As we’re a huge fan of impressive art installations and creativity here on BlazePress and the year is drawing to a close we thought it would be worthwhile to look back at some of the most amazing art installations we’ve covered this year, from light projections to underwater sculptures and just about everything in between.
This year has been as good as any when it comes to creativity and of course concept, with each of the works you see below either supporting or raising awareness for a good cause with their often poignant underlying messages. In no particular order, here are 10 of our favourite art installations of 2016.
1. Inside Out by JR
In order to celebrate the arrival of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, French street artist JR created huge figures of athletes jumping over buildings as part of an ongoing project called ‘inside out’. You can see more of the artist’s work on Instagram.
2. JR au Louvre by JR
Artist JR also made the glass pyramid at the world famous Musée du Louvre in Paris disappear using photographic prints to conceal the structure and make it blend into the museums facade.
3. Plexus 35 by Gabriel Dawe
Mexican artist Gabriel Dawe is world famous for creating colourful rainbow-like art installations and this year caught the eye of thousands visiting the Toledo Museum of Art’s Great Gallery with his installation titled Plexus 35. See more here.
4. Pink House by Olek
On a mission to keep the traditional art form of Crochet alive this year Polish sculptor and performance artist Agata Oleksiak, also known as Olek, turned a house into one giant pink knitted canvas with the help of Syrian and Ukrainian refugees. Find out more here.
5. Rain by Nazar Bilyk
Ukrainian artist Nazar Bilyk released a sculpture in his countries capital, Kiev, showing a tall lone sculpture of a man with a giant rain drop on his face, a reflection on mans relationship with the elements. See more here.
6. Elephant & Mouse by Ray Villafane and Sue Beatrice
Rivalling the complexity and level of surrealism you’d only ever expect to find in a 3D rendering these days, both Ray Villafane and Sue Beatrice teamed up to create a 9-foot-tall sand sculpture of an elephant named Chessie Trunkston playing chess with a tiny mouse named Hershel Higginbottom.
7. The Blood Forest by Philippe Echaroux
In order to highlight the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, artist Philippe Echaroux created a captivating series in which he projected the faces of indigenous people of the Suruí tribe on to its trees. See more here.
8. Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku by Bruce Munro
Using more than 50,000 LED lights artist Bruce Munro created a sea of lights to illuminate a part of Australia’s Red Centre desert near Ayers Rock. Normally a dormant and baron landscape during the day Munro tries to create a start contrast after sundown. See more here.
9. SafePassage by Ai Wei Wei
A social statement on the plight of refugees seeking asylum in Europe, artist and often activist Ai Weiwei created a piece title #SafePassage which consisted of more than 14,000 bright orange life vests covering the pillars of Berlin’s Konzerthaus concert hall.
10. The Rubicon by Jason deCaires Taylor
World famous for his underwater contemporary art installations, Jason deCaires Taylo crated an underwater museum off the coast of Lanzarote in the Atlantic Ocean that shows a group of figures wondering across the ocean floor in what has to be this years most surreal art installation.
