LOS ANGELES, CA.- Van Gogh’s Starry Night made out of spaghetti? Cat with a Pearl Earring? Frida Kahlo self-portraits with pets and toilet paper?

In March 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic brought life as we knew it to a halt. Schools and businesses closed, and travel was restricted as countries issued shelter-in-place orders. Much of the world retreated to a solitary life at home. But during this time of uncertainty over 100,000 people, inspired by prompts from Getty and other museums, raided toy chests, repurposed pantry items, and enlisted family, roommates, and animals to re-create famous works of art at home.

Abundantly illustrated, Off the Walls: Inspired Re-Creations of Iconic Artworks (Getty Publications, paperback, $14.00) is a celebration of these imaginative re-creations and a reminder of the power of art to unite and bring joy during troubled times.




“We are endlessly grateful for the Internet’s embrace of this challenge,” say Annelisa Stephan, Assistant Director of Digital Content at Getty, and Sarah Waldorf, Social Media Lead at Getty, in the preface of the book. “It speaks to the power of art to bond us together. Art invites us into the experience of others and connects us with our shared past. In isolation, a sense of community is sacred.”

Getty Publications will donate all profits from the sale of this book to Artist Relief, an emergency initiative offering resources to artists across the United States.

Want to see more? You can access a complete PDF of the book here:

Getty Publications produces award-winning titles that result from or complement the work of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Getty Conservation Institute, and Getty Research Institute. This wide variety of books covers the fields of art, photography, archaeology, architecture, conservation, and the humanities for both the general public and specialists. Publications include illustrated works on artists and art history, exhibition catalogues, works on cultural history, research on the conservation of materials and archaeological sites, scholarly monographs, critical editions of translated works, comprehensive studies of Getty's collections, and educational books on art to interest children of all ages.