DREAM
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Closer to my inanimate-animate boyf (2019)
The extent to which his artworks transform reality into a self-interpreted fantasy
My artistry is based on the idea of luminal ambience - the space between the conscious and unconscious, which is the subconsciousness of our mind that is really mundane and that people don’t really think about. When I create works, it’s based on my personal experiences. An altered experience lets me see objects or narratives in different ways. For instance, when I see a phone, I see it as a medium where I can talk to things of the unknown. So, this is some of my altered experiences that I put in my practice.
Of unnameable beauty
collide between innocent lovers
insensate lust, yet the purest
soft-tender loving creature
embed white mire
a future decided
kimochi – everlasting
It’s cumulative, not singular (2019)
It’s cumulative, not singular (2019)
BY HILDA NIKITA YUSMAN, JAMIE LEE,
REYHAN FAUSTINO, VRINDA MAHESHWARI
AND WOO MIKO
When we started work on PHANTASM, one of our goals was to create a realm of fantasy for the everyday people. Today, everyone chases after success to prove that the lives they live are not wasted. This leads to forgetting what it means to dream.
Perhaps the time and space to fantasise about a life beyond our nature no longer exists. But we believe that hopes and dreams never die. They are a continuum that constantly challenges the norms of reality, pushing the best and worst of us to serve a greater purpose in life besides modern success and the constant “hustling”. We want to inspire our readers to visualise a better world or simply hold onto the faith that life is more than the horizon we have chosen to see.
So how do we inspire ourselves to keep dreaming? To breathe fresh air into the monotony of life, PHANTASM speaks to 8 Southeast Asia-based creatives to find out more.
Click on each image to read more on the creatives and their various works
BY HILDA NIKITA YUSMAN, JAMIE LEE,
REYHAN FAUSTINO, VRINDA MAHESHWARI
AND WOO MIKO
When we started work on PHANTASM, one of our goals was to create a realm of fantasy for the everyday people. Today, everyone chases after success to prove that the lives they live are not wasted. This leads to forgetting what it means to dream.
Perhaps the time and space to fantasise about a life beyond our nature no longer exists. But we believe that hopes and dreams never die. They are a continuum that constantly challenges the norms of reality, pushing the best and worst of us to serve a greater purpose in life besides modern success and the constant “hustling”. We want to inspire our readers to visualise a better world or simply hold onto the faith that life is more than the horizon we have chosen to see.
So how do we inspire ourselves to keep dreaming? To breathe fresh air into the monotony of life, PHANTASM speaks to 8 Southeast Asia-based creatives to find out more.
Click on each image to read more on the creatives and their various works
FELEZEDAD
Illustrator
@felezedad uses illustration as a medium and also features photography and painting in her works.
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Disconnection (2020)
On the blurring of reality and illusion in her work
I think it is easier for me to tackle taboo issues with the use of surrealistic elements so that people won’t find it terrifying when they see my artworks.
I Dreamt About You Last Night (2020)
Original Sin (2020)
Oral Sex (2020)
HOWIE
Digital Illustrator
@howie759 uses digital illustrations to create his narratives and visuals.
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Heart of Lambs (2019)
On blurring the lines between reality and illusion in his worksI
think my works are constantly trying to blur the lines between reality and fantasy and that it goes back to what I mentioned previously. What is real and what is not in this age of social media. Even with my filters, that’s a good example because they literally put people or my audiences in a space where it's not real, but it's real. So it blurs the line in between things.
Xiao Tian Tian(2019)
On working with surrealism in his art
At the start, it was something that I personally enjoy. I like surrealistic works and that’s why I was doing some sort of surrealism (in my works). Eventually, it came to this idea of how we look up images on the internet which are often very photoshopped. People would say, “Oh, no photoshop, we need to be natural”. But I think in some ways, society has reached a point where we look at these images and we know that these aren’t real and we know that some airbrushing has been done to these images.
So I was just using that idea and as I use myself a lot in my work, I started bringing that to another level. I was manipulating my images to a point where people would look at it and think that these aren’t real. I was trying to question the idea of what is real and what is not on the internet. So if someone does not post any natural images of themselves, does that make the person unauthentic? That was the theme I was exploring.
3 Heads (2019)
RAIGO
Mixed Medium Artist
@auminaes creates digital prints and sculptures to contextualise his works.
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Closer to my inanimate-animate boyf (2019)
The extent to which his artworks transform reality into a self-interpreted fantasy
My artistry is based on the idea of luminal ambience - the space between the conscious and unconscious, which is the subconsciousness of our mind that is really mundane and that people don’t really think about. When I create works, it’s based on my personal experiences. An altered experience lets me see objects or narratives in different ways. For instance, when I see a phone, I see it as a medium where I can talk to things of the unknown. So, this is some of my altered experiences that I put in my practice.
Of unnameable beauty
collide between innocent lovers
insensate lust, yet the purest
soft-tender loving creature
embed white mire
a future decided
kimochi – everlasting
It’s cumulative, not singular (2019)
It’s cumulative, not singular (2019)
BENG
Photographer
@feedbeng uses photography and illustrations as mediums in his works and also does creative direction.
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Self-preservation, Beings From A Different Planet (2016)
On the element of phantasmagoria in his work and style
Fantasy or illusion plays a huge part in my work process especially in the conception of my projects. This is mainly because reality to me, more often than not, feels restrictive and stagnant. These conflicting notions are what I think is necessary to create interesting narratives in my work.
Self-preservation, Self Expression Through Dressing (2016)
It’s cumulative, not singular (2019)
ZARER
Graphic Designer
@zayrerboy designs graphics with the use of mediums such as illustration and typography. He also does art direction and branding.
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G Spot (2020)
On using narratives as an extension of his identity as an individual and as an artist
I value authenticity. Creating art to me is to reveal my feelings and distinctive thoughts no matter how unseemly or unflattering they are. The good, the bad and all the ugly in the process (of creating) is where I believe beauty comes through and I think the risk of being exposed is something that is very human.
"Yeah, I think my work is often a projection of a romanticised reaction to things happening in my life. So I think it's a way to make myself make sense of my surroundings."
On the extent of using surrealistic elements in his work
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The Usual Spot (2020)
POLINA KOROBOVA
Performance Artist
@godsavedthequeen uses performance arts as a medium and incorporates glitter in her works.
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On imparting or carving a part of herself into her works
In the beginning, it was me on an everyday basis and me as an artist. When I was studying in LASALLE, my works were super colourful and all over the place. However, I was wearing all black and had black hair which was very different from my art. After working with glitter, I realised that performance arts brought me out of my comfort zone. At some point, I realised that (wearing black) was not me at all and started morphing (both personalities). Since using glitter three years ago, my artworks have always been colourful, resulting in my wardrobe to almost be full of colours. I’m now bold with all of my make-up and clothing choices. Everything in my life dictates how I choose my art materials. It used to be a very separated part of my life but now it has morphed to become a whole package.
My whole life, I struggle with portraying realistic images or just trying to paint realistically. It’s difficult for me, so everything is very much the opposite of realistic.
On her works leaning towards reality or illusions mixed with reality
TANYA
Photographer
@inntya uses photography and filmography as mediums to create her works.
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On knowing that she wanted to be in this field of work
My creativity definitely stems from my inquisitive nature. While creating art and other visuals, my creative juices just flow from my own personal interpretation of the visuals. I am an extremely observant person, and this skill really comes in handy while creating my interpretation of the visuals. Just watching things happen makes me want to pick up my pen and sketch my heart out. My art may differ from the outside because it is how I interpret it. For me, creativity is all about my own interpretation. It's all about me questioning stuff and allowing myself to go into the visualisation step.
On the phantasmagorical elements in her work and style
I feel that my vision is my reality, and I think that most people see me and my work and feel like it's very surreal and a bit grotesque. My art is all about tapping into a zone which is all about pushing myself. In a way, surrealism is my reality and it is how I see things.
1304201652 (2019-2020)
3103201615 (2019-2020)
1809201826 (2019-2020)
2310191338 (2019-2020)
THE NEXT MOST FAMOUS ARTIST
Collage Artist
@thenextmostfamousartist is a visual arts director by day and collage artist by night.
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On using phantasmagorical elements in his work
I think that since my work is about superimposing classical figures in our modern reality, it is phantasmagorical in a way. It is the acknowledgement that realities are very fluid and subjective through different techniques like photo-manipulation.
However, my works are (also) phantasmagorical, not just about how well the classical figures were superimposed to create a realistic scenario, but the total experience of relating to the expression, action, and narrative of the work. Social media plays a huge role in this experience. I see my artworks as living and breathing organisms in the virtual space where they interact with the stories of other people and go through multiple narrations. So, the result will be different realities attached to a single artwork.
The Purification (2020)
Couple at Wonderwash (2020)
“I see my artworks as living and breathing organisms in the virtual space where they interact with the stories of other people and go through multiple narrations.”
On using phantasmagorical elements in his work
On art being a channel for self-expression
The framework of my art is self-expression and a medium for conveying my feelings and even the use of social media helps me to say what I feel. The words and the art I post on Instagram is an extension of my mind and afterwards, it morphs into an extension of what others think and feel, which is the beauty of social media.
There’s plenty of fish in the sea (2020)
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