One of the biggest unusual art trends of the last few years has been surrealist illustrations. The idea of unusual art in the form of surrealism is open-ended, with some images highlighting traditional ideas associated with surrealist art -- dark, dystopian worlds full of mayhem and chaos, goofy imagery like skateboarding turkeys, etc.
This kind of unusual art taking a foothold in the marketplace is likely due to how immediately inclusive the pieces are. In this collection of unusual art pieces, we see surrealist fairytale pictorials, deep sea humanoid depictions, and polychromatic landscape paintings, each collection showcasing a unique and specific form of artistic escapism.
My favorite images in this collection of unusual art pieces showcases surrealist satire illustrations. Brecht Vandenbroucke manages to capture a burgeoning trend and infuse it with sharp social commentary, giving us a view into two of the most intriguing styles of contemporary unusual art.
59 Surrealist Artwork Pieces
From Dark Dream Drawings to Skateboarding Turkeys, Unusual Art is In:
Jordan Sowunmi — Dec 26, 2012 — Naughty
59
Fantastical Eastern Editorials
The ELLE Canada December 2012 Photoshoot is Romantically Exotic
58
Fantastically Floral Portraits
The 'Flowers Renessaince' Imperium Kobiet Editorial Exudes Feminini
57
Social Surrealist Illustrations
Koren Shadmi Renders Technologically Critical Illustrations
56
Opulent Porcelain Skin Paintings
Melissa Forman Illustrates Fair Females in Fantastical Scenes
55
Polychromatic Landscape Paintings
Artist Hyun-Jae Renders Locales with Aurora-Like Colors
54
Cross-Cultural Fantasy Depictions
Jason Engle Renders Mythic Imagery with Different Ethnic Groups
53
Freaky Fish Female Paintings
Mishinsilo Illustrates Surreal Depictions with Aquatic Motifs
52
Culturally Melded Fantasy Art
Jennifer Hom Paints with a Blend of Eastern & Western Aesthetics
51
Enchantingly Hazy Editorials
The How to Spend It December 2012 Issue Toys with Haute Impermanence
50
Encased Fantasy Illustrations
Selena Wong Renders Ethereal Scenes Trapped Inside Glass Jars
49
Spooky Surrealist Illustrations
Spunky Zoe Creates Unforgettable and Scary Artwork
48
Unsettling Surrealist Illustrations
Sabo Eleanor Draws Wacky and Memorable Portraits
47
Fantastical Fog Photography
Boguslaw Strempel Captures Magical Misty Landscapes
46
Surreal Digitalized Photography
'Misty Mountains' Contributor Magazine Showcases Futuristic Work
45
Gothic Fantasy Fashion
The Alice Auaa Spring 2013 Collection is Magically Theatrical
44
Permeable Pigment Photography
The Design Army Color Consumption Shoot is Infused with Color
43
Surrealist Cosmetic Photography
Grey Magazine Requiem Aterenam Editorial Features Obscure Makeup
42
Spectacular Surrealist Illustrations
Vincent Hui Captures Chaos and Chasms in his Drawings
41
Surrealist Satire Illustrations
The Brecht Vandenbroucke Portfolio is Strange and Engrossing
40
Mundane Regime Makeovers
The Vogue Italia Beauty Feature Stylizes Rigorous Regimens
39
Mad Hatter Garden Photoshoots
The Harper’s Bazaar Hong Kong More is More Editorial Embodies
38
Enchanting Storybook Cosmetics
The Disney and Sephora Cinderella Makeup is a Wish Come True
37
Fantastical Sword Swingers
Katrina Lin Renders Fighters with Katanas and Other Sharp Weapons
36
Surrealist Interior Decor Captures
Jean-Pacome Dedieu Captures Surrealist Creations
35
Cosmically Surreal Beauty Editorials
Coco Pops by Stanley Patzold is Full of Fantastical Vision
34
Quirky Childlike Couture
The Ne-net Spring 2013 Collection Pushes Fashion Boundaries
33
Music God Ads
The Tundra Festival Campaign Promotes Four Styles of Electronic Music
32
Mind-Bending Surrealist Illustrations
Moebius Renders Dizzying and Bizarre Drawings
31
Scintillating Celeb Sites
The Official Jim Carrey Website is Wierd and Wonderful
30
Fabulously Freaky Illustrations
These Lukasz Belcarski Doodles Are Bizarre
29
Epic Fantasy Illustrations
Patrick Hjelm Artwork Takes Viewers to Dark and Wonderful Places
28
Mobile Graffiti Canvases
Artist Never2501 Paints Zebra-Like Wasps Onto the Back of a Truck
27
Toothy Interior Furnishings
The ZIP:PER Collection Opens Up into Ledges with Jagged Edges
26
Dark Fantasy Illustrations
The Artwork of Jason Juta Takes a More Morbid Look at Fairytales
25
Surrealist Fairytale Pictorals
The 'Neverlasting Miracles' Exhibit by Todd Schorr
24
Violent Pop Culture Prints
Sam Green Renders Surrealist Illustrations
23
Surrealist Landscape Illustrations
Chris Fowler Weaves Beauty and Color Into Fantastical Settings
22
Woodland Hippie Headpieces
The Floral Headbands From Bohemian Love Story are Strikingly Lovely
21
Misplaced Object Artwork
Dariusz Klimczak Merges Fantasy and Reality in His Photorealistic Series
20
Surreal Fashion Accessories
The Mr Knife, Miss Fork Series Was Inspired by Rene Crevel's 'Babylon'
19
Abstract Fantasy Illustrations
Laura Bifano Brings a Wonderful World of Imagination
18
Menacing Medieval Fantasy Depictions
Artist Lin Bo Renders Badass Knights, Demons and Dragons
17
Chromatically Surreal Captures
Color Consumption by Design Army is Straight Out of a Dream
16
Deep Sea Humanoid Depictions
Zirofax Illustrates Aquatic Creatures with Lovecraftian Look
15
Farewell Fantasy Illustrations
The Clifton Harvey Castway Series is a Melacholic Goodbye
14
Distorted Fantasy Illustrations
Journey Into the Mind of Artist Tanya Linney
13
Skateboarding Turkeys
Brilliant Fantasy Illustrations From Huey Crowley
12
Surreal Sinister Captures
The Ajani Photography Series is Eery
11
Goofy Holiday Bulb Treats
The Christmas Light Cookies are a Ridiculously Fun Winter Snack
10
Live Monster-Hunting Activities
Play Out Your Action Fantasies in This Interactive Game
9
Orbital Otherworldy Captues
The Oyster Magazine ‘Earth –>Hanne’ Editorial is Out
8
Fashionable Food Cookbooks
The Edible Selby Shows Only the Most Style-Saavy Recipes
7
Obscure Culinary Combos
The Etenschap Series Creatively Combines Incongruous Ingredients
6
Disturbingly Diseased Cupcakes
UK Baker Educates Others About Sexual Health Using STD Cupcakes
5
Obscure Surrealistic Sketches
Rubenmichi Creations on the ABSOLUT Network are Fantastical and Wild
4
Absurd Everyday Drawings
Jess Worby Depicts the Familiar Through Bizarre Illustrations
3
Painterly Video Game Protagonists
Dave Palumbo Renders Nintendo's Link in a Realistic Manner
2
Fantastically Feminine Stylus Pens
The Princeton Jellypen is Made for Ladies with Long Nails
1
Collaborative Surrealist Clutches
Lulu Guinness Loses Her Lips For Fin DAC Eye Bag Collaboration
Related Ideas
Origami-Inspired Holiday Collections
Guerlain Debuts the 2025 ‘Tale of Wonders’ Collection
Art-Driven Knitwear
The KAWS x UNIQLO Winter 2025 Collection Introduces Sculptural Knit Essentials
Whimsical Artist-Designed Handbags
Louis Vuitton Unveils the 'Artycapucines VII'
Whimsical Harlequin-Patterned Décor Collections
Michaels Drops its Alice’s Adventures Collection
Playful Pop Installations
Takashi Murakami’s Louis Vuitton Octopus Fills the Grand Palais
Origami-Inspired Ceramics
The Origami Series by Mark Goudy is Artistically Ornate
Contemporary Fashion Retrospectives
The Balenciaga by Demna Exhibition Captures Attention
Whimsical Halloween Decor Ranges
Michael's Alice's Adventures Collection Will Arrive for Halloween
Collectible Character Sets
The ARR x KAWS Sesame Street Figure Collection Boasts Pop Art
Art-Integrated Tech Accessories
The CASETiFY x Tate Collection Reimagines Iconic Artwork
Reimagined Artwork-Based Travel Campaigns
Plaza Premium Group Debuts 'The Art of Travel'
Extravagant Jewelry Collections
Piaget Presents Shapes of Extraleganza High Jewelry Collection
Eclectic Bistro Designs
Luke Edward Hall Designs Deux Gares Express Café with British-French Flair
Redefined Sculptural Games
Another Kingdom Backgammon Set Thinks of Gameplay as Collectible Art
Chic Artisanal Jewerly Ranges
Judy Carter Launches Her Eponymous Artisanal Brand — JUDE
Faux Food Pop-Ups
MoMA Design Store Unveils an Immersive 'MoMA Mart' Pop-Up for NYC
Organically Inspired Light Fixtures
Tom Rossau Explores Geometry, Natural Materials & Light
Art-Inspired Collectibles
The Mattel x MoMA Series Transforms Iconic Artworks into Toys and Games
Protest Art Exhibitions
CART Department’s Ai Weiwei LEGO Story Revisits Censorship and Activism
Subtly Exaggerated Sophisticated Silhouettes
Balenciaga's Resort 2026 Collection is Chic & Elegant
Artful Summer Puzzles
Piecework Created Its Slim Aarons Puzzle Collection with Getty Images
Multidisciplinary Art Shows
These Thoughts May Disappear Shows Jack White’s First Public Art Show
Playful Abstract Exhibitions
The Shape of Play by Sabine Finkenauer Opens at L.F. Markey
Playfyully Surrealistic Fashion Capsules
The Moschino Resort 2026 Collection is Chic & Unexpected
Unexpected Boundary-Pushing Chairs
Marco Segovia Presents the Atypical Chair Concept
Dynamic Sculptural Tables
The Interactive Transformation Table Boasts Playful Unfolding Design
Artist Cup Series
Cups Showcases Limited-Edition Vessels by More Than 30 Designers
Artist Skate Sneakers
The COMME des GARÇONS PLAY x Converse Chuck Taylor 70s feature artwork
Graffiti Clog Collaboration
The Slawn Crocs Classic Clog Injects Urban Art onto Crocs’ Model
Artful Collectible Figures
Fisher-Price Little People x André Saraiva Reimagines Cherished Toys
Uplifting Artistic Alcohol Packaging
The Absolut Haring Artist Edition Bottle is Optimistic
Sculptural 3d-Printed Lighting
The Soufflé Lamp Rises in Paris with Striking Form and Hidden Color
Intricately Artistic Fashion Lines
Pacsun and the Metropolitan Museum of Art Drop a Holiday Line
Surreal Art Exhibitions
The Jeffrey Deitch Art Gallery Hosts Joe Coleman’s 'Carnival' Exhibition
Design Journey Picture Books
FormaFantasma’s the Down Under Traces Australia’s Eco-Design Story
Artist Printed Luggages
Aurel Schmidt x PORTER Applies Original Illustrations on Four Bag Styles
Color-In Fish Packaging
Fishwife's Limited-Edition Summertime Art Box Comes with Colored Pencils
Mayo-Inspired Art Gallery Pop-Ups
Hellmann's Mayonnaise Collaborates with Kareem Rahma
Conceptual Memory-Themed Fashion
Paranoid FW25 Explores Identity Through Nostalgia and Nature
Artful Sculptural Umbrella Stands
Inbetween Umbrella Stand Soaks Rain & Elevates a Mundane Moment
Whimsy Art Exhibitions
House of Creatures at Milan Design Week Presents Symbolic Objects
Playful Sculptural Collections
Tuleste Factory's Afterglow Series Has Whimsy High-Design Objects
Dynamic Art Displays
Mirage Transforms Personal Photos Into AI-Generated Artistic Scenes
Monochrome Art Figures
The KAWS "FELLOWS" Figure Collection Introduces a Sculptural Collectible
Sculptural Lighting Collections
Unform Studio Presents Two Innovative Collections at Milan
Subculture-Themed Generational Fashion
Noskin Presents the Wildest ONes Yet Collection
Illustrated Streetwear Capsules
Wasted Youth x TAPPEI Introduces New Artwork Across Apparel
Otanical Mural Wallpapers
Eterna Nouveau Wallpapers by Astek Feature Full-Wall Art Nouveau Looks
Consumer Culture Exhibitions
The Momentary Will Present Two Complementary Exhibitions
Emotional Light Sculptures
The Miror Collection Uses Shifting Light & Motion to Show Spatial Depth
Figurative Painter Solo Exhibitions
The Lisa Yuskavage Exhibition Opens at David Zwirner New York
Immersive Auto-Focused Artistic Experiences
Lexus Explores the Relation Between Humans & Mobility
Painterly Dining Experiences
7 Paintings - The Art of Dining Blends Art, Culture and Cuisine
Minimalist Meaningful Living Exhibitions
The Ariake X Parachilna Exhibition is Thoughtful
Creative Eerie-Themed Soccer Campaigns
Nike Football Reimagines Soccer with 'Scary Good'
Live Art Creation Events
Secret Walls Has Significantly Expanded Since Its Founding
Artful AR Experiences
The Incredible Unknowns of the Louvre is a Free, Interactive AR Experience
Surf-Inspired Skate Collections
Vans and Yusuke Hanai Join Forces on a New Collection
Museum-Inspired Art Toys
Met x Kidrobot Dunny Alters Monet’s Bouquet of Sunflowers into a Figure
Miniaturized Product Art Photographs
Taysuya Tanaka Highlights MUJI Products with Small Muji
Surreal Eyewear Collections
Schiaparelli's Fetish Sunglasses Capsule Represents a Bold Evolution
Handcrafted Jewelry Brands
Pretty Weird Embraces Unconventional Materials with Nostalgic Themes
Vegetable Carousel Installations
Laila Gohar x Arket Carousel Replaces Figures with Large Produce
Futuristic Museum Exhibitions
The Unnatural History Museum of Singapore Shows Mechanical Creatures
Anniversary-Celebrating Dynamic Art Shows
The Sun Valley Museum of Art Announces a New Exhibit
Sustainable Retail Interiors
Sheep Inc London Store Uses Sculptural Displays & Graphic Art
Surrealist Rug Collections
Fornasetti x cc-tapis Rug Collaboration Transforms Archival Motifs
Structured Art Shows
Analia Saban's Flowchart Exhibition Highlights Woven Paint and Carved Pieces
Sculptural Mall Dreamscape
Studio Proba Introduces Unbounded Sanctuary in Grand Joy City Mall
Contemporary Art Exhibitions
The Gaudí-Miró-Gomis: Deconstructed is a Contemporary Exhibition
Culturally Immersive Dining Experiences
D'Art Design is Transforming India's Dining Sector
Collaborative Sculptural Art Sets
En Iwamura’s Neo Jomon Sculpture Set Distills Playful Minimalism
Artful Meditative Sculptural Caves
Antony Gormley Presents the Drawing on Space Exhibition
Organic Ceramic Sculptures
Janny Baek's Life Forms Exhibition Presents Evolving Clay Structures
Otherworldly Wooden Art
Donald Wasswa's Wooden Sculptures Conjure Futuristic Speculative Creatures
Vibrant Artistic Exhibitions
Takashi Murakami Japonisme Show Opens at Kaikai Kiki Gallery Tokyo
Enigmatic Graffiti Incidents
Toronto's Museum of New Calls Attention to Mystery Graffiti
Accessible Limited-Edition Print Series
Claire Oliver Gallery Debuts the Art for Everybody Series
Ecological Art Exhibitions
Ancestral Futures is an Interdisciplinary Art Exhibition
Immersive Art Retrospectives
Anish Kapoor Returns to the Hayward Gallery with Major Installations
Futuristic Cultural Spaces
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Arts Blends Form with Civic Imagination
Curated Horror Subscriptions
the Tales of the Weird Subscription Offered Eerie Stories
Bubblegum Street Art Buildings
Frankey Designs the Playful Hubbabubbabuilding
Refined Urban Interiors
Primrose Apartment by Uncanny Studio Balances Sculptural Form and Comfort
AI Art Galleries
Infini.Gallery Turns Images Into AI Art In A Shared Infinite Gallery
Surreal Kyiv Interiors
The Apartment with a Lizard Brings Theatrical Flair and Calm to City Living
Surreal Gallery Exhibitions
Glass Slipper by Ariana Papademetropoulos is at Thaddaeus Ropac Paris
Geometric Sculpture Boxes
Laszlo Tompa Blends Geometry and Function into the Illusion Box
Mexican Identity Exhibition
Tecnológico De Monterrey Show Presents Work Rooted in Tradition
Cinematic Painting Series
Cary Kwok Exhibition at Sessions Arts Club Shows 1980s-Inspired Works
Digital Craft-Inspired Public Spaces
FUTUREFORMS Merges Architecture and Technology
Magic-Themed Card Decks
UNO Harry Potter Deck Reimagines the Game Through a World of Strategy
Sculptural Writing Tools
Experimental Pencils Rethinks the Humble Pencil as a Tool for Expression
Graphic Skate Sneakers
The Vans OTW x Undercover Monster Collection Spotlights Classic Silhouettes
Sculpted Rhythm Forms
The Kinetic Collection by Olivia Cognet Has Sculptural Ceramics with Motion
Sculptural Living Systems
Fratelli Boffi's Cromatica Collection Explores Furniture as Fluid Design
Migration-Focused Art Exhibitions
The Sun Valley Museum of Art Presents a New Exhibition
Immersive Digital Exhibitions
The Ancestral Futurism is an Immersive Digital Exhibition
Fluid Function Art Exhibits
Optical Flow Exhibition Boasts Kinetic Art in Everyday Objects
Sci-Fi-Inspired Classical Posters
Seán Donnan Illustrates Star Wars Characters in a Japanese Style
Pop Art Retrospective Exhibitions
The Roy Lichtenstein: Like New is an Art Exhibition
Museum Design Exhibitions
The Haas Brothers: Uncanny Valley is a Exhibition of Design and Art
Paper Curvature Lights
Paper Curves Explores Dimensional Gradients Through Photography
Experimental Pottery Vessels
The Gourd Project Reimagines Integrity and Growth in Ceramic Forms
Personal Image Archives
Bunny is Talia Chetrit’s First Institutional Exhibition in Spain
Space-Themed Playscape
Welcome Little Stranger by Walter Van Beirendonck Creates Immersive Play
Eclectic Eyewear Collections
Vooglam Launched its 'Artsy Eyewear Collection'
Sculptural Experimental Artforms
Ara Thorose Explores Design Boundaries with the Ladder Series
Art Exploration Platforms
Arts – Every Time Art Lets You Explore Unique Artworks and Artifacts
Generational Japan Paintings
Tetsuya Ishida Opens His First French Exhibition at Gagosian Paris
Whimsical Soccer-Themed Illustrations
Visa Commissions Art in Connection to FIFA World Cup
Travel Photography Exhibitions
All Within the Detour Highlights Yoshitomo Nara’s Photo Journeys
Sculptural Paper Designs
Fragmenti by Daniele Papuli Blurs Art & Furniture Through Layered Paper
Whimsical Spirit Art Shows
Otani Workshop Anima at Perrotin New York Captures Animism Through Clay
Festive Americana Artwork Decor
The Norman Rockwell for Pottery Barn Collection Embraces Nostalgia
Artist-Edition Jigsaw Puzzles
Kinstlertaps Nicole Appel and Ken Gun Min for Its Products
Nature-Inspired Lifestyle Design
SuperNatural Explores How Organic Phenomena Can Shape Objects
Curated Pop Art Auctions
Pharrell’s JOOPITER Revisits Andy Warhol’s Print with a Curated Auction
Public Art Displays
Paul Anthony Smith’s Photographs Appear at 300 City Bus Stops This Summer
Layered Sculptural Paintings
Arghavan Khosravi’s What Remains Uses Panels to Explore Diaspora
Saucer-Shaped Nestled Galleries
Buro Ziyu Zhuang’s Prairie Ark Explores Rural Memory and Shelter
Artful Activism Shows
The Snowflake Exhibition by Donald Moffett Explores Abstraction & Activism
Sculptural Art Dining Sets
Art-Ware Turns into Sculptural Objects That Never Need Cabinet Storage
Object Design-Explorative Apartments
Apartamento Secreto explores objects that go beyond function
Romantic Group Exhibitions
The Summerlove Sensation Exhibition Explores Love, Desire, and Intimacy
Raw Metal Design Shows
Nick Valentijn Solo Show reveals imperfect beauty in hand-crafted metal
Unique Artistic Books
Melanie Dunea Unveils 'Amuse-Bouche,' a Fashion-Food Photo Book
Cohesive Modern Workspace Studios
The Studio and Workspace of Unorthodox Designs is Collaborative
Sculptural Furniture Series
Archetypes by Stine Mikkelsen transforms a seat into a collection
Photographic Skate Decks
The Martin Parr x THE SKATEROOM Collection Features Printed Skate Decks.
Immersive Light Exhibits
Spencer Finch Exhibition Maps Time and Place Through Color and Light
Visual Discovery Campaigns
Pinterest Autumn-Winter Ads Highlight Castlecore Dreams and Fuzzy Vibes
Artful Camo Fashion
The SKYLRK Camo Capsule Reframes Combat Patterns in Painterly Tones
Retro-Rich Kraków Apartment
Colorful Character Defines This Apartment for Expressive Living
Popular Art Fairs
the OFFSCREEN Art Fair Saw Record Attendance This Year
Narrative Woven Textiles
Adrienna Matzeg's After Hours Translates Nocturnal Scenes into Jacquard
Curated Book Directories
Bizarre Bookshelf Lets You Explore and Find the World’s Weirdest Books
Career Retrospective Exhibitions
Tracey Emin: a Second Life at Tate Modern Shows 40 Years of Work
Birdhouse Design Projects
Birdhouse by Kids Translates Children’s Sketches into Built Structures
Student Art Exhibitions
Lebanese Students Design in Conflict Shows Student Work Shaped by Crisis