5 Great Pieces Of Upcycled Artwork

While there are many amazing ways to upcycle found objects, some of the most amazing examples I've come across are those that come from a purely creative space. Upcycled art, or artwork created from found objects, has been steadily gaining popularity as environmental concerns are becoming more and more pronounced world wide. These pieces of art serve not only as an outlet for peoples creative expression, but as a statement of the importance of upcycling, recycling, and sustainable living. Here are five examples of some of the best pieces I've seen recently.

1. BIKE CHAIN HEART SCULPTURE

With all the bikes on the road, one can only imagine the mass of broken bike chains that must accumulate in a repair shop. This elegant sculpture is simply a large heart created from discarded chains and other upcycled bike parts.

2. SOUP CAN PEOPLE

These beautifully hand painted aluminum can people are kind of like the upcycled garden gnomes of our day. They are spread around town happily peering into our streets, alleys, and backyards. Their diverse facial expressions and outfits display an incredible sense of emotion and attention to detail on behalf of the artist. I feel better knowing these characters are out patrolling our streets. Dont you?

3. PLASTIC BAG PERSON

This piece gives me the feeling of distant time traveler that is slowly disintegrating as he inadvertently wrote himself out of history. Perhaps this work of art is a commentary on the environmental impact of pastic, or the fragility of life itself, or just the expression of loneliness and isolation. Whatever the intent of the artist, it is an incredibly thought provoking and emotional piece.

4. CASETTE TAPE SKULL

The days of passing a mix tape to your buddy in gym class may be long gone, but that doesn’t mean theres nothing you can do with your stacks of old casette tapes. This piece shows just what can be done with seemingly useless items laying around your home. Perhaps there is some kind of message here about the cycle of life and death within nature and technology mirroring one another. Or, perhaps it’s just a really cool skull.

5. LANDFILL ROADRUNNER

Towering high above a New Mexico highway, this amazingly large roadrunner is standing guard over his beloved desert landscape. Built entirely from scrap metal, wood, and various other materials from a local landfill, it is both majestic and awe inspiring. Mind the roadrunner people…he sees all.