illustration

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.

Where others see demonic human-animal hybrids, illustrator Anna Dietzel sees creatures just doing their thing, vibing and simply existiing. Get to know her world of black backgrounds, slithering bodies, fangs and unsettling smiles in an interview for SWARM Mag.

When encountering the works of Austrian illustrator Lony Mathis, the first look reveals the squishy cuteness of inflatable toys and the second one some lurking, vaguely disturbing details. In an exclusive interview, she talks the destructive powers of perfectionism, favourite aesthetics, and dogs' unconditional love.

“Maybe there is a little bit of a dog in me too.” Andrew Tseng, Amsterdam-based illustrator, visual artist and occasional clay sculptor, brings to life warped, spilling shapes in drawings that feature canines more often than not. Read about his love for four-legged companions, and his designing techniques and approaches in the exclusive interview below.

SWARM MAG and selected Portuguese visual artists came together to create the latest edition of the Lobster Scarf Collection, this time on the topic of Future Forecasting. Delve into the collaborative project’s motivations, perspectives and inspirations along with interviews with the involved artists. Stay warm and keep the future fun!

Hello wanderer, you've stumbled upon the Gooniverse. Feel free to enjoy your presence here despite (or thanks to) your confusion – this world wasn't made to make sense to you. You're welcomed to soak up Balfua's wildly intricate and layered artistic vision.

Reminiscent of 80s video-game worlds full of ultraviolence and tech-obsessed, metal- and leather-clad villains and villainesses, Pol-Edouard's illustrations will envelop your senses with a dizzying, flashy and almost tribalistic feel.

Each of Davor Gromilovic’s paintings is a world of its own: they all have their lore, characters and narrative. The joy of decoding each of these masterful, otherworldly universes lies in what you project on them, and in this SWARM MAG interview you can peek into the head of their mastermind.

Jellyburger’s saturated neons may remind one of vaporwave and internet aesthetics, but there is more at play here than surfaces: her works oscillate between stillness and motion, delving into the perplexities of the contemporary while keeping in mind the greater pictures at play.

Czech poet Jan Jindřích Karásek and Finnish digital artist Lauri Renvall come together for an exclusive collaboration in this SWARM MAG entry. Delve into this unique intermedial play where text and digital art touch on the complex topics of today’s intimacy.

Who counts sheep and who the freckles on your imaginary body before they go to sleep? Writer Zuzana Trachtová portrays how our fantasies claim and appropriate strangers' bodies for our own amusement and arousal – and vice versa. The essay is accompanied by illustrations and animations by Lucie Frýdlová.

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.

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.