Odd Things, Curious & Creepy Animal Sculptures by Erika Sanada

By EDW Lynch on September 11, 2013

In her series “Odd Things,” artist Erika Sanada makes ceramic animal sculptures that are a creepy combination of realistic and freakish. The carefully rendered dogs, squirrels, and other small animals are shown hairless and white-eyed, and often have extra limbs or eyes, or in some cases, tiny firearms. According to Sanada, the sculptures are inspired by her anxieties:

My sculptural work explores my anxieties. Early childhood experiences drove me to doubt my self-esteem, developing into a state of worry and distress. To cope with these emotions, my parents gave me a dog and he became a great companion. I use the imagery of dogs in my work to represent the joy in life. However, underlying that happiness, I incorporate odd features into my dogs like extra teeth or ears to symbolize those lingering anxieties. Much like myself, my work is struggling to find a balance between joy and sorrow.

Sanada’s work was recently on display at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco.



submitted

Smoke & Fire, Photos of Manipulated Fire by Rob Prideaux

By EDW Lynch on September 11, 2013

In the photo series “Smoke & Fire,” photographer Rob Prideaux uses stencils and other tools to shape and manipulate fire into unusual forms. Most of what you see is real—the photos are only lightly retouched on Photoshop. For more on Prideaux’s process check out his blog and his interview with PDN.


via