Butcher Billy is Killin’ It

Pop art is alive and well. Having materialized in the 1950s as an alternative to the traditions of fine art, the movement draws from popular culture and often relies on irony. As we’ve noted before, our highly connected, celebrity-obsessed culture is a breeding ground for such art, so it’s no surprise that it seems to be a particularly thriving art scene these days. And many artist have emerged as household names through the years, such as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Roy Lichtenstein. Though not quite that prominent (yet), Brazilian artist and designer known as Butcher Billy has a tremendous body of work that pushes pop art forward, while also paying tribute to the past. Butcher Billy is “known for his illustrations based on the contemporary pop art movement. His work has a strong vintage comic book and street art influence while also making use of pop cultural references in music, cinema, art, literature, games, history and politics.” This is just a small sample of his extensive, diverse portfolio. If you didn’t know Butcher Billy’s work, now you do. Killin’ it, indeed.

Via Behance and curioos.com

We Can Be Heroes

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again… the proliferation of superhero movies in recent years has spawned all sorts of superhero art (here and here and here), which we are generally fond of. If art is a barometer for cultural consciousness, then fantasy and escapism seem to be at the forefront of people’s thoughts lately. Dubai-based fashion and portrait photographer Martin Beck, however, looks at these extraordinary characters and personas as rather ordinary, beyond their colorful costumes. Beck’s series, We Can Be Heroes, is a collection of superbly gritty portraits of regular people with regular struggles, who might not otherwise be viewed as heroes. Beck, in his own words: “When we think of superheroes, we think of perfect bodies and beautiful faces., achieving unbelievable feats. There are people we idealize as characters that can do no wrong and only seem to exist in our daydreams. This project tries to humanize superheroes. Despite our flaws and failures, each of us, in our own way, can be heroes to our family, our friends, our colleagues and we all have the potential to help others. My Heroes are regular people not restricted by race, religion or beliefs. They live among us, they surround us, they are everywhere. Everyone is a superhero.”

Via martinbeckphotography.com

 

Super-sized Superheroes

Superheroes are often revered not only for their remarkable abilities, but also their superior body types and physiques. Chicago-based artist/illustrator Alex Solis turns that perception on its head in this fantastically funny series (which has actually expanded beyond superheroes to feature #famouschunkies). We love how Solis captures the essence of each character, so they are instantly recognizable, but super-sizes their bodies in a strangely endearing way. Some might say that this vision is a more cerebral endeavor… social commentary on American culture and our obesity epidemic. But somehow, we think Solis is using his own super talents to invoke a little laughter into our day. Mission accomplished! We can’t wait to see more.

Via Instagram

The Secret Life of Heroes

Superheroes (and villains) are often depicted in all their idealized glory. But French artist/illustrator/designer Grégoire Guillemin’s unique perspective is rather striking. Not just for their (highly effective) pop art style, but for his depictions of everyday life, and sometimes compromising situations. Guillemin’s sense of humor shines through these outstanding illustrations (prints for sale here).

Via greg-guillemin.com

If it’s small enough he’ll stick it down…

Though these photos probably don’t do them justice, British contemporary artist Joe Black’s large-scale compositions are stunning. Composed of thousands of small objects, such as Lego bricks, ball bearings, plastic toy soldiers, buttons and badges, these pieces are not simply visually stimulating, but also thought provoking. The Captain America likeness of Black’s piece titled “Carry Your Own Sins Missy” is composed of 1,478 handmade badges of collected imagery, from Elvis and Disney cartoons to the Vietnam War. In his own words, “The iconic image of Captain America encapsulates the idea of America as the hero nation. However, within the image we glimpse the conflicts and contradictions of the all-American dream.” Similarly, the Superman likeness is made up of 1,389 badges of Western cultural imagery interspersed with corporate logos, fast food and obesity. Black has an incredible eye for tonal composition. We only wish we could see these in person… spectacular work.

Via mrjoeblack.com

Hero Eggs

It’s clear that we love superhero art (and, um, eggs, it should be noted), and there’s a lot of it out there. So when we came across this unique take (also see Helvetica Heroes and Superbugs) by Italian artist Simone Zulli, we had to share.

Via Tumblr