Scrap Metal Curiosities

Haribaabu Naatesan is a home-grown artist who turns E-waste into intricate engineered sculptures. 

I'm increasingly drawn to art inspired by mechanical objects, and Haribaabu's work is my current fixation.

 

The auto-rickshaw is a common subject in Desi popular culture, often featuring in artwork. His depictions of the vehicle are the best I have seen yet!

Via mymodernmet

Shingo Sato

Having not made anything in a while, left me with designer's block. I was on a hunt for inspiration and came across Shingo Sato's videos on transformational-reconstruction pattern design. It's an intuitive way of going about making patterns, enabling experimentation without the constraints of traditional drafting methods. While the dart manipulation techniques weren't new to me, I was intrigued by the creation of the 3D styles he demonstrated. Shingo Sato has held pattern workshops at some high profile fashion education institutions, introducing students to a fresh way of creating. He also designs for private clientele.

I recommend these videos to anyone remotely interested in how clothes come to life. This isn't the way it's usually done, but is definitely a more fun and inspiring way. You can visit his youtube channel where there are more videos. My favorites are the ones below. Watching them require a bit of patience, but the end result is worth it!!

 

 

Shingo Sato's book cover.

Via Fashion Incubator

Transfigured Terrains

Over a couple of months, I've bookmarked some cool outdoor installations/ landscape art/ environmental art. I thought I'd include them all in one big post. No need too elaborate too much on why or what...sometimes art just is...

First up is 'Colored Pencils' by Jonna Pohjalainen. You can find more pictures of her work on environmentalart.net, a whole site dedicated to Finnish art of this genre. Is it a big thing in Finland??  

I love the whimsy of this one created by Mehmet Ali Usyal for last year's 5 Seasons Festival in Chaudfontaine, Belgium.

My favorite has to be a series of nest-like outdoor installations by artist Patrick Dougherty, created through the span of his career.  He has built more than 200 such sculptures around the World. I was amazed by the sheer size of his work which requires "sticks by the truckload". Its also fascinating how he managed to make organic forms, in natural environments, using a basic of-the-earth material; look so other worldly.