Art Pieces That Inspired Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop" Video

What was on the mood board at Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop" video shoot?

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Yesterday, Miley Cyrus released her new video for "We Can't Stop," and it confused a lot of people. When did she become obsessed with twerking and taxidermy? How does one acquire a purple swimming pool? Why are fingers being spliced off (and bleeding pink paint), and why does the piñata at her party have sausages and pancakes coming out of it?

The answer is simple: ART. We have a feeling that Miley Cyrus' director, Diane Martel, was at least a little bit inspired by Ryan McGinley, Barbara Kruger, Guy Bourdin, and even the human barbie, Valeria Lukyanova. 

Maybe you were a bit distracted by her tight white outfit, but these side-by-side comparisons will bring your attention to the details that lowkey made the video what it really is—an amalgamation of scenes directly inspired by famous works of modern and contemporary art.

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Art Pieces That Inspired Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop" Video

Ryan McGinley, Taylor (Rushing River), 2011

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Ryan McGinley, Falling Pink Sunset, 2006

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Roy Lichtenstein, Stepping Out, 1978 and Terry Richardson

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Jacky Tsai, Floral Skull Leather Sculpture, 2013 and Damien Hirst, For the Love of God, 2007

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Ryan McGinley, Running Fireworks, 2007

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Guy Bourdin, Untitled, 1980 and David LaChapelle, Still Life: Mikhail Gorbachev, 2009

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Jenny Holzer, Blue Cross, 2008

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Cai Guo-Qiang, Heritage 2013, 2013 and Cai Guo-Qiang, Head On, 2006

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Claes Oldenburg, Pancakes and Sausauges, 1962 and Tom Friedman, Untitled (White Bread), 2013

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Guy Bourdin, Untitled, 1980

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Augusta Wood, Kitchen Birds, 2010

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Valeria Lukyanova

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Big Baby Gandhi, NO1 2 LOOK UP 2 mixtape, 2012

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Barbara Kruger, I Can't Look at You and Breathe at the Same Time, 1981-84

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