Cover artist: Panda cooper
i n s i d e The box Quoted text from contributors has been kept as authen�c as possible to respect our friends with different rules to language and spelling as well as transla�ons. We thought the challenge of working within a square would be interes�ng as it is not a standard paper or canvas size and would push people out of their comfort zones slightly by pulling them Inside The Box. Crea�ves are so o�en told to think outside the box, but it’s impossible to be the newest most innova�ve person all of the �me. Burnout is a real and present danger for us all so we thought we’d shi� the focus to celebra�ng the known. We were looking for tradi�onal concepts and art forms - metaphorically inside the box - but crucially all the images within are literally square too! Previously, our briefs have focused on pushing boundaries and subver�ng expecta�ons. This �me the challenge was to meet our expecta�ons, go back to basics and work within the limita�ons of a square. We gave our contributors permission to make the first thing that came to mind. A�er all, there is no such thing as an original idea anymore, only new perspec�ves. We told our ar�sts to indulge in clichés and go to town on projects their lecturers said were over done or deriva�ve. We encouraged them to try out tradi�onal, celebrate classic, explore the expected but most importantly to make it your own (and square). When we set this brief it conjured ideas of pop art (Andy Warhol), medium format photography and comics. Though we did get a li�le of what we asked for, as ever, our contributors took this brief in a direc�on we didn’t expect. Tending towards a more symbolic approach, we were given lots of tradi�onal concepts including, nature, emo�on and human form. There was also a clear focus on being stuck inside of the box either physically or metaphorically. As always we have been blown away by the quality and diversity of works received and we hope you enjoy seeing the many interpreta�ons of the brief as much as we did.
P a n d a Cooper Z: Introduce yourself and what you do. P: “Hiya! I’m Panda, I run Painted Peach and I’m a professional body ar�st. With my eight years of interna�onal experience in face art, body pain�ng, specialFX and design, I transform people into immersive creatures and characters. Mostly, I offer private bookings or paint performers who interact with guests at events. The results are memorable, unique and pre�y magical, and o�en take days to plan and execute.” Z: How did you get into body painting? P: “The start to my body art journey was rather unexpected. My dad passed away in 2012 and Myton Hospice, where he died, were looking for a face painter for their fundraising events. I had no experience and ul�mate amounts of grief, but I knew I wanted to help. I’d done years of boring part �me and hospitality jobs, but when I started face pain�ng, I felt clarity and purpose for the first �me. As horribly cheesy as it sounds, I knew I’d found my calling instantly and I’m s�ll grateful for how the world works in its mysterious ways! A couple years later I moved to New Zealand for two years and this is really where my career propelled from an amateur face painter to a professional body ar�st. Whilst travelling, I’d sit at markets and offer face paints for like $3 or something, it makes me cringe thinking about it, but I was trying! Once I’d se�led in Auckland, I decided to take a course to learn techniques as I was en�rely self taught. I went on a course run by a mul� award winning body ar�st and three �me world champion (like… she had a WALL of trophies). On the morning of the second day of the course, she pulled me aside and told me I didn’t need this (me: mor�fied), but asked if I could start working for her (exploding inside!). The poten�al she saw in me, and the skills I learnt whilst working for her, gave me an extraordinary insight into the endless possibili�es the industry has to offer. I moved from NZ to Bristol on my own in 2016 and started Painted Peach. Like most new business owners, I’ve had an interes�ng journey learning the ropes along with some unfortunate learning curves; but I’ve steadily built my reputa�on and por�olio and provided my services for all sorts, including weddings, exhibi�ons, produc�ons, music videos, branding, community events, par�es, campaigns, etc” Z: How does painting on a body differ from a canvas? P: “Pain�ng skin is, for me, the most beau�ful medium to work on. Skin doesn’t absorb the paint like a canvas does, it allows the brush to glide across, uninterrupted with long flowing brush strokes. No body is the same but they are all beau�ful, my work celebrates stretch marks, scars, cellulite, birth marks and anything else that makes us human. I haven't been par�cularly drawn to canvas pain�ng yet, the hours you spend are o�en �me spent alone and one of my favourite parts of my work is the connec�on I build with each of my models/‘canvases’. Some body paints take around 7-8 hours, and the en�re process can be quite therapeu�c, we share a lot in that �me! People o�en think it’s a real shame to wash it off at the end, but the temporary nature of body art means you have to appreciate it all the more in that moment. I’ve
enjoyed drawing metaphorical parallels for how nothing can last, and to find beauty in the present. I feel most content when pain�ng people and love the medita�ve state I zone into. Bliss.” Z: What inspired your Inside The Box piece? P: “Most of my work is commissioned for events, produc�ons or music videos so it’s been really tough finding reasons to paint recently. I’ve had ideas for paints I could do throughout lockdown, but the �me and materials it takes to complete a look, with an addi�onal sprinkling of self doubt, having no income, plus the added challenge of having to paint myself instead of a model, has significantly limited my pain�ng �me. When people, like the magicians at Zanna, set themes, it almost gives us permission, or an excuse to use our crea�vity again. It’s like working to a client brief, and that’s one of the things I’ve missed so much! The theme ‘Inside The Box’ allows so many interpreta�ons and it was a chance for me to be more conceptual than I usually would, as pain�ng myself is much more difficult. My mum always referred to the TV as ‘the box’ when I was growing up so this was the concept that I stuck to when thinking of ideas. As a kid, I used to imagine people being able to climb out of ‘the box’ at whatever size they were on the screen and walk around my house. If I had more cardboard I’d probably have done something on a larger scale! But I quite enjoy the Alice in Wonderland feel this scale suggests. It was only when I was reviewing and edi�ng the photos I realised I must have been subconsciously influenced by the new Marvel show ‘WandaVision’, which I absolutely adore!! If you’re watching it, you’ll know! So this is me… crawling out of the comfort zone of my home, a�er being predominantly horizontal for months on end, and generally feeling grey and uncertain… to realising it’s �me to leave the confines and safety of the box, make changes and move forward, onwards, upwards.” Z: Do you have a favourite creature/theme to paint? P: “As you can probably tell from my work, I adore fantasy. For the past few years I’ve most enjoyed crea�ng mythical or cat like creatures; but with endless op�ons, and my eagerness to try new things, I’m not sure I can choose a favourite look! I just love crea�ng something different and developing characters that don’t necessarily fit into a category. I have no�ced that a lot of people at events seemed to have an issue with not being able to label the creatures I create, which to be honest, is not something I expected!”
Z: Which of your paints showed the greatest transformation? P: “The use of prosthe�c makeup instantly transforms the performers features so I’d have to choose one of these! When lockdown was s�ll cute and exci�ng, I turned myself into a monster [as seen in Issue Seven], using the ‘�ny face’ illusion and a prosthe�c bo�om jaw. If the performer is comfortable doing so, using coloured contacts is an instant way to drama�cally enhance the characters, as it’s the first thing people look at on a face! Honestly, I can spend 8 hours on a paint and the first thing people will say is ‘OMG your eyes!!’, I’ve learnt to be okay with that. (*Please be VERY careful when buying and wearing contacts. Always do research first or speak to someone that can advise.)” Z: Which of your paints has been the most challenging? P: “I always find it fascina�ng where the challenges lie with each paint; it’s rarely where I think. Three main things that make a paint challenging for me: People. I’ve had models that literally will not stay s�ll. It means I can't focus and it’s so unenjoyable for me. Also when the photographer hasn’t captured the design or is more focused on ge�ng ‘artsy’ shots and doesn’t have any photos of the en�re look. This is crushing! We can’t just redo it the next day. Pressure. If I feel like there’s a lot of pressure for it to look really good e.g. for a compe��on or a high end client, I always feel less sa�sfied with my work. Each design is unique so I won’t know the outcome, most of the �me it’s an experiment! Since having the mindset of each paint being an experiment, I’ve been less disappointed and kinder to myself if things don’t go as planned. Giving myself less pressure has really helped my crea�vity! Time constraints. I once had a three hour �me slot to do a live body paint at a ta�oo conven�on, imagine pain�ng a person sized canvas in that �me?! Another job I had, the performer had to be ready for 10am, the paint took 6 hours, so a 4am start... I am not an early morning person! I also learnt never to do a photoshoot if the model has other engagements that day, we rarely finish on �me and photographing a half finished look is embarrassing and stressful.” Z: What lies ahead for you? P: “I’ve recently decided, that if I am to achieve my goal, I’m going to have to adapt my plan for the �me being. On the 8th of March I start training in Media Makeup at Bath Academy. The course is put together by Peter Swords King, an Oscar winning legend in film makeup and hair, who’s worked on �tles such as Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Spiderman, Pirates of the Caribbean etc (my inner geek is squealing I swear!). Big, scary steps for someone who hasn’t been in educa�on for ten years, but mainly because I’m worried about moving away from everything I’ve grown to love. I think my design for ‘Inside The Box’ is quite a relevant metaphor for this next step. I’ll s�ll be taking bookings and running workshops during and a�er the course and look forward to working with a
more diverse range of clients.” Z: Do you have any long term goals? P: “I’ve been really intrigued by the benefits of escapism, as it was such a huge part of my coping mechanism when my Dad was dying. I’d spend hours by his bedside reading to myself and get lost in the fantasy worlds created by authors. I desperately needed an escape from my reality. I’ve realised the most amazing thing people do is give their gi� back to the world, so for the past four years, I’ve been wan�ng to do just that. I’ve spent weeks of my lockdown, (fruitlessly) applying for funding in the hopes of eventually bringing actors into spaces like hospices, hospitals and children’s wards to interact with pa�ents and their loved ones, and bring welcomed moments of escapism and joy to a difficult �me in their lives. It’s going to be a journey, most likely a long one, but one I’m devoted to taking. I plan to offer transforma�ve experiences to eager pa�ents as well, when possible. I think this could be amazing for restoring body posi�vity in those who may have been affected by treatments and incidents. I look forward to building a dedicated collec�ve of talented crea�ves to start bringing these experiences to frui�on.” @paintedpeachuk The quickest way to support ar�sts is by sharing, following and engaging with their work on social media. It's free, easy and really helps them to build a profile. It really means the world when their efforts and talents are no�ced. Engaging with an ar�st is the number one op�on for support, in this case bookings. If you cannot afford to do this yourself then recommend them to a friend. If you have poten�ally useful connec�ons to help them reach their goals then get in touch. Painted Peach is currently looking for opportuni�es for funding or publicising as well as connec�ons to organisa�ons/chari�es that may be mutually beneficial. If you happen to know any fantasy authors that have a penchant for philanthropy then this would be ul�mate levels of helpful. Networking can be tough, lets use our crea�ve community for good!
Koywe Kollage is a collec�on of one-of-a-kind hand-cut pieces that focus on the search for ar�s�c expression through paper, ge�ng the inspira�on from nature, human body, sex and queerness. At the beginning Koywe was feeling influenced by his gathered material, limi�ng himself to use what he had, but has recently begun to develop his own aesthe�c and ventured into other techniques by entering the world of mixed media such as water-based marbling to create his own pa�erns, colour schemes and shapes combined with the prac�ce of collage. Koywe feeds his crea�ve process with the destruc�on of images that have already been made, in search of something be�er. “I do it without hesita�on, taking the risk of ruining a great shot but I would rather try it and trust my ins�nct. I don’t regret it. I commit. I con�nue un�l I find the right composi�on.” One important rule that he follows: to feel the vibra�on of his hands cu�ng the paper, telling him where to go, what to cut, how to paste and when to stop. All works are unique hand cut pieces that are precisely glued forever. Cut, glue, cut, glue, cut, glue… "Two pairs of eyes facing each other creates a false mirror effect that reflects the duality in me (and in many of us). That extravagant and flamboyant person who sees life through the expression of colour no ma�er what others say, is confronted with this other personality who gets discouraged, who doesn't feel like doing anything, who is dominated by a constant grey cloud and that only wants to blend in with the crowd. Two opposite poles that coexist inside this box/brain. That mind that at �mes can be very square but that is capable of adop�ng different forms depending on the situa�on and the point of view that you look at it." @koywekollage K o y w e Kollage
Stand back Perspective is everything
@Laurenclark.art L a u r e n C l a r k “My work isn’t always easy to read, it requires the viewer to work out what is presented, a bit like a puzzle. These artworks exaggerate how digital imagery is made up of pixels. A lot of my artwork is characterised by squares and the limita�ons of the pixel give me an element of control, especially in these unprecedented �mes. This compelled me to think inside the box! My art prac�ce explores the rela�onship of memory and the digital. I am discovering how our memories and experiences are distorted through filters and how it changes our percep�on. It creates an Illusion by juxtaposing a digital aesthe�c with drawing. These works use a lot of newsprint and involve layering processes and collage, as well as drawing.” Part of the reason these works are so intriguing, apart from their (de)constructed nature, is their scale. Scale is an essen�al but o�en overlooked element that is central to how we read images. Scale can direct a�en�on to a par�cular subject within the work or the rela�onship between the work and its loca�on, situa�onally or geographically. It can even inform our percep�on of where it fits in �me. Scale is used as an expressive tool o�en filled with meanings. These works for instance make more sense when they are very small (or the viewer is far away) but that isn’t how they are presented because part of the concept is that the ‘reader’ or viewer must decipher the image themselves.
“My work focuses essen�ally on the rela�onship between language and drawing. How can we deform a word - a symbol - understood by the people who are part of the network of that language, un�l it is revealed as a drawing rather than a word itself. To think inside the box is to follow the flow of language, to think outside the box is to deform the language. Non-linear readings, break with the reader-writer concept. Here the order of reading is chosen by the reader.” Rocio Nosella
@abuelaignea
Samantha Sadik @sadikstitch “The canvas is highlighted as the main focal point and the star of the show, simula�ng the disturbances of it’s natural state, breaking it free of the four walls, of its frame. In the same way, the corset is designed to re-configure the female form through moulding and tension, with the use of rope to hold it in the perfect shape. With a single hole punch I create 5mm holes which allow numerous fibres to weave through and join the canvas back together. When Individually pulled to certain tensions it forces the canvas into an unnatural form.” sadik stitch is corsetry of the Canvas “ “
Myrte van der Molen inves�gates her love-hate rela�onship towards the social rules of conduct. By staging social situa�ons, she creates visions of the future that ques�on the rules of behaviour in the social sphere. This research results in objects, costumes, installa�on, performance pieces and videography. The video installa�on SOSocial is an archive of 25 videos, in which Van der Molen explores power rela�ons and social interac�on with the help of actors, objects and costumes. The actors are placed in a white cube where they experiment with the social rules of conduct by using the objects and costumes. The images shown here are film s�lls from the video. Myrte van der Molen
@myrtevandermolen
“This disease has been with me for four years and has no cure. It often dominates my body and mind and does what it wants with me. I forget who I am and where I am. Sometimes it becomes a picture of me.” Gabriela Kliemann Dias @gabikliemanndias Anxiety disorder
Alexis Javellana Hill @A__hill
There’s a box I carry with me always, and a battle rages inside. In one corner rises an angel. In the other three, demons tower. The first is a writhing mess of familiar faces, silent, but they don’t need to speak. Their impassive stares lord their superiority, and you have no choice but to accept the truth in their judgement: you just aren't like them. The second reforms again and again, its perfection hidden behind a facade of endless changes. It taunts as you strain to catch it. You try over and over, but each time the demon is just a moment away, close enough to brush against your fingertips but always too far to grasp. The final demon looms over even its brethren. It waits for any who may, somehow, conquer them. A final, foreboding, unfathomable hurdle. So many have been crushed by its churn, would it even notice as it cast you aside? No, there’s no need to submit yourself to such torment. Better to not try at all. And alongside the three, a sea of doubts, skittering and screeching. They assail the angel, surround her, weaving in and out, leaping, striking, vanishing back to make space for their brethren. The angel fights with skill and determination, sometimes catching one, or two, perhaps even three, but then they swarm over her and she sinks down into their cloying embrace. The three demons look on, pleased with their work, knowing that when the angel rises again, they’ll be ready. And the angel will rise again. Did I say this was a battle? It’s a war, fought over and over and over. But this time, it will be different. This time, I open the box. A chorus descends. The first demon struggles, but the very faces that make it are its undoing. The second is grasped and laid bare, its perfect form revealed to be the myth it always was. Finally, the angel approaches the final demon, born aloft by the host of her fellows. She may fall, but now she’ll fall back into their comforting hold and be ready to try again. There’s a box I carry with me always, and I opened it to the outside. In one corner fly a choir of angels. In the other three, demons cower. There, but not so scary anymore. Thomas H Hancock @dodotom9
A fall of Darkness “This piece was made in representation of helping a friend’s battle against depression and ending up carrying a burden as well” Sebastian Petersen @Sebastianpetersen_art
This piece represents a female who's not totally confident in herself and uses her favourite plant to hide her insecuri�es. JeganMones @Jegan__mones
@Girl.walks.alone “I am an intense and very ambi�ous spirit, experimental filmmaker, analogue photographer, bad poet, and someone who walks alone. My body of work consists of the explora�on of my own body, and seeks a disfigurement and mapping of my feelings through my forms. Most of it is rooted in analogue photography, but it also consists of using diverse materials together with the photos, such as video, pain�ng, embroidery, collage, and natural substance. My prac�ce o�en revolves around the concept of destruc�on or reconfigura�on, about what it is to be human and/or having a human body. Beyond that, I also seek in my body-art the possibili�es of social, sexual, psychological, and natural aesthe�c interac�on. The photos published here are part of the series ‘Mapping My Nature’, an ongoing series of analogue self-portraits made with the Diana Instant Square camera. The series explores the desire to modify the self through nature, seeking a new form in trunks, leaves, branches, roots, and petals. These new shapes are constructed by embroidering on and off the photo square. Thus, establishing a self in another shell. This yearning for a change, it's caused by existen�al displacement, a state of mind marked by opposite extremes, and an eternal search for something outside the self. This series is also about the crea�on of images that are an�-bodies and that portray an unar�culated fusion of person and nature, an a�empt to deconstruct not only the flesh but also the photographic medium.” R o w a n R o m e i r o
A Terrible Thrill to Chase Steely tongue tastes like coins, it’s a terrible thrill to chase. But my feet are chained, my hands are tied while I navigate on with a semblance of tact and grace. Ungrateful fool, slice your tongue with words that were quarantined in your head. Eager lips, moves like silk, easy to lull us back into bed. I was better, words fall flat, singing to my beer Brewing badly, silently seeking a new central character to steer. I’m half as much as I used to be, an anthem that grows malice in my throat. Shell of me, the discrepancies of what I missed the most. Hold your breath, with your middling talent, your verbs can’t accurately sway. Loosen your grip, eat the rich, bloated with societal disgrace. Read your books, watch your films, go on about your day. Consume the news, swear it’s love that is a terrible thrill to chase. Marinna Benzon @Marinna.benzon
“Often within my art I aim to make visual representations of emotions and psychological states, as is the case here - with the eyes capturing a sea of emotion and a sense of sadness that permeates.” Ariee @arieefineart The Consequence Of Sadness
@Hhola_ola Remaking ‘Girl with the Pearl Earring’ is a bold move. Firstly tackling a Vermeer is a ballsy move because not only is this par�cular pain�ng one of the most famous but his style is highly recognisable too. Secondly, Girl with a Pearl Earring was voted the most beau�ful pain�ng in the Netherlands, so it is a big ask for a recrea�on to stack up. Vermeer is an expert at capturing light and texture in very few strokes, part of what makes him a master of art. So what makes this pain�ng in par�cular so seduc�ve and why do so many ar�sts feel compelled to recreate or reimagine it? Perhaps the in�macy of her look or just the unrelen�ng stare. The original image captures the universal look of a beau�ful young female. There is no girl with a pearl earring; she is what’s known as a Tronie - an ideal example of a par�cular type of person - in this instance a young woman. When you read about what makes this pain�ng so special you might see men�on of the rich colours, the girl’s gaze, the so called fashionable turban and maybe the famous Vermeer ligh�ng. Hola’s piece, arguably, has not a�empted to recreate any of those elements; the eyes have been omi�ed, the colours limited and without the original for reference, what is on her head could be any number of things – and yet, this piece is s�ll unmistakably ‘Girl with the Pearl Earring’. So what is it that really makes the pain�ng, and each new itera�on of it, so intriguing? Is it the mystery that keeps us coming back? All the unanswered ques�ons? In the original we wondered who she was and what mo�ves may have been behind those piercing eyes. With this recrea�on we wonder, why this pain�ng? What is the significance of the colour, if any. Did Hola know that the original piece had an emerald green background that has since faded to black or was this just a fortuitous coincidence? We may never know the answers but it sure is fun to speculate…
Rebekka Katajisto “Classical [le�] is a monoprint of a statue in Galleria dell’Accademia, Florence. Created a�er my very own Grand Tour of Italy; a tradi�onal study trip to observe classical culture and art. Here I am repea�ng the centuries old tradi�on - repeated by hopeful ar�sts since the beginning of our �me - of copying from the work of old masters in the hopes of improving my own skills. Study [right] is a life-drawing study of an old man. Life drawing represents a long-standing tool in the teaching and development of ar�sts alongside the copying of old master's artwork. Before being allowed to even entertain the idea of crea�ng composi�ons of your own, the young ar�st had to master these two techniques.” Drawing people is o�en touted as the most difficult subject. Therefore it is a common opinion that prac�cing life drawing will make you be�er at drawing all things. Life drawing does not only pose the difficult task of recrea�ng a complex shape but requires you to capture the energy or essence of a person as well. We as humans are very familiar with how faces and bodies are supposed to look so any slight mistake can make a whole drawing seem off, it is an unforgiving skill and perhaps that is why it is an art school favourite. Perhaps also the longevity of life drawing is another reason for its prevalence in crea�ve circles. Art movements come and go, change and evolve but life drawing, in one form or another, has been a staple since cave pain�ng. @pekkarts
“This is a scribbly pencil drawing made during an online animal-drawing class, with some ink and granula�on medium experiments dropped into the background (isn't it pre�y!). Evening classes, tradi�onal materials, happy @doublewhoop accidents and dodgy photoshop are all business-as-usual for me.” D o u b l e w h o o p
@kevinlopezart Kevin Lopez “I use the human figure and inanimate objects as vehicles to explore themes of iden�ty and Solipsism as well as the no�on that we can never truly know one another.” Self Portrait
Saskia Huitema @starblueshell
P e t a M c C l y m o n t @unfetteredartist “The red rose is a long standing and tradi�onal representa�on of love and passion which goes back a long way in art history. I par�cularly love using floriography for messages in art and this rose and its mul�ple meanings was painted for my husband to celebrate ten years of marriage.”
The octopus reaches the Moon, chasing dandelions in its dreams. TG Freeson @Tg.freeson
Nada Duga @muralsofhope
E m i l y C h a p m a n Emily has clear interests that come across in the type of work she creates. Which is a good lesson for all crea�ves; when you love what you do it is clear in your crea�ons. Emily’s work mostly focuses on figures, characters and creatures, o�en inspired by mythology. Her dedica�on to her cra� is evident in the technique within each drawing. She spends �me each day drawing different forms or anatomy to further hone her skills. Prac�ce makes perfect they say, so to become truly great you need to repeat techniques and perfect the basics before you can start pushing the boundaries slowly and adop�ng new techniques. Emily is a wonderful example of taking steps out of your comfort zone and expanding your skillset to reach a goal, rather than jumping outside of the box to try and achieve the no�on of being different. Her work speaks for itself when it comes to unique quality. Emily is constantly experimen�ng with different techniques and mediums but her work is unmistakable. The constant willingness to learn and grow is testament to her love of art and more generally a crea�ve’s compulsion to capture the joy of mastering a skill. The things Emily can do with colouring pencils is beyond human but s�ll she seeks new challenges.
@emxconcepts Emily is also a master of digital illustra�on. As a freelance concept ar�st for Supermassive Games she is no stranger to working to a brief, this is also true for her commission work which is somewhat dominated by fan art. Recrea�ng an exis�ng character (of course always in her unique and dis�nct style) is the defini�on of staying inside the box conceptually but does not detract from the skill, �me and love put into a piece of work. It is important for Emily to not venture outside the box and adapt or change works when something specific has been asked for. A perfect example of how you needn’t reinvent the wheel to produce well executed and ul�mately fulfilling artwork.
@Giada.rotundo The ar�st's research was, at the beginning, founded on images of the past. Her art reflected the understanding of what has happened, at �mes forgo�en, but represented in a modern way. Today she has chosen not to represent only one poe�c style and her works do not follow a specific genre though she con�nues to express herself with figura�ve pain�ng. This, however, has been a difficult choice and has arrived a�er she has matured and reflected upon the fact that it gives the observer a much freer view of her works. If art would not exist without the observer, why shouldn’t we leave them the opportunity to interpret it? Looking at the art of today is like looking at something diverse and complicated, there is so much, some�mes too much... Once there was only one ar�s�c trend and many people would be spontaneously involved. If we think of Art Déco, or even before Art Nouveau, she realises that many ar�sts had reproduced and spread these ar�s�c styles to other similar fields such as architecture, tex�les and other minor ones. In short, if art is the mirror of what happens we cannot do anything else than reproduce art in the most heterogeneous way. Giada Rotundo
“A�er hours of staring at an apple and trying to extract universal meaning from it, these pain�ngs are taking a second look at the forbidden fruit. With new knowledge in hand, given all we know about cellular structures and the principles of life (as above, so below...) it stands to reason that the fruit from the tree of knowledge would be a pomegranate! Seedy li�le buggars, they are... And much more �resome to snack on. The good news is this: knowledge does not cause canker sores.” @surrealismac
These works are part of a study on perception and movement through object and colour, one can appreciate how colour and elements influence the object to reflect the movement in an undefined space. S�ll life pain�ngs were, in the beginning, a medium to show off technical prowess and a painters mastery of colour and light. Many ar�sts strived to be the best in this field seeking more and more challenging scenes to recreate. Cezanne, however, was one of the first to grow bored of tradi�onal s�ll life pain�ng techniques and the constant oneupmanship, and instead ventured into impressionis�c renderings of the scenes. His abstracted and o�en bizarre s�ll life pain�ngs became a highlight of his career. Aleks’ explora�on of percep�on seems progressive in a similar way, using a mixture of recognisable and abstracted subjects as well as light and colour to push the boundaries of what we can decipher about an image. When reading an image, warm colours tend to be seen first and therefore advance in a piece; red in par�cular will seem to move towards the viewer. Cooler colours will recede and are o�en seen as calmer or even frozen. Similarly there is an implica�on of s�llness in a pain�ng, whereas a photograph has an innate feeling of having captured a moment that has passed. So the more real a pain�ng looks the more it feels as if it exists somewhere out of �me. In this way one could argue that all pain�ngs are somewhat surreal. @Aleks.507 A l e k s Victor Martinez When viewing it, each human being can perceive the work differently: due to the surrealism and futurism of the works. “ “
@Art_by_barbi Www.barbitaylor.com Barbi’s work has a unique and colourful aesthe�c. Abstrac�ng and so�ening her observa�ons of the world around us she breaks things down into manageable and invi�ng pieces. It might seem strange to describe a cactus as so� but that is part of what makes Barbi’s work so special. This par�cular piece reminds us of sunshine and cocktails on holiday. You can get so lost in the big blocks of colour you can almost feel the warmth on your skin. Barbi refers to herself as an ar�st for hire, she will try her hand at anything which is a testament to her talent because the work is so consistently recognisable; characterised by bright colours, deliberate brush strokes and joy. Barbi believes that everyone should have art they love in their homes and makes art that caters to all budgets to make it a reality. FUELLED BY PASSION FOR BEAUTY, NATURE AND NEW EXPERIENCES. “ “
@Anitatorres.illustration Ana Milena Torres “The crea�on of my artwork is an intui�ve process that begins with the explora�on of topics such as the female form, hair, and other observa�ons of my surroundings. This results in these elements being interwoven with the main objects of my crea�ons. I am an illustrator and ar�st with passion and curiosity for the natural world and cosmos, who strives to create quality and harmony. I am deeply passionate about art and my experience with new techniques. My work focus is on images for products like pa�erns, cards and book covers.”