Listicle: 10 works of art that will make you sweat, travel and work for the view

Submerged sculptures. British sculptor, environmentalist and underwater photographer Jason De Caires Taylor literally brings his installations to life. Over time, hundreds of his undersea sculptures have been transformed into coral reefs that serve as habitats for marine biodiversity. The works explore environmental themes and focus on the regenerative power of nature. See them at the Museo Atlantico, Lanzarote (Spain), Mulliner Bay (Grenada, West Indies) and Musa in Cancun (Mexico).

Booty Goods (2005). Scandinavian artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset hoped to mock consumerism by setting up a Prada store in the remote Chihuahua Desert near Texas in 2005, showcasing luxury products in one of the poorest regions of the United States. The business was a closed, fake outlet for luxury shoes and handbags, and was supposed to eventually dissolve into its surroundings. Surprise, surprise. It was looted the night it was installed. You can still see where it was set up.

Carhenge (1987). Nebraska, USA, has a replica of Stonehenge. But instead of stone structures, it’s an installation made of 38 vintage cars. The cars are painted gray and arranged like columns, with some cars balancing on top of them just like in the OG English site. Created by Jim Reinders, it also features other sculptures made from car parts.

Vienna Bar Project (2010). The Viennese art group Numen/For Use wove giant amorphous, cocoon-like structures at the Odeon Theater in 2010. They used 45 kg (530 rolls) of packing tape, multi-layer adhesive tape, and long hollow tubes to resemble spider webs. Visitors can walk directly into it. It’s no fun if you hate spiders, even fake ones.

Mind Your Step (2011). Useful title. But it is not necessary. What most passers-by thought was a deep hole that had opened up in the middle of a public square in Stockholm, was nothing more than a 3D chalk painting by Swedish photographer Erik Johansson. The optical illusion was temporary, but it was convincing enough for people to do a double take when they passed the busy intersection.

Statue of Lenin at the South Pole (1958). The Soviets had beaten the West to Earth’s inaccessible South Pole—the point in Antarctica furthest from the coast. Average temperatures were -50°C. Even the penguins stayed away. But they have set up a hut, an airstrip and a huge plastic bust of Soviet Union founder Vladimir Lenin, oriented so that it faces Moscow. Nobody visits this place. Snow was accumulating higher and probably covering the bust. Maybe he’s still looking at Moscow.

Sunken Vandenberg. The World War II-era American ship, General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, was intentionally sunk near Key West, Florida, in 2009 to create one of the world’s largest artificial reefs. It is 50 feet deep and is a diving destination. It is also where Austrian art photographer Andreas Franke’s photographs were displayed (attached to the deck using magnets). He has presented two shows: “Life Below the Surface” (2011 and 2016) and the 24-piece “Plastic Ocean” (2019).

Arc Nova (2013). British artist Anish Kapoor and architect Arata Isozaki used their installation as a way to give the Japanese people, affected by the 2011 tsunami, a chance to heal through live music. It is the world’s first inflatable mobile concert hall. The massive balloon-like structure (35m x 18m) is purple, portable, donut-shaped and can seat 500 people.

Stelinset Monument (2011). In Norway’s remote, icy region of Vardø, works by artist Louise Bourgeois and architect Peter Zumthor represent the tragic 17th-century trial in which 91 people accused of witchcraft were executed. It features a 125-metre-long suspended wooden walkway containing 91 small glowing windows. It also includes a permanently burning metal chair, surrounded by seven mirrors.