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Visual art is one of our greatest forms of expression, though there’s no question that sometimes artists blur the line between creative and just plain weird.
There’s an inspiration behind everything, but you’ll be shocked at what inspires some artists to share their vision with the world…
You Could Call This “Mixed Signals”
Traffic Light Tree by Pierre Vivant features 75 sets of traffic lights in the shape of a tree to promote London’s natural landscape while the lights mimic the never-ending rhythm of the city.
The Elephant in the Room
Würsa 18000Km from Earth by Daniel Furman is meant to conceptualize the gravitational pull of bodies to the Earth. At 18,000Km from Earth, gravity would be too weak and an elephant would be able to hold itself upright on its trunk.
Don’t Get Caught in the Middle of This
The Mustangs of Las Colinas, Texas, is among the largest group of sculptured horses in the world. Each horse is 1.5 times bigger than a real horse, Each foot contains a valve that shoots water to mimic the effect of galloping.
Where Did He Come From? Where Did He Go?
The Travelers, located in Marseilles, France, is comprised of separate pieces that are usually placed in different locations from each other, making a puzzle for people to find throughout the city until he is complete.
It’s All About Perspective
Nelson Mandela by Marco Cianfanelli, located in Howick, South Africa. The sculpture is positioned along the R103 road where Mandela was captured by apartheid security in 1962, and then spent 27 years in prison.
Interpret This How You Will
Son of Man by Rene Magritte is actually an artistic phenomenon. One of his most famous works alongside his painting of a pipe that isn’t actually a pipe. Interpret that how you will, too.
Even I Could Have Come Up With This
Black Square by Kazimir Malevich is one of the most infamous minimalist works of art to date, created during the Suprematism period. Both critics and viewers have commented on the extremely simple idea behind the piece, and I’m sure lots of people are kicking themselves for not thinking of it fist because the piece is worth $60mil.
Hungry? (Hungry.)
Located at the Taipei zoo in Taiwan, these hippos seemingly appear to be swimming through the concrete. It just reminds me of the game “Hungry Hungry Hippos,” but with people.
I think I’ll Let This One Go to Voicemail
Lobster Telephone by Salvador Dalà is a surrealist work created for art collector and poet Edward James in 1936. The main inspiration behind the piece was the artist’s disdain for technology and the love of dreams. The lobster evokes a fantastical element, juxtaposed by an every-day object.
Some “Light” Reading
Carved Book Landscape by Guy Laramee was inspired by the way people seemingly only have one use for books – to read them. Obviously. Laramee took the concept of “book burning” to a whole new level.
Grab Your Glasses for This One
Who would have thought the next trend would be art you can’t even see? Wigan’s most famous piece is a recreation of Michelangelo’s David carved from a single grain of sand. I have a headache just thinking about that.
Repurpose the Cans From Your Next Frat Party
Paul Villinski specializes in eco art, repurposing trash or discarded items into something that symbolizes nature. His social commentary on the state of our planet comes through super strong in this medium. I.E., RECYCLE!
Don’t Throw Away That Chewed Gum Just Yet
Maurizio Savini has perfected a… unique… medium. He chews gum and then shapes it with a knife while the gum is still hot. Gross? Yes. Worth it? Maybe.
If You Thought Chewed Gum was Bad…
Millie Brown might have perfected the MOST disgusting medium, though. She eats color-coordinated foods and them vomits them onto her canvasses. Yep, you read that right. There isn’t much more to it than that.
Enlightening New York City
Paige Bradley’s cracked light sculpture Expansion makes me think of the Hozier song “Nina Cried Power.” She embodies the ultimate form of enlightenment, and she is cool.
Keep Portland Weird
Portland’s salmon sculpture symbolizes the unique foodie culture of the city, while also embodying the art scene’s motto, “Keep Portland Weird.” Yes it is, and yes it does.
Just a Big Pile of People
The Monolith is the highest point in Oslo, Norway’s Sculpture Park, created by Gustav Vigeland. Its interpretation is hazy, and whether it represents man’s ascension to heaven or the longing for saving is up to the viewer.
It’s Like a VR Experience, but for Real Life. Think About It
Laure Provoust’s Deep See Blu Surrounding You is meant to serve as a political commentary amidst the Brexit dispute. Her inspiration stems from “a liquid and tentacular environment, questioning who we are, where we come from, and where we are going.”
This is Exactly What it Looks Like
German anatomist Gunther von Hagens uses willing cadavers from Chinese prisons in order to create his macabre exhibitions. He injects a liquid plastic sealant into the bodies and sculpts and molds them into the scene he has envisioned. His work has led to much controversy, but it’s the sort of thing you can’t look away from.
This Probably Frightens a Lot of Tourists
This type of artwork is common in Singapore. First Generation by Chong Fah Cheong, and no matter what angle you look at this from, each face tells a different story.
Burning the Candle at Both Ends
Steve Spuzak creates his work using a technique called “fumage,” developed in the 1930’s. He allows soot from a candle or lantern to collect on a canvas and then he uses tools to create an image around the debris.
The Ultimate Goodbye Present
“The artist who recreated himself,” Hananuma Masakichi, sculpted a statue of himself out of wood when he learned he was dying of TB. The sculpture, made of between 2,000-20,000 pieces of tiny dark wood was meant to be a goodbye present to his wife, so he would always be with her.
A Sculpture From the Heart
Marc Quinn’s series “Self” is created by taking nine pints of his own blood and using it to mold a sculpture of his own head. He redoes the project every five years to actively document his real-time aging.
Her Work Doesn’t Come Cheap
Lina Viktor doesn’t use paint in her work. She uses authentic gold leaf, and adds one-third more gold to each painting she creates. Fun fact – she was a part of the “WU HA – 20 20,” the Wu-Tang Hybrid Arts initiative that celebrated the anniversary of the Wu-Tang Clan.
Dalà Doesn’t Hit the Snooze Button
Because Dalà based most of his work off of dreamscapes, when he napped he devised a way to access the “hypnagogic realm” – the state between dreaming and awake. He balanced a key over a metal plate, and as soon as he felt himself falling asleep, the key would fall and wake him. He was rested just enough while still was able to record the dreams he might have had on the edge of unconsciousness.
The Living Dead
The genius behind American Gothic Grant Wood outfitted his house with a coffin door while he worked, with a dial that let visitors know what he was doing. It said “In,” “Out,” “Taking a Bath,” and “Having a Party.”
The Forefront of TLC’s “Hoarders”
Andy Warhol’s habit-formed project Time Capsules stemmed from his real-life obsession with collecting. He would store all kinds of knick-knacks in cardboard boxes in his apartment – anything from photos, letters, cards, and weird finds like a mummified foot and Caroline Kennedy’s birthday cake.
So That’s What “Alien” was Modeled After
Swiss artist H. R. Giger is best known for his design work on the film Alien, but what most people don’t know is that the central theme of his work overall is actually incredibly phallic. It’s cringey, but his work is actually iconic and focuses around the idea of man merging with machine.
A Middle Finger to the Art World
Marcel Duchamp is best known for his “readymade” art, where he takes everyday objects and just calls them art. Fountain, above, was the center of debate when it came time to show the piece, and the curators wondered whether or not they should hide the piece from view.
Don’t Worry, They Aren’t Real
Korean Artist Choi Jung Hyun creates his pieces out of keyboard keys and mice, using the mice to represent the real living creatures.
There’s a Lot More Than Yeast in This Bread
Kittiwat Unarrom sculpts gruesome body parts out of bread. It’s an incredibly intricate process and the final result looks like they could be out of a horror film.
You Have to Hand it to This Guy
Guido Daniele paints all of his art on human hands. Sometimes he uses the physical shape of the hand to represent the image, and other times the hand just serves as the canvas.
Legends Never Die
The most underappreciated artist of his time, Vincent Van Gogh only sold one or two paintings while he was alive. Today, he is one of the most influential painters in history.
Gauguin Began as a Stockbroker
Though his art was underappreciated and ridiculed, his Gauguin’s paintings are worth millions today. He left a steady job as a stockbroker and pursued his passion for art, though it never fulfilled him while he was alive.
Born and Died on the Same Day
Considered a master painter at age 17, Raphael was given the prestigious honor of painting the Pope’s private room in the Vatican, where his masterpiece The School of Athens can be found. Though a contemporary of Michelangelo, he died 43 years before him on his own 37th birthday.
Look Really Closely for the Masterpiece
Georges Seurat counteracted many Impressionist practices, and only lived as a working artist for nine years. In that time, his piece Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte is one of the most recognizable pieces in the Western world. He died suddenly from meningitis at 31 years old.
Van Gogh’s First Major Piece
Van Gogh’s first major piece, The Potato Eaters features dark earth tones and a heavy-handed style, which is a stark contrast from his later, more famous works.
DalÃ’s First Major Piece
Landscape Near Figueras was painted when Dalà was six years old. If that doesn’t make you take a minute and reevaluate your own career, I don’t know what will.
Georgia O’Keefe’s First Major Piece
Though it’s super dark and creepy, Georgia O’Keefe won an award for this in college. Her later work focuses on florals and bright colors.
Michelangelo’s First Major Piece
Michelangelo painted this when he was 12 or 13 years old. The Torment of Saint Anthony is only one of four known easel paintings that he has completed in his life.
Andy Warhol’s First Major Piece
This was the first painting Andy Warhol ever displayed in a gallery. There are 32 canvasses representing all of the different types of Campbell’s soup.
Leonardo da Vinci’s First Major Piece
The Adoration of the Magi was commissioned by the Chapel of St. Bernard in the Palazzo Vecchio. It initially took him years to finish it, as he abandoned the project before it was complete.
Pablo Picasso’s First Major Piece
Le Picador completed this painting of a bullfighter when he was nine years old.
Frida Kahlo’s First Major Piece
Frida Kahlo made this portrait, Self-Portrait in a Velvet Dress, for her boyfriend Alejandro Gomez Arias. The sea in the background symbolizes life.
Yes, It’s Still Art
Bicycle Wheel by Marcel Duchamp is another readymade piece. At first glance, it’s nothing special, but Duchamp has a way of making you believe that the ordinary can be beautiful.
Feminism Before It was Cool
Roy Lichtenstein is famous for his comic strip style, and, like Warhol, experimented with the 1960’s version of pop art by making it accessible to the everyday person.
Just Two Vacuums, Typical Koons
Jeff Koons is a readymade icon along with Duchamp. He takes something available to everyone and places it in an unexpected location. That makes it art.
I Could Have Thought of This, Too
Felix Gonzales-Torres was experimenting with form while living in the era of AIDS. The lights explore the fragility of life with the fact that they will eventually burn out.
The Original Emoji
Transferring information is what art does, and this piece visualizes the transition between textual and pictorial language.
Art Imitates Life
Measuring the Universe by Roman Ondak, can only be experienced through participation. Each person gets to mark their height on the wall like they would as children, and this serves as a unifying element between everyone who visits the museum.
Guillermo Del Toro’s Favorite Artist
Keith Thompson has worked closely on horror films directed by Guillermo Del Toro, as well as books and video games. He is a creature designer and illustrator. He worked on 2017’s “The Ritual” and Scott Westerfield’s “Leviathan” books.
The Illustrator Behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Scott M. Fischer focuses specially on design and the process of alchemy, and those elements come through in his artistic style. He works with lyrical line techniques and sometimes paints on copper.
Female Artists Like Horror, Too
Anne Stokes is a fan of gothic arthitecture and dark imagery. She is also an avid gothic dresser, if you couldn’t tell by her style.
Horror, Music, and Art Collaborate
Alexandros Pyromallis is the co-founder of Viral Graphics, which has provided unique poster art for bands like Soundgarden, The Melvins, and Swans. His influences lie in horror films, metal of death, monsters, the hidden paths of the mind, human stupidity, and fear.
Into the Noosphere
French illustrator Olivier, (aka DZO) is mainly influenced by aesthetics of old etchings and religious engravings, occult manuscripts, witchcraft, and blasphemy.
Zombies Like Death Metal, Too
Wes Benscoter is mostly famous for his metal album covers for bands like Cattle Decapitation, Morticia, Kreator and Autopsy, Slyer, and Black Sabbath.
Just Your Average Prom Night
Aly Fell prefers to work within the “gothic” genre rather than “horror.” She resonates with music, fashion, literature, and visual art.
This Isn’t Your Average Goosebumps
Michael Whelan is one of the most reknowned science fiction editors of our time. He was inducted into the Sci-Fi Hall of Fame in 2009. His work isn’t gory or bloody, but provokes a subtle feeling of fear rather than disgust.
Controlling the Fear of Death
Laurie Lipton realized she could disconnect herself form the fear of death after her mother died by drawing it. She illustrates the things that annoy or frighten her.
This Is More Like Your Average Goosebumps
Godmachine is inspired by pop culture visions. He is inspired by the aesthetic of the video store he frequented growing up, like Werewolf in London meets Gremlins. Fictional places create a launching pad for his art.
Don’t Talk to Strangers on the Street
The Monument of an Anonymous Passerby in Wroclaw, Poland depicts everyday people at various stages of life. Some are of higher economic status than others, which is evident by their clothing. It shows that, no matter the circumstances, we are all able to come together to perform as mundane a task as walking the city streets.
Carrie Bradshaw Could Get Behind This Piece
A collection of vintage shoes sit on the edge of the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary. It opens several questions that, on a first look, you probably won’t be able to answer. It is a contemplative piece.
The City of Brotherly Love
Break Through From Your Mold can be found in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and promotoes individuality from of the most progressive cities in the United States.
If There’s A Gun Onscreen, It Will Be Shot
There are a lot of possible interpretations for The Knotted Gun, but overall it promotes a message of anti-violence.
Watch Your Step
This piece would be fun to stumble across in Brussels, Belgium. Watch where you walk!