Land of the Giants

"The Land of Giants" is a project by Choi + Shine Architects which transforms one hundred and fifty foot tall electrical Icelandic pylons into statues reminiscent of those that reside on Easter Island, yet dissimilar due to their ability to gesture with expressive intent. Crouching for increased strength while straining under the weight of the wires, or stretching for increased height, these silent transporters of electricity change size and posture depending on their position in the environment. The pylons have become far more than functional supports. With thoughtful, economic manipulation of steel, the pylons have surpassed utilitarian purposes and have become monuments that majestically decorate the landscape.

(source article and image credits)

Pencil Sculptures by Dalton Ghetti

Hailing from Brazil, Dalton Ghetti is responsible for these amazing miniature pencil sculptures. It can take several months and up to a couple of years to complete these unique pieces using three basic tools... a razor blade, sewing needle and sculpting knife. Without the aid of a magnifying glass, Dalton has said that he uses the sewing needle to make holes or to dig into the graphite, as he scratches and creates lines while turning the graphite around slowly in his hand.

Nonetheless labor intensive, even broken pieces have been reclaimed to produce "The Cemetery Collection", a grouping of 100 less than perfect sculptures glued on pins and set into Styrofoam. Dalton is quoted as saying, "People might think it's weird I keep them, but they're still interesting. I worked on them for months so they might be dead now, but at one point I gave them life."

(source article)

Artspace

Asserting one's independence and coming back to the familiar is the theme of CeCe Chen's, " Artspace ". A graduate of Vancouver Film School and National Taipei University of the Arts, CeCe spent 6 months creating this reel. He animated, modeled, rigged, shaded, lit, rendered, and designed it on his own.

Artspace (2010) by CC Chen from Cece Chen on Vimeo.

Harrier and Jaguar

On display at Tate Britain, is artist Fiona Banner's controversial "Harrier and Jaguar" installation. Made up of recently decommissioned fighter planes, the showing exemplifies the artistry and beauty of form, juxtaposed against the ugly, destructive purpose of the aircraft's design as weapons of war. Much can be said about the purposeful placement of the craft which adds to the installation's story. Are they captive beasts or fallen trophies? Can Harrier and Jaguar really be considered art? Fiona Banner leaves it up to us to decide.




























































































































































































































Source article and image credits: http://www.kuriositas.com

Artist Spotlight: Naoto Hattori

Everyday I appreciate art and admire those who make art, but through my observations, I've come to the conclusion that there's a lot of stagnancy and repetition going on in the art community. We all know that technical skills are paramount, but without an active imagination and a willingness to render a continuous variety of subject matter, an artist may never stand out. In light of this, it's not often that an artist genuinely excites me with their creations... excite me to the point that the urge to share my excitement and extol their talent, compels me to blog... excite me so much so, that in order to share my excitement, I'm actually willing to wrestle with blogger's frustrating picture upload quirks. Yup, you know it.

Naoto's images appeal to me for many reasons, among which are his use of color, his distorted, trippy imagery and his variety of whimsical, other worldly characters that have been described as "twisted surrealism". Ultimately, what appeals to me is his word defying, signature touch; his personal touch that can only be communicated visually.

Here are some of my Naoto Hattori favorites...


Genesis



















Inspired






































Water Nymph























Batman



























Gas Elephant



















Walking






















Boredom



















Frog Da Breaker





















Multiform

For more Naoto Hattori, go to the source at: http://wwwcomcom.com