Mark Oliver is an accomplished artist who won various notable awards for his paintings and illustrations. But today, we would like to introduce you to his intriguing side-project titled “The Litter Bugs”.
As part of The Litter Bugs project, Oliver uses found objects and materials to craft all sorts of colorful insects. This includes repurposing metal brooches into beetles, crafting flies out of baits and playing cards, and making bugs out of cricket balls.
“The Litter Bugs are a postmodern exploration and re-working of Victorian insect collections and taxonomy,” Oliver shares on his website.
According to the artist, the primary goal of his found-material bugs is to encourage viewers to give each insect a “closer inspection” and discover all of the things that were used to make them. Sometimes it’s obvious but other times, you really need to look hard.
“I use collage and assemblagé of found and crafted objects to create an artistic illusion, one I hope will seduce the viewer into closer inspection of each bug,” he explains.
Oliver’s The Litter Bugs have been exhibited in various international art galleries and featured in museum exhibitions. The artist also regularly shares his newest works on social media. Continue scrolling to check out more of them below.
