Different art mediums open up a host of possibilities. Beyond classical painting and sculpture, today’s avant-garde artists often experiment with unexpected materials and unconventional methods of creating. In fact, across all genres of art, you will find artists who are able to transform ordinary works into pieces that are unbelievably extraordinary. Here, we showcase the unusual mediums used by some of today’s top creatives.
From Yuken Teruya—who delicately carves commercial paper bags and transforms them into magnificent miniature trees—to Maurizio Savini, who turns Hubba Bubba into high art, these selected artists are the ones who remind us that the best kind of art isn’t always the most complicated; it’s the kind that leaves us with an experience.
Explore these innovative mediums of art and get your creative juices flowing.
Trash
Photo: Tom Deininger
Cassette Tapes
Photo: iri5
Spilled Coffee
Photo: Giulia Bernardelli
Recycled Carrier Bags
Photo: The Eden Project
Colored Pencils
Photo: Jennifer Maestre
Dice and Gambling Chips
Photo: Liu Jianhua
Jell-O
Photo: Liz Hickok
Coffee Cups
Photo: Anastassia Elias’
Smoothies
Photo: Hazel Zakariya
Post-it Notes
Photo: ih8gates
Kodaimai Rice
Photo: Pink Tentacle
Chewing Gum
Photo: Maurizio Savini