In The Name Of Art ↓

Matchstick Titanic

“Meet a man who’s either very skilled, or just has way too much time on his hands.”

13ft Elephant Corpse Art

“Germany’s ‘Dr Death’ Gunter von Hagens has plastinated a pachyderm for a Jumbo-sized exhibition. The corpse collector, who preserves bodies for eternity with a special gel to display around the world, turned his unique talents to Samba the elephant. She passed away last year at the age of 41 in Neukirchen Zoo in Germany. Donated to von Hagens’ Plastination Institute for preservation, she is by far the biggest challenge to his team so far. Nearly 13ft tall and weighting 3.2 tons, Samba took 65,000 hours to be turned into the latest star attraction of his circus of the doomed. ‘Thirty five people were involved in her preparation and she will be coming back to Germany on display next year,’ said von Hagens, who has been criticized by church leaders for his grisly exhibitions which they say defile the dignity of the dead.” w/ photos

Louis Vuitton’s Journey

“A man travels through his senses, and through the other’s body, discovers his own.”

World’s Best Body Art

“Body art is an art form that stretches back thousands of years, although for one American artist, it is as relevant today as it ever was. Craig Tracy paints stunning images on people’s bodies before photographing them in unique poses. The resulting collection of masterpieces could be regarded as some of the best body painting in the world by an artist at the top of his game. ‘It is an emerging art form that is continuing to grow, yet it is the second oldest visual art in the world, next to drawing in the dirt,’ said 42-year-old Mr Tracy. I enjoy sharing something and showing people art that is exciting.” w/ photos

Incredible 3-D Murals

“A British artist has mastered an ancient form of optical illusion to create these incredible 3D images inside people’s homes – giving every house a stunning ‘room with a view’. Talented Janet Shearer, 56, produces beautiful murals known as ‘trompe l’oeil’ – trick of the eye – to give the dullest of rooms a breathtaking vista. Each work is painstakingly created over weeks and sometimes months using tiny brushes to give the artificial view a startlingly realistic appearance. Janet’s murals includes stunning sea views, beautiful horizons, white sands, crashing waves, rolling countryside, city scapes, rooftops and sports matches. Her colourful work often contain Tuscan views, Roman empires and scenes of ancient lands as well as people and animals such as dogs and peacocks. Janet’s work is found across the world and graces the walls of restaurants, pubs, hotels, private houses, churches and even a cross channel ferry. Mother-of-two Janet, a former model and film set designer, charges around $5,000 for a 8ft by 5ft piece but says in can be cheaper – than redecorating. She said: ‘I use tiny, tiny, brushes, it’s incredibly meticulous. It is a visual joke but it’s only effective when it works.” w/ photos

Sculptures By The Sea

“A gigantic version of Damian Hirst’s skull is nestled in the sand. An oversized baby – its modesty carefully covered by officials – is wide-eyed and lost. And an enormous pair of eyes stare out at onlookers from a cliff face. Sculpture by the Sea’ has returned to Sydney’s Bondi Beach. The festival, now in its thirteenth year, comprises Australia’s largest annual outdoor public display of art. Up to half a million people are expected to walk the two kilometres of Sydney’s iconic beaches to gawp at the open-air exhibition.” w/ photos

Chinese Sand Paintings

“Try not to sneeze.”

Tongue Tied: Face Paint

“I wonder what he does when he sticks his foot in his mouth…”

Beautiful Life Under The Microscope

“These astonishing pictures reveal a stunning microscopic world – with beautiful images of algae, lobster eggs and soap film. The close-ups give a glimpse into a universe that most have never seen, one that can usually only be experienced through the lens of a microscope. They are all entries to the Nikon Small World competition, now in its 35th year, a contest that attracts entries from around the world. The stunning images come from the biological, industrial, and geological sciences and are produced from the most unlikely subjects, including aquatic larva and zebra fish. Estonian Dr Heiti Paves took top honours this year, with a mind-blowing image of a flowering plant anther taking first place on October 8. He said: ‘As part of my work as a research scientist, I have been taking photographs through the microscope for almost 30 years to observe the processes in living cells. ‘I am honored to receive this recognition and I’m excited for the opportunity to share my work broadly.” w/ photos

Marilyn Monroe Pixel Painting

“The attention span that you’d need to pull something like this off seems absolutely impossible.”