Do you remember making a diorama as a child for a school project? This educational art form is still popular among modern artists. Since the workplace is a central part of today’s lifestyle, it isn’t surprising that art sometimes incorporates office furniture. In San Diego, the Museum of Contemporary Art hosted a fascinating collection a few years back. One of the exhibits was a full sized cubicle workstation complete with tackable fabric panels, a desk and chair.

In lieu of the typical desk paraphernalia, the worksurface hosts a miniature landscape in 3-D. Tiny trees dot the rolling hills and a petite waterfall graces the desktop where a flat screen monitor would normally be. Artist Clara Williams highlights the clash of the natural and artificial in a way that is both beautiful and compelling. This contrast reminds us of how disconnected we are from the environment when we spend all day under fluorescent lights and surrounded by manmade objects.

The full diorama exhibit collection is featured in the book Small World. Right now, a single copy of this paperback (used) is available on Amazon for the low price of…$923.53. Now, there’s a seller who is divorced from reality!