{"id":2004899,"date":"2026-06-22T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-21T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2004899"},"modified":"2026-06-22T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-21T21:00:00","slug":"willie-cole-traverses-mind-body-and-soul-in-expressive-mixed-media-assemblages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2004899","title":{"rendered":"Willie Cole Traverses \u2018Mind, Body, and Soul\u2019 in Expressive Mixed Media Assemblages"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1454\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-2.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a sculptural assemblage made from saxophone pieces that have been reassembled into the abstract form of a bird\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cJazzbird\u201d (2026), reassembled saxophones, 30 x 14 x 40 inches. All images courtesy of the artist and Sargent\u2019s Daughters, New York, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Willie Cole Traverses \u2018Mind, Body, and Soul\u2019 in Expressive Mixed Media Assemblages<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-06-22T10:15:47-05:00\">June 22, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/kmothes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Kate Mothes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F06%2Fwillie-cole-mind-body-soul-sculptures-assemblages%2F&amp;title=Willie%20Cole%20Traverses%20%26%238216%3BMind%2C%20Body%2C%20and%20Soul%27%20in%20Expressive%20Mixed%20Media%20Assemblages\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#8cb3fff9eee6e9eff8b1dbe5e0e0e5e9a9bebccfe3e0e9a9bebcd8feedfae9feffe9ffa9bebca9bebaa9bebfb4bebdbaa9bfcec1e5e2e8a9becfa9bebccee3e8f5a9becfa9bebcede2e8a9bebcdfe3f9e0a9bebba9bebce5e2a9bebcc9f4fcfee9ffffe5fae9a9bebcc1e5f4e9e8a9bebcc1e9e8e5eda9bebccdffffe9e1eee0edebe9ffaaede1fcb7eee3e8f5b1dbe5e0e0e5e9a9bebccfe3e0e9a9bebcd8feedfae9feffe9ffa9bebca9bebaa9bebfb4bebdbaa9bfcec1e5e2e8a9becfa9bebccee3e8f5a9becfa9bebcede2e8a9bebcdfe3f9e0a9bebba9bebce5e2a9bebcc9f4fcfee9ffffe5fae9a9bebcc1e5f4e9e8a9bebcc1e9e8e5eda9bebccdffffe9e1eee0edebe9ffa9bebca9c9bea9b4bca9b5b8a9bebce4f8f8fcffa9bfcda9becaa9becafbfbfba2f8e4e5ffe5ffefe3e0e3ffffede0a2efe3e1a9becabebcbebaa9becabcbaa9becafbe5e0e0e5e9a1efe3e0e9a1e1e5e2e8a1eee3e8f5a1ffe3f9e0a1ffeff9e0fcf8f9fee9ffa1edffffe9e1eee0edebe9ffa9beca\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"475196\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>For <a href=\"https:\/\/www.williecole.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Willie Cole<\/a>, the convergence of material and concept are as important as emotional and even spiritual links to history. Whether repurposing salvaged musical instruments, creating enigmatic visages from stacked stilettos, or arranging hundreds of single-use plastic bottles across a surface, his imaginative <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/willie-cole\">sculptural assemblages<\/a> tap into a range of global traditions, eras, and social and environmental issues.<\/p>\n<p>Cole explores our associations with physical objects by removing them from the context within which we\u2019re accustomed to encountering them. Time-honored African masking traditions and figurative sculptures made of high heels meet modern symbols of labor and culture, such as repeated ironing board motifs or a handful of saxophones that have been reimagined as a bird.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-6.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475196\" title=\"\u201cTiger Lilly\u201d (2025), repurposed shoes and wire, 19 x 18 x 13 inches\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cTiger Lilly\u201d (2025), repurposed shoes and wire, 19 x 18 x 13 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cTiger Lilly\u201d (2025), repurposed shoes and wire, 19 x 18 x 13 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1976\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-6.jpeg\" alt=\"a sculptural assemblage made of leopard-print stilettos\" class=\"wp-image-475197\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cTiger Lilly\u201d (2025), repurposed shoes and wire, 19 x 18 x 13 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em>Mind, Body, and Soul<\/em>, Cole\u2019s current solo exhibition at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sargentsdaughters.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sargent\u2019s Daughters<\/a>, combines new works with pieces made throughout the past couple of decades. The selection emphasizes the artist\u2019s interest in reframing and enriching everyday objects into assemblages of cultural significance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHis practice transcends specific media or subject matter, moving fluidly across genres and iconographies to explore history, consumerism, and environmentalism,\u201d the gallery says. In the era of fast fashion, the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Great_Pacific_Garbage_Patch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Great Pacific Garbage Patch<\/a>, and an accelerating climate crisis, consumable and disposable objects contrast how we value our history and customs.<\/p>\n<p><em>Mind, Body, and Soul <\/em>continues through July 10 in New York. See more on the artist\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/williecoleart\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a>. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-4.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475196\" title=\"\u201cFly Girl\u201d (2016), repurposed shoes and wire, 18 x 12 x 14 inches\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cFly Girl\u201d (2016), repurposed shoes and wire, 18 x 12 x 14 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cFly Girl\u201d (2016), repurposed shoes and wire, 18 x 12 x 14 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1674\" height=\"1441\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-4.jpg\" alt=\"a sculptural assemblage made of red and silver shoes\" class=\"wp-image-475204\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cFly Girl\u201d (2016), repurposed shoes and wire, 18 x 12 x 14 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-5.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475196\" title=\"Alternate view of \u201cFly Girl\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"Alternate view of \u201cFly Girl\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"Alternate view of \u201cFly Girl\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2047\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-5.jpeg\" alt=\"a sculptural assemblage made of red shoes, displayed on a wall\" class=\"wp-image-475205\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alternate view of \u201cFly Girl\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-3.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475196\" title=\"\u201cSummer Shoes\u201d (2025), silkscreen print, 21 x 27 inches\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cSummer Shoes\u201d (2025), silkscreen print, 21 x 27 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cSummer Shoes\u201d (2025), silkscreen print, 21 x 27 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2310\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-3.jpeg\" alt=\"a framed print of two women in bathing suits with sculptural masks covering their faces of assemblages of shoes\" class=\"wp-image-475203\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cSummer Shoes\u201d (2025), silkscreen print, 21 x 27 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-8.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475196\" title=\"\u201cShoonufu Female Figure\u201d (2013), bronze, 25 x 9.5 x 13 inches\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cShoonufu Female Figure\u201d (2013), bronze, 25 x 9.5 x 13 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cShoonufu Female Figure\u201d (2013), bronze, 25 x 9.5 x 13 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1931\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-8.jpeg\" alt=\"a sculptural assemblage resembling an African fertility figure made of stilettos, cast in bronze\" class=\"wp-image-475199\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cShoonufu Female Figure\u201d (2013), bronze, 25 x 9.5 x 13 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-9.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475196\" title=\"\u201cSurvivors Series I (Wall Assemblages)\u201d (2026) water bottles on board, 96 x 48 inches\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cSurvivors Series I (Wall Assemblages)\u201d (2026) water bottles on board, 96 x 48 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cSurvivors Series I (Wall Assemblages)\u201d (2026) water bottles on board, 96 x 48 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1979\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-9.jpeg\" alt=\"a diptych relief artwork made of hundreds of crushed single-use plastic bottles\" class=\"wp-image-475200\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cSurvivors Series I (Wall Assemblages)\u201d (2026) water bottles on board, 96 x 48 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-10.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475196\" title=\"Detail of \u201cSurvivors Series I (Wall Assemblages)\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"Detail of \u201cSurvivors Series I (Wall Assemblages)\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"Detail of \u201cSurvivors Series I (Wall Assemblages)\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1231\" height=\"965\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-10.jpeg\" alt=\"a detail of a diptych relief artwork made of hundreds of crushed single-use plastic bottles\" class=\"wp-image-475201\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Detail of \u201cSurvivors Series I (Wall Assemblages)\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-7.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475196\" title=\"\u201cTwin Spirits\u201d (2026), repurposed shoes and wire, 27 x 12 x 11 inchea\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cTwin Spirits\u201d (2026), repurposed shoes and wire, 27 x 12 x 11 inchea\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cTwin Spirits\u201d (2026), repurposed shoes and wire, 27 x 12 x 11 inchea\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1760\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cole-7.jpg\" alt=\"a sculptural assemblage made of red stilettos\" class=\"wp-image-475198\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cTwin Spirits\u201d (2026), repurposed shoes and wire, 27 x 12 x 11 inchea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"118516\">Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"block-17\" class=\"widget widget_block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top member-benefits is-layout-flow 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All images courtesy of the artist and Sargent\u2019s Daughters, New York, shared with permission Willie Cole Traverses \u2018Mind, Body, and Soul\u2019 in Expressive Mixed Media Assemblages June 22, 2026 Art Kate Mothes Share Email Bookmark For Willie Cole, the convergence of material and concept are [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-2004899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2004899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2004899"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2004899\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2004899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2004899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2004899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}