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Imagine a world where the laws of gravity bend, animals sprout surreal shapes, and ordinary scenes transform into dreamlike fantasies. That’s the universe Bruno Pontiroli invites us into with his paintings. His art flips reality on its head, taking familiar things and twisting them into something both bizarre and thought-provoking.

Pontiroli’s paintings are full of imagination. You’ll see things like floating animals or shapes that don’t quite make sense—but that’s what makes them so interesting. His art invites us to step away from the ordinary and see things in a whole new way. It’s playful, creative, and impossible to forget.

More info: Instagram | brunopontiroli.fr | Facebook

#1

"Un Éléphant Ne Se Trompe Jamais"

Surreal painting of an elephant with multiple twisted legs by Bruno Pontiroli.

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Catharina Geerts
Community Member
9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know a different French saying:: un éléphant, ça trompe enormement!

pelemele
Community Member
9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"An Elephant is Never Wrong"

Bored Panda reached out to Bruno Pontiroli to find out more about his creative process and himself. The artist explained that he got interested in art after discovering the surrealists, especially Magritte, and a book with drawings by Roland Topor, a French satirical illustrator. "I discovered a humor and an imagination that gave me the desire to paint my own ideas. I then pursued this objective to try and always be surprised by what I paint, and that’s what motivates me to paint every day. I need to have an idea that both amuses and astonishes me to start a painting."

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    #2

    "Oh, Les Mains!"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli featuring a hippo with legs like human fingers, standing by a pond with birds nearby.

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    AmyBcat
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ...be spending ALL her time in the water!...

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    #3

    "L'indigeste"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli depicts an inverted cow and a cheetah with a coiled tail in a fantastical landscape.

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    pelemele
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "The indigestible"

    Pontiroli shared that he tries to stay open to all kinds of inspiration. "I am very interested in the work of other artists, whether in books or in museums or galleries, but I find my inspiration and most of my ideas in moments of 'daydreaming' and reflection."

    #4

    "Bipédologie #2"

    Surreal painting of a moose balancing on two legs, with a distorted body, set in a mountainous landscape.

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    Mike F
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That would make someone think they were loosing their mind.

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    #5

    "Le Point D'equilibre"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli featuring an upside-down, elongated animal in a whimsical landscape.

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    AmyBcat
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ..."Le Point D' LSD"...

    pelemele
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "The Point Of Balance"

    While making art can be therapeutic, it also comes with challenges. For Pontiroli, the toughest and most important part is figuring out the subject, how to represent it, and whether the idea looks good visually. "I spend a lot of time drawing, trying things out to find out if an idea is worth developing before starting a painting."

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    On the flip side, the moment Pontiroli enjoys most is when he paints the first draft on his canvas. "It is at this precise moment that the idea comes to life and that I can imagine what the painting will be like once completed."

    #6

    "L'indigeste"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli featuring an upside-down hippo above a landscape with fantastical elements.

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    AmyBcat
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ...hipproctonomous...

    #7

    "L'aplomb"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli depicting an antelope with one leg and elongated body in a desert landscape.

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    "I like to cause surprise and astonishment, for myself as well as for others, and I prefer that people make their own interpretation of my work. Each person will have a different understanding of my paintings. I offer a starting point for reflection, and questioning."

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    #8

    "L'emjambée Sauvage"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli of a moose with tentacle-like legs in a mountainous landscape.

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    #9

    "Quels Pieds!"

    Surreal painting of a lion with human feet, lying on a rocky landscape by Bruno Pontiroli.

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    AmyBcat
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ... about that guy he caught up with...

    Mike F
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This one freaks me out for some reason.

    #10

    "Courir Comme Un Lapi"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli featuring a rabbit with elongated limbs in a whimsical landscape.

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    AmyBcat
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Lengthy-boing...

    pelemele
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Running like a rabbit"

    #11

    "Tourner En Rond"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli of a leopard with a looped body on a rock.

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    #13

    "Le Boute-En-Train"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli depicting a hippo with a distorted, enlarged body standing by water.

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    Amity
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    it's giving "have you ever tried this one?"

    #14

    "Un Temps Neigeux"

    Surreal painting of a tiger with floating heads amidst a snowy forest by Bruno Pontiroli.

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    #15

    "Le Pieds Marin"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli depicting a dolphin in a bending pose near the sea with birds flying nearby.

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    #16

    "Les Enjambées Sauvages"

    Surreal painting of a moose with multiple legs in a mountainous landscape by Bruno Pontiroli.

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    pelemele
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "The Wild Enjambments"

    #17

    "L'esprit De Noël"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli featuring an upside-down reindeer in a fantastical landscape.

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    pelemele
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "The Christmas spirit"

    #18

    "Copains Comme Cochons"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli featuring a pig with multiple pig heads on its body, standing in a landscape.

    brunopontiroli Report

    #19

    "Portrait D'un Tocard"

    Surreal painting of a distorted horse with a U-shaped body on a landscape background, showcasing Bruno Pontiroli's unique art style.

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    pelemele
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Portrait Of A Loser"

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    #20

    "Le Porte-Bonheur"

    Surreal painting of a rabbit with an elongated body in a snowy landscape, showcasing Bruno Pontiroli's unique artistic style.

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    #21

    "Le Mâle Dominant"

    Surreal painting of a lion with multiple heads in its mane by Bruno Pontiroli.

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    pelemele
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "The Dominant Male"

    #22

    "Le Pli De Génie II"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli showing a crocodile twisted in a fantastical pose with a small bird perched on top.

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    pelemele
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "The Genius Fold II"

    #23

    ”le Conflit Intérieur”

    Surreal painting depicting a hybrid bear-tiger creature in a forest setting.

    brunopontiroli Report

    pelemele
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Internal Conflict"

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    #24

    "Le Quintupède #2"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli depicting an upside-down kangaroo in a natural landscape.

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    #25

    "Elle Est Gonflée"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli featuring a goose with oversized webbed feet on a grassy shoreline.

    brunopontiroli Report

    #26

    "Le Biscornu"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli featuring a ram with tentacle-like legs on a rocky landscape.

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    #27

    "La Vie En Rose"

    Surreal painting of a flamingo with elongated legs, set in a dreamlike landscape.

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    #28

    "Faire Sa Tête De Cochon"

    Surreal painting features a pig with an oversized head standing in a landscape.

    brunopontiroli Report

    pelemele
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Making a Pig's Head"

    #29

    "Histoires Naturelles & Grotesques"

    Surreal painting by Bruno Pontiroli featuring two conjoined tigers, each with a half body, in a whimsical setting.

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    pelemele
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Natural & Grotesque Tales"

    #30

    "Distension,torsion & Toilettage"

    Surreal painting of a tiger with a twisted body in a mountainous landscape.

    brunopontiroli Report

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