Impact

BEAUTIFUL BUGS WITH PURPOSE

Today, we are loving the Beautiful Bug art created by three genius talents, not only because of their astonishing aesthetic beauty, but because they have noble purposes. Two sculptors work entirely with recycled materials, turning refuse into masterpieces. And one photographer is on a mission to save endangered bees.

EDOUARD MARTINET

Edouard Martinet quite simply turns trash into treasure. These insect sculptures that look almost like functioning robots were all created from objects that Martinet found, such as bicycle, typewriter, and car parts.

What makes Martinet’s work all the more impressive is that he does not weld or solder his sculptures. Everything, from wings to the most intricate, tiniest detail, is screwed together.

It takes Martinet, about one month to construct each piece, on average, but some have taken up to 17 years to complete.

Martinet’s Butterfly’s legs, for example, are made from bike brake parts, pieces of windshield wipers, and bike chains. Its abdomen is made from an old acetylene light tank.

Its thorax is constructed from a car suspension part, small spoon parts, and whipped cream chargers. The head is made from headlights and bike parts.

Its trunk is made from clock springs. Its hair is made from pieces of a typewriter daisy wheel. And it’s antennae are made from brake cables and drawer knobs.

Martinet’s Rhinoceros Beetle’s legs are made from bike brake parts, a bike derailleur chain, and a bike chain ring. Its head and horn are made from a small bike brake and pieces of a typewriter daisy wheel.

It’s antennae are made from small bike parts. It’s thorax is made from a shoe tree and bike Luxor headlight. And its abdomen is made from a motorbike light and shell-shaped drawer handles.

Martinet recently exhibited at Sladmore Contemporary in London.

DITMAR VALCHEV

Many insects have mechanically oriented body structures. Bulgarian artist Dimitar Valchev (aka Muti) uses reclaimed materials to create amazing bug sculptures.

Valchev uses all sorts of scrap to make his pieces, from springs and gears to spark plugs and spoons, resulting in a steampunk fantasy.

SAM DROEGE

Sam Droege creates incredible photographs of bees in order to raise awareness about their importance and their plight.

Droege is not a photographer by trade. He is the head of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Program. There, he observes many species of bees, noting when they appear ill or when their habitats are threatened.

Droege also set out to create archival reference catalogs to aid researchers in the identification of over 4,000 bee species in North America.

Extremely high resolution reveals astonishing beauty, even at the smallest level. Droege’s bee photos not photoshopped or altered in any way, so they are scientifically accurate. They show bees that are extraordinarily beautiful all on their own.

See more of these incredible images on Droege’s Flickr.

Enter your own images and ideas about Beautiful Bugs in this week’s creative Photo Competition. Open for entries now until 11:59 p.m. PT on 06.08.14. If you are reading this after that date, check out the current BN Creative Competition, and enter!