Just like Neo from The Matrix, we sometimes get a strange feeling deep in our guts that something is not quite right with the world. German artist Steffen Kraft, who also goes by the name Iconeo online, makes amazing social commentary pictures that highlight how ironic, weird and even hypocritical life can sometimes be.
Here are what we believe to be the most visually appealing pieces of Kraft’s unique artwork. So scroll down, upvote the ones you like, and share your thoughts in the comments. And make sure to read Bored Panda’s in-depth interview with the artist down below. After you’re done admiring these meaningful drawings, check out Kraft’s previous post on Bored Panda.
More info: Iconeo.de | Facebook | Instagram
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The thing is, plastic breaks down into smaller pieces, so there's no getting away from micro and nano plastic bits. The ocean is a stew of the stuff. And smaller plastics concentrate toxins greatly. But smaller plastics get ingested during feeding or even via breathing with gills. That umbrella means nothing. What's more, by 2050, it's projected that plastic will outweigh fish in the oceans.
We need to strive to have a smaller total population of humans.
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One thing to solve this.. ban plastic across the board. Mother Earth and her children will thank you. We have nowhere else to go but here.
The saddest thing is, we, including me, really didn't know what was happening with the plastic. Never crossed my mind in the 70s and 80s. No clue. Really wish I could go back and alter my ways. Surely the governments knew? I don't know, but I feel terrible shame today for something I had no clue about. Wish I could just go and scoop it all up.
Just unbearable. And the person squatting in the offal office is giving away straws.
And I thought Finding Nemo was sad... This here is the real Nemo, the reality of fish and sea creatures. I wonder what it must be like for them, they can't swim and live a proper simple fish existence, because of humans negligence and lordiness... Why are we so harmful!! More importantly, why do we make things that are harmful to environment?! Who created Plastic I wonder. I hope whoever you are resting in peace- but the sea isn't !! 😩
We didn't have the proper education about the plastic. We just didn't know. But government and others knew. :(
Load More Replies... Yeah this is sad, our future in a nut shell. We are so far from any type of Utopia. & a cool sci fi future with nothing but trash in our oceans.
For 750+ billion population,crores of animals lives mother earth is the only planet for survival,we don't have planet B, let's care,conserve, preserve it with love,care for future upcoming generation's
Join world clean up day on sept 21st and do your part to change this!
True this and how sad. in less than 100 years we ( humans) have screwed this planet over!
We have to stop a pollution around the world stuck animals getting ill and starts picking up litter if we don't pick up the litter it will go to the sea see and then it will hurt one of the seat animals that isn't going nice😭
There should be some fishing nets here, as that's what most the plastic in the oceans are. Not plastic bottles, FISHING NETS.
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they are choking in plastic and we are the reason. Fish purpose is not to "clean" our garbage
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Bored Panda reached out to Iconeo to learn more about him, the way he creates his meaningful art, and the philosophy that hides behind each thought-provoking picture. When asked about the main inspiration for his art, Kraft replied that he find creative ideas in both small and large things.
“On the one hand, I'm inspired by little things, like my pencil, a cup of coffee or toilet paper. These little objects are icons. Everybody knows them. We don't have to think about their function when we see them. It's good brain training trying to place these things in a different situation. Sometimes, the results are meaningful, sometimes not.”
“On the other hand, I'm inspired by bigger things, like climate change, plastic pollution or social behavior. I try to make these complex themes simple and surprising,” the artist revealed to Bored Panda.
Climate change is happening, people!!!!!! If we don’t act now to at least greatly reduce the rate at which it’s happening, our future children won’t have a hospitable planet to call home!!
Kraft believes that in our daily routine, we are “overwhelmed with images and impressions”, which is why we lose the ability to “self-reflect and to see the world from a different point of view.”
“Of course, I also produce images, but it's the kind of communication most people understand quickly,” he admitted. “My goal is to surprise the viewer with simple drawing ideas that they may not have thought about and which make them think, and make them discuss them with others.”
This is so on track with what you see . I live in a small town in Montana but travel to Seattle WA every EASTER for cosplay convention . while I was there people and I am talking about the majority of people were walking around just like this illustration they didn't even look up when they were crossing the crosswalk in front of traffic. I guess they assume all drivers follow the rules.plus I am originally from the south and so I say hi to everyone not one person looked up or said hi back wait one person did but they looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language . This is who we now are in this world and it worries me when I think of my grandkids being taught or just shown that this is correct it is not. Our first language is talking to one another lets keep this new generation on the right path .
Just because you aren't vegan doesn't mean that you hate animals.
Iconeo got a degree in Communication Design in Germany and founded an advertising agency. He admitted to Bored Panda that at that point he was “far away from being an artist” and also didn’t want to be one.
me trying to find the right angle to watch netflix in the middle of the night
“I liked to work for clients and create ideas to sell products. It was an important time for me, but after 8 years, I left the agency. Since then, I explored the art part inside of me. And it's a funny journey, not a straight path. I still do graphic design, logo design, poster design for clients, but more the artsy way with my style, not the advertising way with trendy images.”
Who knows maybe that will be the rest of the world one day? Be like either Mad Max or Waterworld?
Kraft had some advice for all the new, veteran, successful and struggling artists out there: “Being an artist means having good times and having bad times, especially in the beginning. Be patient when you are uninspired or when you feel misunderstood. You are on the right path, as long as you are engaged in doing what you find interesting. And don't forget to relax. I get the best ideas when I'm relaxed and out of my office.”
The vast majority of plastic comes from just a few rivers in China and India. They don't have trash pickup there, so people just toss all of their garbage into these rivers, which then feed into the ocean. Short of helping those countries with their waste disposal, the oceans will continue to fill with plastic.
Finally, Kraft told Bored Panda about his future plans. “I want to do a book for children, but as with every new thing, this is hard in the beginning. And I'm trying to learn AR-stuff to explore new ways of showing my art.”
Even the turtles can't keep all the waste we leave... It's sad that turtles have to clean another species' mess
WARNING: Do not use plastic straws! Feel free to use plastic plates, pens, plastic anything else.. and of course products in plastic package. It's also ok to use products (of any material) that small children make in places outside your country. But please, do not use plastic straws or bags. Plastic life. One use only. Only for you.
'Everyone over consumes!' Says every super-cliche '90s art school kid in their pictures. 'I'm going to show that consumerism has taken over!!' So original. Of course the person saying this always seems to do so through the internet, lives in a city, travels by plane if they can and sips organic coffee - in other words they consume a ton of resources too. Of course they do, it's pretty hard not to. They're never actually saying: 'B/c of over-consumption I'm now going to live off the grid and/or like an Amish person.' Well that's okay, I don't expect anyone else to live that way, but then you can't really complain when others consume things, can you?
I can complain that businesses began using single serving packages heavily in the 90s instead of stay with reusable containers. Then they slap a recycling symbol on it to make every believe stuff actually gets recycled. Yet, over 25% of recyclables are put in landfills because of contamination. Recycling companies don't care because most of them are owned by landfill companies so they get paid either way. There is no set standard for recycling and what can be recycled, it varies based on the recycling plant. Most plastic items are also only recycled once before being put in a landfill anyways because it's cheaper to make something new than to reuse something.
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Yes, I agree, they are very well executed and they also provided a much more enjoyable and thought-provoking experience than I expected. I would like to see more of Steffen Kraft's work.
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At least some artists recycle the old "whats wrong with out society" subject very good.No waste,all well used over and over again
Exactly! No one has done more to reuse and recycles ideas than this artist, and it also has reduced something in me too.
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The sad thing is time is already up. Even if we stopped it all right this second we could never stop what's about to happen in 100 yrs.
Really hate that everything gets prefiltered based on votes. F**k votes. If people want to see exclusively what others like, they can bloody well skip whatever doesn't meet their quotum of appeal in the eyes of total strangers. Censoring content to most appeal to the blinkered is utter malarky.
A company called Loop, is trying to go back to the 50's to stop plastic use. They are partnering up with major manufacturers to package popular products into reusable metal containers. They will even come and pick them up for reuse. They are piloting in New York and another city. I will gladly sign up for this when if comes to my area. Sometimes going back to the past, does help.
many people on the left dont know how to communicate that its the corruption within capitalism that they hate and not structure of capitalism itself. Thats why you have hipsters saying I hate capitalism.
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The biggest problem in our society number #23...ahahhahaaahah what a nonsense
This artwork is engulfing for the soul and mind to understand and reflect. It's Very very ovrwehlming. I wanted to see the 38 images more but it would keep me awake for another hour !! :/
You are an IDIOT if you believe all the climate change BS. What arrogance to think man is going to control the climate OF THE ENTIRE PLANET!!!!!!! It's a SCAM to control your pathetic lives.
What is your education level, riteaidbob? Have you studied climate change at a college level? Where do you get your sources from?
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I'm sorry, but it feels like this artist is just one of those Millenial edgelords.
If a hipster said something that made perfect sense rationally... what stops you from enjoying it?
Load More Replies... I think these are very well done and consistent in their message. I hope to see more. I do agree the last 8 were not as effective as the first 30.
Nice! We only had the "social media is evil" cliché up till now but now we have the "plastic is bad" cliché too!
I share your sentiment, but , objectively and scientifically, plastic really is bad. At least, the plastic as we know it. But, oh my, it's so convenient... Good thing is, they are working on solutions to produce a different kind of plastic that is supposed to be less harmful than traditional kinds of plastic.
Load More Replies...
'Everyone over consumes!' Says every super-cliche '90s art school kid in their pictures. 'I'm going to show that consumerism has taken over!!' So original. Of course the person saying this always seems to do so through the internet, lives in a city, travels by plane if they can and sips organic coffee - in other words they consume a ton of resources too. Of course they do, it's pretty hard not to. They're never actually saying: 'B/c of over-consumption I'm now going to live off the grid and/or like an Amish person.' Well that's okay, I don't expect anyone else to live that way, but then you can't really complain when others consume things, can you?
I can complain that businesses began using single serving packages heavily in the 90s instead of stay with reusable containers. Then they slap a recycling symbol on it to make every believe stuff actually gets recycled. Yet, over 25% of recyclables are put in landfills because of contamination. Recycling companies don't care because most of them are owned by landfill companies so they get paid either way. There is no set standard for recycling and what can be recycled, it varies based on the recycling plant. Most plastic items are also only recycled once before being put in a landfill anyways because it's cheaper to make something new than to reuse something.
Load More Replies... Yes, I agree, they are very well executed and they also provided a much more enjoyable and thought-provoking experience than I expected. I would like to see more of Steffen Kraft's work.
Load More Replies... At least some artists recycle the old "whats wrong with out society" subject very good.No waste,all well used over and over again
Exactly! No one has done more to reuse and recycles ideas than this artist, and it also has reduced something in me too.
Load More Replies... The sad thing is time is already up. Even if we stopped it all right this second we could never stop what's about to happen in 100 yrs.
Really hate that everything gets prefiltered based on votes. F**k votes. If people want to see exclusively what others like, they can bloody well skip whatever doesn't meet their quotum of appeal in the eyes of total strangers. Censoring content to most appeal to the blinkered is utter malarky.
A company called Loop, is trying to go back to the 50's to stop plastic use. They are partnering up with major manufacturers to package popular products into reusable metal containers. They will even come and pick them up for reuse. They are piloting in New York and another city. I will gladly sign up for this when if comes to my area. Sometimes going back to the past, does help.
many people on the left dont know how to communicate that its the corruption within capitalism that they hate and not structure of capitalism itself. Thats why you have hipsters saying I hate capitalism.
Load More Replies... The biggest problem in our society number #23...ahahhahaaahah what a nonsense
This artwork is engulfing for the soul and mind to understand and reflect. It's Very very ovrwehlming. I wanted to see the 38 images more but it would keep me awake for another hour !! :/
You are an IDIOT if you believe all the climate change BS. What arrogance to think man is going to control the climate OF THE ENTIRE PLANET!!!!!!! It's a SCAM to control your pathetic lives.
What is your education level, riteaidbob? Have you studied climate change at a college level? Where do you get your sources from?
Load More Replies... I'm sorry, but it feels like this artist is just one of those Millenial edgelords.
If a hipster said something that made perfect sense rationally... what stops you from enjoying it?
Load More Replies... I think these are very well done and consistent in their message. I hope to see more. I do agree the last 8 were not as effective as the first 30.
Nice! We only had the "social media is evil" cliché up till now but now we have the "plastic is bad" cliché too!
I share your sentiment, but , objectively and scientifically, plastic really is bad. At least, the plastic as we know it. But, oh my, it's so convenient... Good thing is, they are working on solutions to produce a different kind of plastic that is supposed to be less harmful than traditional kinds of plastic.
Load More Replies... 