Through an amalgamation of collage and illustration, Pierre Schmidt constructs uncanny scenes of women with exploding forms of dissolving flowers in place of their face. Whether it be the gorgeous bouquets dripping down the composition, or the face itself melting off the body, there is an element of strange that disrupts each of Schmidt’s beautiful subjects. Rivers of pastels run off flower pedals and blend into strands of hair, while cacti grow out of legs and cause sections of the body to become detached. Many of the bundles of plants sport not just flowers, but wild horns and insects. The artist’s choice in plants range from succulent to marigold, deer horn to dragonfly. These details combined with the vintage models, form a surreal clash of nature and human form.

The Berlin-based artist uses visual material from vintage photographs, which accounts for the nostalgic, muted pallet that is present in his work. Schmidt creates an atmosphere of unusual beauty by replacing the face of his subjects with vivid colors and breathtaking flora, which in turn renders them unrecognizable, taking away their identity. Pierre Schmidt finds inspiration in the writings of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, as his artwork explores similar themes relating to ideas of individual identity and existence. He has been in exhibitions all over the world including New York, Berlin, and Fidenza, Italy. You can find more of incredible collages on his website, where he also sells prints of his work.