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# Smokey Tribute Art
The Serge Gainsbourg Cigarette Filter Portrait is Made Up of Over 20,000 Butts

By Michael Hines | Published 2011-03-05 | Art & Design
Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/serge-gainsbourg-cigarette-filter-portrait
References: [odditycentral](http://www.odditycentral.com/news/swiss-artist-creates-realistic-portrait-from-20000-cigarette-filters.html) & [jinkskunst](http://www.jinkskunst.com/)

The Serge Gainsbourg Cigarette Filter Portrait is a tribute to the late-great French artist/singer-songwriter by Swiss street artist Jinks Kunst. Kunst created the cigarette butt portrait to honor the 20th anniversary of Gainsbourg's death.

Gainsbourg was known as a party animal with an affinity for drinking and smoking, which is what makes the Serge Gainsbourg Cigarette Filter Portrait such a fitting tribute. Kunst reportedly collected 20,394 cigarette butts over a period of three years to complete his work.

The Serge Gainsbourg Cigarette Filter Portrait may be seen as glorifying smoking, but I see it as an eco-friendly statement celebrating the life of an incredibly creative man. After all, if Kunst hadn't used those 20,000 plus cigarette butts to create his portrait, then there's a good chance that most of them would still be wasting space in a landfill or rolling around the streets of Europe.

## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter)

- Score: 1.5/10
- Popularity: 12% | Activity: 26% | Freshness: 8%
- Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women
- Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X
- Top markets: North America, Europe

## Categories

[Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Modern](https://www.trendhunter.com/modern)

## Key Themes

### Key Themes Behind This Trend

- **Sustainable Art:** Creating art with unconventional and recycled materials, such as cigarette butts, showcases the potential for sustainable art practices.
- **Tribute Portraits:** Using unconventional materials to create tribute artwork, such as the Serge Gainsbourg Cigarette Filter Portrait, offers a unique way to honor influential figures.
- **Eco-friendly Messaging:** Art pieces like the Serge Gainsbourg Cigarette Filter Portrait can serve as a medium to convey environmental messages and promote eco-friendly practices.

### Where This Applies

- **Art and Design:** Artists and designers can explore the use of unconventional and recycled materials in their work, tapping into sustainable art trends.
- **Personalized Tribute Merchandise:** The popularity of tribute art can inspire the development of personalized merchandise that celebrates iconic figures in unique and unconventional ways.
- **Environmental Awareness Campaigns:** Environmental organizations and initiatives can leverage art pieces like the Serge Gainsbourg Cigarette Filter Portrait to raise awareness about waste management and sustainability.

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