Syria-born artist Khaled Dawwa, who creates under the name Clay & Knife, crafts periled, anticipating sculptured figures influenced by his own experiences. The artist, according to a statement, was “injured in a 2013 bombing, then arrested, imprisoned, and now exiled.” He’s currently based in France.
In a statement, Clay & Knife says the aim of the work is to “touch the humanitarian conditions influenced by the socio-political transformation in the region,” “have an interaction with people on social media through artworks,” “ensure the ability of art to express the people’s feelings and demands,” “approach different segments, especially those who are not interested in cultural means of expression,” and “rebuild the relationship between intellectuals and society, and bestow arts and culture their significant roles in socio-political transformation.”
See more of his work below.
Japanese artist Shintaro Ohata places sculptures in front of paintings to create wondrous scenes inspired by childhood. They play out every day encounters between his child subjects, their pets and imaginary friends with the world around them. While their lives may seem ordinary for the most part, Ohata's playful and impressionistic style make them feel like fantasies. They are sculpted from polystyrene which are then painted to perfectly match their traditional 2D acrylic backgrounds.
In what he calls “hyperbaroque” sculptures, 