Favourite things - unexpected art

Each of these art projects celebrate the unexpected. Enjoy! 1. Leafy dress-ups

Azuma Makoto frequently dreams about a mysterious, loitering, human-plant creature. So he created the "Leaf Man" art project, to "elevate the value of flowers and plants."

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2. Flip-book art

Remember making little flip-books in school? We would draw stick figures in the corners of our notebooks that, when you flipped through the pages, would walk and run and jump and cartwheel. Kinetic artists Mark Rosen and Wendy Marvel motorised this century-old animation technique in little boxes for gallery exhibitions. But now, they have created a FlipBooKit that you can build yourself, and populate with your own animation! My mind is literally boggling with the possibilities. This one is on my birthday wish-list.

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3. Subway signs

Have you seen this lovely little happiness-spreading video? Apparently, subway conductors in New York City are required to point at a black and white sign at every stop, to confirm that the train has fully arrived on the platform. So these people stood in front of the signs and held up messages of their own, just to brighten the conductors' days.

4. Deep south photography

Every time photographer Irene Suchocki releases a new collection, I experience "I want to go there" envy. This group of black-and-whites, called Southern Gothic, beautifully captures the humid and sultry mystery that permeates parts of Southern USA. I want to go (back) there.

5. Lacy newspapers

Canadian artist Myriam Dion cuts incredibly intricate patterns into old copies of newspapers, creating beautiful, lace-like artworks. I can't even fathom the combination of vision, patience and talent this must require.

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