An artist has created a homage to cultural and historical figures – by immortalising them as Star Wars characters. Mike Leavitt wanted to “document the pulse of our times” through his sculpture by splicing non-fiction characters with famous faces. He chose the sci-fi trilogy as a basis for what he calls his “pop culture satirical mash-ups”, with many of the pieces hand-carved from wood. The hilarious results include Albert Einstein as R2D2, Michael Jackson as an Ewok and Angelina Jolie in Princess Leia's famous slave girl outfit. Photo: Gandhi as Yoda. (Photo by Mike Leavitt/Rex USA)

Customers take photos of a snake at the Tokyo Snake Center, a snake cafe, in Tokyo's Harajuku shopping district August 14, 2015. The cafe has on display 35 non-venomous snakes of 20 different breeds. Open six days a week, the cafe allows customers to enjoy food and beverages while watching a small snake slither around in a cage on their table for a 1,000 yen (8.04 dollars). By paying an additional fee, customers get to hold and pet the snake. (Photo by Toru Hanai/Reuters)

“Kusakabe Kimbei (1841 – 1934) was a Japanese photographer. He usually went by his given name, Kimbei, because his clientele, mostly non-Japanese-speaking foreign residents and visitors, found it easier to pronounce than his family name. Kusakabe Kimbei worked with Felice Beato and Baron Raimund von Stillfried as a photographic colourist and assistant before opening his own workshop in Yokohama in 1881 in the Benten-dōri quarter, and from 1889 operating in the Honmachi quarter. He also opened a branch in the Ginza quarter of Tokyo”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Writing Letter. (Photo by Kusakabe Kimbei)

“Snailpimp” is a project by artist Stefan Siverud, who is having fun decorating living snails with the most varied designs, from the McDonald’s logo to the miniature lighthouse through Pac-Man, Ikea and Adidas. A funny and interesting project, achieved with non-toxic paints, which of course raises the question of the impact on these living animals. If some people ironize that these highly visible snails are less likely to be inadvertently stepped on by people, others point out that they are more easily spotted by predators… A project in line with the Inner City Snail artist Slinkachu.

A Palestinian social activist working for the International South South Cooperation (Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud, or CISS) entertain children who are patients inside a hospital in Gaza City August 31, 2015. Activists working for the Italian non-profit NGO use entertainment and humour to help bring treatment to children suffering from psychological trauma in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by Mohammed Salem/Reuters)

A demonstrator skateboards in front of a burning police vehicle during a protest against a new proposed policing bill, in Bristol, Britain, March 21, 2021. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill would give forces in England and Wales more power to impose conditions on non- violent protests, including those deemed too noisy or a nuisance, with fines or jail for those convicted. (Photo by Peter Cziborra/Reuters)

Sophia answers questions at Hanson Robotics studio in Hong Kong on March 29, 2021. Sophia is a robot of many talents — she speaks, jokes, sings and even makes art. In March, she caused a stir in the art world when a digital work she created as part of a collaboration was sold at an auction for $688,888 in the form of a non-fungible token (NFT). (Photo by Vincent Yu/AP Photo)

“In honor of Friday’s World Press Freedom Day, the non-governmental organization Reporters sans frontières (Reporters Without Borders) launched a campaign depicting world-famous dictators giving everyone the finger, or the international equivalent thereof”. – Kay Steiger. (Photo by Vincent Bousserez/Reporters Without Borders)