Next time you’re looking for great art, try watching your step. One artist is taking it upon himself to beautify cracks and holes in the pavement with colorful mosaic art. Based in Chicago, Jim Bachor transforms unsightly potholes into beautiful renditions of famous paintings.
Aptly named Master Pieces, this series of four features depictions of well-known artworks kept at the Art Institute of Chicago. “It’s all about juxtaposition,” Bachor explains as the inspiration for Master Pieces to My Modern Met. “Occasionally when starting a new pothole art series I like to contrast high-brow subject matter with lowbrow pothole art (such as my series of high-end brand patterns like Burberry and Gucci). The Master Pieces series does the same thing—taking details of some very famous, iconic pieces from the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago and setting them in the dirty street.”
Some of the most recognizable works from this project include portrayals of Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, a snippet from Grant Wood’s American Gothic, and a portion of Vincent van Gogh‘s The Bedroom. Bachor created each work in this series, including a text-based mosaic that read “Art Institute of Chicago Should Fund This Art,” with pieces of Italian glass.
“If these works were stand-alone pieces of fine art, I’d probably sell them for around $3,500 each,” he says. For this reason, Bachor decided to limit Master Pieces to four finished works, but the efforts of his creative process have surely left their mark on the city. Now, passers-by can stumble across something unexpectedly beautiful on their way to work or home.
You can purchase prints of Bachor’s art via his online store, and keep up to date with the artist’s latest projects by following him on Instagram.
Chicago-based artist Jim Bachor transforms potholes into works of art.
He fills these pavement cracks and holes with colorful mosaics.
This series is aptly named Master Pieces, and it depicts some of the most famous works of art held at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Jim Bachor: Website | Facebook | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Jim Bachor.
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