Canadian artist Mark Heine is working on a series of oil paintings inspired by sirens, mythical maidens of the deep. Like his subjects, which are equally beautiful and haunting creatures, Heine’s paintings embody both beauty and feelings of unease. His work has inspired polarizing reactions; some viewers feeling discomfort, while leaving others entranced. Perhaps this feeling of discomfort can be attributed to Hein’s use of tension, as in the way his sirens just barely reach the surface to breathe, or linger above it. Although his premise is based on mythology, it is coupled with a heightened sense of realism.

No matter how attractively someone is dressed, invading their personal space is never okay. Designer Anouk Wipprecht uses this concept as the inspiration for her Spider dress, a 3D printed, chic garment outfitted with micro-controllers. The dress’ pronounced epaulettes feature arachnid-like, moving limbs that will jut out at anyone who gets too close. Wipprecht, who is based in the Netherlands, partnered with Intel to create the technology for this innovative, wearable piece.