Music journalism is a sight rarely seen at SWARM Mag but some occasions are just too good not to share and recommend. Especially such a project as the INOTA Festival, which took place at the beginning of September this year. Enjoy a stream of observations from the very first year of Hungary's most ambitious audiovisual event.

Eva Jaroňová’s signature style depicts and interweaves opposites to explore beyond binary systems. The Czech artist’s works are known for their dark, humorous and sensual themes, and today’s feature showcases her recent works focusing on the relationship between humans and nature. Read today’s interview to learn about her creative approach and why she waters plants with human blood.

Shoshka took us on a walk through her inspiration garden. Or, more precisely, a seashore. Besides costumes and scenography, her main interest lies in one-of-a-kind jewellery made from found objects such as wild animal bones and teeth, snail shells or remnants of marine life paired with precious metals or freshwater pearls.

Adamant Country is the story of a mandorla, guarding an egg. This sacred space is fertile ground for the interplay of archetypes, meanings, and cosmic cycles. Enter the world of Czech artist Petra Janda, the laureate of the Jindřich Chalupecký Award, as she weaves you into her intimate landscape.

"Hĕracha" means "a girl" in Chuvash language. Isenkkel and Vella Akhtimer founded the art group and fashion brand HӖRACHA to explore the possibilities of contemporary art entangled with fashion design. In an interview with the artists below, get a primer on Chuvash folklore, traditions and fairy tales that are deconstructed and reinterpreted to find points of contact with the universal human experience.

Hélène L. Vaneukem’s works, bordering on sci-fi and fantasy, blend botanical observation and post-internet approaches in creating a canvas for your projections. Her captivating animations and illustrations are a journey of exploring the intimate topics of selfhood, developmental psychology and spirituality, and today’s interview dazzles with the French artist’s insight.

“The creation has the soul of the creator.” Juhee Park, a young knitwear designer currently residing and working in France, introduced us to her layered amorphous sprawling creatures that seem like they stepped out of her personal glamorous mythology.

At first glance, Iva Davidová’s paintings invite into a soft, ethereal dreamscape. Deeper under the surface however lies an exploration of societal paradoxes which have long prevented solidarity and compassion. Explore the Czech artist’s poetic works accompanied by unique personal insight.

“Always a combination of a material and a problem.” Via a captivating interview, Natalia Kopytko invites us to explore her world of childhood archeology, social exclusion and forgotten stories, whether manifested through ceramic sculptures reminiscent of knotted seaweed or installations of stuffed textile organic shapes spilling over into space.

Nadiia Pliamko’s 3D art captivates the eye with its complexity, which at the same time sings a harmonious, life-affirming song of awe and color. The Ukrainian artist combines classic approaches with contemporary tools to explore fairy tales, fashion, but also everyday life in her signature surreal symbolism. Explore her works accompanied by a dazzling interview that emanates her intellect and artistic maturity.

Especially in the art world (but applicable universally), savouring, storing, sustaining and protecting your creative stimuli and inputs is just as paramount as letting them flow. Our fourth 2023 theme, ROOTS OF TASTE, seeks to find visual representations of our deepest, inherent drives to create that both anchor and activate us. The theme's animation was custom-made by Hélène L. Vaneukem.

In his current exhibition, the Jindřich Chalupecký Award winner Mark Ther re-represents the history of Prostějov. By working with taboo and poignant topics, the visitors are urged to reconsider their stereotypical mental processes. Mark’s works are part of the Prostějov Contemporary Art Festival, which its chief curator Míra Macík introduces in today’s feature.

Exhibition/performance Caliban and the Witches by Hélène Hulak, Lux Miranda and Johanna Rocard, which recently took place in Prague's Berlínskej model Gallery, disentangles the archetype of the witch from its negative patriarchal connotations of a cunning, evil and manipulative woman and turns it into a collective rebellious, utopian and hopeful vision. Curated by Céline Sabari Poizat.

“I know I'm making beautiful things but self-doubt can be a powerful confidence killer.” Enter the world of Zdeněk Vacek, a high-end jeweller, goldsmith and co-founder of the envelope-pushing Zorya brand. In the below interview, Zdeněk introduces his new eponymous label, reveals what is his “seed of peace” when creating, and how jewellery can defy entrenched social rituals.

Today, Island Mint are releasing their new EP All Studium No Punctum and with it comes a shift in the band's sound. Today, Matyáš Adámek, the band's frontman, writer and producer talks to us about the release, his song-writing process, and upcoming trip to Australia.

Have you ever seen ceramic artworks that could stare into your soul? Well, now you have. The idiosyncratic, whimsical and vibrant vases and decorative sculptures by Italian ceramist and illustrator Jimmy D. Lanza are always ready for a face-off. Meet the artist whose creation sits on the living room coffee table of Chiara Ferragni.

Following up on our last year’s Family Business editorial from Hotel Krystal, SWARM MAG today releases its accompanying video, IV. Along with our three previous clips it presents our visual identity, this time in the form of a peek at the usual workday of a secret occultist troupe of office workers at their 9-to-5, figuring out how to make a profit off a non-profit magazine.

Mio’s dedication to zero-waste fashion shows in every stitch she makes. Her garments in turn carry an air of innocence and fantasy, completely in line with Miochi’s aspiration to create a safe space, one where childhood nostalgia and sustainability combine into a greater whole.

“A duck quack sample? Yes.” Singular singer and songwriter Terra sat down with Swarm to talk her (and Kewu's) new album, fashion as big part of her artistic expression, how algorithmic “dopamine chase” forces artists into exaggerated and grotesque social media self-promotion, and more.

Marie Deboissy’s self-professed love for caravans and the outdoors shows in her gentle, subtle paintings. The artist uses trailer park settings to explore themes of childhood and adolescence, a period when experience is intensified and imprinted into innocent souls, defining them irreversibly for all time. Join us today on this trip with Marie to learn about her creative approach and influences.