Accompanied by delicate bugs and social betta fish, the cats in Tùng Nâm’s illustrations (beforehand) alternate between curiosity, serenity, friskiness, and dedication. The artist portrays a range of feline natures, merging their likenesses with flowers, waves, foliage, and clouds.
Nâm’s characters are playfully anthropomorphized, donning patterned kimonos and hair ornaments. The sequence emerged organically from apply sketches of flowers within the ukiyo-e fashion.
“I felt like it was missing something, so I tried to add a cat as the protagonist,” Nâm tells Colossal. “Somehow it still doesn’t feel right, so I think of adding a companion—fishes, butterfly, dragonfly—like they were encountering each other in a specific moment.” Fittingly, he known as the sequence An encounter.
An accompanying assortment, A Floating World, takes additional inspiration from the style, instantly referencing the Japanese phrase ukiyo. The time period describes a hedonistic life-style in Edo—now known as Tokyo—within the 1600s, spawning a mode of artwork that captured the temper and pursuits of the interval. Famed artists like Hokusai or Hiroshige targeted on woodblock printing and portray to signify scenes from historical past, folks tales, kabuki actors, wildlife, landscapes, and extra.
For Nâm, ukiyo-e supplies the start line for exploring a variety of material. He’s presently exploring concepts for additional illustrations that incorporate totally different animals and visible cultures.
Discover extra on the artist’s Behance and Instagram.
