InTheMannerOfSmoke #ALICEBLACK

A post shared by A L I C E B L A C K (@aliceblackgallery) on Jun 21, 2018 at 8:22am PDT

London-based sculptor Ivan Black creates large-scale kinetic sculptures that are inspired by mathematical formulae and minimal design. One of his latest pieces, Square Wave, is smaller than his typical works and was designed in response to the Fibonacci sequence of numbers. The mobile-like object is made up of several metal bands which curve and flatten as the work twists, creating a mesmerizing movement that is at once fluid and strictly geometric.

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“The Impostor (George’s Zebra)” (2017), oil and alkyd on cradled panel, 24 x 24 x 1.5 inches, all images via Toni Hammel

Toronto-based artist Toni Hamel works across mediums to create drawings, paintings, and sculptures that analyze human behavior. In her two-dimensional work the artist often incorporates animals and icebergs being treated as art objects by men in lab coats and smocks. The male subjects are seen analyzing or altering the zebras, giraffes, and whales, painting over their spots or pinning on stripes with a marked precision.

Hamel describes her art practice as an “illustrated commentary of human frailties,” seeking to highlight peculiar behavior in humans. “Drawing from personal experiences and outward observations, I point to historical, social, and psychological references,” she tells Colossal. “Virtues and vices, the holy and the profane, the good and the bad, all share equal weight and supply as infinite source material for my investigations.”

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Polish artist and graphic designer Dawid Planeta summons large beasts in his series of mystical grayscale illustrations set deep in the jungle. The series, Mini People in the Jungle, presents animals in profile, with glistening eyes that illuminate the darkness surrounds them. A small child is also present in each work, bravely facing the towering creatures with a torch or outstretched arms.

Planeta works his own experiences into the mysterious work, channeling his history with depression into a source for creative energy. “Depression – it’s not easy to deal with, but when you try, you can stop thinking about it as a weakness and turn it into something brilliant,” said Planeta. “That’s what I aim to accomplish with my art. [The] things I’m trying to depict are dark, mysterious and frightening, but if you look closely, you will find excitement, passion and joy.”

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