Bernard Pras has anamorphosis and he wants to give it to you… well, show it to you at least. Anamorphosis is the art of stacking objects on a piece of canvas or a photograph, and Pras is a master at creating sum-thing special from a whole lotta parts.

(images via: Bernard Pras Official Site and If It’s Hip It’s Here)
Bernard Pras (b. 1952) is a French artist whose bold re-imaginings of our artistic heritage force us to re-examine the way we look at visual art – which is itself a prism through which the artist channels a unique way of translating thoughts, emotions and ways of interpreting the world around us. Pras adds an extra dimension to familiar paintings, photos and images, often choosing materials that enhance certain aspects of his source material and allow the viewer to re-evaluate their original impressions of said source.

(image via: GuiseppeArcimbolo.org)
Pras is not the first assemblage artist – for that, you have to go back about 450 years to Milan, Italy, and a talented painter named Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1527-93). Arcimboldo, unusual for his time, painted portraits that seemed normal from a distance but upon approaching, revealed themselves to be skilfully composed congeries of objects. The most famous examples of his technique are four generic portraits from 1573 named for each of the four seasons and assembled from plants and other items corresponding to the time of the year.

(image via: Wikipedia)
Arcimboldo was exposed to a new generation of admirers in the mid-1970s when his painting Water was used as the cover art for the album Masque, the third studio album by the rock group Kansas.

(image via: If It’s Hip It’s Here)
Just how much did Arcimboldo influence Pras? Only he can say, but it’s certain that Pras thought enough of Arcimboldo to produce a composition based on one of his iconic works. Above you’ll see Arcimboldo’s “Summer” on the left and Pras’ homage to its right.

(images via: CubeMe and Smart Canucks)
While Pras’ technique is most often described as anamorphosis, it can embody aspects of Assemblage Art and Collage. Pras also allows his sense of humor to shine out from his creations… was his use of toilet paper rolls in the above portrait of the French ruler Louis IV inspired by Royale brand bathroom tissue? Was a Cashmere bathroom tissue ad inspired by Pras’ take on the Sun King? Mon dieu!

(images via: CubeMe and VVdM)
Modern pop culture has proven to be a fertile field for Pras as he has gone to the well time and again in recent years, revisiting cultural icons such as Bruce Lee and the Catwoman from the Batman comics and films. Pras also takes advantage of his medium, often producing multiple takes on a single subject’s image source. Check out the four variations on Catwoman above – clockwise from upper left: Catwoman in Red, Catwoman, Catwoman-Africa, and Catwoman-Caddy.

(images via: ArtNet and Variety)
Even Che Guevara, thought to be an untouchable symbol of the 1960s counter-culture, undergoes the Pras treatment. Note the artist’s use of toy guns and a red toy sheriff’s star in the Che collage, which evoke the violence of the communist revolutionary’s death as well as the innocence of the times in which many of his admirers lived.

(images via: If It’s Hip It’s Here and Andreas.com)
An older masterpiece like the Hiroshige woodblock print “The Breaking Wave Off Kanagawa”, usually referred to as The Great Wave, loses little if any of its immense visual impact when remade by Pras. That’s Pras’ version above top, Hiroshige’s original just below it.

(images via: RiverDaughter, VVdM and Free Canuckistan!)
It doesn’t get much more iconic than the 19th century poster child for fear and anxiety, Edvard Munch‘s “The Scream”. Pras’ choice of multicolored electrical wiring, transistor circuit boards and a .45 caliber revolver aimed up at a Halloween ghoul mask add an extra undercurrent of frisson to Munch’s original angst-laden imagery.

(images via: If It’s Hip It’s Here and Global Gallery)
Mao and Marilyn – cultural opposites made equal in the eyes of Bernard Pras. The source photos Pras bases his anamorphosic reproductions on also couldn’t be more different: the official Red Chinese photo portrait of Mao Zedong and Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych, his 1962 tribute to Marilyn Monroe.

(images via: VVdM and Creative Deconstruction)
The work titled “Geisha” shows Pras at his most playful, employing Japanesque objects such as fans and seashells to enhance the atmosphere of his chosen subject: a classic Japanese geisha girl. One of the most startling features of the piece is the use of a vinyl phonograph record to act as a portion of the girl’s hair – the multiple parallel grooves of the deep black vinyl ape the textured lacquer hairdo.

(images via: VVdM and If It’s Hip It’s Here)
Everything’s relative, one must admit, even esteemed physicist Albert Einstein’s much publicized 1951 photo showing the scientist pranking pursuing paparazzi (yes, they were a scourge in the Fifties as well). Pras version, though still easily recognizable, appears to trade Einstein’s humorous intent for a darker, more ominous quality that reflects today’s more distressing geopolitical reality.

(image via: If It’s Hip It’s Here)
Some might say Bernard Pras’ works masterfully combine The Good, The Bad & The Ugly while others are sure he could sell them For A Few Dollars More and happily retire with A Fistful Of Dollars. Enough Sergio Leone references then, and on to Pras’ take on everyone’s favorite Man With No Name, Clint Eastwood.

(image via: If It’s Hip It’s Here)
The top image performs a split-screen move on Pras’ composition and the original photo of Eastwood from his poncho-wearing, gunslinging days. If “Blondie” could talk, what would he say to Bernard Pras? Maybe something like, “You see, in this world there’s two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who create. You create.”c

Namaste! The LOST TV series has inspired people from around the globe to create some of the best fan made art ever! For six years, Lost fans have included amazingly talented artists with Lost-themed vision, incredible creativity, and an insatiable appetite for the island’s mysteries. Lost fans are now somewhere in-between a frenzy to having fun. Here is a huge collection of Lost fan art. Like LOST itself, some of the fan art is fantastic, while some is simply freaky and WTF?!?

The ‘Lost’ Supper

(image credit: daily LOST)

You may not be a fan of the TV series Lost, but the fans are diehards! Lost is almost over, with too many questions left unanswered. Whether or not that will leave an opening for a series of Lost movies on the big screen is yet to be known. However, the cult-like following will live on and continue to grow as new people watch reruns. Here are some of the best or most freaky fan art in a goodbye tribute to Lost.

Things Are Not As They Seem

(image credits: cafe press,cafepress,etsy)

Lost is one epic WTF after another. The only “given” is to expect that things are not what they seem. If you know nothing of Lost, you will not understand the hieroglyphics or the countdown timer. Explaining it is for the experts, but once upon a time Oceanic Flight 815 crashed on the the island. The survivors found the Hatch and the Numbers had to be entered into the station’s computer. Execute needed pushed every 108 minutes to prevent system failure and the dreaded hieroglyphics (or end of the world). From Desmond Hume, to John Locke, to Mr. Eko, in fact everything about the island, was never what it seemed. Each episode included a minimum of one WTF moment, leaving fans to speculate until the next episode.

Bentos

(image credit: Adventures in Bento Making)

As a Lost fan, you see clues everywhere. The Numbers, also Hugo Hurley Reyes‘ “winning” lottery numbers, might be found in something as simple as minestrone soup. Everywhere you look, Lost is there. Crystal Watanabe creates the most fabulous Lost tributes as Bentos. Her site, Adventures in Bento Making, is a perfect example of how creative and diehard LOSTies can be.

The Lost Art by Fans: Screenprints, Shirts, Bumper Stickers

(image credits: xigli,glennz,cafepress,cafepress)

(image credit: xigli)

To celebrate the final season of the series Lost, a group of designers and artists who are also fans of the program were challenged to create screenprints of the most memorable moments in the unforgettable series. They are not the only ones with fan art. Glenn Jones creates t-shirts designs, including the  Dharma milk carton. People all over the world have created t-shirt tributes to their favorite Lost character.

Mysterious Artwork

Hot Meteor creates some awesome Dharma vintage posters as if from Circa 1974. These Lost tributes to the Dharma Initiative are “Smoke ’em if you got ’em” and “Reach out and touch someone.”

This was part of the Lost Underground Art show at Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles. Created by artist Carlos Ramos and titled, “DHARMA Science Manual Volume: 4,” this 20 X 24 inch masterpiece sold for $975.00!

Eric Tan designed “The Crash.” It was one of 300 hand-signed and numbered screenprints. Jason Casey created “Mr. Eko stares down the smoke monster.” Arinen drew Charlie Pace and “Not Penny’s Boat.” Buuya drew a different character like this “Benjamin Linus” every day of June.

(image credits: little box of ideas)

Scott Campbell created these framed 5 X 5 watercolor showdowns on archival paper. “LOST Showdowns” sold at the Underground Art Show for $350 each.

Lost T-shirt Logos

(image credits: slashfilm,cafepress,emptees,shirtcity)

If you are a Lost fan, then it goes without saying that you have an insatiable appetite for rehashed theories of flight Oceanic 815, of the black smoke monster, of the intriguing Dharma Initiative, of the parallel universes, of the island and all of its mysteries. Don’t get us started on Adam and Eve. Here are a few of the important logos, sayings, and clues, printed on shirts by diehard fans.

T-shirts

(image credits: redbubble,deviantART,redbubble,shirtcity,etsy)

Here are a few more favorite Lost characters and a tiny drop in the bucket of t-shirt designs available in tribute to each. These are Hurley, Desmond, Dr. Daniel Faraday, James “Sawyer” Ford, and Sayid Hassan Jarrah. Depending upon how many questions are left unanswered, how many characters are offed, and how this epic TV series ends, Lost fans may break into worldwide riots in the streets.

Polar Bear

(image credit: reporter.blogs)

Do you like plush toys? When the polar bear charged across the tropical island, it was a giant WTF!?! This polar bear was created by Danielle Buerli and titled “The Dharma Bear.” This eight inch plush bear makes a roaring noise when squeezed and has small Dharma biscuits in a pouch. At the Underground Lost Art Show, it sold for $350!

Hurley & Locke Statues

(image credit: lostundergroundartshow)

Wade Schin created these one-of-a-kind, five inch sculptures of Hurley and Locke. They have magnetic feet and bases for extra stability. At the Underground Art Show, each sold for $815!

All Shapes, Sizes, Products

(image credits: damoncarltonandapolarbear,cafepress,cafepress,cafepress)

Almost any product you can think of has been turned into a Lost piece of art. From skateboards, clocks, hats, water bottles, it’s out there if you but look due to the awe factor of this highly addictive, intensely mysterious and controversial series. Some people hate Lost and will be happy to see it go. Even Lost fans like to bash Lost plots sometimes, but one thing rings true for all diehard fans. We will be lost without Lost.

Lost Simpsons

(image credit: scifiwire)

Lost and Simpsons, a combo that is hard to beat. Adam Reynolds created Lost wallpaper that executive producer Carlton Cuse tweeted: “Love this.”

Lost Kubricks

(image credit: muledesign)

With six seasons, Lost has been turned into fan art and into toys for fans. One example of Lostie toys are the Lost Kubricks from Medicom. This series included Locke, Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Sayid, Charlie and Hurley.

Lostpedia

(image credits: lostpedia,lostpedia,fanpop,lostpedia,lostpedia)

Tragedy seems to rule side by side with WTF!?! Hurley and Libby, Charlie and Claire, Richard, Locke and the hatch, Juliet and Ben, none escaped unscathed from tragedy. Lostpedia is a great source among thousands, perhaps millions, of sites which discuss or debate Lost theories.

Lost Love, Lovers & Love Lost

(image credits: little box of ideas,fanpop,fanpop)

Ahh, love, what we would do without it? The love quadrangle between Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Juliet was just one of the dramatic conflicts that helped drive the plot. Jate is the fan-given name to the relationship between Jack and Kate while Skate is the fan-given name to the romantic relationship between Sawyer and Kate. These amazing works of art have had six seasons to grow. “LOST Season Four” is by grantgoboom. “LOST II” is by juarezricci. “Sawyer and Jack“ was drawn by RobD4E.

Heartbreak

(image credit: bloginity)

Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse must have truly wanted to break our hearts and bring on the waterworks over the Kwons. Jin and Sun were blessed by Jacob on their wedding day. After Sun’s rescue, she gave birth to their daughter Ji Yeon. Once reunited on the island, that blessing by Jacob seemed like a curse. When Jin and Sun drowned together in the submarine, millions of voices around the globe shouted WTF?!?

Lost Cake

(image credit: geekologie)

Charm City Cakes made a special cake for the series’ 100th episode. “It has been more than four years since that fateful airliner, Oceanic Flight 815, crashed onto an Island on September 22nd, 2004. After 99 episodes full of ominous mythology, startling discoveries, shocking cliffhangers, buried secrets, and stunning character development – we have reached the 100 episode milestone.”

LOST (2004-2010)

(image credit: themexican-standoff)

We, the fans, love Lost. You’ve seen but a tiny sampling of awesome Lost fan art collected here. Six years later, we are still addicted and without answers to millions of questions. If you are not a Lostie, but know one, don’t call for we will have our phones off. We will be having parties. We will be ready and waiting for the Lost final showdown. To try to come between us and our beloved TV series may be hazardous to your health!