Note: Contains nudity. Till Rabus is a Swiss artist who paints hyperrealistic mash-ups of sex, food, mythology, and absurdity. Recalling the tradition of Dutch vanitas, Rabus’ still lifes contain an ominous hodge-podge of items; sex toys sit with false dignity beside garbage and raw meat, awaiting the flies. This surrealism carries over into his scenic […]
Category: Disturbing
Danse Macabre: Darkly Romantic Portraiture by Eliza Kinchington
Note: Contains images that may be considered graphic and disturbing to some readers. Eliza Kinchington is a talented photographer from Australia who combines fashion and fine art into her imaginative shoots. Featured here is “Danse Macabre,” a series made in collaboration with Casey Cooper (creative director), Aaron Simpson (additional photographer), and a team of talented […]
10 Spine-Chilling Movies About Demons and Possession
In 1973, William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” shocked audiences with its convincing portrayal of demonic possession, getting under our skin with slow-burning horror, the fear of godlessness, and the loss of self-control. Mythologies about dark spirits and the underworld have existed across cultures for a long, long time, and possession films tap into our primal fears; […]
Lingering Spirits in Christopher McKenney’s Surreal Photography
Christopher McKenney is a Pennsylvania-based photographer who combines surrealism with horror. We featured his work in 2013, but in the years since he has created a fascinating body of new work. The images featured here center around McKenney’s recurring motifs of facelessness and fragmentation, which together symbolize the universalizing power of death; shrouded figures appear […]
Smoke, Tentacles, and Myth: Photography by Valeria Chorozidi
Valeria Chorozidi is a fine art photographer from Greece who is ever-drawn to the darkness of things. Until recently, she shot mostly self-portraits inspired by ideas that came to her late at night. While she also now works with other models, self-portraiture continues to serve as an important creative outlet for her personal and aesthetic […]
Sinister Visions: Blackwork Tattoos by Robert Borbas
Róbert Borbás (aka, Grindesign) is known for his incredible blackwork tattoos—and deservedly so. Along with strong lines and flowing compositions, Borbás harnesses the subtle nuances of black and gray ink to produce deep, lush, gothic scenes haunted by demonic animals, moldering skulls, and the restless undead. Much of his imagery derives from themes of the […]
Growing Hybrid Mythologies: Update on Caitlin Hackett
Warning: Contains nudity. Hybridity is the law of nature in the visceral, organic artworks of Caitlin Hackett. We featured her in 2012, but she has been busy in the years since, producing visionary paintings and illustrations of humans and animals embroiled in rituals of sacrifice and rebirth. As roots and fungus sprout from dying bodies, […]
The Selfie Apocalypse: Marvelous Mutants by Mothmeister
The artistic duo known as Mothmeister brings taxidermy to life in nightmarishly endearing photoshoots. Combining perished and preserved animals with models dressed up in masks and begrimed clothing, they create Frankenstein-esque humanoids who behold the camera with a shameless sense of pride. The barren, apocalyptic backgrounds provide the perfect settings for the artists to parody […]
New Living Sculptures by Marie-Lou Desmeules
Using thick layers of paint and plastic, Marie-Lou Desmeules performs “surgery” on her models, turning them into living, ephemeral (and oftentimes grotesque) canvases. With an eye for truth and a touch of satire, she explores identity, beauty, and the public image. Featured here are some of her newest works, which include creative icons such as […]
Reimagining Biology: Freaky Anatomical Sculptures by 10 International Artists
We humans really like to explore our own biology. And the biology of animals. And even the biology of beings that don’t actually exist, but somehow always manages to be very similar to ours. When the exploration is done in the name of science, knowledge emerges. When biological exploration is done as an expression of […]