Buzz
Though he never had his own exhibition like Da Vinci, nor appeared in an episode of Doctor Who like Van Gogh, Salvador Dali remains one of the most celebrated artists in history—capturing the admiration of many geek fans. Here are 11 amazing mashups of the surrealist’s works combined with well-known geek icons.
1. Gremlins Fed After Midnight in Soft Form
Few artists have created as many geek-inspired mashups of Dali’s masterpieces as Mike Capp. He has fused Pac-Man with The Persistence of Memory, mixed Mario with Soft Self-Portrait With Fried Bacon, and blended Batman’s face with Sleep. Perhaps Dali would find Capp’s Gremlin homage to Soft Construction With Boiled Beans particularly fascinating, as it’s bizarre in all the right ways.
2. The Face of Logan
In April 2009, Marvel kicked off Wolverine Art Appreciation Month by releasing special variant covers for many of their comics, each featuring Wolverine in the style of renowned artists. One such cover, featuring Dali-inspired artwork, was created by Paola Rivera and appeared on the cover of Amazing Spider-Man #592.
3. The Crucifixion of Weapon X
Paola Rivera's Wolverine-themed Spider-Man variant cover isn't the only Wolverine/Dali mashup out there. Rob Pitts, for example, masterfully incorporates imagery from Dali’s Crucifixion to showcase the deep connection Logan shares with the X-Men and the immense sacrifices he makes for the team.
4. Les Elephant-ATs
How might Dali depict the iconic AT-ATs and AT-STs from Star Wars? Likely, he'd envision them much like his elephants—tall, spindly legs that could never bear such heavy weight. This tattoo by Heinz Graynd takes that concept further, incorporating other Star Wars symbols like a melting Death Star and Jabba the Hutt.
5. The Temptation of Luke Skywalker
There’s an undeniable synergy between Dali and Star Wars. Take, for example, The Temptation of St. Anthony, by an unknown artist, which cleverly incorporates lightsabers, Imperial Walkers, and Leia in her slave outfit.
6. Doctor Dali
FredrickJay created this design for TeeFury last year. Although the tee is no longer available for purchase, it remains a fantastic example of the blend between Doctor Who and Dali. It feels perfectly in tune with Doctor Who to see clocks, distorted beyond recognition, draped over everything.
7. Un Lapin Andalou
The image of melting clocks also fits perfectly with the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, who is always anxious about being late. DeviantArt user Charlie MegaLoMad masterfully conveys the sensation of time slipping away in this creative mashup.
8. Hello Salvador
What happens when you combine one of the greatest artists of all time with one of the most beloved icons of the past century? You get this charming Hello Kitty/Salvador Dali fusion tattooed by Danielle McKnight. I love the flowers on the kitty’s mustaches, a nod to Dali’s most famous portrait, and the melting bow tie perched on the kitty’s head.
9. Indiana Jones and the Land of Dali
London-based artist Aled Lewis crafted a series that blended famous paintings with '80s adventure video games for an art show at LA's iam8bit gallery. His Dali-inspired work was merged with the 1989 PC game Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure.
10. The Persistence of Portal
Drew Northcott created this fantastic mashup between Dali’s The Persistence of Memory and the game Portal, and soon after, someone from Valve’s marketing team reached out to request a higher resolution version to hang in the company’s office. That’s the kind of recognition any fan would be thrilled about.
11. Ponies Reflecting Horses
For some reason, My Little Ponies seem to be the most common subject of Dali-inspired mashups. Although it was tough to choose just one standout pony creation for this article, this piece by DeviantArt user Love My Twins rises above the rest. It features a Dali-esque horse standing over a My Little Pony figure, with one of Dali's horse paintings serving as the pony's cutie mark.
