F

Flavorwire

Pablo Picasso

Art

Mind-Blowing Text Portraits of Famous Musicians and Artists

By Caroline Stanley on

Thanks to My Modern Met, here’s a late addition to the roundup readable art that we posted over the weekend: the lovely text portraits of German photographer Ralph Ueltzhoeffer. Using biographical information about his subjects that’s readily available thanks to the Internet and sites like Wikipedia, he layers white typeface on a black background to recreate their likenesses — a visual nod at the old school DOS input mode. Click through to check out a selection of his surprisingly-detailed (and readable!) portraits of cultural icons like Patti Smith, Ai Weiwei, and David Bowie. … Read More

Art

Crazy Ad Campaign: Dissections of Famous Artists

By Caroline Stanley on

What makes a brilliant visual artist? Is it something internal, that’s related to a person’s biological makeup? If we were to take someone like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, or Vincent Van Gogh, slice him down the middle and peer inside, would we able to see something in there that points to his incredible talent? These are the questions we’re mulling over after coming across this intriguing ad campaign that DDB Brazil dreamed up for the MASP Art School in São Paulo over on Trendland. Each of the aforementioned artists lies dissected on a table, with their appendages pinned down and organs rendered in a way that reflects their signature style. Click through to take a look now. … Read More

Pop Culture

10 Great Songs About Famous Visual Artists

By Marina Galperina on

Even reigning glam aliens have idols. Even top hip hop impresarios obsess over that one particular painting. There is no shortage of guitar strumming, rapping, and singing about art at large, but we’re keen on odes and tributes to specific heroes of art history. From David Bowie’s serenade to “Andy Warhol” to the Modern Lovers’ investigations into “Pablo Picasso” and why he “never got called an asshole,” here are a few notable tracks inspired by famous visual artists. Did we miss your favorite? Drop us a comment. … Read More

Art

Famous Artists Photographed with their Dogs

By Emily Temple on

We recently read an article in The New York Times examining the prevalence of dogs in art throughout the ages, and we got to thinking — we know there are tons of musicians who love dogs (though writers, it seems, tend to be cat people), but what about the more visually-oriented artists? Since, as the Times points out, dogs have been popping up in art for hundreds of years, we thought it was safe to assume that there are at least a few artists who are fans of the friendly beasts. After all, there’s something very inspirational — and also very down to earth and universal — about the love of a good pup, and as it turns out, lots of artists have indeed incorporated canines into their lives as well as their art. And, this is rather strange, but there seem to be an inordinate number of dachshunds in the arms of artists. If you can figure out why, let us know. In the meantime, click through to see our gallery of famous artists photographed with their dogs, and let us know if we missed a great photo of your favorite artist with their furry friend in the comments! … Read More

Art

Famous Works of Art Re-Imagined Through a Sci-Fi Lens

By Emily Temple on

When you look at art, you see what you want to see. And some people, as Irene Gallo, the art director for Tor Books, points out, see science fiction. BoingBoing pointed us towards the Tor blog, where Gallo has collected a great series of sci-fi-themed artworks inspired by classic paintings. Whether translating modern painting to hyper-modern painting or just swapping out a traditional angel’s wings for something a little more nerdy, these works are playful studies that were probably as much fun to make as they are to look at. Click through to see some of our favorites, and then be sure to check out even more over at Tor! … Read More

Art

Amazing Whiteboard Remakes of Famous Paintings

By Judy Berman on

Office cubicles aren’t known for inspiring creativity. In fact, they have a reputation for doing just the opposite. But working in a confined space doesn’t always have to be stifling. Meet Bill Taylor, a data manager in Durham, North Carolina who recreates iconic works of art on a whiteboard in his cube. He spends only two to five minutes per day on his drawings, taking roughly six weeks to finish each piece — and then he leave it up for a day or two, photographs the finished product, wipes the board clean, and gets to work on his next masterpiece. “[T]here’s something about doing it this way that forces me to be patient, something I could always use more practice with,” Taylor told the Telegraph. Click through to see some of our favorite whiteboard paintings, and then visit Taylor’s website to peruse the entire collection. … Read More

Art

Delightful Barbie Tributes to Famous Works of Art

By Caroline Stanley on

For reasons that are obvious now that we’re no longer five years old, Barbie often gets a bad rap. But once upon a time, the little plastic doll with the impossible proportions was one of our most beloved toys. We’re assuming that it was the same for a French woman named Jocelyne Grivaud who is hoping to change the way that we see Barbie by incorporating her image into some of art history’s most famous works. Click through to see Barbie as everyone from Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring to Warhol’s Marilyn, and let us know in the comments which remixed work of art is your favorite. … Read More

Art

Required Viewing: Essential Documentaries About Famous Artists

By Marina Galperina on

We’re happy if our previous roundup of feature films about artists inspired or rejuvenated any of your artistic or bohemian impulses. That said, pull up a chair. Let’s get real. Here you will find some of our favorite documentaries about artists, many of them current and some even freshly made. Dig out the heart of Louise Bourgeois’ gigantic spiders. Go behind Pablo Picasso’s brushstrokes. Wonder eternally if Banksy’s fooling you. Rebels, superstars, activists, eccentrics, con artists — they’re all here and they’re ready to tell you their story. … Read More

Pop Culture

The Stories Behind Some of the 20th Century’s Most Iconic Portraits

By Emily Temple on

The portrait, as far as we’re concerned, is one of the most arresting forms of art. Not only does it portray a person, but it can affix a million meanings or emotions to that person, adding to and possibly conflicting whatever baseline emotions their visage stirs up in the viewer. Here, we’ve collected a few of what can best be described as the most iconic portraits of the most iconic figures, from musicians to actors to artists to politicians. Note: we’re not claiming that these are the most iconic figures of the 20th century hands down (although some would definitely make the cut), but rather that these portraits rank among the most powerful and enduring photographic images of the century. Indeed, many of these photographs have transcended their subjects to become iconic in their own rights as images — for instance, even those who have no idea who Che Guevara is would probably recognize his face as captured by Alberto Korda and spray-painted on a t-shirt. Click through to see 10 of the most enduring portraits of pop culture icons taken in the 20th century, and since of course there are many more that could have been included on this list, be sure to chime in with your own suggestions in the comments. … Read More

Art

20 Amazing Artist-Inspired Tattoos

By Caroline Stanley on

[Editor's note: While your Flavorwire editors take a much-needed holiday break, we're revisiting some of our most popular features of the year. This post was originally published February 16, 2011.] If we’re being honest, most of us will never own a work of art by a famous artist. And while back in college, it might have been okay to pay homage to one of the greats with a poster print from the museum, these days when it comes to the artwork that hangs on our walls, we tend to opt for original pieces by emerging (read: more affordable) talents. A few enterprising souls have found a way to sidestep the issue completely by displaying famous works of art directly on their bodies. Click through for some of our favorite examples, and if you happen to have an art-inspired tattoo, be sure to tell us about it in the comments. … Read More