5 Artists Who Will Inspire You to Make or Break Your Resolutions

Whatever you're trying to quit, art is here to help.

Peter Anton, <i>Heavenly Donuts</i> (2014). Photo: courtesy of UNIX Gallery.

Peter Anton, Heavenly Donuts (2014). Photo: courtesy of UNIX Gallery.

What are your New Year’s resolutions this year? Is it to lose weight? Quit smoking? Slow your shopping addiction? We rounded up the top five most common vices people try and drop this time of year, and offer some alternate artistic solutions courtesy of artists that are very much worth watching in 2016.

Jason Alper, Son of White Man. Courtesy of Art Angels.

Jason Alper, Son of White Man. Courtesy of Art Angels.

1. Shopping
For you die-hard shopaholics out there, why not turn your casual spending habits into something that can actually give a return on your investment? Art is the responsible way to go—we’re not just saying that!—because it lives outside fashion trends and has the potential to increase in value. If you’re sad about ditching your designer swag, consider the work of Jason Alper. This costume-designer-turned artist appropriates popular luxury labels in his work, including this Surrealist-inspired image of a man in a Louis Vuitton suit. It’s possible to have the best of both worlds: fashion and art.

Peter Anton, Cosmic Assortment (2015). Courtesy of UNIX Gallery.

Peter Anton, Cosmic Assortment (2015). Courtesy of UNIX Gallery.

2. Sugar
If you’re looking to shed some pounds in the New Year, consider sweetening up your art collection instead of your meals. There is lots of eye candy to be found in the art world, including the work of Peter Anton. Anton’s fascination with food and all its tactile qualities is evident in his hyper-realistic sculptures. Take a calorie-free bite out of his tasty works, and your cravings will be satisfied. That’s how diets work, right? Problem solved!

Miles-Aldridge

Miles Aldridge, Home Works #3. Courtesy of Fahey/Klein Gallery.

3. Smoking
Do you have a cough year-round? Do you have bad breath all the time? Do you smell like an ash tray? Then it’s time to throw out your cigarettes and pick up this photograph by Miles Aldridge to serve as a reminder of all the hazards of smoking. In this work, a flawless model lights up a cigarette, all while risking her hair for her nicotine fix. This cinematic work may glamorize an array of vices, but Aldrige’s works are a safer bet for your health that smoking—and, as a bonus, you get to keep building your art collection.

Tom Noble and Sue Webster, Let’s Fuck (2001). Courtesy of Guy Hepner.

Tim Noble and Sue Webster, Let’s Fuck (2001). Courtesy of Guy Hepner.

4. Swearing
If you curse like a sailor, stop putting your dollars in the swear jar and let your art do the talking for you. Let this artistic duo, Tim Noble and Sue Webster, decorate your walls with a silently blinking expression of your foul language. Their neon assemblages will shine a light on your meaningless vulgarities, and elevate them to art. Your guests will get the message, and you get to clean up your act.

Jack Early, Sock and Balls (2014). Courtesy of Fergus McCaffrey.

Jack Early, Sock and Balls (2014). Courtesy of Fergus McCaffrey.

5. Sex
Are you looking to ignite the fire in your bedroom in a positive way? If so, we found the perfect inspiration to spice up your boudoir’s décor. Jack Early’s paintings will do the trick—heating up not just your walls but also your imagination. In a refreshing twist, Early’s works fetishize the male body instead of the oft-objectified female form. Whether alone or with a lover, these paintings will be sure to set your libido on overdrive.

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