“Mothmeister” is the moniker of the duo behind surreal, fantastical, and unsettling portraits of lonesome clowns and other creatures across varying backdrops. They call their fictional universe Wounderland, a place where the Instagram culture is reflected in drab, masked figures often accompanied by stuffed and mounted animals, a product of the two’s fascination pf and collecting habits in taxidermy.
Argentina-born, Barcelona-based painter Peca crafts paintings, drawings, and stop-motion films in which fictional creatures roam and cosmic, surreal scenes unfold. In this exclusive peek inside her sketchbook, this imagery is mixed with typographic elements. And although Peca’s work may seem otherworldly, there’s an introspective, autobiographical quality to these images.
Australian artist Lucy Hardie’s pen and ink creations are crafted with a fine stippling technique, resulting in enchanting and surreal scenes. Mostly self-taught, the Melbourne-based artist cites H.J. Ford, Matthias Grunewald, Ivan Bilibin, and the Old Masters as influences. Hardie was last mentioned on HiFructose.com here.
The faces of subjects in Björn Griesbach’s “Hollow Children” are smudged in graphite on mylar, save for the wide grins rendered ominous in the process. The German illustator, based Hannover, has a knack for evoking specific moods with pops of colors and detailed renderings, but this series offers a simpler, bleak approach. Griesbach was last featured on HiFructose.com here.
Zolloc is the moniker of Austin-bred, New York City-based artist/animator Hayden Zezula. When HiFructose.com last checked in with the Tumblr-lauded phenom, we called his gray-toned, mutant baby-filled GIFs “chill-inducing.” Many of the GIFs in this piece take on a more abstract form, vague structures that bubble and evolve. There’s still an organic aspect to those creations, and somehow, the artist’s work maintains its ability to be both absorbing and inspire uneasiness.
The warped and surreal nature of Paul Kaptein’s sculptures are even more startling when you consider the medium: Kaptein hand-carves each piece from wood. And the “glitchy” aspect of the works is heightened by gaps and holes present throughout, in a sense emptying the figures of their worldliness. And with names like, “With the Poise of One Entering a Black Hole for the Third Time” (shown above), there’s both a humor and cosmic quality to the Australian artist’s work. Kaptein was last featured on HiFructose.com here.