Circuit Board Fossils, Paintings and Other Found Object Sculptures by Peter McFarlane

Circuit Board Fossils, Paintings and Other Found Object Sculptures by Peter McFarlane:

Mixed media and installation artist Peter McFarlane has spent his life turning found objects, computer waste and other discarded materials into sculptures, installations, and even the backdrops of paintings. Of his work McFarlane says:

To me, waste is just lack of imagination. This belief carries beyond the boundaries of my art production and permeates most aspects of my life. Most of my home and studio, and much of everything in them, is recycled. I’ve always had an epic imagination along with a driving desire to make things. Thus, used objects have pared my options down to a workable, manageable level. No object is beyond artistic merit, meaning and metaphor. So why throw it out? The materials of my work are connected intrinsically to my ideas, be they tailored beyond recognition or left as found. Each piece I make resurrects an object as an idea specific to the material and the meaning inherent in its use. The history of the object — from the manufacture to the dumpster — embellishes its contexts and the possibilities I have to manipulate them. I have often made a connection with the objects that I’ve used in my everyday life or work experience: that which I know.

You can see much more of his work over at Saatchi Online as well as in his portfolio and he recently had a show of chainsaw sculptures (!) at Pegasus Gallery in Salt Spring Island, British Columbia just last month.

An Austin Man Builds a Cathedral of Junk

An Austin Man Builds a Cathedral of Junk:






This is a fascinating and touching glimpse into the ongoing art installation of Austin, Texas resident Vince Hannemann (aka the Junk King) who since 1989 has been collecting thousands of discarded objects and turning them into a giant cathedral of junk. In 2010 the city closed the structure claiming it was unsafe and demanded Hannemann obtain proper building permits for his “auxiliary structure”. He was then forced to remove nearly 60 tons of materials before finally obtaining the approval from an engineer. Over seven months hundreds of volunteers stopped by to lend a hand and the cathedral has begun expanding once again. Shot and edited by Evan Burns. Last photo by Blake Gordon. (via vimeo)

Technological Mandalas Made from Soldered Computer and Radio Components

Technological Mandalas Made from Soldered Computer and Radio Components:





Technological Mandala No. 2 is the latest work from Italian-born, London-based artist Leonardo Ulian who carefully solders a myriad of computer components, circuitry and microchips to create these precisely symmetrical mandalas. Of his work Ulian says:

With the Technological Mandala series I combined the suggestive and spiritual meaning of the Indian Mandalas with something that has been perceived as far from that sphere of influence, technology. The search of perfection as necessity within the electronics industry has stimulated my curiosity to produce this series of pieces in order to evocate that specific need. I wanted to show what has been hidden from the eyes of the consumer, representing electronic circuits as extraordinary objects where the perfection of the design can becomes almost something ethereal. The shapes and colors of the single components intrigued me for pure aesthetic reasons with the consequent loss of the actual functionality of the component itself. My circuits/ Mandalas do not activate lights or do other complicated function, but they simply function as stimulus to produce simple questions like: what will happen if a real electric current flows through the Circuit/Mandala?

While this is certainly the largest and most complex of his mandala works he has many more smaller pieces you can see in his online gallery. Photography courtesy Gigi Giannella. (via lustik)

Fabricating Informal Gardens: Diamond-Shaped Garden On Wheels

Fabricating Informal Gardens: Diamond-Shaped Garden On Wheels:

Andrea Legge, Deborah Lewis and Murray Legge of art and architecture collective Legge Lewis Legge have come up with this amazing opportunity to shape contemporary gardens. Named Fractal Garden, the project aims at constructing contemporary gardens by bringing together several diamond-shaped planters. Supported by wheels, these intriguing quadrilateral polygons expose a world of modern garden customization challenging you to express your love for geometry and nature. The 21 steel planter group consists of 7 garden diamonds that come in three different versions for a spectacular cluster of possibilities. Originally designed for the 10th anniversary of The International Garden Festival in Quebec, Canada, the planters quench your thirst for informal gardening, offering a great solution for any type of garden, even rooftop displays of greenery or garden design for small terraces. These customizable tessellated examples of the way planters shape different gardens inspire more symmetric and asymmetric combinations – how would you shape your mobile garden?

You're reading Fabricating Informal Gardens: Diamond-Shaped Garden On Wheels originally posted on Freshome.

Al Aire in the Spain Lab set up at the Spanish...

Al Aire in the Spain Lab set up at the Spanish...:



Al Aire in the Spain Lab set up at the Spanish Pavilion in the Venice Biennale. This plant growing structure is built to optimize resources, lead the roots right where you want them, and you can have a floating garden anywhere!

(Want more? See NOTCOT.org and NOTCOT.com)

Green Pedestrian Crossing in China Creates Leaves from Footprints

Green Pedestrian Crossing in China Creates Leaves from Footprints:







Jody Xiong of DDB China in conjunction with the China Environmental Protection Foundation created this wonderful outdoor campaign to create a subtle visual reminder of the environmental benefits of walking versus driving. Enormous white canvases with a bare tree were placed across 132 crosswalks in 15 Chinese cities. As pedestrians crossed their shoe soles were imprinted with a small amount of green paint, leaving behind a trail of leaf-like footprints. BBD estimated that nearly 3,920,000 people passed through the installations, and the final posters were eventually hung has billboards in several urban locations. Awesome! (via moeity)

Paper Bag Trees by Yuken Teruya

Paper Bag Trees by Yuken Teruya:





As part of a new group exhibition at David B. Smith Gallery in Denver, artist Yuken Teruya created these two wonderfully intricate trees cut from the humble paper of a McDonald’s carryout bag. Teruya has frequently demonstrated that even the most mundane paper materials can be used to create extraordinary art including his work with toilet paper rolls, newspapers, and currency. You can stop by David B. Smith through September 1st to these pieces and new work by Colossal favorite Jason Thielke.

Recycled Norwegian Wood Repurposed As Cute Ornamental Birds

Recycled Norwegian Wood Repurposed As Cute Ornamental Birds:

How would it feel to imagine a decorative object in every old, used furniture parts like armrests or table legs? To create little beady eyes in your imagination and then smooth them out to result some cute reminders to reuse our resources in creative ways. Offering a set of Re-turned ornaments as a gift is a symbolic invitation to participate in this challenging reshaping of our world – dressing used wood in an updated shell. Created by Norwegian designer Lars Beller Fjetlan, these ornamental birds used to be part of someone’s memories, but by reshaping their exterior surface, the designer’s interpretation allows the valueless wood to be cherished again. Coming across these wood crafted decorations on booooooom, I couldn’t help but wonder where would I find space for them in my home.

You're reading Recycled Norwegian Wood Repurposed As Cute Ornamental Birds originally posted on Freshome. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Freshome on Twitter, Facebook and Google+