Sibel Balac’s playful illustrations and animations showcase her love for travel and intercultural dialogue. The German-Turkish artist plays with traditional notions of femininity to create new and affirmative interpretations of self-love and positive embodiment. Dive into today’s upbeat feature to learn about Sibel’s inspirations, ongoing projects, and future aspirations.

“We have watched many clubs and festivals opening in the Czech Republic and many fitness centres opening in Slovakia.” Nowadays, the Pohoda Festival near Trenčín, Slovakia, is an internationally acclaimed award-winning three-day event but its seeds were sown by the Slovak hardcore scene nearly three decades ago. Michal Kaščák, Pohoda’s original founding father, explains this growth, the deeply rooted activist side of the event, and how the festival has been championing an above-standard ethical, ecological and diversity framework since the first edition.

“It's impossible to get bored with ceramics.” Markéta Špundová is a Czech ceramics designer whose whimsical and delightfuly chaotic body of work overflows with cheeky humour and unexpected references. With the artist, we talked the malleable and mirroring nature of ceramics, balancing practicality and storytelling, jolting awake with sour candy, and more.

Digital illustration and animation were the missing pieces for Aliina Kauranne’s expression. In her works, the acclaimed Finnish artist conjures up sequences and images which explore identity and nostalgia, be it through surreal visions or absolutely pampered boots. Read today’s feature to learn about Aliina’s changing relationship to art, global brands, and the Spice Girls.

Aleksandra Bokova’s works are a vivid answer to a post-Soviet upbringing. In her 3D art and animations, the acclaimed Belarusian artist explores disturbing feelings and perplexing emotions to overcome them, creating pieces that are equally relatable and confusing. Explore today’s feature to learn about her inspirations, and how she uses cutting-edge technology to project her vision.

London-based fashion designer Tanya Liu's intricate creations could be simply pigeonholed as ultimate mermaidcore – but they spring from much deeper sources. The pearlescent gradients and gently billowing silhouettes are rooted in the relationship between natural biology and post-human science, and mechanisms of endless life cycles of certain species. In the interview, we talk the bell of the immortal jellyfish, pivotal influences, and the scent of lavender.

What started out as impressions of the external world became the expression of an inner one. Valeria Weerasinghe’s creative trajectory has brought her from illustration to animation, and the acclaimed artist uses it now to reconnect with her heritage. Lose yourself in the deep hues and bold colors of today’s feature, accompanied by an intimate interview with Valeria about her process and inspirations.

Don't let the cheery colours fool you, the whimsical world of Latvian illustrator and object maker Inga Ziemele is chock-full of adorable danger and seedy characters. In the interview, Inga talks using art to work through the themes of self-acceptance and anxiety, bringing joy into people's lives, and professes her love for deceitfully cute bunnies.

Chelsea Theilmann's vibrant tufted floral creations came about as a pandemic lockdown project and soon turned into a hallmark of her artistic practice, desired by many. Her joyful creations are intended to brighten up spaces and moods either as rugs or wall decor and some can be even worn as handbags. More in the interview below.

Ian Moore’s works not only satirize the absurd aspects of living in the 21st century, but are a visual treat on their own. The Bristol-based artist uses media ranging from digital illustration to murals and Riso printing to showcase his vibrant style and textures. Read today’s feature to learn about Ian’s insights into visual storytelling and why he uses 1-star TripAdvisor reviews as inspiration.

Charlie Mars’ works span illustration, animation and video, and his unique style inspired by a diverse life trajectory has led his works to attracting significant acclaim. Having taken a 15-year-long break from illustration, Charlie is now back and his newfound creative freedom shines through his glazed textures.

“In video games, nothing interested me more than character creation.” Since Polish fashion designer Maja Bączyńska founded her eponymous label, she's been gracing the world with her sometimes sleek, most of the time maximal and opulent silhouettes. In the interview, Bączyńska sheds light on her playful pieces featuring frilly and sculptural textures, unexpected twists and reference layers, and clever and uncompromising tailoring.

“The bug has always been a reflection of the self”, and Riniifish’s illustrations and animations explore the unique beauty and mystical activities of these seemingly uniform creatures. In her works, the artist creates a mythology of the M7 Planet, which her bugs co-created and have since thrived on. Join us on Sugar Rush’s first sweet feature to these vivid worlds of wonder.

We've emerged from the thawed soil and we crave quick energy. Sweetness so frustrating you'll want to spit it out. By launching our first theme for the 2024 season, SUGAR RUSH, we wish to replenish your tired brains with fast carbs and worry about balanced diets later. The theme's cover was crafted by the talented Czech illustrator and graphic designer Danchez.

“In general, people stay much longer at raves than in a gallery.” The Slovak creative duo behind AUSGANG Studio, Alex Zelina and Radovan Dranga, craft menacing and sometimes unsettling sculptures and mobile installations from materials typically considered waste with an occasional AI crossover. You can run into these in a gallery or, unexpectedly, at a dim dancefloor.

Mikhail Ermakov and Dahlia Kurmanguzhina, the self-titled “digital fetish artist couple”, are relationship goals in more ways than one. In the interview below, the duo talks about the organic mutuality and reciprocity of their creative processes, the touchingly introspective and respectful way of co-creating that was cultivated with immense care, Slavic folklore, and more. Get lost in their shiny, alluring, and squeaky world.

Witness the allure of our ritual candlesticks, crafted from hand-blown glass by Makora Josefina Krosno, and infused with exclusive aromatic wax and natural essences. SWARM MAG’s first merch was made in collaboration with Dark Concept Store, reanimating artifacts that revere the occult and sustainable craftsmanship, guiding seekers to transformation through the flickering glow of enchanted flames.

“The feeling of having enough time, the luxury of boredom, is very important to me when making art,” quips Bronislava Orlická, the idiosyncratic Czech painter and tattoo artist, whose iconic gradient “flames” adorn countless limbs and torsos across the world. The scope of her artistic practice is broad: from the aforementioned tattoos to large-scale paintings to machine knitting. Get to know her below.

Kaja Horvat’s esoteric illustrations depict hidden realities that tap into the collective unconscious. In exploring these psychedelic utopias, the young Slovenian artist uses her masterful form to re-find that sense of wonder one feels all too rarely. Today, Kaja brings it back, and sheds light on her artistic journey and inspirations.

Beca Alcorta is a Berlin-based self-taught sculptural artist with a MA in Psychology, infusing her pearlescent, corals-like creations with what she knows about the human psyche and gothic aesthetic influences. In the exclusive interview, we delve into joy of working with randomness, adaptive and maladaptive illusions, never-before-felt hopelessness, and more.