"Art is not what you see, but what you make others see." - Edgar Degas
Art has always been a medium for self-expression, a canvas where artists pour their emotions, thoughts, and creativity. Some artists experiment with unexpected and unconventional tools to craft beauty from the most unlikely materials. This article will introduce you to four artists working with this in mind; we'll examine their work and learn about their motivations. Let's go!
Guy Laramée - Boa Esperança
Guy Laramée's creative practice centres around his passion for ontological ideas and the concept of a book as an artefact. His series, 'Bookwork' considers the idea that ultimate knowledge could be an erosion instead of an accumulation. These pieces start as an old encyclopaedia or dictionary. Laramée then sandblasts, shapes and colours these books into a landscape that blends reality with theatre. You can learn more via Hi-Fructose magazine and My Modern Met.
Olivier Launnard - Melo
Melo by Olivier Launnard combines the classical pose and features of ancient Greek and Roman art with modern technology. This piece is made using computer cables and cable jacks, carefully shaped and placed on board to create tone and form. The artist also uses keyboard keys to create work using a technique influenced by pointillism. See more at Xin Art.
Ghost Of A Dream (Lauren Was and Adam Eckstrom) - Dream Car
Lauren Was and Adam Eckstrom have created three to-scale sculptures from discarded lottery tickets. Each sculpture represents something that lottery players hope to buy with their winnings; an expensive car, a large home or a lavish holiday. The artists were inspired to create these works during a walk with their dog:
"We kept finding these lost lottery tickets littered all over the ground and we started picking them up thinking they were someone's lost wish; that they were this hope and dream that they had and then they tossed it away. We started thinking about what those dreams actually meant and what happens if you collected enough of those to make that dream into a reality."
- Lauren Was in conversation with Vice. Below, Ghost of a Dream - Dream Car and Dream Car detail.
Yuken Teruya - Golden Arch Parkway Macdonalds
Yuken Teruya is a Japanese artist originally from Okinawa but is now based in New York and Berlin. His work is a commentary on the contemporary consumerist society, amongst other topics. He uses discarded materials, like paper shopping bags, where he places beautiful, delicate trees made from paper and cuts holes in the bag to cast shadows and create a sense of atmosphere. The shopping bags work as a stage, and in the centre of it is a tree, perhaps not unlike the one that was felled to create the bag that was so easily thrown away. Learn more at the Saatchi Gallery.
