The Art of Jose Mertz

Jose Mertz is someone who doesn't mind breaking out of his comfort zone. The Miami-based visual artist blends the contemporary and the traditional and draws inspiration from science fiction, ancient civilizations and the mystic arts. Whether it's a collaboration with Adidas, a mural for Dr. Smood, or a poster for Pacific Rim: Uprising, Jose seems to approach each project with the same passion.

After graduating from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2002, Jose decided to live in New York and studied Zen for several years. During that time he also traveled the world and encountered different people that would eventually inspire his work and change his life.

Below are some of my favorites, but you can check out his website and Instagram for more.

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Thai artist paints on mosquito nets

I find them quite intriguing, these ghostly portraits that Uttaporn Nimmalaikaew paints on mosquito nets. His creations look like a hologram, changing form depending on where the viewer stands. Overall, they're gloomy, haunting, and endlessly fascinating. I could stare at them for ages. [h/t: Colossal ]

Experiencing Flight Through an Eagle's Eyes

Have you ever looked up and wondered, "What does it feel like to soar majestically like an eagle?" This video offers a captivating glimpse. Expert bird handler Lloyd Buck attached a small 360-degree camera and a GPS tracker directly to the back of one of these magnificent predatory birds. The entire setup creates a stunning, first-person virtual reality experience—only this one is real and features a creature with an impressively large wingspan. However, this isn't just for cool footage. The real mission is to capture valuable scientific data: examining how quickly an eagle can gain altitude and precisely how its incredible wings are adapted to achieve such breathtaking, effortless lift.

Drawn, layered and torn

Tin-aw Art Gallery led me to Lui Gonzales . This UP graduate creates stunning works of art by drawing, layering and eventually tearing them. The result is a riotous, visual feast. Her work is a reminder that before you can experiment, you have to have the skills. And, before you can be a rebel, you have to understand what you're tearing apart. No pun intended. Lui starts by drawing on tracing paper after deciding how many layers of illustrations would be included in the piece. The average is five. But she once made a 32-layer work that took a year to finish. Then, after layering one over the other, she rips the paper from top to bottom. Lui was one of the delegates who represented the Philippines at the 2010 ASEAN Youth Camp for Visual Arts in Vietnam. She had her first solo exhibition in 2018 at Eskinita Gallery titled Colorless Confetti , followed by a group show, Simulcra , in Singapore last February. If you happen to be in Metro Manila, I suggest y...

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