(L to R) Wesley Merritt and Matt Needle's respective contributions to the Breaking Bad art show. Images courtesy 71a LondonFor last weekend's Breaking Bad art show, Ralph Steadman cooked up six Gonzo-style drawings of the show's beloved characters. Like Walter White handpicking his own crew, the Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas illustrator also curated over a dozen tributes from the series' devoted fanbase that ranged from vector depictions of Hank sitting on the toilet, to a Wallace and Gromit-style clay portrait of Walt and Jesse at work, to a surreal image of Walt-as-Heisenburg riding a unicycle through the desert. The result is what 71a London calls "a selection of original artwork inspired by Breaking Bad from UK rising talent," so while the pieces may not be as homespun as your buddy's crocheted tributes, each reflects the personal sensibilities of the artist that drew Hunter S. Thompson's adventures.
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Steadman revealed the motivation behind his choices to The Creators Project, saying:“I felt that the calibre of entries was incredibly high. I went with my gut reaction when choosing the finalists because each one made me respond—sometimes I laughed, sometimes they were thought provoking and sometimes I just admired the penmanship and raw talent.The top four winning entries were all arresting for one reason or other. The first prize went to Matt Needle—Walter's form came through very strongly and I liked all of the components trapped within it—just as Walt is trapped in his situation in the end. The portrait of Gus by Ben Wills was selected because it’s simply a great piece of drawing. I also really liked Paul Jackson's Unicycle as Walt is always attempting to control and manipulate his life and keep everything turning, just like riding a unicycle. Finally Maks Andala’s picture stood out because it’s a comment on the American dream—money being the goal for the best of reasons, the family.”Spoiler alert: for those of you who haven't watched the entire show yet, tread lightly. Otherwise, dive into a few of the fanmade tributes below:
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