Renaissance angels cling to each other in front of a graffitied wall, hellish medieval imagery is splashed across a pair of Doc Marten boots and God has met Facebook’s friend request limit in this collection of works re-contextualizing classical art for the modern world. The original imagery is removed from its cultural and historical context and inserted into urban settings or mixed with contemporary elements to breathe new life into it and bring it to new audiences. See 26 more modern takes on historical paintings.
Modern Media Graphics X Classical Paintings
In a series called Emoji Nation, artist Nastya Nudnik inserts graphics from modern gadgets and media on top of classic paintings, like warning messages from the Windows operating system, Facebook buttons, emoticons and sad little indications that the user has zero followers on Instagram. One even visualizes Bosch’s ever-popular Garden of Earthly Delights as an explorable location on Google Maps. If only.
Street Art Mixed with Classical Paintings by Marco Battaglini
Artist Marco Battaglini mixes street art with classical paintings from the Renaissance in his own work, contrasting classicist figures with heavily graffitied walls. The artist aims to highlight the “intrinsic contradictions of the human condition” through the juxtaposition of traditional art with its connotation of elitism and the popular culture of the masses. The new aesthetic, according to the artist, reflects “the eclecticism and fragmentation that are hallmarks of post-modernism.”
3D Sidewalk Chalk Masterpieces by Kurt Wenner
Master of 3D sidewalk chalk illusions, Kurt Wenner, makes classic imagery spring to life in the streets of cities around the world. Initially employed by NASA as an illustrator to create conceptual paintings of future space projects, Wenner moved to Italy to study classic Renaissance art and spent the rest of his career up to this point exploring how that style can be preserved in contemporary society.
European Paintings on Surfboard & Skateboard Triptychs
Skateboard company Boom-Art teamed up with UWL Surfboard to create a series of limited-edition surfboards referencing European art history. Two triptychs with classic designs include ‘The Lady and the Unicorn’ and ‘The Garden of Earthly Delight’ by Heironymous Bosch. Each is handmade and individually numbered in an edition of just ten per design. The same designs are available as skateboards, as well.
