We're suckers for hidden meanings here at Creative Bloq. So when we find a piece of art with secrets, we tend to get excited. And today's find of an unassuming painting of a door mat ticks all the hidden meaning-related boxes.
At first glance, PEJAC's painting of a doormat (see above) looks fairly normal with its cliched 'welcome' in a Serif font (you can find plenty of Serifs for your own work in our roundup of the best free fonts) and rough-looking texture. However, look closer and you realise that the design is a painting made up of hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny people (see below). And there's more to it, because the artist says that there's a message behind this door mat made of little humans.
The artwork was part of the Nuart Festival 2022 (Image credit: PEJAC)
What does it all mean? Well, according to the Spanish painter, the artwork is "dedicated to all those people that have felt marginalised and stepped over by society". PEJAC has explained that "The multitude of tiny figures that make up this doormat come together to stand for every aspect of the welcome concept".
The heartfelt design was created for the Nuart Festival 2022, which took place last week in Scotland. The theme of the event was to "reconnect the city and its people". And the property the artist chose to use as his canvas is home to a number of people facing social exclusion.
You can spot “Tired of being stepped over” in the Scottish city of Aberdeen (Image credit: PEJAC)
This piece is very reminiscent of the great Salford painter L.S Lowry's artwork with its tiny 'matchstick' people – also often depicting the marginalised. With its deep meaning and attention to detail, I certainly wouldn't mind if a similar design landed on my doorstep.
PEJAC is a well-established artist with a number of beautiful indoor and outdoor artworks. The artist doesn't just paint though; he uses a range of different mediums to create thought-provoking and original artwork. One of my favourites is 'A tribute to René Magritte' (see below), where PEJAC has carved the silhouettes of Magritte's famous birds into a window, making it look at first glance as though the glass has been smashed.
I wouldn't mind my windows being smashed if they looked like this (Image credit: PEJAC)
If you wanted to have a go at painting (on your doorstep or on an actual canvas) then we recommend checking out our roundup of the best art supplies. And if you want to admire some more clever designs for inspiration, you'll love our favourite Trompe l'oiel illusions.
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Amelia is Creative Bloq’s Staff Writer. After completing a degree in Popular Music and a Master’s in Song Writing, Amelia began designing posters, logos, album covers and websites for musicians. She now enjoys covering a range of topics on Creative Bloq, including posters, optical illusions, logos (she's a particular fan of logo Easter eggs), gaming and illustration. In her free time, she relishes in the likes of art (especially the Pre-Raphaelites), photography and literature. Amelia prides herself on her unorthodox creative methods, her Animal Crossing island and her extensive music library.
