9 Sculptures That Blur Reality and Nature
Content warning: From woven warriors in the woods to surreal windows floating in open fields, these eight sculptures twist perception and blend effortlessly into their surroundings. In this curated collection, you’ll encounter sleeping giants nestled into hillsides, natur
From woven warriors in the woods to surreal windows floating in open fields, these eight sculptures twist perception and blend effortlessly into their surroundings.
In this curated collection, you’ll encounter sleeping giants nestled into hillsides, nature-based illusions made from leaves, and wooden titans guarding rivers. Each artwork challenges the boundaries between art, environment, and imagination — spanning countries like Ecuador, France, the UK, and the USA.
More: 10 Street Art Masterpieces That Will Make You Fall in Love with Books Again
1. Sleeping Boy — By El Decertor in Imbabura, Ecuador
A young boy lies in peaceful slumber with his teddy bear, seamlessly integrated into a concrete wall and creeping vines. The painted body appears to nestle under the greenery, making the illusion feel alive.
2. The Sleeping Beauty — By Made in Graffiti in Picardie, France
Painted directly onto a hillside, this monochromatic mural of a girl hugging a teddy bear appears as if she’s embedded in the landscape.
🔗 Follow Made in Graffiti on Instagram
3. Fluentem Colos — Land Art by Jon Foreman in Little Milford, UK
This forest installation arranges green, yellow, and brown leaves in a wave-like optical illusion. Carefully positioned by hand, the sculpture bends depth perception using nothing but natural materials.
More!: 10 Spellbinding New Stone Sculptures by Jon Foreman (All from 2025)
4. Mama Mimi the Troll — Trash Art by Thomas Dambo in Wyoming, USA
Built from reclaimed wood, this massive troll lounges across a bridge in Rendezvous Park. With braided hair and expressive eyes, she invites visitors to climb, explore, and imagine.
More!: 10 Giant Trolls Hiding in Forests, Lakes and Ruins
5. Stillness in Motion — Sculpture by Olga Ziemska at the Centre of Polish Sculpture in Oronsko, Poland
This dynamic figure, constructed from aligned wooden branches, gives the illusion of motion frozen in time. Her sweeping form suggests wind or energy, drawing a group of children’s attention in a city park.
🔗 Follow Olga Ziemska on Instagram
6. Reaching Hand — Wood Sculpture by Simon O’Rourke in Wales, UK
Carved from the remains of the UK’s tallest tree, this sculpture depicts an outstretched human hand reaching skyward. The realistic veins and texture blend human form with natural bark.
More photos!: From Tallest Tree to Towering Sculpture: The Giant Hand of the UK
7. The Archer — Willow Sculpture by Anna & The Willow in the UK
Standing in a woodland path, this archer draws her bow with a body sculpted entirely from interwoven willow. Her flowing form mimics fabric in motion, blending into the surrounding forest.
🔗 Follow Anna & The Willow on Instagram
8. Window Ladder — Sculpture by Leandro Erlich in Uruguay
This surreal outdoor installation features a floating brick-framed window with a tall ladder leading to it. The disconnected wall segment hovers mid-air, challenging logic and gravity.
🔗 Follow Leandro Erlich on Instagram
9. Grumpy Stone — David Zinn in Michigan, USA
A small stone with a sculpted frown sits tucked among pebbles, blending perfectly into its surroundings. Created by David Zinn, the piece adds humor to an ordinary spot — a tiny character looking unimpressed with the world around him. More!: Happy Art by David Zinn (10 Photos)
🔗 Follow David Zinn on Instagram
More: 20 Street Art Pieces That Hit the Right Note
Which one is your favorite?
14 Street Art Masterpieces That Will Make You Fall in Love with Books Again
From a massive bookshelf painted across a building in Russia to a fox sharing wisdom on a French bookstore wall, artists across the world are transforming public spaces with book-inspired art. In Brazil, a child climbs a vibrant wall of painted encyclopedias. In Michigan, a chalk-drawn mouse curls up with a novel beneath a terra cotta pot lamp. This collection explores 14 creative murals, sculptures, and interventions where reading takes center stage—reminding us that stories still shape the cities around us.
More birds!: Read, Roam, Repeat: 11 Whimsical Public Book Spots to Celebrate World Book Day
1. Climbing the Library – Eduardo Kobra in Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil
A giant mural of a boy climbing a painted wooden ladder up a wall filled with colorful books. Each book spine is intricately detailed in vibrant tones, creating the illusion of a real, towering library.🔗 Follow Eduardo Kobra on Instagram
2. Giant Bookshelf Mural – JanIsDeMan in Solnechnodolsk, Russia
This massive trompe-l’œil mural transforms a bland apartment block into a three-story bookshelf packed with Russian titles, a model cathedral, and a Matryoshka doll.🔗 Follow JanIsDeMan on Instagram
3. Flying from a Book – Bane & Pest in Chur, Switzerland
On a sports court wall, a mural shows a huge bird soaring from a glowing book, with a child in blue flying on its back. Piles of painted books surround the open one, symbolizing escape through imagination.🔗 Follow Bane on Instagram
4. Books Spark Ideas – TAKERONE in Razgrad, Bulgaria
A glowing lightbulb bursts out of an open book in this dramatic mural on a school wall. White paint splashes and swirling pages emphasize the moment of creative awakening.🔗 Follow TAKERONE on Instagram
5. Escape Through a Book – HERA in Vincennes, France
Painted on the wall of a bookstore, a fox coils protectively around a boy reading. Text in French translates: “It’s easy to escape everyday life—just open a book.”🔗 Follow HERA on Instagram
7. Reading in a Meadow – Zabou in Moutiers, France
This upside-down mural cleverly uses the building’s shape to depict a girl laying in a field of dandelions, reading while listening to music. The book becomes part of the wall’s edge.🔗 Follow Zabou on Instagram
8. Brick Wall of Knowledge – Brad Spencer in Charlotte, North Carolina, US
Sculpted from brick, this piece shows three children climbing and helping one another over a wall. The figures emerge seamlessly from the same bricks, referencing growth and learning.🔗Visit Brad Spencer website
9. Books as the Foundation – Unknown Artist in Yekaterinburg, Russia
A clever urban repair fills a crumbling building base with real books set in concrete. It’s a quiet but poetic commentary on knowledge holding up society.
10. Nadines Evening of Adventure – David Zinn in Ann Arbor, Michigan, US
A miniature chalk drawing of a mouse reading under a terra cotta flowerpot turned into a lamp. David Zinn’s whimsical interventions bring cozy charm to any corner. More by David Zinn!: Discover David Zinn’s Amazing Chalk Art Masterpieces in Michigan🔗 Follow David Zinn on Instagram
11. Book-Shaped Benches – Unknown Artist, likely Eastern Europe
These curving benches look like thick, open books with lines of text printed across them. They invite passersby to sit down—literally—on a story.
12. Tree Became a Library – Ruurlo, Netherlands
This open-air library is built into the hollowed trunk of an old tree, with small glass-fronted cabinets neatly installed into the wood. It holds a selection of books and acts as a public book exchange in a natural setting.
13. Dystopia Bowl
A black Halloween bowl filled with copies of George Orwell’s 1984 sits outside a home, accompanied by a sign reading “One Copy of 1984 Per Child.” It mimics a trick-or-treat setup but swaps candy for political commentary.
14. By Darion Fleming — Brooklyn, New York
Mural by Darion Fleming at 108 St. Edwards Street in Brooklyn, created with WXLLSPACE. It shows a young girl holding a box of school supplies and a stack of books supporting a globe. On top sits a teddy bear wearing a graduation cap with a pigeon perched above. The mural celebrates education featuring book titles such as “Unity Makes Strength” and “The Woman’s Hour.”🔗 Follow Darion Fleming on Instagram
More: When Street Art Meets Nature (40 Photos)
Which one is your favorite?
Login • Instagram
Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.www.instagram.com