Superhero Sculptures: Adrian Tranquilli’s ‘Heroes: The Route of Exposure’

It's 2010, super hero comics readers are used to seeing several sides of characters that may not have always demonstrated much complexity. What they might not be accustomed to, however, is seeing those complexities rendered via flat-colored 3-D sculptures sized to scale and placed in appropriately atmospheric environments fine art style.

Adrian Tranquilli's exhibit entitled "Heroes: The Route of Exposure" conveyed the vulnerability of the super set when it ran from July through August of 2008 at the Louise Alexander & Ilan Engel Gallery in Porto Cervo Italy. Two years later, its haunting imagery seems to hold up just fine.

Mashkulture showcased a few of the images earlier this week, and the reminder is much appreciated. The exhibit's atmosphere is generally glum, but showing the sadder side of Batman, Wolverine, Spider-man and Superman doesn't seem out of turn given each of their tragic origins. It is a little strange to see Supes bleeding gold, but it's probably just a side-effect of plaid Kryptonite or something - not that anyone really needs to rationalize the color choice in an exhibit of this caliber.

Check out the gallery's individual pieces after the jump.