interview

Nina Bachmann’s vivid paintings explore the veneers and facades of all we deem pleasant. The ecstatic expressions of her androgynous figures seem to carry an uncanny other side palpable only experientially, balancing momentary joy and looming withdrawal. Join us today for an interview with the artist and in asking whether intoxication is really as pleasurable and positive as it seems or just a disguise of human abysses.

Maisie Broome's fabrics and garments, created with the mesmerising technique of water transfer printing that is oh-so-satisfying to watch, arrest the imagination and make us feel like we're slowly sinking into a drippy, swirling, vibrant vortex. Enjoy an interview with the multidisciplinary artist and designer in which she shares her grounding processes, approaches to innovation or the importance of having the time to evolve.

Hungarian artist Liliána Pálfai explores a femininity she sees as innate to every woman through her illustrations. By employing vibrant colors and fairy-like aesthetics, this aspect is transposed on digital paper to invoke spiritual and ethereal atmospheres. Read today’s interview to learn about her creative approach, technique, and the border between art and therapy.

Zsófi Edőcs’s illustrations and animations explore a care-free, joyous realm of vivid colors and playful shapes, accompanied by her analog synthesizer. When exploring the medium of film however, the Hungarian artist’s works delve into the anxieties of adulting, yet retain her signature humorous touch.

The mesmerising videos of Dutch textile designer Joana Schneider cutting open sections of her rope tapestries, which then blossom into vibrant yarn flowers, gained a fair amount of virality across TikTok and Instagram. Besides these, Joana sculpts and exhibits richly coloured objects out of salvaged and recycled ropes using traditional techniques such as pluis netting and dolly knotting. Enjoy an interview with the inventive designer below.

Creepy Teepee is a unique Czech musical event disregarding genre boundaries, focusing instead on community, contemporary themes, and cutting-edge creative approaches by artists from all over the world. SWARM MAG sat down with one of its chief organizers Jakub Hošek to bring you a closer look at the event’s values, background, and 2023 lineup. There are still some last tickets available, so don’t miss it!

Kong Yue is one of the notable fashion designers who emerged from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium. His vibrant and statuesque creations are produced with the help of highly sustainable practices, which the designer developed himself, without compromising the desired aesthetic.

Vincent Snijder’s approaches to design range from 3D scans & prints to animations created with audio software, and inspirations spanning movie and gaming culture all the way to anthropology and history. One guiding line in his works however is an investigation of human rituals and cultures, both physical and intangible. Today you get a chance to explore even some of his upcoming artworks, accompanied by curatorial texts and Vincent’s personal insights.

With definitions of her work spanning “a structure or form that combines multiple living organisms or biological elements” or “a hybrid organism created through synthetic techniques”, Xinyi Tao’s fashion design imagines a biomorphic future where the line between wear and wearer is completely blurred. Explore this material interbecoming in today’s feature, accompanied by an insightful interview with the cutting-edge artist.

Linda Morell’s recent exhibition dives into the jellified oceans of a future Earth, a place so alienated from mankind that it itself is uncertain which life forms it will favor. Inspired by Paradise Lost, mythologies and collapse of civilization, her unique installations explore a non-linear temporality through materials and interplay.

“I will continue to question our existence and try to be appeased in a crazy and violent world.” Armenian-Iberian accessory designer Mara Tchouhabjian is the author of intricate and ornate headpieces, using fabric, beads, embroidery, wire or natural woven materials. Enjoy a down-to-the-point interview with the artist below.

In exploring movement and transformation, choreographer Paweł Sakowicz delves into the Romantic landscape. In his upcoming Fatamorgana project he exploits the tropes of seeing and gestures in evoking an ambiguous nostalgia. Read today’s interview for an insightful peek into his approach to choreography and contemporary dance, and don’t miss the fast-approaching Prague premiere!

Zexian Liu's playful, vibrant and mix-and-match outfits and shoewear rife with prints, patterns and textures invite both the wearer and the viewer to enter her world of contrasts, randomness and celebration of the simple beauty of just looking around us every day. We are delighted to bring you an interview with the fashion designer below.

Mnemosyne Unit-01 is a hyper-creature that contains the DNA of all known eukaryotic species as they navigate a deserted Earth. The premise of Dimitris Gkikas’ walking simulator, an emerging gaming genre, takes the player to an eclectic universe which, despite its grim post-apocalypticism, maintains a light spirit and insightful view of technology.

“I find wastefulness nauseating.” Sophia Rotas, the mastermind behind Daemon Concept, a brand that seeks to “redefine severe luxury through fine jewellery”, afforded SWARM Mag a piece of her mind on her journey from maximalism to ascetic simplicity, Hungarian ballroom culture, not fearing perceived perfection or how AI-generated art can never reflect the “Zeitgeist”. Enjoy the captivating interview below.

Irina Dzhus' eponymous label, DZHUS, gained global notoriety thanks to transformable and mostly monochrome maximalist-minimalist creations that sometimes cocoon their wearer. In the interview, she reveals how her garments are created to be deeply versatile by design, the challenges of producing and delivering pieces from the war-stricken Ukraine, the importance of cruelty-free materials, and how fashion should stay socially responsive in the future.

The long-running creative collaboration between Ula Lucińska and Michał Knychaus has recently led the Polish duo to explore the non-linearity of time, speculative approaches and the notion of catastrophe through their multimedia works. In their own words, “even if the environments we render are dark and repulsive they always contain elements of restoration and new life”, hanging in a balance between the surgical and organic. Today, you get to join them in their realms accompanied by an insightful interview.

The vibrant and mythos-like works of Spanish fashion and jewellery designer Cristina Milhero are sure to capture one's attention mercilessly, like a gluetrap. Read along to get familiar with her thoughts on the broader ethical codex designers should put into practice, keeping her eyes off the catwalks, corrupted minds and attention span, and more.

As part of her Friendship series, the creatures and beings in Denisa Müllerová’s works float in an ethereal space beyond desires and pain. Despite their alien optics, they all seek very familiar things: “They lightly touch each other. They contemplate. They convey the most necessary and important message – I'm here with you.” Join their presence in today’s feature accompanied by an explication of their universe and its creator.

Since 2016, London-based Gregory Kara has been crafting costumes and accessories for the likes of Grimes, Lady Gaga, P!nk, Nicky Minaj and many more. His stylistic focus could be best described as war-nymph aesthetic, and Kara's work predominantly includes facial accessories, oscillating between masks and headdresses, and also bodices or armour-like full-body pieces (and an occasional custom eyepatch for Madonna). Let us treat you to an exclusive interview with the artist below, including a truly uplifting parting message.