Gone are the days of the ancient Greeks who created statues with stone and a chisel; today’s artists will go to any length to make unconventional sculptures.
Art is about getting noticed and provoking thought. By using unconventional materials like melted toys and pantyhose, and placing their works in outlandish locations, like the beach and roofs of buildings, modern artists are challenging viewers to rethink the definition of sculptural art.
These unconventional sculptures in public areas bring surrealism to individuals' everyday lives. This challenges people to be more creative, to question what is and is not possible and to think outside of the box.
Check out these supremely inventive works that are pushing the boundaries of what art means.
100 Unconventional Sculptures
99
Sinister Garden Gnomes
The Sculpture Park of Veiji Ronkkonen is a Very Scary Place
98
Optical Illusion Structures
The Reframe Art Installation Features Multiple Perspectives
97
Liquifying Sugar Sculptures
Skye Kelly Uses Toffee to Articulate the Aesthetics of Transition
96
Suspended Charcoal Installations
Seon Ghi Bahk's Sculptures Look like They are Disintegrating
95
Human Plant Sculptures (UPDATE)
Mathilde Roussel's Life of Grass is Anthropomorphic and Organic
94
Microscopic Food Sculptures (UPDATE)
Big Appetites by Christopher Boffoli is Adorable
93
Pure Candy Sculptures
The Osamu Watanabe Collection is Appetizingly Sweet
92
Giant Bunny Sculptures
Florentijn Hofman's Big Yellow Rabbit Looks Like a Huge Plush Toy
91
Marriage-Saving Sculptures
Stephanie Seymour and Husband Save Their Union With a Nude Statue
90
Macabre Mannequin Installations
The Chen Wenling 'Red Memory' Installation of Emotional Statues
89
Personified Sticky Statues
The 2011 Scotch Tape Off the Roll Contest Calls for Adhesive Art
88
Home-Inspired Public Sculptures
'The House as a Metaphor' Concept Art Makes You Feel Right at Home
87
Bottle Sea Creature Art
The Fish Sculptures on Botafogo Beach Promotes Sustainability
86
Inflated Sculpture Displays
The Jeff Koons Fondation Beyeler Exhibit is Balloon-Themed
85
Emotional Toy Statues
The 'RED' Exhibition of Nathan Sawaya LEGO Sculptures
84
Eerily Meticulous Statues
These Human Sculptures by Tip Toland Convey Lessons of Beauty
83
Colorful Edible Sculptures
The Food Art by Dan Cretu Transforms Fruits and Veggies into Artwork
82
Marble-Immortalized Top Models
Sebastian Sauvé Becomes a Modern-Day Michelangelo’s 'Dav
81
Melting Statue Replicas
Urs Fischer Creates Wax Sculpture of The Rape of the Sabine Women
80
Gigantic Metal Cows
Finnish Sculptor Miina Äkkijyrkkä Mixes Agriculture and Art Culture
79
Retro-Futuristic Sculptures
Bergdorff Goodman's Window Display Offers Fashion Surrealism
78
Human Sculptures Through Body Paint
Statuesque in Wound Magazine
77
Hipster Dome Installations
Step Inside a Creative Mind by Prodigium Looks like a Bald Man
76
Supersized Sand Sculptures
JOOheng Tan Creates an Amazing Art Installation for Omo Promotion
75
Burnt Sugar Sculptures
Designs by Jonas Etter are Ablaze with Artful Melting
74
Giant Bubble Gum Sculptures
'Chewing in Venice' by Simone Decker Makes for Sticky Sightings
73
Intricate Flip-Flop Figurines
The Gigantic ‘Macaco Gordo’ Sculpture by Florentijn Hofm
72
Drinking Glass Sculptures
'Public Swimming Pool on a Background of a Field of Barley' Installation
71
Laundry-Inspired Installations
Shadow by Kaarina Kaikkonen Comments on the Working Man
70
Animalistic Assassin-Like Figures
Yinka Shonibare Creates Sculptures That are Uber Surreal
69
Extensive Spiralling Sculptures
Sity by Sonik Module Wraps itself Around an Urban Park
68
Kitschy Salvaged Statuettes
Robert Bradford's Recycled Toy Sculptures are Made of Old Plastic
67
Emotional Wire Art
David Oliveira Expertly Recreates the Human Form
66
Spiraling Sun Shelters
This Ohad Lustgarten Shade is a Movable Refuge From the Elements
65
Face-Swapped Sculptures
Yoskay Yamamoto Creates Pop Culture Statues Without Their Usual Visages
64
Desktop Bamboo Walking Machine
The Humble Velocipede is Inspired by Theo Jansen's Strandbeest
63
Transformative Textbook Art
Ryuta Iida Applies Imagination to Narrative with Her Modern Sculptures
62
Soda Tribute Statues
The Coke Fan Man is a Coke Crate Creation for the World Cup
61
Skeletal Fairytale Statues
Centaur Made of Real Bones
60
Catastrophic Tape Collisions
Artist Monika Grzymala Creates Darkly Dramatic Depictions
59
Giant Iconic Statues
Seward Johnson Unviels 26-Foot Sculpture of Marilyn Monroe
58
Pantyhose Portraits
The Stocking Sculptures by Rosa Verloop Display Personality
57
Skateboard Deck Statues (UPDATE)
These Haroshi Wooden Sculptures are Artful and Intricate
56
Paper People-Made Sculptures
The Transparent God Installation Represents Fragile Beliefs
55
Swirling Technicolor Structures
The Fabric Transformation Pavilion Constantly Changes Color
54
Board Game Statues
David Mach's Sculpture Made of Domino & Scrabble Tiles
53
Creepy Wax Sculptures
The Melted Works of Jane Moseley are Incredibly Lifelike
52
Real Anime Statues
The Chim Pom ‘Super Rats' are Dead Reminders of the Japanese Iconic
51
Gigantic Military Mask Sculptures
Subodh Gupta Crafts Protective Gear Using Old Pots & Pans
50
Chopstick Dragon Sculptures
Cafe Asiatage Promotes Grand Opening With a Wooden Beast's Roar
49
Gory Frozen Sculptures
Marc Quinn's Self (Blood Head) Series is Made Out of a Macabre Material
48
Monstrous Man Statues
Arabic Storyteller of Giant Proportions in Dubai by VisionDivision
47
Classical Comic Sculptures
Mauro Perrucchetti's Modern Heroes Features Batman and Superman
46
Super Soaker Sculptures
Douglas Young Turns Toys into a Chromatic Art Installation
45
Negative Space Sculptures
The Rachel Whiteread Series Focuses on Exploring Ideas of Absence
44
3D Silhouette Sculptures
Xavier Veilhan Creates Unusual Sculptures of Human Forms
43
Melodramatic Recycled Sculptures
The Designs by Khalil Chishtee are Made of Plastic Bags
42
White Chocolate Statues
The 'World Heritage Monuments' Replica is Made Out of Chocolate
41
Lego Jesus
‘Christus' Statue Made Of 30,000 Toy Blocks Unveiled for Swedish Easter
40
Nude Teen Superstar Sculptures
This Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez Piece by Daniel Edwards is Odd
39
Straw Body Part Installations
Sang Sik Hong Creates Unbelievable 3D Art
38
Climable Outdoor Art
Playsculptures by Pieter Kortekaas Encourage Kids to Come Up and Jump On
37
Precious Junk Statuettes
Joe Pogan Creates Metal Animal Sculptures from Nails and Locks
36
Massive Transformer Replicas
A Huge Optimus Prime Statue is on Display in China
35
Technoviking-Inspired Sculptures
The Meme Junkyard by Wafaa Bilal Represents the YouTube Sensation
34
Sticky Chewed Candy Sculptures
Dutch College Students Create a Chewing Gum Statue
33
Super-Sized Sculptures
Design Toscano Reinvents the Statue of David
32
Spinning Airplane Sculptures
The Paola Pivi 'How I Roll' Project Soars
31
Skeleton-Inspired Cutlery Sculptures
Carlos Bonil Creates Intricate Art Out of Plastic Utensils
30
Recycled Gadget Statues
Giant Cell Phone Sculpture in Cluj Napoca is Made from Used Phones
29
Life-Sized Nintendo Heroes
Papercrafter Haywan Shows Major Love for the Legend of Zelda
28
Ancient Smartphone Stallions
The 'Ascend D Quad' Pegasus Statue Will Channel Power from the Gods
27
Melting Superhero Sculptures
'No One Can Save Us Now' is a Take on Global Warming
26
Fallen Politician Sculptures
Antonio Garullo and Mario Ottocento Create 'The Italian Dream'
25
3D Sound Wave Sculptures
The 'Microsonic Landscapes' by Realität Bring Your Songs to Life
24
Scaly Educational Sculptures
The Muju Ocean Guardians are Charitable and Promote Environmentalism
23
Crafty Statue Covers
Agata Olek's Crocheted Charging Bull is a Christmas Gift to New York
22
Deep Sea Statuettes
The Museo Subacuatico de Arte de Cancun Dives Deep for Art
21
Statement State Sculptures
The Design Turnpike USA 'License Plate Maps' are Bold like the Nation
20
Kitchen Utensil Sculpting
Spoons As an Art Medium, Used From Jewelry to Statues
19
Soccer Ball Statues
The Nike World Cup Sculpture is Entirely Created out of Soccer Balls
18
Artfully Redesigned Phone Booths
The BT ArtBox Project Re-Imagines the Traditional Telephone Box
17
Clothespinned Car Installations
Generik Vapeur Creates a Colorfully Comical Artpiece
16
Miniature Pasta Models
Sergey Pakhomov Creates Intricate Sculptures of Vehicles and Homes
15
Machete-Wielding Sculptures
Gregor Gaida's Work Features Characters in Full Action
14
Skeletal Rabbit Statues
'Silly Pink Bunnies' by Jeremy Fish Adds to Lower Haight Murals
13
Upside-Down Racetracks
The Gerry Judah Lotus Sculpture is a Wild Ride
12
Punny Protective Sculptures
The Mark Ward Split Melon is a Brain Teaser
11
Industrial Dinosaur Locomotives
The Triceratops Tractor Makes a Mysterious Appearance in London
10
Melting Popsicle Installations
The Carl Kleiner Lollipops are Fun and Resourceful
9
Bowling Pin Monsters
Peter Nordstrom Creates Alien Sculptures with Sports Gear
8
Destroyed Dish Sculptures
Plate by Bernard Gigounon and Lucile Soufflet Represents Domestic Cycle
7
Sashimi-Inspired Sculptures
The Slater Barron Sushi Lint Series Looks Good Enough to Eat
6
Melting Clay Sculptures
Mourriture for Fricote Mag by Alexandra Bruel is Quirky and Contemporary
5
Miniature Cardboard Computer Models
The New Industrial Revolution by Kyle Bean is a Success
4
$8,500 Yard Decorations
This Life-Sized Elephant Statue is Staggering
3
Mystery Statue Tribute Art
Intricate Crafts in Honor of the Easter Island Hats
2
Steel Cowboy Art
Designer Jeff De Boers Creates Crossiron Western Creations
1
Weeping Cartoon Statues
The Kaws Companion is Hugely Impressive in Scale and Detail
Related Ideas
One-Way Mirror Public Toilets
Don't Miss a Sec by Monica Bonvicini is Controversially Voyeuristic
Alexander Ludwig, Actor of ‘The Hunger Games’ (INTERVIEW)
Sultry Skeletal-Faced Shoots
The 'She Has Waited Too Long' Series by Pauline Darley Goes Skin Deep
Ghostly Furniture Installations
The PLAY Project by Ka-Lai Chan Protrudes From the Wall Eerily
Lunchbox Maki Makers
The Wakasu Portable Sushi Maker Molds Homemade Meals into Fun
Microscopic Food Sculptures (UPDATE)
Big Appetites by Christopher Boffoli is Adorable
Hipster Historical Statues
The Alexis Persani 'Stone Street' Series Rocks
Ebony Moth Installations
Black Cloud by Carlos Amorales is an Impressive and Intimidating Swarm
Summer Treat Danglers
The ArtWonders 'Miniature Food Jewelry' is Only Delicious Looking
Model Perspective Blogs
Sebastian Sauvè Presents the World of Fashion Through His Eyes
Wiry Wolf Sculptures
David Oliveira for Galeria 111 is Wildly Intricate and Impressive
Wilting White Spaces
The Le Cercle Ferme Installation Questions the Boundary of Traditional Rooms
Bottle Sea Creature Art
The Fish Sculptures on Botafogo Beach Promotes Sustainability
Inflated Sculpture Displays
The Jeff Koons Fondation Beyeler Exhibit is Balloon-Themed
Small Hand Installations
Mary Whalley Uses Tiny Gifts to Spread Love on the Streets
Sharp Skeletal Stilettos
These Janina Alleyne Designs are the Future of Footwear
Haute Playground Photoshoots
The Vogue Italia July 2012 'Collections' Editorial Is Playful
Floating Flower Installations
Michelle Forsyth Ethereally Commemorates Tragic Events
Retro Arcade Art Installations
The 3D Ms. Pac-Man Display is Interactive and Fun
Precarious Boulder Installations
The Levitated Mass Sculpture is Anxiously Wondrous
Warped Pipe Seating
The Tube Bench by Peter Donders Pushes the Limits of Metal Malleability
DIY Jumbo Lollipop Decorations
The 'Trendy Tree' Blog Shows How to Make Affordable Party Accents
Detailed Colander Artwork
The Isaac Cordal Portaits are Made of Metal Utensils
Supersized Sand Sculptures
JOOheng Tan Creates an Amazing Art Installation for Omo Promotion
Melted Toy Figurine Canvases
Art Collective Three Studio Creates Masterpieces Through Destruction
Rainbow Foil Pavilions
Poetic Cosmos of the Breath by Tomas Saraceno is Inflated at Dawn
Intricate Flip-Flop Figurines
The Gigantic ‘Macaco Gordo’ Sculpture by Florentijn Hofm
DIY Plastic Figurine Packages
'Hellobee' Animal Gift Boxes are Ideal for Children
Drinking Glass Sculptures
'Public Swimming Pool on a Background of a Field of Barley' Installation
Eerie Skeleton Mugs
The Patty Mara Collection is Inspired by Salvador Dali
Fruit Imitating Popsicles
Beat the Summer Heat with These Cute and Kitschy Watermelon Ice Pops
Darkly Baroque Editorials
The Interview Germany September 2012 Photoshoot Stars Bianca Balti
Soaring Sphere Installations
Long Wave by David Rokeby Represents Invisible Radio Frequencies
Sound System Sculptures
Benoit Maubrey Creates Sweet-Sounding Works of Art
Deceptive Sponge-Inspired Desserts
The ‘Popsicles’ Series by Putput Looks Good Enough
Emotional Wire Art
David Oliveira Expertly Recreates the Human Form
Light Bulb People Artworks
Headlight by Stephen Shaheen is Adorably Desperate
Decorative Tattooed Dolls
These Edgy Figurines by DolliPopVintage are Exceptional
Desktop Bamboo Walking Machine
The Humble Velocipede is Inspired by Theo Jansen's Strandbeest
Grass-Consumed Cars
Cmp Block Art Installation Shows Nature is Fighting Back Against Pollution
Shrinking Horror Movie Corridors
The Hitchcock Hallway Art Installation Could Drive One to Madness
Macabre Ferrofluid Artworks
Schizophrenia by Alessandro Brighetti Revolves Around a Skull
Whimsical Wood Carvings
Keisuke Tanaka Sculpts Magical Mountains and Forests
Light Mimicking Structures
The Sun Shadow Pavilion by Michael Jantzen is Solar-Powered
Spiky Feline Sculptures (UPDATE)
Cheetah and Tiger Coathangers by David Mach are Razor Sharp
Lifeless Squid Exhibits
David Zink Yi Places a Dead Tentacled Creature in Gallery Space
Miniature City Exhibits
Andre Saraiva's 'Andrepolis' Display at the Hole Immitates NYC Life
Reflective Coliseum Structures
The Ring Installation by Arnaud LaPierre and AUDI is Optically Bold
Butterfly-Bombed Street Art
Tasha Lewis Butterfly Installations Swarm Indianapolis
Origami Swarm Installations
Together We Are Greater by Jacqui Symons is Like a School of Fish
Insect-Covered Rooms
The 'A Butterfly's Eye View' Installation is Unnaturally Organized
Fossilized Childhood TV Personalities
Hyungkoo Lee Creates Cartoon Character Skeletons
Foldable Green Paneled Abodes
The M-Velope by Michael Jantzen is a Sustainable Art Structure
Recycled Skateboard Feet
Get Stoked Over These Haroshi Transparent Shoes
Sci-Fi 80s Silhouettes
The Adrian Sahores Document Journal Editorial Fuses Retro with Modern
Chiseled Female Magician Statues
Ben Godi Crafts Perfect Sculptures of Classically Beautiful Women
Light Fixture Furnishings
The Linear LED Chair Affords the Avid Reader All Necessary Equipment
Whimsical Camera Flowers
Andre Feliciano's Installations Blossom Photogenically
Chopstick Dragon Sculptures
Cafe Asiatage Promotes Grand Opening With a Wooden Beast's Roar
Avian-Inspired Utensils
The Master Crane Chopsticks Will Aid in Your Quest to Learn
Decadent Donut Sculptures
Josh Atlas Artwork is Deviantly Delicious
Threadified Facial Portraits
'Constellation' by Kumi Yamashita is Made with One Single String
Supersized Feminine Sculptures
Joana Vaconcelos Turns Versailles into a Hip Contemporary Art Show
Nature Spice Shakers
The Four Seasons & Animal Parade Collection is Cute and Artistic
22 Jeff Koons Productions
From Palace Pop Art to Psychedelic Sports Cars
Literally Liquid Installations
The Jeppe Hein 'Triangular Water Pavilion' is Diluted
Pixelated World Maps
TofufuStudio Imagines the Globe in 8-Bit Form
Rice Roll-Making Machines
The Suzumo Inari Sushi Robot is Seriously Efficient
Revamped Japanese Dishes
Quinoa Sushi Rolls are a Healthy Option Packed With Nutrients
Vintage Dessert Pops
The Cupcakes and Cashmere Root Beer Float Popsicles are Nostalgic
Sustainably Illuminated Art
The Water Light Graffiti Installation is Responsibly Innovative
Baked Pastry-Inspired Lollipops
Cupcakes and Cashmere's 'Pie Pops' are Miniature Desserts
Instagram-Inspired Wooden Toys
Anagram by Twig Creative is a Cute Camera for Children
Nifty Natural Sculptures
Sylvain Meyer Turns Landscapes into a World of Artistic Settings
Sacrilegious Sculpture Renditions
Michelangelo is Challenged by the Jan Fabre 'Pieta' Design
Construction-Inspired Sculptures
The Lion Scaffolding Sculpture by Ben Long is Majestic
Enlightened Cartoon Character Toys
The Homer Buddha Figurine Casts the Lovable Dad as a Deity
Parched Wire Sculptures
Thirst by Gavin Worth Portrays a Powerful Message About Water
Nutty Ceiling Lamps
The Acorn Rope Light by Vasiliy Butenko is Rustically Simple
Cement Building Block Toys
The Concrete Legos by Andrew Lewicki are Heavy-Duty
Ethereal Oceanic Installations
The 'Deep Ocean' Display by External Reference Architects is Serene
Brooding Dapper Fashion Videos
The 7 Diamonds AW 12 Lookbook Clip is Mysterious
Hiccup-Curing Lollipops
Hiccupops Will Alleviate the Annoying Function in a Fun Way
Miniature Designer Depictions
The 'Muscle Man Marc' Doll is South Park-Inspired
Language Learning Toys
The Korable Block by Si-Yeon Min Teaches People to Speak Korean
Feather-Covered Human Sculptures
Lucy Glendinning Crafts Figures with Avian and Humanoid Qualities
Globular Metal Sculptures
'Really Shiny Things That Don’t Mean Anything' is Itself Meaningfu
Flexible Entangled Fixtures
Trek Mobile Light Allows You to Reconfigure Your Interior Illumination
Sinking Automobile Installations
The Grass Covered Cars at the CMP Block in Taiwan are Beautiful
Drinking Straw Designs
The Kyle Bean 'Tube Map' is an Accurate Depiction of the Underground Tube
Evolution of Extinction Mugs
The Disappearing Dinosaurs Heat Sensitive Mug is Magical
Stripped Sushi Bars
The Sushi-teria Restaurant Features a Raw and Sustainable Design
Rough Edge Streetwear Pictorials
RATS Fall/Winter 2012 Lookbook Shows Dark City Street Fashion
Butchered Bovine Paperweights
These Animal Bookends Have More than Literary Meat Between Them
Scaly Educational Sculptures
The Muju Ocean Guardians are Charitable and Promote Environmentalism
Fast Food Resin Sculptures
The Steph Mantis 'Ninja Throwing Slice' is Clever and Cute
Image-Melding Backlit Silkscreens
Sophie Lecuyer's Illustrations Reveal Hidden Images When Lit
Statement State Sculptures
The Design Turnpike USA 'License Plate Maps' are Bold like the Nation
Controversial Political Crucifixes
The Thought-Provoking Michael Murphy Sculpture Shocks
Baby Gym Rat Videos
The Olvarit Commerical Launches with Babies Hitting the Weights
Mini Metallic Ball Installations
The Wave of Matter Art Piece Sounds Like the Ocean
Miniature Office Sports
The Finger Hockey Game Brings the Rink to Your Work
Sun Replicating Installations
Michael Jantzen's 'Solar Eclipse Pavilion' Aims to Bring Excitement
Punny Protective Sculptures
The Mark Ward Split Melon is a Brain Teaser
Satellite-Shaped Sun-Powered Structures
The Solar Science Center is Dedicated to Research
Toy Blocks-Shrouded Skeletons
Nathan Sawaya Covers Human Bones with LEGO Bricks
Menacing Sci-Fi Cutlery
The 'Aliens Chopsticks' Will Grab Your Sushi and Never Let Go
Poultry-Topped Pasta Jars
The OTOTO Spaghetti Tower Lays Perfect Portions in Your Hand
Crooner Silhouette Sculptures
The Lionel Vinyl Head Replicates 'Hello' Hitmaker's Cranium
3D-Printed Pasta
Employees at Google Mountain View Office Get to Enjoy Printed Foods
Melting Popsicle Installations
The Carl Kleiner Lollipops are Fun and Resourceful
Alcoholic Fruit Toy
The Plush Vodka Spiked Watermelon is For Adults
Glitzy Floppy Lampshades
The Bell Hanging Lamp by Baxter
Destroyed Dish Sculptures
Plate by Bernard Gigounon and Lucile Soufflet Represents Domestic Cycle
Meticulous Seat Structures
The Screenplay Bench by Oyler Wu Collaborative is Complex
Topsy-Turvy Crystal Candle Holders
Arik Levy Makes Beautiful Designs from Herkimer Materials
Inverted Shade Illuminators
The Flower Barb Light Features a Futuristic Aesthetic Lampshade
Etch-A-Sketch Accessories
The 'Playtime Belt Buckle' is Meant for the Attention Seeker
Firearm-shaped Light Fixtures
The 9mm Gun Sconce by Ryan Weigner is Dangerously Domestic
Miniature Cardboard Computer Models
The New Industrial Revolution by Kyle Bean is a Success
Outdated Calling Device Captures
'Payphones' by Dirk Westphal Documents Obsolete Technology