Alessandro Gallo‘s ceramic human-animal characters are often caught in the most candid and casual moments. Gallo’s garnered a reputation for these hybrid creatures, such as the one above, currently featured in the “Ceramics Now” show at The International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza.
“Gallo’s mixed-media process is rooted in realism and he begins by photographing his models from multiple angles,” says a recent post from Jonathan Levine Project, giving insight into his process. “The resulting photographs are then used in conjunction with images from animal wildlife books as references while sculpting. He adorns his mutant species with clothing, tattoos and other attributes of typical city-dwellers, and positions them within mundane human circumstances, such as standing in an elevator or taking out the garbage. By placing his compositions within the minutia of daily life Gallo views his work as psychological portraits that embark upon themes of alienation, boredom and loneliness.”
See more of the artist’s work below.
Using steel rebar, chicken wire, plaster, wax, acrylics, and other materials, 
A gigantic 20-foot tall inflatable refugee, which arrived in Copenhagen this week, is currently making headlines as it sails around the world. The sculpture is part of an effort by Belgian visual artist collective 
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.