Miniature art dates back to the scribes of the medieval ages. But as time passed so has this traditional art evolved. These days, miniature artists go way beyond your cutesy dollhouse, recreating urban environments in their entirety and shedding light on less attractive aspects of human behavior. Here are three miniature artists taking this form of art to a whole other level.
Drew Leshko
Drew Leshko’s miniatures serve as a critique about the ways in which society constantly disposes of its past. His carefully made sculptures recreate the architecture of his neighborhood at a 1:12 scale. Combined, they form a sort of three-dimensional archive of buildings that are in transitional periods. These recreations include things like dumpsters and pallets. A somber reflection about the cost of modern-day living.
Joshua Smith
Much like Leshko, Joshua Smith also focuses his work on the overlooked aspects of urban environments, creating miniatures in 1:20 scale of what he calls “urban decay”. Based in Norwood, South Australia, Smith recreates anything from grime and rust to discarded cigarettes and graffiti. “The interest stems from building model kits when I was a kid and I have always been fascinated with miniature scenes from model railroads,” he explained in an interview with The Daily Miniature.
Susete Saraiva
But sometimes, a grimy environment is simply the backdrop of a work of fiction. Such is the inspiration for Susete Saraiva’s horror movie miniatures. Recreating movie settings from iconic horror films like It and Psycho, her miniatures are just as unsettling as they are remarkable. “I love the idea of taking some of my favorite homes and bringing them to life in miniature form to display,” said Saraiva in an interview with The Daily Mini. “They are also my most challenging pieces, which in the end gives me the most satisfaction when finally complete.”
