Though at first they look like they could be TRON backgrounds or renderings of computer circuit boards, the images below are photos take in the real world of Hong Kong at night. For the series he calls Eye Carry the Night, the Spanish-born photographer Rainer Torrado shot the unmistakable neon signs of the Wan Chai district from below. They are, of course, entirely unreadable from this angle — but the geometric patterns formed by tubes, wires, and metal frames might be even more beautiful this way. Click through to view the series, which we spotted via Junk Culture. … Read More
Art
Statues of Nude Men Riding Panthers Might Be Michelangelo’s Only Surviving Bronzes
Two bronze statues, which had previously been attributed to an unknown 16th century artist, might actually be the work… Read More
Clever Mash-ups of ‘Star Wars’ Characters and Iconic Works of Art
It feels, at times, like the Star Wars universe has invaded all elements of popular culture: movies (obviously), television, books, comics, toys, the Internet. But there hasn’t been much overlap between the Force and the art world — until now. Artist and longtime Star Wars fan David Hamilton wondered, “What if art had been painted a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away?” And then he went about remaking some of the most iconic works of art (Vermeer, Hopper, Munch, Cezane, Monet, and more) with the addition of characters and elements from the Galactic Empire. “Just consider these ‘Special Editions,’” he writes to his fellow Jedi. “I know how much you value those.” … Read More
Strangely Disorienting Close-up Photos of Shampooed Hair
It looks like a black-and-white photo of snow on pine needles, or just some abstract form… until you glimpse an unmistakable sliver of flesh and finally realize what you’re looking at. In this series, which appeared in the magazine Numero China (and which we spotted via Designboom), Hong Kong-based photographer Cheuk… Read More
The Most Ridiculous Amazon Fine Art Reviews
Ah, Amazon. Your one-stop shop for everything soon to be delivered by a drone near you. But did you know that Amazon sells fine art? We’re talking gallery-represented, seriously expensive fine art. And it turns out that the Amazon Fine Art page is like some kind of bizarro world where prints by famous artists such as Andy Warhol and Andres Serrano live alongside unknowns. Like all things Amazon, commenters prowl the listings to do as much damage as they can. Depending on your taste in art, the creators either deserve it or are unfortunate victims. Here are a few of the funny (and just plain weird) things they’ve said. … Read More
Photos of Backyard Anarchy at a Rural Skate Park
Seattle Times writer Tom Keogh described the 88-acre skate park known as Skatopia as an “anarchist paradise and commercial enterprise on Ohio farmland, created by a charismatic outlaw.” Running the show is pro skater Brewce Martin. His annual backyard parties known as the Bowl Bash and Backwoods Blow Out are legendary. Martin — and Skatopia — has a history of violence (in the middle of the 2010 documentary Skatopia: 88 Acres of Anarchy, Brewce spends 60 days in jail for assault), but the skaters are deeply passionate and their leader has a brand/marketing prowess hiding underneath that rough exterior. Between the sex, parties, and skateboarding, photographer Stacy Kranitz, who we first spotted on Beautiful/Decay, captured the crew hanging out in their rural oasis, revealing what it’s like to come of age on wheels in the woods. … Read More
The Life of Cats in Historic Japanese Woodblock Prints
They were brought to Japan on ships during the mid-sixth century to protect sacred Buddhist scriptures during transport, but quickly became a central element of Japanese life, appearing in art and folklore throughout the ages. Cats populate the ukiyo-e woodblock prints of the Edo Period (1615-1867). Japan Society Gallery will be presenting a selection of these historic prints, which include the longest-lasting image of a cat in Japanese literature and more. “Much that is fundamental to the Japanese character can be gleaned from these historic popular prints that feature cats in everyday life and lore,” notes Miwako Tezuka, director of the gallery. Half of the works will be on view through April 26, while the rest will be exhibited from April 29 to June 7. Bewhiskered kabuki actors, exotic predators, anthropomorphized felines, and other cats await you in our preview of Life of Cats: Selections from the Hiraki Ukiyo-e Collection. … Read More
Fascinating, Evocative New Images of New York’s Abandoned Spaces
A few months ago, we ran some images from NYC photographer Will Ellis’s blog Abandoned NYC, which has for the last few years documented the corners of the city you never see — abandoned buildings, inaccessible islands, and various other fascinatingly atmospheric locales. Happily, Ellis has landed a book deal for his photos — Abandoned NYC, the book, is out this week and available here. (It’ll also be in stores and available via online retailers.) To celebrate, Ellis was kind enough to share a few previously unseen images with us — click through to check them out. … Read More
‘Sports Illustrated’ Lays Off Last of Its Staffers in Photography Department
Sports Illustrated has officially laid off the last six staff photographers in their photo department. Director of photography Brad Smith
10 Science Fiction Illustrators You Should Know
We’ve been big fans of Swedish illustrator, animator, and graphic designer Kilian Eng for some time. Eng’s science fiction-inspired artworks are architectural, elegant, and punctuated with electrifying colors. They also channel the iconic illustrators from the past — especially French legend Moebius. It’s no wonder the artist’s monograph Object 5 has been out of print, but publisher Floating World Comics has reissued the book as a European album hardcover with 16 new pages of art. Eng’s style has us nostalgic for some of the sci-fi illustration greats we love. Here are ten you should know. … Read More
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