LED Mushroom Lights by Yukio TakanoFebruary 5

LED Mushroom Lights by Yukio Takano mushrooms lighting

File this under coolest desk lights of all time. Japanese designer Yukio Takano of The Great Mushrooming builds these fun lights using LEDs embedded in synthetic mushrooms that at a quick glance are passable for the real thing. Each light kit is complete with beautiful packaging, battery packs embedded in the base of the wood, and nifty retro on/off switches. While I can’t figure out if these are for sale online you can see tons more in his online gallery. (via fishy inspires, and thnx hiroyoshi!)

The Bizarre, Flexible Paper Sculptures of Li HongboFebruary 4

The Bizarre, Flexible Paper Sculptures of Li Hongbo sculpture paper

What at first look like delicate works of carved porcelain are actually thousands of layers of soft white paper, carved into busts, skulls, and human forms by Beijing artist Li Hongbo. A book editor and designer, the artist became fascinated by traditional Chinese toys and festive decorations known as paper gourds made from glued layers of thin paper which can be stored flat but then opened to reveal a flower or other shape. He applied the same honeycomb-like paper structure to much larger human forms resulting in these highly flexible sculptures. Hongbo recently had a solo show at Dominik Mersch Gallery in Australia who made the videos above, and you can see much more of his work on their website.

The Centrifuge Brain Project: A Documentary About Impossible Amusement RidesFebruary 4

The Centrifuge Brain Project: A Documentary About Impossible Amusement Rides roller coasters humor documentary

In this brilliantly fun mockumentary from German filmmaker Till Nowak, a man named Dr. Nick Laslowicz from the Institue for Centrifugal Research (ICR) recounts his “achievements in the realms of brain manipulation, excessive G-Force and prenatal simulations,” stating unequivocally that “gravity is a mistake.” What follows is a series of increasingly terrifying and equally absurd roller coasters that fling passengers into the sky in an attempt to theoretically improve their cognitive function. Pulling no stops, the fictional ICR has a fully active Facebook page and website, though in reality the film has won numerous awards in screenings around the world in the last year. (via the creators project, swissmiss)

Miniature Wire Bonsai Trees by Ken ToFebruary 4

Miniature Wire Bonsai Trees by Ken To wire trees

I’m really enjoying the color and form of these tiny bonsai trees sculpted from copper by artist Ken To. While certainly not a new artform (we’ve covered wire trees here previously), I find To’s work exceptional in its simplicity and focus on shape versus ornamentation which other artists in the same vein seem to rely on for visual embellishment. The trees are for sale, however because of recent coverage online it looks like he’s currently sold out on Ebay and Rondei. Stay tuned. (via ian brooks)

Suspended Shirt Installations by Kaarina KaikkonenFebruary 4

Suspended Shirt Installations by Kaarina Kaikkonen textiles multiples installation clothing

Using hundreds of second-hand shirts Finnish environmental artist Kaarina Kaikkonen creates site-specific installations suspended above roadways or inside large warehouse spaces. Her most recent work Are We Still Going On? (top images), was conceived at Collezione Maramotti, a private collection of contemporary art in Reggio Emilia, Italy, and involves hundreds of children’s shirts hung in rows to resemble the interior hull of a giant ship. The shirts are organized by color on each side of the skeletal boat to represent a sort of symbolic dialogue about gender. You can learn more over on Art Texts Pics and see a brief video of the piece here. (via global art news)

New Quilled Paper Anatomy by Lisa NilssonFebruary 2

New Quilled Paper Anatomy by Lisa Nilsson quilling paper dogs anatomy

Paper artist Lisa Nilsson (previously) recently completed a number of new anatomical pieces using her profoundly incredible skill with quilling, a tedious process where paper is tightly wound into small rolls and then assembled into larger artworks. The natural formation of the paper coupled with Nilsson’s ability to identify the precise materials to mimic organic structures makes each artwork appear uncannily like actual cross-sections of humans and animals. The artist has a number of new works currently on display at the Boston Art Gallery as part of the exhibition Teaching the Body: Artistic Anatomy in the American Academy through March 31, 2013. Don’t miss it. Photography by John Polak.

Aerial Photographs of Tulip Fields in the Netherlands by Normann SzkopJanuary 31

Aerial Photographs of Tulip Fields in the Netherlands by Normann Szkop Netherlands landscapes flowers

Abstract rainbows of color fill the landscape in these beautiful photos by French photographer Normann Szkop (nsfw-ish) who hopped in a Cesna with pilot Claython Pender to soar above the tulip fields in Anna Paulowna, a town in North Holland. Collectively, the millions of neatly planted flowers create sprawling patterns and designs that tourists flock to witness with their own eyes every season. See the entire 100+ photograph set over on Flickr. (via twisted sifter)

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