Have you ever found yourself captivated by the beauty of a weathered building, its facade etched with the passage of time? Australian artist Joshua Smith translates this fascination into captivating miniature cityscapes. Smith’s works are not your typical idyllic dollhouse scenes. Instead, he draws inspiration from the forgotten corners of urban environments, meticulously recreating the chipped paint, rusted fire escapes, and faded signage that tell the stories of these decaying structures.
Smith’s dedication to detail is nothing short of astonishing. He utilizes everyday materials like cardboard, wire, and found objects to craft these miniature worlds. The meticulous recreation of peeling paint, cracked concrete, and overgrown vegetation transport the viewer to these forgotten spaces, imbued with a strange and haunting beauty. Smith’s work compels us to reconsider our perception of decay, urging us to find the poetry in the imperfections and the narratives etched in the weathering of our urban landscapes.
I have been fascinated with miniatures and modelmaking ever since I was little and can remember making miniature things out of cardboard boxes ever since I was very young. (…) The city, especially Melbourne [inspires me]. I live for the grime. I love alleyways filled with rubbish, grime and rust especially around the Chinatown precinct. To me, the grime and decay of old buildings really makes it for me and I think it tells more of a story and history than a clean pristine building. (…) I think the most challenging thing is working out what to make certain things from. This is one of the main reasons I love doing miniature work so much; I love a challenge and the problem-solving skills that come with trying to figure out how to get miniatures to look realistic.
Joshua Smith
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