Santa’s Ordinary Nights

As Christmas approaches, natural questions arise about Santa Claus’s whereabouts the other 364 days of the year. Lucky for us, Italian photographer Leonardo Papi has explored this very topic with his photo series, aptly titled “Santa’s Ordinary Nights”. Injecting humor, curiosity, and fantastic lighting skills, self-taught photographer Papi brings a smile to our faces with this fun project. Papi explains: “It is well known that Santa Claus delivers gifts on the night between 24th and 25th December. This is the visual diary of his other lonely nights. An ordinary man in the darkness, with his ordinary solitude…”

Via leonardopapi.net

Lighthearted LEGO Masterpieces

LEGO bricks are no longer just plastic construction toys, they have permeated all facets of pop culture lately… showing up on the silver screen, in video games, on clothing and even fine art. Classically trained Italian artist Stefano Bolcato has had such a penchant for the timeless toys since childhood that he began using them, and specifically the yellow minifigures, as subject matter for years. Recently, Bolcato took this a step further by reimagining classic paintings with LEGO figures in his series titled People. From Andy Warhol’s legendary Marilyn Diptych to Frida Kahlo’s Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird and Leonardo da Vinci’s Portrait of an Unknown Woman (La Belle Ferroniere), Bolcato’s oil paintings are fun and approachable. We’d love to see him expand on the series…. The possibilities are endless.

More LEGO art here and here and here.

Via stefanobolcato.com and Instagram

Wanderlust Alphabet (A-F)

Our penchant for serial works never diminishes. There’s just something about the natural order of things that is so satisfying. Glasgow-based illustrator/designer Jack Daly taps into that systemization while exploring his love of illustration, typography, and travel with his aptly titled Wanderlust Alphabet. And we have to say, the results, so far, are pretty great. It goes without saying that Daly is a terrific artist, and his adept use of color and sense of composition really make each of these pieces sing. Having just tackled the very beginning of the alphabet so far, Daly differentiates each letter/city with signature landmarks, architecture, local customs, etc. We are really taken with Daly’s style and cannot wait to see this alphabet grow. The possibilities are endless! In the meantime, prints available here.

Via Behance and Instagram

Sneakered

In an effort to pay homage to some superb Italian design manifested widely through consumer goods, Italian-American designer Gianluca Gimini conceived this series of fictional co-branded sneakers. Looking at Gimini’s body of work, particularly this imaginative series, appropriately titled “Sneakered”, it’s clear that Gimini operates on a creative plane not easily defined. At a time when consumers (very broadly speaking) seem to be steeped in the marketing of nostalgia, Gimini capitalizes on that trend and also taps into a youth culture that holds footwear, specifically sneakers, in high regard. Think of it as an exercise in mashing up historical examples of excellent product design with a vehicle that has global youth appeal (sneakers). Brilliant.

Via Behance

Power and Food

Italian photographer Dan Bannino is a consummate storyteller with a particular penchant for still life and commercial photography. Much of his work could just as easily find a home on a gallery wall as in the pages of a mass market magazine, like National Geographic, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Cosmopolitan and many others. With his terrific Power and Food series, Bannino explores the eating habits of powerful and influential people from around the world. In our celebrity-obsessed culture any glimpse “behind the curtain,” so to speak, is valued. A look into the private lives of public figures, no matter how brief or inconsequential, makes us feel a little closer to them. Bannino’s series capitalizes on that curiosity, with his vibrant and arresting images. We particularly love his compositions and bold style. In his own words, Bannino states, “If you’re a fast food aficionado or a pizza freak, you have more in common with Mr. Donald J. Trump, and Pope Francis himself than you ever imagined. Check out some of the most unexpected food patterns of the world’s leaders, and you’ll never eat the same way again.”

Via danbannino.com

Facebank: Superhero Currency

It is said that art is often an honest reflection of societal issues at large. History shows that for centuries art has been a sort of barometer, documenting larger issues through the lens of the artist. This certainly holds true for the work of Italian artist Alessandro Rabatti. His series Facebank serves as commentary for the very uncertain financial state of the world today, with a humorous bent, of course. Rabatti alters iconic faces on currency (related posts here and here and here) from around the world, “disguising” them as fictional superheroes. Despite the seemingly fun nature of these pieces, Rabatti’s intent and message is likely much deeper. For one, by altering the faces of these historical figures to look like familiar comic book characters with a rich (albeit fictional) history of their own, Rabatti remarks on their economic and political status, looking to them as possible “saviors” of the global economic crisis. There is an implied trust in these figures, both real and fictional, so the dialogue Rabatti initiates with this series could really go on and on. Oh, and these works are just plain cool looking. From conception to execution, we’d say Rabatti has creative super powers of his own.

Via alessandrorabatti.com

Lego Masters

Legos and art have been crossing paths for years now (here and here and here). These colorful bricks that come in a vast spectrum of colors inspire not only young children, but also creative-thinking adults the world over. We are in awe of this brilliant ad campaign for Lego from a few years back, featuring highly minimalistic configurations of single-stud bricks depicting some of the most iconic paintings by masters from da Vinci to van Gogh. The human brain is truly intriguing. The fact that most people would recognize these works of art, with mere hints of details, really is amazing when we think about it. Kudos to Milan-based art director Marco Sodano for the clever concept and flawless execution.

Via Behance

Luxurious Paper Craft by Mauro Seresini

Paper craft, using paper as the primary artistic medium for the creation of three-dimensional objects, is a highly specialized expression of one’s creativity. Though we don’t create this type of art ourselves, we certainly admire those who do (here and here and here). Milan-based artist Mauro Seresini is no exception. With little more than X-Acto knives and stockpiles of Bristol board, Seresini’s work ranges from editorial to advertising to commissions to large and small scale installations, and has attracted such luxury brands as Valentino, Tod’s and Lavazza. There is a certain unmistakable elegance to Seresini’s work, which clearly drew these clients to him. And the fact that Seresini is self-taught only heightens our affinity for his work. A true artist, through and through.

Via mauroseresini.com and Behance

Bleak Bounty of Nature

In addition to being aesthetically innovative, Torino, Italy-based photographer Giorgio Cravero’s series, entitled simply Colors, is also fueled by a belief that we humans are slowly killing nature’s bounty. Cravero shot the fruits and vegetables, then masterfully retouched them to look like the life (color) is dripping away. “Men are poison for the earth. Behind this work there’s the story of what we are and of our arrogance when we think that we really count…. Here, in that cabbage which was sadly left to its fate, lies all the tragic meaning of our smallness and of our short memory, because we should have stayed there, close and loyal to the Earth, we should have stayed humble.” Though we may not totally agree with Cravero’s sullen position, we understand the sentiment. And there’s certainly no denying his immense talent and superb execution of these photographs.

Via Behance

Sun, Sand and Symmetry

Part photojournalism, part fine art photography, Munich-based photographer Bernhard Lang’s “Aerial Views Adria” project plays to a variety of senses. These extraordinary photographs not only satisfy our own desire for visual symmetry and orderliness, they also feature a pleasing spectrum of colors. Perhaps the most amazing thing about this series is that it’s not Photoshopped. Lang captured authentic aerial views of seaside resorts at the Adriatic coastline in Italy, between Ravenna and Rimini. Be sure to check out his body of work, it’s really quite something.

Via bernhardlang.de and Behance