finding cain

Do You See What I See tells the story of David Dees, who started out working for Disney, Hanna-Barbera, and Sesame Street and eventually became the artist-in-residence for internet truthers. Short of the Week's Chelsea Lupkin has a review of the Brad Abrahams-directed documentary. A film that will frustrate, enlighten, and enrage, Do you see what I see? is an unsettling, yet empathetic portrait of the "notorious" illustrator, his beliefs and his eye-catching, yet problematic works of art. The spread of misinformation is now so commonplace the issues Do you see what I see? raises are certainly not to be ignored. Presenting a glimpse into the psyche of someone who has gone so far down the rabbit hole they are living in an alternate reality, Abrahams’ short provides a chilling word of warning for us all. I don't really know what that was about, but that, uh, that was intense. Anyway, here's the video:

LEGO and Transformers action figures are some of the toys I really wanted as a kid, but never got. Boy or girl, every child wanted a LEGO. My older cousin had a couple of LEGO sets, but didn't really let me play with them. So, I desperately asked my rich Japayuki ninang for one. Instead, she gave me a knockoff—like the ones sold at sari-sari stores near public elementary schools. Every year, I looked forward to birthdays and holidays with great anticipation, but I never got the real thing. During the height of their popularity in the 80s, many people were convinced that their Autobots and Decepticons were actually smart investments, and that the shape-shifting alien robots would one day be worth thousands. More than 30 years after the original Transformers TV series first aired, its toy franchise remains one of the most popular in history. My mother gave me one when I was 7. Unfortunately, what I got was a funny counterfeit Starscream from Divisoria that looked like a malnouris...

Necati Korkmaz has got an eye for detail, on a whole new scale. His sculptures are so small, that they're only visible through a magnifying glass or a microscope. The Turkish artist claims his latest creation, a ceramic chess set the size of a thumbtack, is two times smaller than the current Guinness World Record holder.   Using the tiniest of tools and the steadiest of hands, Korkmaz worked around six hours every day in the last six months to finish the project. The chess set is completely usable but players would need a microscope to see the board and special sticks to push the pieces.

If you're afraid that your child does not have enough phobias, the creepy dolls of Mariana Monteagudo will unfailingly keep him up at night. Over the past twenty years, the Venezuelan-born, Florida-based artist has built an army of macabre statuettes from unwanted objects she finds around neighborhoods and at local thrift shops. Her work explores topics like capitalism, immigration, terror, consumerist fetishism and the emerging upcycling culture. Some of them look out of this world. Others seem freakishly evil. Like I'm going to murder you while laughing maniacally, evil. Of her sculptures, Mariana says, "They were born unscripted. And that's how they look. Ever since I made the first one, I have continued feeling the urge to produce more." Mariana has received several awards, and her unsettling work has caught the eye of many critics and is now part of the MOLAA Museum in California, Everson Museum, NY, Cesar Gaviria Trujillo Collection, Columbia, among other c...

David Mach has created some incredible art pieces using unusual media. Matchsticks, coat hangers, and playing cards are just some of the materials that the Scottish sculptor has used. I discovered his work in 2012 via Opera Gallery and instantly became a fan. Let's face it, matchsticks are a technology that became useless the moment lighter was invented. Nobody knows why we continue manufacturing them; their only purpose right now is to aid people who don't have access to toothpicks and cotton buds. David, however, figured out a much more productive use for them. He uses thousands of tiny matchsticks in each of his limited-edition art piece, and then sells them for about the same amount of money. While a lot of artists make sculptures using conventional materials like stone, wood, clay, and plaster, others continue to push the artistic envelope. David has found an alternative use for all those coat hangers in our closets, by turning them into enormous ...

Erik Johansson is a Swedish photographer and visual artist whose work is worth checking out. Looking through his portfolio, I am left speechless by the way he can manipulate images. But unlike other digital artists, Erik makes ideas come to life without CGI or stock photography; just complex combinations of his own photos. The overall effect is mind-bending, surreal and beautiful, all at the same time.

Wearing of face masks in public places is the norm nowadays. From simple surgical masks and expensive respirators to DIY solutions, people are using anything at their disposal to protect themselves from coronavirus. Creative talents are also expanding the esthetic appeal of the all-important accessory and it seems like there's no limit to their imagination. One of my favorites is Icelandic textile artist Ýrúrarí . Her hand-knit masks are not meant to be protective in any way, but I'd still wear them at home—or outside—when this is all over.

Japanese artist Kana Miyamoto is known for her sexualized little girl figures that often end up disturbing the viewer's  mind. She combines cute and endearing with depressing and morbid. In one painting, an innocent-looking girl tries to mutilate a teddy bear. In another, two gals try some transgressive sexual acts. Strange. But stranger women fascinate me even more. If you like what you've seen here, then check out Kana's Pixiv Fanbox  for more disturbing goodness.

Tung Ming-Chin is one of my favorite new finds. The Taiwanese artist from Changhua crafts sculptures of human figures that appear to be trapped in wood, crying for help, and trying relentlessly to come out. There's something distinctly unsettling about his work. But, like a good horror movie, you won't turn away. Thanks to Billie, who agrees sculptors are fascinating creatures.

Chess pieces made from animal bones, cowhides reconstructed into benches, lamps created from preserved sheep stomachs, large-scale installations made of edible seaweed: the work of Julia Lohmann is truly unconventional. Born in Germany, Julia uses her materials in a way that transcends their original purpose, creating true art. I made a list of furniture I would buy if I had an unlimited budget, and the Cow Bench is one of them. People say these headless bovine seats look really nice, but wait until they find out they're draped in rawhide. Sitting on one, you feel artificial ribs. Julia studied graphic design at the Surrey Institute and then design products at the Royal College of Art in London. Her work is part of major public and private collections worldwide and has received awards, bursaries and support from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the British Council, Jerwood Contemporary Makers, D&AD, Stanley Picker Gallery, the Arts Foundation and the Wellcome Trust. ...

Freya Jobbins is an award-winning contemporary artist and environmentalist who specializes in making dismembered toys into artistic treasures. Her up-cycled plastic sculptures have been exhibited and held in collections across Australia and in other countries such as the USA, Germany, Norway, England, and Israel. Freya, who is currently based in Sydney, draws inspiration from the works of Guiseppe Archimboldo and other artists such as Ron Mueck, Kathe Kollwitz and Frida Kahlo to create amusing, yet unsettling pieces. She explains: "My work is based on appropriation, re-assemblage and subversion of pre-existent objects, where I continue to explore notions of identity, motifs and my own dissimulation. With a focus on technical craftsmanship through intricate dissection and reconstruction of the humanoid face using recognizable toys in my assemblages." Follow Freya on Instagram for more amazing stuff.

When you hear the name Lucy McRae , the strange anatomical forms and weird adornments of her subjects come to mind. These multimedia art pieces are visually stimulating, but they often end up disturbing the viewer's  mind. Lucy, who calls herself a "body architect", produces short films and images that raise questions about what it means to be human and what is it that makes us human. As former ballerina, interior designer and architect, Lucy effectively blurs the lines between fashion, design, art, architecture and science. If you happen to be in Melbourne, check out the first survey exhibition of Lucy's provocative and beguiling work, Lucy McRae: Body Architect . The show runs until February 9, 2020 at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square. The best part? Admission is free.