Banksy has taken the public art world by storm over the last few years and just about everyone is familiar with his street works. Los Angeles-based British photographer Nick Stern took it upon himself to recreate some of the famous graffiti artist’s most well-known and controversial works using real people. The photo series entitled You Are Not Banksy includes eight separate shots of impeccably costumed characters posing with carefully placed props against specific backdrops that echo the works of Banksy.

Unlike other artists who have taken Banksy’s work and paid homage to them in a similar graffiti style, like Hanksy, Stern takes the art into the third dimension. His photo series is like a documentation of performance art inspired by the elusive street artist. The collection of images reanimate the covert artist’s works, including his images of Jesus with shopping bags, Mona Lisa with an RPG, and two male cops kissing.

The photographer says of his series: “It was a lot of work as I wanted to make sure every photo was an accurate representation, but the final results were worth it. For weeks leading up to each of the shoots I scoured Ebay to find props such as Jesus’s ring of thorns and the police helmets and even made some of them, like the RPG, myself. I just hope Banksy likes what I have done.”

A few of Stern’s limited edition fine art prints are currently available in his online store.

(Source: superpunch2, via spongebobshomegirl)

These photographs by Paris-based photographer Julien Mauve combine nostalgia with everyday adult living. After discovering an old box of toys in his grandparents’ attic, Mauve was inspired to bring his old memories to life through modern day, adult interactions with the items. He says, “Going further than their power to generate nostalgia, toys offer those who animate them a marvelous power to reinvent the world.”

Through these gorgeous Back to Childhood scenes, Mauve sparks a certain nostalgic memory for all of his viewers. As adults, it becomes customary to pack away your toys and live in the ‘grown-up’ world. But inside every one of us is that kid who, every once in a while, just wants to run around and play. He says about the toys, “Each of them reminded me of a particular moment of my childhood and I felt emotionally connected to them.” Just because we’ve grown up doesn’t mean we don’t still like to sometimes play Twister or color with crayons!

(Source: mymodernmet.com)