Thursday Salute to Originals: Urban Miniatures
Duo Emily Paxton and Pam Glew curate miniature models of houses, stores train cars and more.
In collaboration with dozens of local street artists, England-based arts shop PaxtonGlew has created a tiny, graffiti-ridden collection of buildings titled Urban Miniatures. Unlike most model cities, this project is focused on capturing the true-to-life grit and beauty of urban life.
The list of contributors to this project is extensive. From train-writers and muralists to designers and painters, over 40 individual artists have taken their large-scale styles down to size to help Paxton and Glew create pint-sized and collectible versions of what you would typically see on the streets of London or another urban center.
To work on tiny models like the ones in this collection, each collaborator must employ careful attention to detail. Their life-sized murals or graffiti that may otherwise fall into the backdrop of a busy metropolis are under a microscope in their scaled versions.
While flaws are under more scrutiny in the “mini medium,” it also creates a more intimate connection between the artists’ work and the observer. Holding a street mural in your hands is a much different experience than glancing at it on the way to the underground!
This Thursday, we’re saluting Emily Paxton and Pam Glew’s urban miniatures. You can view more of these creations on the PaxtonGlew website or on Instagram.
Sources: Paxton Glew, This is Colossal