People like cows. They celebrate cows. They then cover the cow in QR codes because.. the creators hope it makes the papers.

The Sao Paulo Annual Cow Parade is a big deal every year in Brazil. It describes itself as 'one of the largest contemporary street art events in the world'. 

Brazilian artists, namely Daniel Siarkovski and Rafel Grostein, thought it would make great headlines if they put QR Codes on something for the 2010 parade.

Considering previous artwork has included 'acupuncture' -- a bloodied cow stabbed through with needles -- a cow sipping a martini and one sliced in half, perhaps QR code splotches don't stand out that much in the big picture. 

(Source: Flickr)

This piece of artwork, named 'Bottom Up' is an oil painting created by Fabrice de Nola, an Italian-Belgian artist.

It is one of the first oil paintings in the world that contains readable content via QR code. 

Take out your phone and scan the code to read one line of content: "An internet of things" -- apparently in reference to the blurred lines between online information and physical objects. 

(Source: Flickr)

Covering the faces of Disney icons Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Stitch, the QR codes used by Disney incorporate the eyes and noses of each character surrounded by the usual monochrome coding.

Large posters showing the codes were placed near Ikebukuro station, Japan. 

The QR codes redirect scanners to the mobile version of the Disney Channel website.

(Source: Local SEO Solutions)

As part of a media campaign to support Technofolies at the Montreal Science centre, these QR code decorated cupcakes were created.

Technofolies was an exhibit containing 40 activities to indulge your geeky side.

For the QR fans, this is something to get baking for your lunchbox.

(Source: Flickr)

QR code dice. Something I've always wanted.

Set the scene: You are bound by duty to attend another family do, the drinks are flowing and then the games appear. You know that game playing always dissolve in to arguments, and as tempers flare, occasionally a game board ends up flying across the kitchen.

Now, to make sure family members become enraged and irrational even more rapidly, treat them to a game with QR dice. 

"What did I roll?" 

Open your smartphone, open application, poise the camera, scan, open, and there is your number. Every single time.

Playing cards next?

(Source: 2D Code)

Part of a 3D art project, QR code has found itself on clothing. 

The participants of the project state their reasons as:

Can they be functional and direct people to places on the internet?

How can QR codes be created in textile form? How can designers, crafters, makers, tinkerers, artists, coders and interested dabblers use textile QR codes to send viewers to interesting places?

How can an internationally and digitally collaborative project share ways of working and increase opportunities for exposure and networking?

Other examples include cushion covers, scarves, book covers and stitch patterns.

(Source: Weebly)

In the City of Manor, Texas, QR codes are used to display information on historical monuments.

The aim behind using quick response codes in this manner was to 'engage citizens, businesses and tourists by using mobile technology on a very limited information technology budget'.

City staff have educated local businesses on how QR-codes can be utilized in their marketing strategies, and the City of Manor planned to extend their wireless facilities to reduce problems for tourists who do not wish to pay to download content on their mobile devices.

You can read the report here (.pdf).

(Source: 2D Code)

In a German agricultural field, a giant QR code was cut into the loam to mark it out on Google Earth.

According to the project creators:

“A Semacode measuring 160 x 160 meters was mown into a wheat field near the town of Ilmenau in the Land Thuringia. The code consists of 18 x 18 bright and dark squares producing decoded the phrase “Hello, world!”. The project was realized in May 2006 and photographs were taken of it during a picture flight in the following month."

(Source: PSFK)

Austrian architects Soehne & Partner have created 'Code Unique', a hotel complex in the Dubai Studio City district built with QR coding engraved in to its bones.

Project 'Code Unique' aimed to create a futuristic building that pushed the boundaries of architectural design. Sadly, it is no joke. The image above was only of many conceptual designs as planning went ahead last year. 

There has been no recent update on the construction, so we can all hope the idea has been binned. I wonder if it was planned so people could scan it?

(Source: QRME)