Leafing in an ancient tome of forbidden magic, the blackish paintings seem to move… in this world, Michal Kocourek gathers the inspiration which then haunts his dreams. Unafraid of the consequences, he conjures the demons in his artworks, taming them as pawns into board games and exhibitions.
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Kyrgyz visual artist Alexey Shahov creates monochrome scenes of abstract lines and objects stripped to their peculiar essence. In his interview for SWARM MAG he sheds some light on the inspirations and processes that lead to his poignant artworks where shapes and figures blend into uncanny assemblages.
Join us on a hike to the round, pastel world of Barbora Idesova, the Prague-based illustrator originally from Košice, Slovakia. Barbora tells us about her inspirations and methods, throwing light on her signature style that blends nature and mythology into familiar, yet mysterious visual planes.
Liga Spunde, the Latvian digital illustrator and multimedia artist tells SWARM MAG about her creative process, inspirations and 2019 exhibition of her pointed, disconcerting takes on a post-internet aesthetic, interrogating the phenomenon of online hate culture and what lurks beneath.
With influences ranging from early board games to old school metal album covers, California-based visual artist Josh Freydkis conjures up images from a vivid and sinister fantasy world with a magic touch of playfulness and nostalgia.
The soft, rounded illustrations of Serbian graphic designer Pavle Ćirić give the impression of fragile glass ornaments with a sheen of a soap-bubble-like iridescence. Two of the ones presented in the article were custom-made for the NEO-MEDIEVALISM theme.
“[My sword] would be very beautiful but harmless because I hate violence.” French illustrator and handpoke tattoo artist Marie Besse lays before us her linear, spiky and prodding visions resembling prickly vines and sparkly fata morganas.
In an exclusive SWARM Mag interview, illustrator Julia Sayapina talks dream logic, the cultural significance of sharing tales in Russia, and introduces us to her series of graphic works dedicated to the female image in cinema and songwriting.
“Maybe it's the need for mystery and spirituality or maybe it just looks good.” Jakub Hrdlička, working under the artistic pseudonym of Hrzla, shares in an exclusive interview for SWARM Mag his creative processes, inspirations, and the outlook on the recent gradual resurrection of medieval themes in art.
“I prefer an imperfect but lively drawing.” Belgian native Mathieu Van Assche is adding more (perhaps mythical and ritualistic) layers of meaning to already loaded historical photographs and old masters' paintings.
When looking at Marijpol's world, we get the distinct feeling of encountering a mythical folklore monster born out of superstition and hearsay. Her digital illustrations of various chimeras and (human?) beings are rife with patterning and repeated structures almost to the point of a moiré effect.
