Matteo Pugliese was born in Milan in 1969. In 1978 his family moved to Sardinia and lived there for the next 12 years. During this time he developed a strong love for drawing and sculpture and practiced without formal education. After finishing his secondary school studies in classics in Cagliari, he returned to Milan to attend university. In 1995 he was awarded his degree in modern literature at the University of Milan with a graduation thesis on art criticism.
These beautiful shots may look like works of modern art – but they are actually close-ups of chemical reactions. The works were snapped with the help of a group of scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Anhui, China. Here: Zinc reacting with lead nitrate in a soft gel to form lead crystals. (Photo by Yan Liang/Caters News)
Hickman's experimental art, which reflects the vein-like extensions that electrical charges burn into surfaces they come in contact with, are referred to as Lichtenberg figures. The diverging patterns present in each of the artist's "paintings" are natural occurrences from subjecting the panels to tiny lightning storms through a handy device known as a particle accelerator. Hickman is like a modern-day Zeus, painting with lightning bolts.