Strange Origins

Salvador Dali (1904-1989) Spanish Painter

His work has been described as 'paranoiac-critical', a 'spontaneous method of irrational knowledge based on the critical and systematic objectivation of delirious associations and interpretations'. -phew!

Lighted Gireffes 1936-37 

Dali had studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid, mastering in academic techniques. In 1923, he had been expelled due to indiscipline (damn the man!) leading him to branch out into screenplays and even a one-man show in 1925 exhibiting seascapes in Barcelona. 

In or around the year 1929, his earlier screenplay had lead him to be adopted by Surrealists like Picasso- which by glance at the last painting, is apparent. His works from this point into the early 30's exhibited erotica and his fascination for decay, making him quite the scandalous individual back in the day. Other works from this period included poems and symbolic objects; as well as another screenplay in 1930. Unfortunately, a break finally came between the Surrealist's ethics and Dali's 'contradictory methods' in 1939 (his fascination with Hitler didn't help!) 

Soft Construction with Boiled Beans - Premonition of the Civil War - 1936

As if Mr. Salvador wasn't interesting enough, he would soon after boast the backings of Freud himself, who declared "Dalí [as] the only interesting case in a movement whose aims he confessed not to understand" -say what!? More on the upside, the public would soon after refer to him as the "Surrealist par excellence." Which I'm sure boosted his ego into the upkeep of that reputation.

Young Virgin Auto Sodomized by her own Chastity - 1954

Between the scandals and extreme political views, my impression of this man is not so based on his morality, but more so on his pure talent for creating monsters you'd love to study, be friends with (and possibly help reassemble). Salvador Dali was in his own universe and somehow kept a firm foot in the door to our world. A friend you'd either despise to love or love to despise, but I guarantee you wouldn't pass up a chance to better acquaint yourself with the human and the beast within.

Posted by ZsuZsu

Ethereal Morph

Ellen June is a sculptor from Canada. Her intricate and detailed sculptures took my breath away. She is currently selling these works of art on Etsy and you can follow her at Deviant Art.

Posted by ZsuZsu

The art of cutting leaves.

I recently stumbled on this amazing leaf art. Couldn't really find specific artists, but I did come across one with very little information on his background and where he learned to do this. Natural leaf carving is actual manual cutting and removal of a leaf's surface to produce an art work the leaf. The process of carving is performed by artists using tools to carefully remove the surface without cutting or removing the veins. The veins add detail into the subject matter of the carving. The material or most common leaf used in leaf carving is the leaf of a Chinar tree. The Chinar tree is native to India, Pakistan and China. Chinar leaves have a close resemblance to maple leaves.

Victor Liu was born in Hebei, China in 1983 and resides in Tianjin, China. He is currently still making leaf art and already has his foot in the door of the pop-culture world.

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To The Girl With The Mousy Hair

Italia Ruotolo was born in Naples, Italy. She classicly studied ancient Greek and Latin and later graduated at the Fine Arts Academy of Naples. For many years she worked as a goldsmith and designer. Ruotolo's work is a broad range of pop art and art nouveau. Her source of inspiration is the world that surrounds her. In her work, there isn’t much distinction between high and low cultural level, because she’s aware that the man lives in a myriad of sensory stimulation and is itself the product of continuing contradiction between what is real and what is mere appearance or mere fiction. We find echoes of these contradictions in her work in constant search of a balance between past and future.

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Nicole West

After reading about Nicole West and searching through her gallery, I was in awe of her delightful approach to the art of sculpting! Every piece, including my favorite above, seems so delicately morphed. Her dolls are so perfectly detailed, you'd swear they were real.

Nicole has taken very little art courses in her lifetime. She's always had a "natural 'calling'" and has been drawing and painting from a very young age. But her heart has always been in sculpture. Each of her her pieces are handcrafted from start to finish out of polymer clay and range from 6-9 inches. You can shop dolls on Ebay by typing her name. Every piece in the gallery is available by auction.

Posted by: ZsuZsu

Antony Gormley

From March 26 through August 15, 2010, The Madison Square Park Conservancy will present Antony Gormley’s Event Horizon, a landmark public art exhibition, as part of Mad. Sq. Art 2010.

"In Event Horizon, thirty-one life-size body forms of the artist cast in iron and fiberglass will inhabit the pathways and sidewalks of historic Madison Square Park, as well as the rooftops of the many architectural treasures that populate New York’s vibrant Flatiron District. Event Horizon marks Gormley’s United States public art debut — a milestone for an artist whose work has garnered worldwide acclaim over the past 25 years.

“I’m thrilled to be working with New York: people and place,” says artist Antony Gormley. “I don’t know what is going to happen, what it will look and feel like, but I want to play with the city and people’s perceptions. My intention is to get the sculptures as close to the edge of the buildings as possible. The field of the installation should have no defining boundary. The gaze is the principle dynamic of the work; the idea of looking and finding, or looking and seeking, and in the process perhaps re-assessing your own position in the world. So in encountering these peripheral things, perhaps one becomes aware of one’s status of embedment.”

Antony Gormley originally created Event Horizon for London’s Hayward Gallery as part of the Blind Light exhibition in 2007. The sculptures were installed on bridges, rooftops and streets along the South Bank of London’s Thames River. In this New York incarnation, Antony Gormley has adapted this exciting project to Manhattan’s unique and awe-inspiring skyline."

This was an excellent explanation of what the artist is hoping to accomplish so I didn't add or change a thing. I'm hoping to catch a glimpse of one up close during my next visit.

Posted by: ZsuZsu

Aunia Kahn

Aunia Kahn was born on December 5th, 1977 in Michigan. She was raised in an explosive and unpredictable home environment and sought refuge through art. In December 2005, her career officially launched with her first exhibition and gained immediate interest in fine art gallery showings Internationally.

She's also a graphic and web designer, the author of Obvious Remote Chaos and the Silver Era Tarot, and creator of the Lowbrow Tarot Project. I really enjoyed looking through all of her artwork. It really captivates you and it's just genius.

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Julien Martinez and The Ozz Dolls Factory

Disturbingly detailed and miserly, Martinez's sunken-eyed dolls reach out to the ugly girl inside of me. Each wrinkled vein and blood speckled bruise carefully demonstrates the unattractive nature that is humanity. In a way you feel disgusting and troubled after visualizing the robotic figure below standing before you, yet compelled to reach out and touch disfigurement.

Luckily, they are just dolls...

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Russian Cake Art

Baker: Unknown

Source: MOB Blog - visit to see more yumminess.

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Georgina Ciotti

This is Georgina Ciotti and she likes to paint murals. Couldn't find much information on her, but her website says she was born in Buenos Aires in 1973. Her latest works caught my eye instantly! <3

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Scott Rohlfs

I stumbled upon a really awesome artist lastnight on Facebook. His name is Scott Rohlfs and he lives in Portland, Oregon. He enjoys painting women with big eyes with an edge. He is currently running a contest to double his fanbase on Facebook. Right now we have 282 fans, if we can double that, Scott will raffle off eight 12"x16" hand signed prints of his painting "Minnie Meanie" (featured below) to the new 282 new fans. But not to worry current fans, he will also raffle off eight more prints. So come on people, click here to become a fan now!

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Angelina Wrona

Angelina Wrona blends Japanese anime, folk art, and representational styles to bring her dark, delicate subjects to life. She derives inspiration from her 19th century home in Merrickville, Ontario, where she lives with her husband and two daughters.

The peculiar feeling you get staring into her creation's eyes are rightly intended. Along with a deeper feeling of endearment for their sad little faces. Her collection is appropriately named the "Senti-Mental Dolls."

Posted by ZsuZsu

When I look at The World

Antonio Roybal is a figurative painter and sculptor from Santa Fe, New Mexico. He can began drawing at an early age to communicate with his two deaf sisters. Roybal’s work is inspired by Northern Renaissance Art and early Mannerism. His work has gained greater prominence beginning in 2002 with the distinguished honor of being named one of the top 100 contemporary Hispanic artists by The National Hispanic Cultural Center.

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The Moon

I just realized there is nothing here by Jennybird Alcantara. She is an amazing artist who lives in San Francisco, California. She recieved her BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. Most of her work are oil paintings on wood, but she also makes dolls that are sometimes inspired by her paintings. I love her unique sense of style.

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Candy Woman

Below is some of Edith Lebeau's most recent work for the '7 Year Itch Show' at the Strychnin Gallery in Berlin. I think I am inlove with almost every piece she's created. Definitely one of my favorites here recently. <3

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Pieces of Us and Them

Kate MacDowell hand sculpts each of her pieces out of porcelain, the reason she states "for its luminous and ghostly qualities as well as its strength and ability to show fine texture. It highlights both the impermanence and fragility of natural forms in a dying ecosystem while paradoxically, being a material that can last for thousands of years..."

MacDowell attended Brown University and has traveled all across the globe. In her travels, she taught in urban high schools, produced websites in the high-tech corporate environment, and volunteered at a meditation retreat center in rural India. She is quite worldly and eco-friendly. And her pieces say even more...

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Taxidermy has never looked so fashionable..

There is something intruiging and disturbing about German artist/designer, Iris Schieferstein. She's taken on this trend before, but this time she takes it to a new level. I'm sure Lady Gaga already owns a pair..

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Snew

Stumbled upon this today on someone's etsy account. I thought it was unique and creative. Take a look at the rest of their work here.

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Welcome to Misery Land.

I love, love, love Dave MacDowell's paintings. Here are some of his most current paintings. To see more of his latest work, visit the Dirty Pilot.

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