These really are funny and cute. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. I think I might have to use some of these for my profile pic at Facebook!
An American Self-Portrait
by Photographer/artist Chris Jordan
Plastic Bottles, 2007
60x120"
Depicts two million plastic beverage bottles, the number used in the US every five minutes.
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Paper Bags, 2007
60x80"
Depicts 1.14 million brown paper supermarket bags, the number used in the US every hour.
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Cell Phones, 2007
60x100"
Depicts 426,000 cell phones, equal to the number of cell phones retired in the US every day.
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Office Paper, 2007
60x87"
Depicts 30,000 reams of office paper, or 15 million sheets, equal to the amount of office paper used in the US every five minutes.
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Cans Seurat, 2007
60x92"
Depicts 106,000 aluminum cans, the number used in the US every thirty seconds.
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Denali Denial, 2006
60x75"
Depicts 24,000 logos from the GMC Yukon Denali, equal to six weeks of sales of that model SUV in 2004.
Detail at actual size: (This is the far left corner of the lake)
Ben Franklin, 2007
8.5 feet wide by 10.5 feet tall in three horizontal panels
Depicts 125,000 one-hundred dollar bills ($12.5 million), the amount our government spends every hour on the war in Iraq.
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One of my favorite public art pieces in New York City is probably familiar to anyone who has ever waited in line for the Liberty Island Ferry. Located on the west side of Battery Park, the American Merchant Mariners’ Memorial is a haunting tribute to commercial seamen who lost their lives, for whatever reason, on the water.
The memorial, designed by artist Marisol, was based on a true event during World War II, in which a Nazi U-boat attacked an American merchant marine vessel. While the marines held on to their sinking vessel, the Nazis photographed the victims, then left. The memorial is directly inspired by one of those photographs.
As you can see above, two men are desperately crying for help while a third tries to pull a victim from the water. I can’t tell you how moving this is at high tide, when the water laps at the man.
There is an unbelievable desperation in the piece, as the man struggles, veins practically bursting out of his arm, to grab hold of the seaman above and salvation as the merciless ocean tries to drag him down.
It’s all the more disturbing when you read the final line of the memorial’s plaque: “Left to the perils of the sea, the survivors later perished.” Despite their valiant efforts, they were dead from the start.
Those who admire steampunk will agree that how beautiful amalgamation this art makes of the Victorian steam power era and the modern day technology. The ancient brass & mahogany touch to the high-end gadgets is simply astounding to the eyes of both antique lovers and geeks. Here’s a list of some ultra-swanky steampunk creations.
1. Vial earrings steampunkifying time
A lovely pair of earrings made of tiny vials with wrist watch parts made of brass and copper inside them, is a pretty creative and unique fashion accessory. It probably denotes that even time can be sealed in a bottle if you try to live every moment to its fullest.
2. Steampunk iPod for modern beats in classical style
I’m sure, you must have seen numerous iPhone and iPod designs with crazy twists and eye-popping styles, but this one is exceptional as it’s beautifully uniting the crazy modern-day music enthusiasm with subtle and rich classic music era. The Steampunk iPod mod makes nice use of copper, brass and oak, and gives a sophisticated touch to this funkiest and most common music accessory.
3. Steampunk USB drive to lock your data down in the royal age
If you’re a starter in the steampunk style, this particular USB drive is perfect to initiate your collection. The Steampunked USB Drive is made in Russia and carries nicely finessed copper and brass surfacing.
4. Rugged-style steampunk necklace
Datamencer creation displays a cool necklace woven out of tiny little gears, which are hardly noticeable otherwise. The chain has been driven out of a remote controlled toy car, while a body piercing barbell serves as the horizontal bar between the chain and pendant made of a fishing reel and then a bass guitar string is nicely slipped over it. It’s a rocker’s special, so how about gifting one to your boyfriend, but do tell him about the amazing detailed work gone into it.
5. Beautiful Steampunk Necklace made of wrist watch parts
I could never even imagine that the discarded brass and copper parts of a wrist watch could make such a beautiful jewelry piece. Here’s a wonderful and pretty wearable steampunk necklace made of brass and silver watch parts. The pendant is embellished with vintage brass button apart from jeweled watch parts.
6. Punk style bracelet made of vintage Victorian buttons
Famous steampunk jewelry designer Daniel Proulx A.K.A CatherinetteRings created this really lavish yet elegant bracelet. I’m totally into it and would love to don it to a rock concert with some stylish skin-tight leather-touch outfit.
7. World looks amazing through these Steampunk Goggles
If you’re a true Lady GaGa follower, you’ll not hesitate at all to wear these freaky steampunk goggles, which are a bit over-splendid. It seems as if there are integrated SLR lenses in each of the eye glasses, so you might like to spy around wearing these brass goggles in the 007 style. Designer Mike Brown have used specially tanned leather for rivets and the leaf-aperture mechanism.
8. If LCDs were in the steam trains era?
They’d certainly would have looked something like this. Here’s the most gorgeous and virtual piece of all, the 22″ LCD fitted in the 1/4-inch brightly polished brass frame. The incredible creation by has been complemented with a vintage brass keyboard, which is fully functional and high-quality.
9. A computer mouse with a steam furnace
Here’s an outstanding steampunk creativity worked into a computer mouse. There’s also a - a steam producing furnace, which works when you connect the mouse to the computer. Designer Unklian used orange LED lights to give the fiery glow to the coals in the furnace. I think it’s sweetest steampunk creation bay far.
10. Smart and stylish Steampunk wrist watch-cum-bracelet
The trend-setter steampunk watch featured here proves how fashionable creations can be made out of this idiosyncratic art. Every single fasionista is sure to fall for this coolest steampunk timepeice to be tied around the wrist.
11. Clockwork Executive Desk
Dale Mathis deserves a big round of applause for this wonderful intricate creation. The Executive Desk by Mathis is described as ‘Kinetic energy at work’ as it uses clockwork gears in motion to inculcate brainstorming in the person sitting beside it. In nutshell, this steampunk creation has got a peculiar therapeutic quality too, besides being highly detailed and unique. All corporate women must try this one out.
12. The best steampunk creation: The Steampunk Home Computer
If I can consider something to be an ultimate steampunk creation, it has to be this one. If you’re completely into steampunk art, you’ll be spellbound by the entire personal computer turned into an enthralling steampunk antique. It has almost everything that this unique art form can offer. Spectacular work of woods, ivory and gold and detailed inlays.
Origami is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding. The goal of this art is to create a representation of an object using geometric folds and crease patterns preferably without the use of gluing or cutting the paper, and using only one piece of paper.
Won Park is the master of Origami. He is also called the “money folder”, a practitioner of origami whose canvas is the United States One Dollar Bill. Bending, twisting, and folding, Won Park creates life-like shapes inspired by objects living and not– both in stunning detail.
Mind House (Barcelona, Spain)
The Crooked House (Sopot, Poland)
Stone House (Guimarães, Portugal)
Lotus Temple (Delhi, India)
Cathedral of Brasilia (Brazil)
La Pedrera (Barcelona, Spain)
Atomium (Brussels, Belgium)
Museum of Contemporary Art (Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Kansas City Library (Missouri, USA)
Low impact woodland house (Wales, UK)
Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao, Spain)
Rotating Tower, Dubai, UAE
Habitat 67 (Montreal, Canada)
Casa da musica (Porto, Portugal)
Olympic Stadium (Montreal, Canada)
Nautilus House (Mexico City, Mexico)
The National Library (Minsk, Belarus)
National Theatre (Beijing, China)
Conch Shell House, Isla Mujeres, Mexico
House Attack (Viena, Austria)
Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Egypt)
Cubic Houses (Kubus woningen) (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
Ideal Palace (France)
The Church of Hallgrimur, Reykjavik, Iceland
Eden project (United Kingdom)
The Museum of Play (Rochester , USA)
Atlantis (Dubai, UAE)
Montreal Biosphere (Canada)
Wonderworks (Pigeon Forge, TN, USA)
The Basket Building (Ohio, USA)
Kunsthaus (Graz, Austria)
Forest Spiral (Darmstadt, Germany)
Wooden Gagster House (Archangelsk, Russia)
