In recent years, we have seen a number of countries disappear, along with their flags. The Soviet Union came to an end, to be replaced by a multitude of new or revived republics, all with their own flags. Czechoslovakia split into its two component parts, while Yugoslavia splintered, as the individual nationalities all asserted their independence. All this happened very recently, but many states have vanished from the map before over the centuries. Here’s a look at some flags of those long gone – and in many cases forgotten – kingdoms and countries.

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Sculptor Jason de Caires Taylor has turned a part of the National Marine Park of Cancun in Mexico into an underwater sculpture garden of 400 cement people. The largest such installation anywhere in the ocean, the statues will not only provide something interesting for divers to look at, but will also aid in the formation of new coral reefs over time. De Caires plans to add new items to the underwater exhibit on a consistent basis. Jason de Caires Taylor is an English sculptor specializing in the creation of contemporary underwater sculptures which over time develop into artificial coral reefs. Taylor integrates his skills as a conservationist, underwater photographer and scuba diving instructor to produce unique installations that encourage the habitation and growth of corals and marine life.

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Ancient civilizations were interested and invested in recording and measuring the passage of time. Seasons, months and years were dictated by the motion of the celestial bodies and would lead to the development of the modern day calendar. Dating back 20,000 years, humans began to understand the importance of recording the passage of time. Ice Age hunters in Europe used sticks and bones to record the days between the phases of the Moon by marking them with scratches and holes. This early civilization took part in extensive traveling and trade, which required the knowledge of astronomy – something that was instrumental in their survival. Take a look how some of ancient calendars looked like. Enjoy.

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Artists James Charles and Akira Beard are responsible for these humorous pieces of monetary pop art. American Iconomics, a dual exhibition of works by Akira Beard and James Charles. The show will be James Charles’ first project at Shooting Gallery, andAkira’s third. The two bodies of work presented are intertwined in their subject matter – with both artists fixating on the idea of the “contemporary American icon.” As of last year, artist James Charles has been engrossed in an interesting new project; small inscale…but large in depth. He began drawing on dollar bills, for the sake of his own amusement;crudely altering the presidents’ faces to become monsters, celebrities, etc. After accidentally spending a few of his early pieces, James decided to stop carrying them in his wallet, and started putting them inside of a magazine for safe-keeping. Take a look at these hilarious dollar art. Enjoy.

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Created by artist Felice Varini who is well known for creating masterful 3-D illusions, I believe that this installation is his largest work yet. Felice Varini is a Swiss artist who was nominated for the 2000/2001 Marcel Duchamp Prize, known for his geometric perspective-localized paintings of rooms and other spaces, using projector-stencil techniques. According to mathematics professor and art critic Joël Koskas, “A work of Varini is an anti-Mona Lisa.” Felice paints on architectural and urban spaces, such as buildings, walls and streets. The paintings are characterized by one vantage point from which the viewer can see the complete painting (usually a simple geometric shape such as circle, square, line), while from other view points the viewer will see ‘broken’ fragmented shapes. Varini argues that the work exists as a whole – with its complete shape as well as the fragments. “My concern,” he says “is what happens outside the vantage point of view.”

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The Milky Way seems to reflect the geometry of an arch in Arches National Park, Utah. Milky Way in the night sky over the National Park, Arches, Utah, USA. Photographer Brett Webster uses the night sky, the national parks in his native Utah, as a canvas to create images that reflect all the pettiness of our planet in comparison with the great cosmos. Bret Webster has always been in wonder while visiting the Arches National Park. Bret has worked for 27 years as a rocket engineer and solid fuel propellant specialist for US defense firm Northrop Grumman. Check these photos out. Enjoy.

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National Coming Out Day celebrated by bisexual, lesbian, transgender and gay communities became the main theme of this Photoshop contest. Artists were asked to Photoshop celebrities and change their gender. Check out this hilarious collection of Photoshoped celebrities. Enjoy.

Obama’s Couple

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Chicago-based artist Katherine Kalnes creates delicious pancake portraits of celebrities the likes of Justin Bieber or Ryan Gosling. There are some fans out there that would kill for the chance to sink their teeth into Justin Bieber, so to spare the popular pop star any possible injuries, 25-year-old Katherine Kalnes has created a delicious portrait of the singer from pancakes. The young food artist uses a special pancake batter that comes in a spray can, called Batter Blaster, frosting, chocolate chips, blueberries and raisins to create edible portraits of celebrities like Drive leading man Ryan Gosling, Kelly Ripa, Ellen DeGeneres or Stephen Colbert. Check them out. Enjoy.

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If you are good at Photoshop, you can create your own world in which famous people would have surreal mustache. Once upon a time, just about every man in the world felt it was his sworn and solemn duty to grow a mustache. Boys would long for the day when the space above their lips sprouted the thick, beautiful hairs that would tell the world they were men. Mustaches may have fallen out of fashion for the most part, but for certain famous men in history, they remain an indelible part of their images. When I read surrealism and mustaches together first thing that comes to my mind is Salvador Dali and his famous mustaches… Well, this article isn’t about him. This is about other kind of surreal mustaches, the ones made in Photoshop. They are funny and they belong to celebrities. Take a look. Enjoy

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A selection of some of the best creative design ideas ever.

Carzor

A razor that fits in your wallet.

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