Any art lover will tell you that true talent lies in being able to work on several mediums and surfaces. While most artists stick to canvas or sculpting material, a few redefine art by engaging in it on a miniature scale. This ability to paint or draw on small surfaces is admirable not just because art has to be scaled down but because no detail is lost despite the small size. One of the most noted miniature artists of today is Jason D’Aquino. Working on tiny surfaces like matchbooks and bigger objects like ledgers and leaflets, the talented artist is able to create stunningly detailed portraits and themes of a political nature and filmdom.
His latest matchbook works titled Phillumeny are set to be exhibited at Los Angeles’s La Luz De Jesus Gallery. Visitors will get a glimpse into just how intricate drawing on miniature surfaces can be. Some of his works measure just an inch in size. He also works on unusual surfaces like 18th century animal skin vellum and his hunt for strange surfaces has led him to all corners of the globe.
D’Aquino’s works have graced the likes of Gulliver Magazine, The Stranger and The New York Times. He uses a magnifying glass to compete his works. What we love is his use of recycled surfaces such as the used matchbooks. Aside from his political themed artwork, he also favors drawing icons like Alfred Hitchcock and Marilyn Monroe.
His utilization of used surfaces gives viewers a glimpse into the history of the materials. Some with advertisements of bars and restaurants of small towns take you to the past and leave you wondering what life could be like there or who the matchbooks once belonged to.
D’Aquino works out of his tattoo shop in Buffalo, New York, and takes time off work to scour shops and vintage stores in search of materials to repurpose.
Via: Laughingsquid
