Sun Tzu was right: There is an art of war, but it may not be exactly what the 6th-century B.C. author originally had in mind. The designs in the slideshow below are all nonviolent pieces of art inspired by war.
Any veteran can tell you that war and battle are by no means glamorous, and this collection certainly doesn't mean to trivialize that hellish experience of combat. It does, however, showcase the innovation and beauty that is inspired by ugliness.
From artistic ammunition to tank paintball, items that once symbolized destruction and obliteration are now items to be enjoyed. Explore these and other artistic pieces inspired by war below.
33 Artistic Interpretations of War
32
Inked Injuries
Wound and Bullet Hole Tattoos for the Wannabe Badass
31
Firearm Tattoos
Inked Lethal Weapons So You Look Tough, Even in the Buff
30
Aggressive Innovation
From Tank Paintball to Terror Fashion
29
Tank Tracks
Mattracks Convert Your SUV Into a Tank
28
Designer Ladies Weapons by Antonio Riello
27
Tank Paintball
26
Bullet Hole Shirts
Fashion on a Rampage
25
Bullet Casings as Charms
Unearthen Jewelry by Gia Bahm
24
The Tank Wheelchair
23
Painted Hand Grenades & Bullets
Army Trash Makes Fashion, Not War
22
Explosive Furniture
Grenade Drawers
21
Musical Weapons
From Trombone Revolvers to Grenade Maracas
20
Space Saving Capsule Seating
Cool Compact Patio Table and Chairs Looks Like a Bullet
19
All Terrain Wheelchair
Tank Chair Mk II (CES 2008)
18
Extreme Security Bed
Keeps Safe From Bad Guys, Bullets and Bio-Terrorism
17
Recycled Gun Shell Jewelry
Bullet Buddies
16
Killer Ice Cubes
The AK 47 Bullet Ice Cube Tray
15
Artistic Grenades
Decorative War Tools from DaWanda Make Aggression Stylish
14
Explosive Accessories
The Grenade Wristwatch
13
War-Inspired Snack Food Ads
‘Battle of the Beans' Pits Soybeans vs. Jelly Beans
12
Artistic Ammunition
Masterpieces That Illustrate The Creative Art of War
11
Bullet-Shaped Bottles
Bollinger Bond 007 Champagne
10
Ninja Weapon Fridge Magnets
Throwing Star Note Holders
9
Grenade Oil Lamp
Piet Houtenbos Makes Art from Army Surplus
8
Inflatable Violence
The Balloon Tank
7
Killer Bag
Mulberry Bag Also a Weapon?
6
Weapon-Inspired Accessories
Diesel's AK-47SCARF
5
Painting With Bullets
Military Folk Art by Matthew Stromberg
4
Real Weapons as Computer Gadgets
Grenade Mouse
3
Army-Inspired Decor
Tank U Vases
2
Cushy Weaponry for Kids
The 'Pillow Fight' Cushion
1
Weaponry Motifs in Kitchens
The Six Shooter Revolver Dishes For Cowboy Cuisine
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Plane-Inspired Vehicle Designs
This Mercedes-Benz Concept Vehicle by Al Yasid Balances Aesthetics
Asian Culture-Inspired Fashion Lines
Asai's Fall/Winter 2023 Debuted During London Fashion Week
Artist-Inspired Fountain Pens
Montblanc Unveils Its Latest Vincent van Gogh Inspired Fountain Pens
Celestial Anti-Conflict Chess Sets
The Another Kingdom: Light Stage Chess Set is Highly Detailed
Sun-Inspired Art Exhibitions
YOSHIROTTEN Unveils Large-Scale Installation 'SUN' Art Exhibition
Juxtaposed Materials Furniture Collections
The Around the Studio Wool Diaries Collection is Chic
Tranquil Design Coffee Makers
The 'Zenbrew' Coffee Maker by Suckhand Saren is Peaceful
Crystal-Adorned Crushed Cans
Sam Keller Glamorizes Food Products and Packaging
Oil Painting-Inspired Rugs
Antonio Santín Presents a New Collection of Intricate Rugs
AI-Generated Topic Art
'The Art of Trending’ Creates AI Artwork From Topics Trending on Twitter
Stress Reduction Table Lamps
The Conceptual 'Sunnest' Table Lamp by King Him Ho is Relaxing
AI-Generated Soup Can Art
The Campbell’s 'pAIntings' Initiative is Inspired by Artistic Greats
Apocalypse Post Pandemic Art
The Apocalypse Inspired a New Collection of Paintings by Mishfit
Hokusai-Inspired Collaborative Boots
Dr. Martens Drops its New Capsule Honoring Katsushika Hokusai
Artist-Focused Luxury Exhibits
Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama Debut an Art Experience in Hong Kong
Vintage-Tinged Militaristic Apparel
The maharishi Spring 2023 Capsule is Inspired by Retro Themes
Anti-Design Pet Food Packaging
Gentle Giants' Bags and Cans Waste No Available Visual Space
Fluid Topographic Coffee Tables
The Conceptual 'Dune' Table by Krushna Palkritwar is Serene
Cosmic-Themed Art Exhibitions
Awol Erizku’s Newest Exhibition Has Space, Basketball, and Hip Hop
DIY Life-Size Tanks
ND Woodworking Art Draws Inspiration from the 'World of Tanks' Video Game
Vibrant Design Collections
Ali Beletic and Her Studio Launch the Neon Primitivism Series
AI-Generated Art Galleries
Amsterdam’s New Art Gallery Displays Artwork Made by AI
Japanese Artwork Sneakers
These Converse All-Star Sneakers Come in Two Styles
Heritage-Honoring Boot Collaborations
SOLDIER Presents a New Timberland 6-Inch Boot
Japanese Inn-Inspired Apartments
Intheory Design Creates an Apartment Inspired by Ryokan
Lunar Year-Themed Militaristic Apparel
maharishi Launches the Year of the Rabbit Capsule
Zen Workstation Illuminators
The 'Bonsai' Desk Lamp by Jang Lee Jun Has a Peaceful Form
Sexuality-Exploring Artful Exhibitions
Faye Toogood Explores Sensuality with the Rude Arts Club
Painterly Air Purifiers
Airmega 250 ART x Hailyhills Purifiers Clean Homes in an Artful Way
Dynamic Upcycled Art Exhibitions
Hamed Ouattara Presents the Bolibana Show at Friedman Benda
Intergalactic-Themed Furnishings
Djivan Schapira Presents the New Solar Sailor Collection
Earthy Sophisticated Lighting
Carmen Nash Designs the Folk and Flora Series for Troy Lighting
Wearable Art Watches
Masterpiece On Your Wrist Makes Art from the Louvre Wearable
Upcycled Object Exhibitions
Nendo and Daniel Arsham Design, Break, and Create Functional Objects
Artwork-Inspired Timepiece Collections
The MoMA x Swatch Collection Showcases Classic Artwork
Origami-Inspired Lit Table Concepts
Sonakshi Gupta Designs the Dynamic LightUP Concept
Artist-Inspired Dynamic Basketballs
round21 Designs Basketballs Inspired by Basquiat and Haring
Creativity Time Capsules
Crayola's Campaign for Creativity Reunites Adults with Childhood Art
Perception-Challenging Art Exhibitions
Raise the Moral Studio Presents the Becoming Familiar Show
Geometric Wooden Art Sculptures
Aleph Geddis Creates the Series of Dimensional Wooden Art
Artificial Artwork Galleries
'Artificial Imagination' Showcases the Capabilities of DALL-E 2
Lunar New Year-Inspired Noteboooks
Moleskine Adds New Designs to the 3 Artists, 3 Countries Series
Exquisite Circular Vases
Origin Made Spotlights the Salt Vase by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio
Modern Totem-Like Vases
The SCULPT Collection by Lsa International Boasts Geometric Influences
Pop Art-Inspired Technical Sneakers
Mizuno Presents a Hiroshi Nagai Sneaker Series of Three Shoes
Water Movement Sculptural Instruments
The Inner Waves Installation is a Musical Light Show
Pixelated Photographed Art Exhibitions
Charles Gaines Presents the New Southern Trees Installation
Tranquil Water-Inspired Apartments
Right Angle Studio Designs the Ripple Apartment in Singapore
Geometry-Inspired Vase Collections
Lorenz Noelle Designs the Triangle Vase Collection
Artful Eroded Green Smartphones
The Xiaomi 12T Pro Phone Gets a Makeover by Daniel Arsham
Global AI Art Contests
Shutterstock and the UN Partner for the Canvas of the Future
Sustainable Artist-Inspired Shoes
Cariuma Presents a New Series of Sneakers Inspired by Van Gogh
Elegant Porcelain Tableware
Kanz Architetti Designs This Beautiful and Sophisticated Collection
Intricate Fiber Art Exhibitions
Threadwork: Women Redefining Fiber Arts Opens at Saatchi
Democratic Digital Artwork Apps
The 'ArtzMe' App Makes Art Accessible to Everyone
French Museum-Inspired Graphic Tees
Uniqlo UT Presents the New Writings of the Louvre Series
Large Structural Ceramic Lamps
Olivia Xognet Draws Inspiration from her Move to Vallauris
Subterranean Courtyard Galleries
Buzz Designs the Hermit Space Yards in Beijing Park
Young-Artist Graphic Rug Collections
Alf Bärbel Wit Designs the LineLinesLines Collection
Digital City-Inspired Art Works
New Digital Art is on Display in Grand Central Station
Pop Art-Inspired Bright Furniture
Henri Judin's New Furniture Series Unveiled at SaloneSatellite
Urban Waste-Made Furniture
Javier Guzmán Cervantes and Ex Soup Join on an Exhibition
Traditional Emirati Design Collections
Loreta Bilinskaite-Monie Designs the Tirhal Collection
Artistic Gen Alpha Rugs
Moooi Carpets Made Rugs Based on Art by Eight-Year-Old Alf Bärbel Wit
Reusable Classical Artwork Exhibitions
Recycling Beauty at Fondazione Prada is a Remarkable Study
Japanese Culture-Honoring Vases
Ryosuke Fukusada and Ceramic Japan Design the WATOJI Series
Visual Poetry Creation Tools
Poetique Boasts a Library of 80,000 Images to Complement Your Words
Miniature Cylindrical Flower Vases
W DESIGN Creates the HANAKUBARI Vase with Japanese Influence
Artwork-Adorned Collaborative Boots
TATE and Dr. Martens Celebrate Ithell Colquhoun's Work
Artist-Inspired Intricate Timepieces
Jaeger-LeCoultre Adds to the Reverso Tribute Collection
Street Artist Digitalized Exhibitions
LG OLED and Shepard Fairey Showcase Digital Street Art
Deconstructed Eroded Soccer Balls
Daniel Arsham Designs Deconstructed Soccer Balls for Inter Milan
Structural Ceramic Art Exhibitions
Serhii Makhno Unveils the ZEMLYA Series of Ceramic Art
Outdoor-Inspired Colorful Capsules
Travis Weller Designs the New Far Out/Out Far Capsule
Spring-Ready Militaristic Streetwear
Alpha Industries Strengthens its Roster with the SS24 Capsule
Sculptor-Inspired Sleek Bowl Capsules
A Space Designs the New Shou Sugi Ban Collection
Tea-Honoring Angular Libraries
Atelier Xi Designs the Interconnected Library and Tea Rooms
Floral-Inspired Sculptural Designs
Chris Wolston Designs the Flower Power Furniture Series
Worldly Paint Collections
Dstrezzed x We are WOW Makers Shares Travel-Inspired Hues
Childlike Characters Art Exhibitions
Kenny Scharf Unveil New Art Exhibition at The Journal Gallery
Natural Japanese Art Galleries
Brazil's Yayoi Kusama Gallery Features a Nature-Inspired Design
Rattan Sculptural Art Installations
Enter Projects Asia Completes a Private Thai Art Gallery
Peaceful Ceramic Timepieces
Tranquil Living and Japanese Art Inspired Talidara's Heiwa Watch
Generative Art-Wrapped Cars
Kaoru Tanaka Wraps the INFINITI QX80 in Digital Artwork
Mesmerizing Fluid Art Installations
Dutch Invertuals Creates the Flow Fountain Installation
NYC Fall-Ready Militaristic Streetwear
maharishi Presents the Art of the Invisible Warrior
Woven Upholstery Textile Capsules
The Elemental Wright Collection Highlights Organic Architecture
Form-Centric Artful Collaborative Furniture
CICIL and Artish Studio Join Forces on a Collection
Artful Reflective Art Exhibitions
Rice Roshan Showcases The Space in Between Exhibit
Functional Militaristic Fall Apparel
maharishi Presents its New Campaign for the FW23 Season
Suburban-Inspired Art Exhibitions
Stacy Leigh Unveils Her Latest 'Escape to B-Roll' Art Exhibition
Traditional Chinese-Inspired Wavy Furniture
Sun at Six Designs the New Dynamic Wave Collection
Artful Sculptural Ceramic Collections
Jessica Sellinger Designs the New Wave Collection
Medicine-Inspired Artful Shows
Beverly Fishman Presents the Something for the Pain Exhibition
Weather-Inspired Art Exhibitions
Kasing Lung Unveils His Solo Exhibition 'Cloud' at Hidari Zingaro
Pop Art Stamp Collections
The U.S. Postal Service Roy Lichtenstein Stamps Come in Five Styles
Inconspicuous Art Museums
Wang Chong Studio Designs a Beautifully Expressive Building
Lunar Zodiac-Inspired Jewelry Charms
Ai Weiwei and TASCHEN Join Forces on the Zodiac Charms
Artfully Inspired Home Renovations
Reflect Architecture Designs the North Drive House in Toronto
Futile Material Design Exhibitions
Objective Gallery Presents Please Sit for an Alternate Ending
Jacquard Textile Design Exhibitions
Kutsaa Saksi Unveils In The Borderlands in Helsinki
Travel-Inspired Canvas Paintings
SOLDIER Presents the Passport Series of Artful Looks
Imperfection-Spotlighting Renovations
Colombo & Serboli Architecture Overhaul the Palau Apartment
Destructive Nature Art Exhibitions
Keita Miyazaki Unveils the Keita Miyazaki Exhibition
Large-Scale Sculpture Exhibitions
Desert X Invites 12 International Designers to Participate
Drawings-Inspired Rug Collections
Cold Picnic Introduces the New Frames Collection
Vibrantly Abstract Rug Collections
Atelier Tapis Rouge Presents the Abstraction Collection
Simplistic Line-Formed Furniture
Colonel's New Sculpture Furniture Collection is Simplistic
Sunset-Inspired Polish Apartments
wiercinski-studio Reimagines the 18TH Apartment
Artwork-Inspired Vibrant Watches
Swatch and Tate Join Forces on the Gallery Collection
Sustainable Design Exhibitions
Nathalie Khayat Presents the SALT Series at Frieze LA
Technology Connection Art Exhibitions
Design Agency Here Unveils the Code/Craft/Chaos Exhibition
Modern-Tinged Traditional Furniture
Sonal Tuli Designs the New Jaipur Furniture Collection
Colorful Geometric Ceramic Vases
Pani Jurek's BARVA VASES are Defined by Wavy Lines
Striking Wearable Sculpture
Jared Zhang Launches a Wearable Sculpture in No Minimum Online Auction
Swept Roof Underground Museums
Wutopia Lab Designs the Roof of the Deep Time Palace in China
Artist-Designed Wool Blankets
Eike König Crafts a Series of Art-Inspired Blankets for Multi-Use
3D Classic Art Collections
Guillaume Delvigne Creates the Les Mille et Une Nuits Collection
Kyoto-Inspired Solo Art Exhibitions
Philadelphia Gallery Displayed Ode to Kyoto and It's Wild Here
Architectural Pottery Museums
1+1>2 Architects Designs the Bat Trang Pottery Museum
Volcanic-Themed Light Sculptures
davidpompa Designs the Stone Archive Light Installation
Desert Reflective Art Installations
Olafur Eliasson Designs the Shadows Travelling Installation
Immigration System-Inspired Artworks
SOLDIER's Passport Series Confront the Biased Justice System
Cross-Cultural Art Exhibitions
A Team Forms to Present Mother Goddess of the Three Realms
Regional Art Debuts
Takashi Murakami Presents at a New Gallery in the UAE
Lightning-Inspired Artful Exhibitions
Ugo Rondinone Presents the Bright Light Shining Installation
Chaos-Insppired Ceramic Installations
Forest of Collision and Raku Showcased New Ceramic Works
Romantic Debut Solo Exhibitions
EJR Barnes Debuts A Room on East 79th Street Show
Provocative Eco Screensavers
Planet-Saving Screen Savers Encourage Switching Off Devices
Unseen Artist Masterpieces
A Hidden Chamber Reveals Michelangelo's Untold Works
Politically Artful Textile Shows
Barbican Hosts Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art
Artist-Themed Apparel Collections
Buttercloth Launches a Collection with the Van Gogh Museum
Bi-Culture-Inspired Art Exhibitions
Tomokazu Matsuyama Unveils 'Episodes Far From Home' Exhibition
Water Flow-Inspired Art Buildings
MAD Designs the Waterfront Nanhai Arts Center in Guangdong
Collaboration Floral Artwork Timepieces
Hublot Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Watches are Playful
Slaugherhouse-Transformed Unique Museums
Cave Bureau Creates the Anthropocene Museum 9.0
Nomadic Berlin Design Galleries
Forma Presents the The Room I Walk the Line Exhibition
Daily Stoic Wisdom
Stoiczone Sends Daily Philosophy Quotes to Your Inbox
Artful Bronze Horse Sculptures
Deborah Butterfield Presents Her New Exhibition in New York
Flower-Inspired Vibrant Rugs
Laura Niubó Designs the Espressionismo Floreale Series