Spanish painter Fernando Vicente's 'Atlas' series consists of highly intricate human faces, skulls and animals drawn onto geographical maps. The artwork is created in such a way that the geographic boundaries of each land mass are shaped to perfectly correspond to the shapes, contours and lines of his subjects.
These pieces of art display more than just a technical mastery of painting, however; each piece offers a commentary on the relationships between different parts of the earth and their inhabitants throughout history. For example, the human skull and bones that outline Africa could be construed as a reminder of that continent's suffering at the hands of imperialism, poverty and disease.
The visual look of the paintings suggests a strong Renaissance-era influence, further suggesting that the Spanish painter is attempting to convey the classical and colonial histories that have shaped different parts of the world.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Intricate Map Art
- The use of geographical maps as a canvas for intricate artwork offers disruptive innovation opportunities in the field of contemporary art.
- Historical Commentary Through Art
- Using art to comment on historical events and societal issues presents disruptive innovation opportunities for visual storytelling and social commentary.
- Influence of Renaissance Art
- Incorporating Renaissance-era influences in paintings reimagined on maps creates disruptive innovation opportunities in the intersection of classical and contemporary art.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Contemporary Art
- The contemporary art industry can explore new perspectives by incorporating intricate map artwork as a form of creative expression.
- Visual Storytelling
- The field of visual storytelling can benefit from utilizing art to comment on historical events and societal issues, fostering disruptive innovation in narrative mediums.
- Art Education
- Integrating the influence of Renaissance art in art education can spur disruptive innovation in teaching techniques and inspire contemporary artists to draw inspiration from classical styles.
