Robert Benavidez Brings The Creatures From Bosch’s ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ To Life As Piñatas

Ever heard of Hieronymus Bosch? He’s actually a master of the macabre. And, we know him best for his surreal paintings. Among the pieces that came out of his wild imagination is The Garden of Earthly Delights. It’s a triptych, with odd creatures of hybrid features and some out-of-this-world settings! Apparently, this kind of art dominated between 1490 and 1510. Quite long ago, right? And yet, it continues to inspire modern artists, including Robert Benavidez. The evidence? His collection of piñatas that are all quite peculiar.

Drawing direct inspiration from The Garden of Earthly Delights, Robert Benavidez has piñatas that seem strange. Yes, they’d stand out among other sorts of paper mache. How fascinating! So, the American artist’s crepe paper creation likes to reimagine a 2D figure from Bosch’s book. Then, he would make a sculpture of life-size out of it. Brilliant, right?

While most of Robert’s animal sculptures are bird-like, there are also other animal themes in his collection. You’d see, for instance, some dog-like critter. Then, there’s a lamenting frog — with only hind legs! Plus, there’s a black-and-white giraffe.

Now, Robert Benavidez describes his creation as having:

“themes of race, sexuality, art, sin, humor, and beauty.”

Indeed, it’s quite apparent that Benavidez drew inspiration from Bosch. Bosch’s body of work, on the other hand, often centered on allegories and religion.

Moreover, Benavidez’s piñatas are truly unique and elegant, too. Yes, they’re curious creatures. But, these works represent the peculiarities of contemporary art.