3d illusion arts: Oddity Central

Oddity Central

Brooklyn Artist Creates Magical Sand Paintings on Sidewalks
Dining in a Car at Taipei’s P.S. Bu Bu Restaurant
The Mind-Blowing Book Carvings of Alexander Korzer Robinson

Brooklyn Artist Creates Magical Sand Paintings on Sidewalks

Posted: 10 May 2012 09:42 AM PDT

Colored sand, a great deal of patience and his bare hands are all Joe Mangrum needs to create his incredible sand pantings on the sidewalks of New York.

Joe Mangrum was a painter for many years, but only started creating art with sand in the Fall of 2009. He chose to work with sand because it’s an ephemeral medium that can simply be swept away at the the end of the day, after he’s had a chance to express his talent and amaze passers-by. I never thought sprinkling colored sand through the bottom of your fist could lead to such amazing works of art, but Mangrum’s creations prove patience and talent are the basis of truly incredible things. The gifted street artist spends hours on end on his hands and knees sprinkling his colored sand onto the sidewalk to create ephemeral masterpieces that catch the eye of everyone around him.

Joe Mangrum sand painting Brooklyn Artist Creates Magical Sand Paintings on Sidewalks

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Joe Mangrum’s sand paintings is that they are spontaneous creations influenced by his overall felling of the day, or by something someone around him says, and even by the environment surrounding him. Nothing is planned or sketched out beforehand, his works all have improvisational qualities. “People are inspired by it. Kids are inspired by it, elderly people, homeless people, investment bankers. I’m doing what I love”, Mangrum says about his art.

Joe Mangrum sand painting2 Brooklyn Artist Creates Magical Sand Paintings on Sidewalks

The artist, who lives in Park Slope, says his art occasionally gets swept away by wind, but most times his art remains intact until he’s finished, and the viewers have a chance to see it whole. Everyone who gets the chance to see his beautiful mandala-like artworks are is in awe at the their incredible beauty and detail. Although Joe Mangrum has artworks for sale on his website, he mostly relies on donations from onlookers for income. He knows sand painting on the sidewalks of New York won’t be enough to support him forever, but he knows it will always be a part of him. He has also had the chance to create his sand art on the floors of art galleries and museums.

Joe Mangrum sand painting3 Brooklyn Artist Creates Magical Sand Paintings on Sidewalks

Joe Mangrum sand painting4 Brooklyn Artist Creates Magical Sand Paintings on Sidewalks

Joe Mangrum sand painting5 Brooklyn Artist Creates Magical Sand Paintings on Sidewalks

Joe Mangrum sand painting6 Brooklyn Artist Creates Magical Sand Paintings on Sidewalks

Photo: Taya-etc

via My Modern Metropolis

Brooklyn Artist Creates Magical Sand Paintings on Sidewalks was originally posted at OddityCentral.com

Dining in a Car at Taipei’s P.S. Bu Bu Restaurant

Posted: 10 May 2012 08:11 AM PDT

Eating in a car is not everyone’s idea of an enjoyable meal, but at the P.S. Bu Bu Restaurant, in Taiwan, it’s a must. This automotive-themed venue features all kinds of auto accessories and even full cars as dining tables.

Established in 1999, by two classic car enthusiasts, P.S. Bu Bu is an innovative restaurant that serves all kinds of popular Western dishes, as well as fusion cuisine that caters to the tastes of Taiwanese people. Although the food is to die for, it’s not the main reason people choose to eat at P.S. Bu Bu. Most of them just come here to be transported back to the “swinging sixties” by the unique decorations and accessories of the restaurant. Parked inside the restaurant are iconic automobiles like the Mini Austin, Volkswagen Beetle, 1963 Cadillac Series 6200 Coupe or a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air.

PS Bu Bu restaurant Dining in a Car at Taipeis P.S. Bu Bu Restaurant

Some of the cars of P.S. Bu Bu have been cut into pieces and converted into benches and bars, but some have been left hole and fitted with a table in the middle, so you can enjoy the meal in a car. Ponny and Sean, the two people that started P.S. Bu Bu have a thing for classic cars, so they did their best to transform this unique venue into any automotive enthusiast’s dream come true. Apart from the actual cars, the restaurant features American car licenses, guideposts, parking meters, fuel stations, and even steering wheels as door handles. Most of the stuff was bought from flee markets, but really does make the place look like nothing you’ve ever seen.

PS Bu Bu restaurant2 Dining in a Car at Taipeis P.S. Bu Bu Restaurant

If you’re ever in Taipei, P.S. Bu Bu should definitely be on your must-visit list, if only for the experience of eating a delicious meal in a pink Mini Austin. The car-themed restaurant is located at 1, Lane 140, Zhong Shan North Road, Section 7.

PS Bu Bu restaurant3 Dining in a Car at Taipeis P.S. Bu Bu Restaurant

PS Bu Bu restaurant4 Dining in a Car at Taipeis P.S. Bu Bu Restaurant

PS Bu Bu restaurant5 Dining in a Car at Taipeis P.S. Bu Bu Restaurant

PS Bu Bu restaurant6 Dining in a Car at Taipeis P.S. Bu Bu Restaurant

PS Bu Bu restaurant7 Dining in a Car at Taipeis P.S. Bu Bu Restaurant

Photos via PChome.com.tw

Dining in a Car at Taipei’s P.S. Bu Bu Restaurant was originally posted at OddityCentral.com

The Mind-Blowing Book Carvings of Alexander Korzer Robinson

Posted: 10 May 2012 12:46 AM PDT

Bristol-based Alexander Korzer Robinson creates incredible works of art by carving discarded encyclopedias and literally exposing their inner beauty. Book carving is one of the fastest growing art forms of the moment, and artists like Alexander Korzer Robinson, Brian Dettmer and Guy Laramee are leading the movement.

Korzer Robinson carefully cuts into the pages of old encyclopedias, exposing a part of its illustrations, while removing others, to create narrative scenes that are truly unique. While the images seem like they’re somehow suspended in a series of layers inside the book sculptures, they are actually left in their original place. It’s the artist’s technique that makes it look like they were placed there by hand. As you can probably guess by looking at the artworks below, book carving is a delicate and time-consuming process, but the end results are absolutely mind-blowing.

The Mind Blowing Book Carvings of Alexander Korzer Robinson

In an interview with My Modern Metropolis, Alexander Korzer Robinson revealed that he has been working with discarded books for almost five years, and that it took a lot of trial and error before he managed to refine his skills to the point where he creates the sculpted wonders we see today. “The most challenging aspect for me is to find the hidden narrative in the books I cut up. I use mainly non-fiction books as a starting point. I then go through those volumes to find my composition. During the actual process, cutting around some of the images and cutting out others, the narrative of the composition evolves further, and the final pieces is a result of planning and chance”, the English artist says about his art.

The Mind Blowing Book Carvings of Alexander Korzer Robinson

Robinson is constantly on the lookout for new books, but for him, encyclopedias are as good as it gets “since the articles of an encyclopedia are just connected by alphabetical order, it creates the most interesting juxtapositions”.

The Mind Blowing Book Carvings of Alexander Korzer Robinson