Federico Uribe and his shoelace paintings

At first glance, these colorful works look like ordinary paintings - but upon closer inspection, it turns out that they are made... from laces. These are amazingly complex works by Colombian artist Federico Uribe.

Artist Federico Uribe was born in Bogata, Colombia, in 1962, traveled a lot, lived in Cuba, Mexico, Great Britain, until he finally settled in Miami. Abandoning traditional paint painting, he began using everyday objects to create his paintings, which, according to his website, attempt to "express joy, beauty and love."

1. Portrait of a Man with a Sunflower Ars Poetica, Uribe’s favorite work. 2. Brainwashing

The term "brainwashing" gets a bizarrely literal interpretation in this portrait of Federico Uribe. Notice the broken garden hose and how the laces convey the feeling of running water.

3. Dilemma

The “dilemma” in this portrait is conveyed in a very unusual way: the main character cannot choose which way to go.

4. Dilemma detail

To create a piece like this, Federico works 10 hours a day for a month.

5. Eating chicken

Feathers fly in all directions in this surreal portrait of a raw chicken eater... too raw... Each painting is estimated to cost between $32,000 and $73,000.

6. Smile at me

In this work, Federico Uribe laid out colored laces horizontally.

7. Smile at me detail

This larger shot of the painting reveals the artist's unique technique.

8. Superman

The painting depicts Clark Kent (incognito Superman) discovering his “inner world.”

9. Lace artist