Populated by a wealth of improvisational minds, the art world has no shortage of visual artists who’ve either chosen or resorted to unconventional art supplies.
And why not?
Art is truly everywhere. Thus, it cannot be limited to works created by traditional media such as paint, clay, ink, metal, etc.
What Are Some of the Most Unconventional Art Supplies?
We’ll take a look at six different materials used by artists – both now and in the past – that asked viewers to change their perspective and embrace something different. Some of them interesting and quirky. And others… well, disturbing.
1. Chewing Gum
If you’re an artist who loves chewing gum, you may be throwing away invaluable material each time you toss that chewed piece. Interested in the utilization of different substances to create art, artist Dan Colen saw this missed opportunity and decided to give chewing gum a go.
In working with chewing gum, his objective was to be guided by the material rather than manipulate it. He found the loss of control and the act of letting go particularly exciting as he watched his chewing gum “paintings” take on a life of their own.
2. Lottery Tickets
When artists Lauren Was and Adam Eckstrom were out walking their dog, they were taken by discarded colorful bits of paper on the
sidewalk. When they realized they were lottery tickets, they saw the perfect art supply. Not only were they colorful, but they also represented dashed hopes and dreams.
So they set out to collecting tons and tons of tickets; conducting research along the way to find out what hopeful lottery winners would buy. The top three answers were a car, a home, and a vacation. With that, the artists set out to create their dream trilogy. The most impressive piece was a full-scale Hummer H3 made from $39,000 worth of lottery tickets (which is what the car cost in 2008). The work is a statement on the risks involved with gambling and the risky behaviors that accompany it.
3. Burnt Plastic
During World War II, Italian artist Alberto Burri was being held in a prisoner-of-war camp in Texas. Because he had no traditional art supplies while there, he began to experiment with found materials such as coal tar, oil, and burlap. While he chose these out of necessity, experimenting with found materials became his signature style.
To create his well-known series Combustioni Plastica, he used a flame torch (his paint brush) to meticulously burn sheets of plastic (his canvas). This resulted in a series of postmodern pieces that hang from the ceiling and beautifully incorporate light and transparency.
4. Meat
This is where it starts getting weird.
Back in 2010, Lady Gaga wore a dress made of raw beef to the MTV Video Music Awards. But she was far from the first to incorporate meat into her artistry.
In 1964, performance artist Carole Schneemann choreographed a show called Meat Joy. It consisted of eight men and women haphazardly writhing on the floor while biting at raw chicken, sausage, fish, and scraps of meatpacking garbage. It was an exploration of the relationship of the body and sexuality through raw flesh.
Several decades later, artist Zhang Huan walked the streets of New York in a large meat suit. He called it My New York and it explored the animalism of man, how it felt to be an immigrant, and his relationship with Buddhism.
5. Elephant Dung
When artist Chris Ofili created his 1996 The Holy Virgin Mary in 1996, he clearly upset a lot of people. The impressive 8-foot tall work was constructed of mixed art media that included pornographic collage and elephant dung. The piece quickly become emblematic of everything that conservative people deemed “unethical.”
It was especially derided by those of the Catholic faith. The piece was eventually defaced with white paint by a man who called it ‘blasphemous.’ Even the then-mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani, tried to ban the work and deny the Brooklyn Museum (where it was exhibited) of its grant. He failed.
You Can Find Inspiration Anywhere
If you’re an artist, or one who aspires to be, it’s not always easy to get the supplies you need. Just remember, unconventional art supplies make some of the most unforgettable work.
As an arts academy middle/high school, we always encourage our students to think outside the box and embrace new ways of seeing and producing art.
If this sounds like something that would interest your creative child, then contact us today! Our creative, inclusive, and educational community is forever seeking bright and innovative young artists to join us.