Sean Newport is a San Francisco-based artist and woodworker who creates geometric, wall-mounted sculptures. Newport’s work is meant to trick the mind into seeing flat, graphic imagery before comprehending its true, three-dimensional shape. Influenced by op-art and bold, abstract forms, his sculptures attempt to test our perceived notions of reality.
Often mistaken for digital art when photographed and put online, Newport’s process is completely analog. Starting with a bulk amount of wood, he strategically cuts hundreds of shapes that he later paints and arranges into mesmerizing, kaleidoscopic patterns. Viewers are encouraged to swivel and move around the epicenter of each piece to observe its peaks and valleys. The result is a transformation of light and color. The use of directional and UV-sensitive lights exaggerate this effect, creating a psychedelic aesthetic. A controlled experiment in illusion, Newport’s works are meant to test the psychological boundaries of reality.
GIFs by Graham Holoch, created exclusively for Hi-Fructose. All other images courtesy of the artist unless otherwise noted.
Photo by Graham Holoch.
Photo by Graham Holoch.
Photo by Graham Holoch.
The sculpted figures and paintings of Carlos Ramirez are constructed from a slew of materials and found objects. The Mexican-American artist reflects on "inequalities within Mexican-American communities and champions the common man as underdog." The artists counts among his influences: tattoo art, Oaxacan sign painting, vintage revolutionary posters, and much more.
