5 Awesome Pieces of Art Created By Recycling Aluminium Cans

Aluminium cans are amongst the most recycled materials in the world. Aluminium is highly recyclable, with the turnaround for a single can to be melted down and recycled, ready to be put on the supermarket shelf, taking just 60 days. But what happens when people with a keen artistic eye come across a bag of old cans waiting to be crushed, melted and re-used. They see opportunity – a raw material to be repurposed for creative expression. Let’s have a look at 5 awesome pieces of art created by recycling aluminium cans.

Butterly Beer Can Art

New York artist Paul Villinski is taking recycling aluminium cans to a wonderful new place. Utilising the wealth of materials you can find on the New York streets to his creative advantage, Villinski collects discarded beers, cuts them out into a variety of butterfly shapes and attaches to them to wire to give them a three dimensional element. Some spiral off walls, others stream from floors to ceilings; for Villinski “[the] pieces explore themes of transformation and recovery through the metamorphosis of crushed beer cans from the streets of New York into flocks of realistically crafted butterflies.”

Check out his full collection here.

The Beer Can House

The Beer Can House in Houston, Texas is an iconic landmark that thousands flock to every year. John Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer for the Southern Pacific Railroad, started his project now known as the Beer Can House in 1968. Milkovisch first began collection of wood, rocks, marbles and metal that he placed around the front and back yards of the house, forming unique features and dazzling designs. When he had completely covered the yards he began working on the house itself, setting out to cover every square inch with aluminium beers cans. Over 18 years Milkovisch collected approximately 50,000 cans and placed them carefully around the house – to great affect. Milkovisch says he considers the project merely a pastime rather than a work of art. We beg to differ.

The 1965 Ford “Budweiser” Mustang

Back in 2007, UK art and design student Jack Kirby built a replica of a 1965 Ford Mustang out of 5,000 Budweiser beer cans that he “collected” (drank) over a four year period. Budweiser were giving away a 1965 Mustang as a promo for anyone who bought their ‘Budbucks’ cans or bottles, and Kirby thought he’d stand out from the crowd by building his own facsimile of his favourite car. Unfortunately he didn’t win, but he certainly put his art degree to good use.

Makaon’s Collection of Aluminium Can Sculptures

Japanese artist Makaon is taking recycling aluminium cans to a whole new level with his incredible, intricate sculptures of American pop culture icons made entirely from can off-cuts. His miniature replicas are astoundingly detailed, using beer and soda cans to create models of animals, superheroes, villains and mythical creatures.

Check out the full collection on his website.

Dragon Made Entirely From Soda Can Pull Tabs

This creature below is named Shinkonryuu, and he is a dragon made from hundreds of aluminium drink can pull tabs. It was built by amateur Japanese artist/sculptor OniMusha Kid (this was only his second piece) and is about 14 inches long and 8 inches tall. Shinkonryuu is an energy-feeding being, and his creator says that it “inhabits the spirit of a person, where [it] obtains the necessary energy to live. When a person dies [it] moves to a new spirit.”