Using his “Emotigun,” Tadas Maksimovas offers a look at how our need for constant affirmation would appear in the physical realm. This “motor-powered, remote-controlled machine slingshot” was created by Maksimovas, designed by Martijn Koomen, and had its first prototyped version crafted by YouTube star Jorg Sprave. In the video below, Maksimovas offers himself as a target.
The artist says the gun is “loaded with reaction emojis as it’s ammunition which can be found across social media platforms – 👍 ❤️ 😂 😯 😢 😡 etc.. The concept aims to pose the question as to whether or not we would still long for constant recognition online, if we received it physically.”
See more views of this projects and others below.
Massachusetts based sculptor Tom Friedman’s work is instantly recognizable for its surprising use of materials like styrofoam, foil, paper, clay, wire, plastic, hair, and fuzz. "I don’t think about the construction of meaning. I think about the creating a catalyst for thinking. Meaning is too concrete. I want the viewer to think in different ways. I want to propose an ongoing process of investigation with no conclusions," says Friedman. The artist's great emphasis on materials makes him an analog artist in a digital world, and people looking at his work often remark on it's "zen-like" quality.
One look at artist 
In her ceramic sculptures, Janet Beckhouse taps into ancient contemplations on life, death, and nature. Though at times disconcerting, with writhing floral elements enveloping her figures, each work is executed with elegance. Beckhouse crafts these sculptures in both towering and handheld scales.