Suck it, Lichtenstein!

May 13, 2024 1:19 PM

I cannot tell you how or why, but at some point a few years back I discovered that Instagram Stories not only allows you unlimited emojis, it ALSO allows you to enlarge them to an apparently infinite degree. And so, may I present: FAMOUS PAINTINGS RECREATED USING ONLY EMOJIS! All on one page: Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring, Goya's Saturn Devouring His Son. Klimt's The Kiss, Wood's American Gothic, Michaelangelo's The Creation of Adam and more, all moulded from shaded yellow spheres.

Although the artist's enthusiasm wanes towards the end, especially for writing the blurbs (“only to give up and slap a couple boat emojis on it because that shit’s hard”), much of the history of art is here. All in emojis.

From the author-artist's substack.

Many thanks to Tehhund, curator and creator of the internet's most fascinating and bizarre phrases and things for drawing this to my attention.

posted by ambrosen (27 comments total)

These are good
posted by latkes at 1:25 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

The Klimt is masterful.
posted by cocoagirl at 1:28 PM on May 13 [25 favorites]

Absolutely fantastic!
posted by atlantica at 1:28 PM on May 13 [2 favorites]

The Kiss and Nighthawks are my favorites for different reasons (impressive! Ridiculous!) Sunflowers is the only failure I think, which the artist acknowledges. Amazing work.
posted by latkes at 1:29 PM on May 13 [5 favorites]

These are all conceptually delightful but the Klimt is so much better than it has any right to be.
posted by eponym at 1:45 PM on May 13 [7 favorites]

Yeah, The Klimt is amazing, honestly. I love it.
posted by jacquilynne at 1:57 PM on May 13 [2 favorites]

these are all AWESOME but The Kiss really blows my mind!
posted by supermedusa at 2:01 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

I would completely hang the Klimt on my wall. The Seurat is also impressive, but Sunflowers actually blows me away-- it's the transition state between "let's make a stylized reproduction of a work" and "this is its own, new medium, which I am learning to control". I hope they go further!
posted by phooky at 2:33 PM on May 13 [2 favorites]

All that and a dig at Lichtenstein. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
posted by EvaDestruction at 2:38 PM on May 13 [9 favorites]

Nota bene that the artist is Nate Stevenson, who brought us Nimona and the She-Ra reboot which, much like the Klimt here, is a marvel that's far better than people might have expected.
posted by sgranade at 2:41 PM on May 13 [17 favorites]

Amazing! And also ND Stephenson is responsible for She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and also the most excellent Nimona
posted by Gorgik at 2:52 PM on May 13 [10 favorites]

Bah! Why didn't I preview that one!
posted by Gorgik at 2:52 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

The little arm! Oh, my God, the little arm!!
posted by Naberius at 3:38 PM on May 13 [19 favorites]

Nate Stevenson is so cool.
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:39 PM on May 13 [4 favorites]

loooooved them
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 4:01 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

I like how the clocks in the Dali attempt aren't melting. It's like it's the persistence of emoji...
posted by chavenet at 4:08 PM on May 13 [5 favorites]

Saturn devouring his son! I love it.
posted by corb at 4:18 PM on May 13 [2 favorites]

this is genius!
posted by monkeymike at 4:41 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

Absolutely incredible. Great post and thanks for sharing
posted by Wandering_Boots at 4:53 PM on May 13 [2 favorites]

Have they done the Simpsons?
posted by y2karl at 5:21 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

Her bosom has been fashioned from the stumps of two severed thighs
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:42 AM on May 14 [2 favorites]

Have they done the Simpsons?

I was just looking at the Seurat, and thought it looked a lot like a jigsaw puzzle I own.
posted by MtDewd at 6:26 AM on May 14 [1 favorite]

These are amazing! The Klimt is great, but Saturn Devouring His Son really captures the essence of the original.
posted by ellieBOA at 6:39 AM on May 14 [2 favorites]

I was just looking at the Seurat, and thought it looked a lot like a jigsaw puzzle I own.

You may have a point or two.
posted by y2karl at 9:49 AM on May 14 [5 favorites]

This is incredible
posted by straight at 2:55 PM on May 14 [1 favorite]

These are amazing. I love the surprised face of Saturn, and the fact that the depiction of Christina from Christina's World is a little less butt-centric than the real thing.
posted by whir at 3:45 PM on May 14

Mod note: 🎉🎊 This awesome post has been added to the sidebar and Best Of blog🪅🥳
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 7:11 AM on May 16 [1 favorite]