Polish-American writer Jerzy Kosinksi once said, “The principles of true art is not to portray, but to evoke.” Say what you will about 3D artist Miguel Vasquez’s twisted, often disturbing models of beloved cartoon characters, but it certainly evokes emotion.
The latest work from Vasquez takes on America’s most beloved, clueless father from The Simpsons, Homer J. Simpson. Like Springfield’s resident power plant operator, Vasquez’s Homer is balding and rotund, but the visual similarities pretty much end there. The unique 3D rendering technique leaves us with a truly terrifying take on the head of the Simpson household. View the six headshots below, but be warned — they may be suitable for work, but not necessarily safe for your childhood.
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This is far from the first beloved childhood character Vasquez, who goes by the Instagram handle @marvelous_mikee, has taken on. Previous creations range from ’90s kid territory like Ed, Edd n Eddy, The Wild Thornberrys and most notably, SpongeBob SquarePants. You can purchase some of Vasquez’s creations in the forms of toy-sized figurines here.
What adds to the dread of the art by Vasquez is not simply re-designing characters, but taking the often drastic coloring and proportions that passes for cute in animation and fleshing it out in all three dimensions. The result is simultaneously realistic and nightmarish.