Many people have seen feathers as decorative items before. Today, ostrich, peacock and bird of paradise feathers can be seen in haute couture and in the costumes of indigenous peoples. They can be colorful and spectacular in their own right, but how much more stunning might they be when used as canvases for artists, eager to demonstrate their talent for the unusual? Alaskan-born and -bred artist Julie Thompson is an astounding exponent of this incredible art form.

The civilised world lies on its knees, a sickness wracking its body. The affliction causes a necrotising of tissues so perfectly uniform in distribution that victims take on the appearance of corpses long before death occurs due to organ failure or secondary infections. ...

«Underwater». Laurie Simmons discovered this silicone sеx doll in a shop while on holiday in Japan and was immediately interested in the type of generic beauty their looks could add to her work. She went on to create the Love Doll series, in which she places silicone sеx dolls in positions that explore a woman’s interior life. (Photo by Laurie Simmons/Salon 94/The Guardian)

Actresses Vonnie Lui (R) and Yukiku Suou (L) attend the “3D s*x And Zen: Extreme Ecstacy” photocall at the Majestic Beach Pier during the 64th Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2011 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

An exotic model poses for photographs at a news conference to promote the “Expo Sеx and Eroticism” adult exhibition in Mexico City, Mexico March 1, 2017. (Photo by Carlos Jasso/Reuters)

These are some of the Real Doll bodies made by Abyss Creations being assembled in the factory on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 in San Marcos, California. Customers can dictate their partner’s character by choosing between 18 personality traits including shy, sensual, jealous, moody or talkative. (Photo by Eduardo Contreras/San Diego Union-Tribune via ZUMA/Rex Features/Shutterstock)