“John Thomson (14 June 1837 – 29 September 1921) was a pioneering Scottish photographer, geographer and traveller. He was one of the first photographers to travel to the Far East, documenting the people, landscapes and artifacts of eastern cultures. Upon returning home, his work among the street people of London cemented his reputation, and is regarded as a classic instance of social documentary which laid the foundations for photojournalism. He went on to become a portrait photographer of High Society in Mayfair, gaining the Royal Warrant in 1881”. – Wikipedia. Photo: Ex Omnibus Driver. (Photo by John Thomson/LSE Digital Library)

“The Songkran festival is celebrated in Thailand as the traditional New Year's Day from 13 to 15 April. It coincides with the New Year of many calendars of South and Southeast Asia. The most obvious celebration of Songkran is the throwing of water upon others. Thais roam the streets with containers of water or water guns. In addition, many Thais will have small bowls of beige colored talc sold cheaply and mixed with water which is then smeared on the faces and bodies of random passerbys as a blessing for the new year” – Wikipedia. (Photo by Seua Yai)

Earlier this year, Belgian film-maker and artist Vincent Bal stumbled upon an uncanny resemblance to an elephant in the shadow of his tea cup. This gave him the idea for Shadowology, a series of doodles that interact with the shadows of simple, everyday objects: a banknote, some ice cubes and a flower, for example, can turn into a church, a woman and a hippy. “I draw a few lines and I get my image. It’s really the shadows that inspire me”, Bal says. Here: “Stonedog”. (Photo by Vincent Bal/The Guardian)

The Dynasphere, an electrically-driven wheel, invented by Mr. J. A. Purves of Taunton and his son. It had 2.5 horse power and once attained a speed of 25 mph. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images). 1932

At first glance, Korean artist Kyu-Hak Lee's mixed media mosaics come off as fairly straightforward recreations of iconic works of art. But upon closer inspection, there's more depth to Lee's works than expected. Using a specific technique – rolling strips of magazine and newspaper pages around small bits of wood – Lee replicates brushstrokes, patterns, and colors to create a commentary on consumerism and worth.

Andy Kehoe recently returned to New York for his third solo show with Jonathan LeVine Gallery. Entitled Luminous Reverie, this show explores the idea of experiencing a lucid moment while drifting along in a daydream. We enjoyed the works, which continued the new direction that he premiered during a show in Los Angeles last year (covered). Again, Kehoe explores the technique of painting layers upon layers of resin and creating a natural 3-D visual element for the viewers to enjoy. This show will be up until June 15th, so stop by and check it out if you’re in NYC.

“Anish Kapoor CBE RA (born 12 March 1954) is a British sculptor of Indian birth. Born in Mumbai (Bombay), Kapoor has lived and worked in London since the early 1970s when he moved to study art, first at the Hornsey College of Art and later at the Chelsea School of Art and Design”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Workmen install a large-scale sculputure by Anish Kapoor at the Lisson Gallery on October 10, 2006 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

“Tony Lepore (born October 17, 1947), aka the Dancing Cop, is a retired American police officer who has been entertaining on the streets of Providence, Rhode Island during the December holiday season by directing traffic using a dancing style since 1984”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Retired police officer Tony Lepore performs his dance routine while directing traffic December 14, 2004 in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. Lepore has been entertaining drivers and directing traffic at intersections around Providence for 20 years. He came upon the idea after seeing a “Candid Camera” clip of New York City police officers who flamboyantly directed traffic in the 1950's. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)