Artist: Ben Koracevic
Title: Thomas Shelby
Technique: 49.00 needle pins / 1200 meters of string
Size: 161x127cm
Edition: 1/1, unique
Thomas Shelby by Ben Koracevic is an extraordinary string art portrait depicting Thomas Shelby from the acclaimed series Peaky Blinders.
This remarkable work is created using approximately 49,000 needle pins and over 1,200 meters of carefully tensioned string. Requiring more than 700 hours of meticulous manual labor, the piece represents an immense technical and mental challenge—demanding precision, endurance, and exceptional patience.
Layer by layer, thread by thread, the portrait emerges with striking depth and tonal nuance. The interplay of tension, shadow, and light transforms thousands of individual lines into a powerful and instantly recognizable image of Shelby and the Peaky Blinders atmosphere.
A brutal challenge mentally, requiring unwavering patience, yet resulting in a mountain of pride, this artwork stands as a testament to dedication, craftsmanship, and artistic vision. It is a unique and highly impressive statement piece that merges contemporary portraiture with extraordinary technical mastery.
Ben Koracevic is a British artist based in London, known for his unique string art technique. He combines thousands of nails with miles of string to create intriguing and detailed works of art.
His work includes portraits of people and animals, as well as iconic figures such as the Joker and characters from the Harry Potter series.
One of his most notable projects, a Harry Potter mural, took over 800 hours and 85 days of continuous work to complete, using 33,616 nails and 700 meters of string.
Koracevic is self-taught and sees his art as an exploration of depth, shadow and texture. He has only been active in the art world for a few years and still sees himself as being in an experimental phase. His works are appreciated and exhibited internationally, including on platforms such as ITSLIQUID, where he emphasizes that art is a way to share creative ideas and inspire audiences.
