illustration

“We always wanted a place to hide. To inhabit islands with their own rules, where we can die and be reborn.” Today’s feature by Bára Čápová explores the parallels between Deleuze’s utopia of desert islands and contemporary liminal space aesthetics. Her meditation is accompanied by illustrations by Andrea Sklepek Šafaříková, underscoring the mysterious atmosphere of once-crowded, now-empty environments.

There are only two scenarios for the future. In his philosophical essay, Becoming a Nuclear Ghost (Notes on the Non-Existence of Utopia), on the basis of postapocalyptic pop-culture visions, Martin Charvát constructs the outermost possibilities of social existence. Illustrated by Dominik Turan.

“Cosmic Planta is the story of a planet in a completely different galaxy that has not yet been discovered. Only our green friends live on the planet; plants and trees. After a special asteroid from outer space lands on this green planet, everything changes...” In today’s feature, Princess Hıdır invites us to her vivid universe where Ozoyo’s ephemeral beats pulse with the sentient flora’s breaths.

Timothée Boubay’s roots in spray art developed into the mastery of a digital airbrush style. Using a precise geometrical approach, the French artist’s works take us to sci-fi fantasy worlds that explicate his abstract themes. In his take on Future Forecasting, Timothée accompanies his materialized visions with an explication of his formative influences.

Amir Zand’s unique creative vision has attracted many names in the sci-fi culture industry, but today we present you with his personal playground. Enter Anomaly, Amir’s passion project where he is unconstrained by the requirements of clients like Disney, Netflix or Microsoft, and where he can fully delve into expressing his most intimate experiences and visions in visual form. You will find he has even found time to discuss some of the key aspects of his imagination in today’s exclusive interview – that is, if you manage to look away from his breathtaking artworks.

If 'utopia' is the promise of four-day workweek for some thanks to even more intelligent automatisation of labour, why not let AI do the heavy creative lifting? Welcome to the opening article of our inaugural 2023 theme, TOWARDS TERRA. To match the Midjourney-generated illustrations accompanying the article, we've interviewed the talk-of-the-town app ChatGPT regarding its “opinions” on the future of various artforms

Everyone has a different way of tuning out from the bustle of daily life; Sawako Kabuki’s favourite outlet is drawing dozens of cheeky cheeks in every scene unimaginable. The animator and illustrator uses simple color contrasts and juxtaposed proportions for the process’ meditative effect, and this calmness resonates through the pieces despite the naughty subject matter.

Having moved from the rigid world of tattoo art, Polish artist Izabella Wolf aka Devils Claws found her freedom in illustration and ceramic painting. Her works carry an air of mythical alchemism in a tribute to animism, her ancestors, and the wise women hunted both in the past and today. Let this feature spellbind you through Izabella’s creations and insightful commentary.

Custom-written for our current theme FULL OF DESIRE, Czech author Zuzana Trachtová presents a string of associative vignettes offering a glimpse into a heart-rending and organic trudge through a body and mind ravaged by heartbreak. Accompanied by illustrations by Eva Maceková. HE'S A DRUG, I'M A WITCH

The Netherlands-based animator Hannah Frogs’ eclectic style taps into our collective memories of gentle hues and images. Breathing life into her scenes and characters, these in turn recall a childhood nostalgia with a contemporary touch. Her inspirations and creative processes are as dreamy as her artworks – enter Hannah’s fantasy world with us

Guille Carmona’s artworks transport to a dreamscape of sculpted, wet bodies waiting to be touched. The artist’s digital style is reminiscent of airbrushed paintings and draws on inspirations ranging from bodybuilding magazines to Japanese mythology in exploring the various flavors of contemporary queer masculinity. Read today’s interview to find out about Guille’s inspirations and what gets his creative juices going.

Enjoy Zuzana Trachtová's slightly NSFW, candid and eye-opening collection of couples' direct observations of the minute or significant shifts in the romantic and sexual layers of their relationships after one of the partners gave birth. Accompanied by illustrations by Kim Zemene.

István Hutter, the Netherlands-based Hungarian visual artist captures in his works the underlying inhospitability of supposedly friendly environments. Channeling his history with an anxiety disorder, he presents the Recreation series to express the gnawing sensation of crowded spaces – including in 360° VR. Among other things, in today’s interview he discusses his inspirations, narratives and the absence of arms of his characters.

Daniel Drabek’s monsters are not for the sterile gallery wall: the Italian-Swiss visual artist’s creations find their home on posters, album covers, clothing and stickers, among other surfaces. Today, Daniel provides a glimpse into the role of spontaneously projecting memory into his art and reveling in the distortions that emerge.

Rahel Süßkind, also creating under the alias Chrissy Fahrenbruch, mirrors in her singular illustrations “the world as she sees it”. These cutesy, vivid visions include bipedal animal hybrids such as Snooh, a friendly green character kneaded into existence from no other substance than… phlegm. Enjoy a slightly oozy interview with the author.

“Many microbiologists argue that we should start thinking of humans as microbial ecosystems or multispecies collectives.” Charlie Spies’ Gutopia animations playfully and intimately explore the dividual on the backdrop of a late capitalist society still riddled with archaic stereotypes and rigid knowledge-creation processes.

What do a flock of starlings and generative design have in common? Why does chaotic movement fascinate and unsettle us at the same time? And how can we tell if we're watching a real video or a screensaver? In her article, Bára Čápová reflects on the similarities between the natural movement of animal flocks and herds and algorithmic digital images. Illustrations for the article were created by Jakub Bachorík.

Having abandoned his expressionist roots, Melcher Oosterman’s work has taken on a new level of authentic playfulness. Fascinated by the world of animals, the Dutch artist’s imaginary worlds reflect the wordless kinship between species, and more recently also his new interest in ceramics.

In a free-wheeling interview, Belarus-born mixed-media and 3D artist Volcia Porakh afforded us a little glimpse into her world, that took us all the way to summer-sun coloured childhood memories smelling of playfulness, wide-eyed discoveries, old Disney comics, and warm, melted plasticine.

In an insightful and poignant essay, art theorist Tereza Špinková takes a fascinating plunge into the perceived Anthropocentric border on which liminal animals, othereness, monsters, and non-human-centred art currently exist. Ethereal, primordial-like digital fuzziness provided by illustrator Juliana Höschlová accompanies the written piece.