Chinese Cricket Cages

Crickets have long been fascinating pets in China and Japan. They are hunted, brought home, and put in tiny, ornate cages. Some were also made to fight. Some of these crickets are fairly large and can get quite loud.

Cages from the early 20th century can be from straw, wood, gourd, brass, ivory--you name it. You can get an idea of how precious and diverse they are on sites like THIS. 

Here's a modern market in Shanghai:

Artist Doreen Garner

A fascinating, terrifying, beautiful work dealing with trauma, the physicality of the body, and the history of violence against black women in the history of gynecology and medicine.

Watch the video of her process and commentary:
https://art21.org/watch/new-york-close-up/doreen-garner-sculpts-our-trauma/

The Art of Alison Hildreth

CHECK IT OUT HERE

Saints, Demons, Death, and the Devil for Metal Dudes, Part I

This post is dedicated to a friend who has been scrupulously studying the works of Albrecht Dürer to make a film for his compositions. I am lucky enough to be a sounding board for the script and process, which has been wildly inspiring.

First are some images by Dürer.

Knight, Death, and the Devil, 1513

Melancholia I, 1514

St. Jerome in his Study, 1514

These will be the main parts of the film, featuring the characters in various ways, often indirect, as well as common themes such as the hourglass. 

One of his earlier prints is also of note, since he had nearly perfected his ideas of proportion and plays with the idea of the humors. And who doesn't love that goat in the top right corner?

Adam and Eve, 1504

I should also note that there are some great bits about Dürer in THIS BOOK

Recently, this also led me to look further into the creative stylings in depictions of St. Anthony. He was tempted by demons, and since demons don't have a single face or type, it was an invitation for artists to be as inventive as possible. My favorite:

Martin Schöngauer, Temptation of St. Anthony, 1470s

The style here is amazing, and the creativity even more so.

And St. Anthony was also the namesake of an illness ("St. Anthony's Fire") now known as ergotism. Because of this, he was featured in a brilliant altarpiece by Matthias Grünewald:

Isenheim Altarpiece, 1512-1516

It depicts a Jesus covered in lacerations, skin affected similarly to those with the disease.

In the left-hand corner on the internal wing, St. Anthony is again tortured by demons.

HERE you can see the how the altarpiece opens.

In another altarpiece in Aachen, I found this little guy being very proud of doing his job next to St. Anthony.

And HERE is a funny rant on depictions of St. Anthony. 

More to come later!

Portuguese Man of War, Transparent, in Full Color

See the artwork of Aaron Ansarov showing the beauty of a deadly and complex sea creature.

And his website shows how he does it

Album covers, back from the dead

I've written before about the album art of Joy Division (including the sandpaper album cover meant to destroy other album covers)

Just as artist’s books are surviving in the underground, there are artists still pushing the boundaries of album art. These are some very cool examples: one set is permanently sealed within its sleeve and has remnants of the artist’s own blood.  Another has human ashes (as described on the sleeve) that are crushed and painted onto the playing surface of the record.

Talk about putting yourself into your music.

Pictures and info HERE

Sound HERE

Roberto Ferri's Morbid Paintings

See more HERE

And a bonus pinterest link for some really wild/creepy/awesome art.

Artist Javier Perez

from http://javierperez.es/

Sarah Sitkin's Creepy Fleshy Art

more HERE

Video Art by Albert Omoss

form m09 - peer pressure from Albert Omoss on Vimeo.

Emoji Birth from Albert Omoss on Vimeo.

F5 2015 - Entangle from Albert Omoss on Vimeo.

form n11 - objectification from Albert Omoss on Vimeo.

The Art of Marwane Pallas

These are from a series called Doctrine of Signatures, which is an antiquated theory that things which look similar work together--i.e. walnuts are good for the brain because they look like it

more HERE

Blood Lamp

See the video by Mike Thompson at Thought Collider:

Bowie and Art

Story 1

Story 2

Super disturbing imagery I found HERE

Self-Portrait as Anatomical Model

Sébastian del Grosso at Bored Panda

People passing by or entering Ørestad High School will get a real surprise: a giant breast with milk progressively flowing out of the nipple is hung in the entrance hall. This immense (the balloon is 9 meters of diameter) and fascinating video-installation, called Venus of Willendorf, is the last creation of the Danish-Argentinean couple Venus of Willendorf, which is at once entertaining and deeply meaningful.

From the website of Hilden Diaz 

The Art of Max Aguilera Hellweg

See more HERE

The Art of Nicola Samorí

Nicola Samorí's official site is HERE. All the pictures are from there.

Installation view of sculpture in an anatomy theater

Yoshitoshi Kanemaki

More HERE