World's worst poet Infographic

Art is subjective, but this guy sucks.

© 2015 James Mathurin

Smallest recorded Cardboard Box Infographic

There's a hundred and one uses for a good cardboard box, but if you can think of uses for this, do let me know...

©2015 James Mathurin

Largest sculpture made out of kitchen and toilet paper rolls Infographic

I know some people aren't impressed by modern art, with the whole 'my kid could make that', attitude, but this deserves recognition.

©2015 James Mathurin

The worst ever Mime-artist Infographic

It's a truth universally acknowledged that nobody likes mimes. Still, sometimes you can't help but feel sorry for them.

 ©2015 James Mathurin 

Lightest Ever Bulldozer infographic

I've tried a couple of things in origami, and I think I managed a star, a hat and a couple of things. This clearly would have taken a lot more practice.

©2014 James Mathurin 

Shortest Guitar Solo Infographic

I'm more of a hip-hop head myself, but you've got to give credit to musical achievement from all genres.

©2014 James Mathurin

Citrus Cave Art: Infographic

The advent of agriculture and art were vitally important to human development. Here is a place where they crossed over.

 ©2014 James Mathurin

Longest time to complete a work of art - Infographic

London is a cultural centre for many reasons. I'm not sure if this is one.

©2014 James Mathurin

The Most Boring Town in the World Infographic

This one is originally from 2009, and is most definitely not a place I'm ever planning on visiting.

©2014 James Mathurin

Worst Street Artist Infographic

As well as writing this blog, I have been interested in Street Art for some time. I suppose it was only a matter of time before I found out about Spritza.

©2014 James Mathurin 

The lightest ever bulldozer

The lightest ever bulldozer was constructed by Hiromi “Shogun of Origami” Shumizuko of Tokyo, Japan. The working model, constructed almost entirely of construction paper, weighed in at 22 kilograms, and was used by Shumizuko to plough an acre of grassland in Shiretoko National Park, on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, in March 2002, until it collapsed in a light shower.

An origami bull which was also constructed by Shumizuko to accompany the origami bulldozer and a planned tractor in a field for an outdoors "Henry Moore-style" installation". When the bulldozer was ruined, Shumizuko abandoned the tractor project, and sold the bull to a private collector. Photograph by Scarygami.

 ©2013 James Mathurin 

The world’s smelliest piece of art

The world’s smelliest piece of art was Self-portrait in Tofu, a sculpture by Dutch artist Kurzt Voegells. Although relatively odour-free when it was first exhibited in May 2003, it soon began to decompose, and caused the entire Anstschlogge gallery of Eindhoven to be evacuated between the 4^th and 7^th of September that year. After it was destroyed in a controlled explosion, Voegells announced, 

“I had not planned for this, but I feel it came to express the disgust I feel for society far more poetically than my food-sculpting abilities could possibly have expressed.”

Dutch police evacuate the area around the Anstschlogge gallery on June 15th 2003, immediately before Self-portrait in Tofu was destroyed. Riot police were required, as the horrible smell was deemed to be responsible for 17 separate scuffles and 2 small riots breaking out. Photograph by Karen Eliot.

 ©2012 James Mathurin

The Longest time to complete a piece of art

The record for the longest duration taken by one artist to complete a work of art was set by Mizouna Tankard of Battersea, Britain, when he revealed that he had been living under the identity of Gunther DeMousse, a Malaysian immigrant with a clerical job in Hamburg, for the previous 7 years, 4 months and 3 days, and declared his ‘double life’ a piece of performance art.

The blocl of flats where Tankard lived in Battersea between 1996 and 2004. Graffiti that he wrote on the wall of the toilet in the Grove pub, also pictured, has since been put under a protective perspex covering, in order to preserve another aspect of his performance art. Photograph by Ewan-M.

©2012 James Mathurin

The shortest ever guitar solo

The world’s shortest guitar solo is the Third track of Guitarist Dale Alpine’s 1974 Prog-Rock album Look at the Mess You’ve Made on the Carpet. The track, Ta-Da!, lasts 3 seconds, and consists of one note, played twice. Alpine’s fans had assumed that Ta-Da! was simply him tuning up when he performed it live on his Emaciated Puppet tour the previous year.

Dale Alpine, pictured at a 2009 gig, where he performed 17 encores of Ta-Da! This added 19 minutes to the show, 14 of which were taken up by standing ovations. Picture by Jeff Hardcastle.

©2010 James Mathurin

Prehistoric citrus art

An archaeological expedition in Southern Greece was surprised to find evidence of a prehistoric tribe who used citrus fruit to record images. It is believed that this was intended as a means of leaving secret messages to shy gods, as, much as children often use lemon juice to write 'disappearing ink' messages, these cave paintings only became visible when exposed to a heat source. This tribe was believed to worship a deity known as Schmoonktis, which was easily startled, and would answer any prayers that were left in a suitably peaceful way. According to depictions on the cave walls, Schmoonktis appeared as some kind of animal, similar to a squirrel, or perhaps a stoat.

Images of the paintings, which only became visible when one of their discoverers set up his portable stove to make some grilled Tuna sandwiches in the cave. The ambient heat was sufficient to cause a chemical reaction, which made the paintings visible again. Photograph provided by  Klearchos Kapoutsis.

 ©2010 James Mathurin

Largest kitchen and toilet paper roll sculpture

The largest sculpture made out of kitchen and toilet paper rolls was a 1:1 scale model of Egypt’s Great Pyramid, constructed in Valencia, Spain by Hercules Boroquez in May 1996. He sent out a Press Release saying, “After my scale model of the Louvre, made of novelty Easter wrapping paper, complete with Mona Lisa was destroyed in the Madrid monsoon of ’89, I have laboured to prove that the elements shall not hold sway over my artistic vision!” The structure stood until late November, when mist caused the paper rolls to inflate, and eventually collapse under their own weight.

Boroquez, pictured preparing for the 1997 Spanish Exposition, where he talked about the experience of losing his Pyramid sculpture, and announced his decision to embark on a five-year project consisting of watercolours of paving stones. Photo by Bengt Nyman.

©2009 James Mathurin

Smallest office chair

The world’s smallest office chair was constructed by Gerte Hagemund, of Dortmund, Germany in 1977. It had a height of 4.8 centimetres, and Hagemund claims that it is the only remaining part of a complete ‘ergonomically designed’ office equipment set. “I made it for the fairies that I watch at the bottom of the garden,” she explained in an interview. “I have watched them since I was a little child, but as I grew older I noticed how bad their posture was. I don’t know if they ever actually do any office work, or whether they cavort all day long, but I felt I should do what I could to help.” Asked where the rest of the furniture was, she answered, “Well, they took it didn’t they? That’s the only thing that makes sense. I hope it has helped, as they completely ignored the little pamphlets I designed for them.”

Gerte [centre], pictured in 1982, with her mother and agent, and 3 items of office furniture (pictured on the table, but not visible due to the low resolution of the image, they include a chair, lamp and filing cabinet). Picture from the archive administered by anslatadams.

©2009 James Mathurin