art by CLAIRE CHANG
bkk UNZINE art magazine aims to showcase the talents of artists and to bring creativity and community to audiences around the world.
Ignite your passion!
This month’s theme, “Passion,” can be interpreted in many ways… it is most evocative of the excitement, energy, and emotion that can barely be contained and yearns to be manifest in our every day being. At bkk UNZINE, it is our passion to celebrate art and the creative talent behind it, by making art available to audiences and by bringing audiences to the artists who created it.
The various submissions in this issue have artists expressing what ignites their own passion… be it for art, for work, or for anything they love or are driven to do. Throughout the month of February 2025, the artwork from this issue will physically be on display at the stunning, Renaissance-inspired Cataleya Estate, a restaurant / café / Airbnb deep in Soi Sukhumvit 101 near BTS Punnawithi (for more info on the venue, please go here).
This group exhibition, curated by bkk UNZINE, will run from the 7th through the 28th of February 2025. Come join us for the opening reception of the exhibit, graced with a live performance by exceptionally talented violinist Monika (IG: @violin_inspiration_music), on Friday the 7th of February at 7:30 PM. Our artists will be in attendace and light snacks will be provided.
On the Sundays of the 16th and 23rd of February, visitors too will have the chance to channel their inner passions and participate in the many creative workshops we have planned at the venue. Please be advised that Cataleya Estate is closed on Tuesdays.
The group exhibition, organized by bkk UNZINE in support of and intended to grow the art community in Bangkok, closes on Friday, the 28th of February, with an auction of the pieces featured in the exhibit. Of course, feel free to book the pieces you like in advance.
Thanks to Cataleya Estate for graciously hosting our exhibition and, as always, thanks to our talented artists for standing with us through all of our efforts. See you at the opening!
Next month’s theme is….
Accepting submissions now through February 25th.
This year, we’re announcing all our monthly themes in advance so you’ll have more time to prepare your artwork! Please feel free to submit to any of our themes in advance!
featured artist
THE CRACKS AND VEINS OF PASSION
by CLAIRE CHANG
Procreate
Discovering a new passion is a beautiful moment, but sometimes there is a dark side - once the honeymoon phase is over and realities come into play, that passion can suddenly abandon you too. During the making of this piece, passion was many different things to me - at times it was art itself, and at others, specific faces came to mind. Still, no matter what it is, there are moments when passion leaves you alone in the dark to pick up the pieces. Depending on how you perceive the sequence of events, sudden abandonment by a passion doesn't have to be the linear end of the story - based on how you see the cracks, you can choose to find the golden beauty in them and heal by finding passion again, or see only the brokenness in the cracks and stay stagnant, though the light will find you with time.
Visual Development Artist
A graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a BFA in Entertainment Art and Animation, Claire Chang is a background and prop designer. In 2023, she completed a 5-month production internship at Nickelodeon. As a young girl, she loved to draw and watch Disney movies, and that passion for colors and art followed her all the way to adulthood. She aspires to design backgrounds and props that highlight overlooked cultures, particularly their beauty and human qualities. She is also passionate about traveling and learning about different cultures.
NASAL DRIP…
by ROBIN WESSBERG
acrylic on paper
I love all types of music but listen to a lot of hip hop when I paint, so this often tends to end up in the themes I make. I never sketch or use pencils, which leads to a lot of wasted paper and happy mistakes. This piece is my attempt at copying an album cover from one of my favorite current rappers, Rome Streetz. The album is called Noise Kandy 3.
Painter
Robin Wessberg describes himself as a “washed up skater from Los Angeles who’s been living, painting, and raising two wild little boys and two scruffy dogs in Bangkok since 2005.”
BIODIVERSITY of the MUSEUM of CONFLUENCES
by ESTELLE CRUZ
colored pencil & India ink
This artwork combines three of my passions: biodiversity, architecture, and comics. It is an A3 comic panel celebrating the beauty of biodiversity and the architecture of the Museum of Confluences in the city of Lyon in France. The piece highlights the iconic design by the Austrian architectural studio Coop Himmelb(l)au, while showcasing various plant and animal species found in Lyon.
Comic Artist, Researcher in Ecology, Mixed Media Artist
Estelle Cruz is an architect and PhD in ecology from the Museum of Natural History of Paris. She has worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Arts and Science departments of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok and investigated representations of nature in Thai comics. Estelle is also a member and associate researcher at CEEBIOS, the Center for Studies and Expertise in Biomimicry in Paris, and the MAP-Aria laboratory at ENSAL - École d'Architecture de Lyon, France.
Currently, Estelle is creating a comic sciences book as an artist and researcher in ecology. This comic book is realized in collaboration with Université Paris Cité and the laboratory LEM - UMR 7591 and addresses the challenges of ecological research in Southeast Asia. Fifty percent of her artistic income is dedicated to supporting biodiversity conservation in Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand.
A Passion for
Biodiversity & Conservation
An interview with official bkk UNZINE artist Estelle Cruz
THE FLYING MEMORY
by DAISIES DAYDREAMS
acrylic on canvas
Memory is the time that is free like wind in the winter sky. We collect all of the good and bad things within it, but we have to let our time fly away. Seize the day! Make the present day “a present.”
Illustrator, Painter
Daisies DayDreams is an artist based in Bangkok, Thailand who just wants to represent some cuteness through a character design named “Daisies.” He is flower’s fairy who is cheerful, confident, assertive and likes to try something new. The inspiration is that dreams are what drive people to improve their lives and make people more human.
MINIMALISTICO II
by LINDA VIKA
clay, mixed media & sand
I have always been inspired by texture and volume on canvas— this is my everything. Though small, it carries immense power, making it perfect for both small spaces or to transform a large empty wall with its striking presence.
Mixed Media Artist, Painter
Linda is an artist from Latvia who is now based in Bangkok. Her work focuses on abstract art, exploring various materials to create unique textures and patterns. She is currently drawn to acrylic resin, clay, and fabric, which allow her to add dimension and volume and make her pieces more dynamic and impactful.
PERPETUAL
by G3MSTRY
Blender
Art is a passion that will always be with me. It will never fade away with age, much like a gem encased in everlasting glass.
3D Artist, Musician
G3mstry specializes in wacky lil' characters and aesthetic art made in blender 3D. He also uses his art to make visualizers while performing music on stage.
BEDTIME STORY
by WATSAK
I tell a story about love and passion from when Yingyai sleeps in her bed. I experimented with storytelling in a “picturebook” style for these pieces, meaning one illustration and one story at a time. I don't work in a linear fashion; the story could be a continuation of some stories I created in the past or it could draw new information from works I just created recently as well. I guess I still value the fun in the creative process more than the logical method of work. Still, I aim to also step back to gather works I've done so far to see how the overall story looks also, which has the merit of deepening the story and making it easier to digest.
Writer, Illustrator
Watsak is a comic artist and animator based in Bangkok. He is the creator of Maihua, a universe of plant-human creatures and friends who live in a giant tree condominium somewhere in Bangkok where residents of that building believe in them and would be able to see them. Currently, Watsak focuses on his storytelling in the media of comics and animation.
BLOOMING MY PASSION
by LILITH THAYAMONTR
mixed media on canvas
We are all having our own passions in many ways and I’m sure we all wanted to live with or on our passions. I created this work to remind myself and others that we all are holding our own passions in our own hands. So we are able to make it happen and no matter how big it will be, it’ll always start with our hands and not others. When we start making our dreams with passion by ourselves, we will always appreciate and be proud to see they bloom at our own timelines. The most important thing is to start first, then appreciate the beauty of your passion when it’s blooming!
Mixed Media Artist
A mixed media artist based in Bangkok, Liliith is passionate about art, crafts and all kinds of handmade things. She loves being unique more than being trendy.
NO. 1
by JACQUELINE TAYLOR
I have been practicing automatic pen drawings for many years (using only black biro) and have developed particular methods. In accessing my subconscious mind, images symbols and lines that appear through fluid free uncontrolled expression ... These works were created during a very cold depressing English winter as a way to transform my feelings... I don't usually name my work but do give them numbers; these works were very transformative, so they could be called transformation...
Illustrator, Musician
A self-taught artist, prolific creator and dreamer, Jacqueline is a passionate and driven artist committed to personal transformation through daily artistic practice across multiple different art forms, and exploring the boundaries between creative imagination and authentic fluid and free expression.
POURING WIND
by HAPPYDUIS
When I draw I have thoughts of myself, inside out, hatching lines, mellow yellow, and unforgettable wind.
Illustrator
Happyduis is an ordinary daydreamer on a mission to be a super cool illustrator. He loves to tell stories and shout them out through his individual style of art, with his work usually released from silly thoughts and journeys in everyday life. Happyduis really likes to work with the floating imagination that randomly goes though his mind; that’s the way he creates stuff. His favorite things are ballpoint pen, hatching lines and blue ink.
PASSION
by NUATFU
NuatFU in the Wonderland of Food
Pad Krapao NuatFU
canvas prints
I love drawing and am passionate about food. My drawings are mostly about food because I am a big foodie and also a cook.
Comic Artist, Illustrator
NuatFu has been an illustrator for 4 years, previously working as a graphic designer, and decided to work in this field because having always felt happy and proud to draw. NuatFu wants to be the number 1 artist in the world, like Banksy, Van Gogh, etc. and for the world to know NuatFu, now having self-financed canvases and merchandise.
DUAL FACETS & ESSENCE UNBOUND
by JAYGRAPHER
A collaboration art project with PloyPim, who does abstract color art while my focus leans towards measured line artwork. The passion to show the contrast between styles and how we see the world shines through how we express ourselves, a self-reflection of needing structure or free flow from our identities. The face is entitled “Dual Facets” and the bags are “Essence Unbound.” Each piece presents a face divided, where structured, geometric patterns meet freeform, painterly strokes, symbolizing the balance between internal discipline and external richness. The black lines embody the organized, analytical aspects of self, while bold hues represent emotional depth and the complexities of personal experience. Together, these works invite viewers to consider the layered nature of identity—both the structured and the chaotic, the concealed and the expressive.
Photographer, Illustrator
Mainly a photographer, JayGrapher enjoys drawing images in ink pen sketching styles and exploring art styles and subjects to draw. He wants to draw things that he cannot capture with his camera.
PASSION & THE PATH: A TACTILE JOURNEY
by ERIYA MIURA
gouache & acrylic on canvas and paper, cotton, paper & metallic thread, sequins, glass beads, chiffon fabric, paper
This work explores the complex and essential cycle of life through tactile techniques in embroidery, beading and collage on canvas. Drawing on the spiritual teachings of Buddhism and Hinduism, the artwork illustrates how passion, just like nature, can be both a destructive and creative force. When threaded with wisdom and good intention, it can serve as the opposite of an uncontrollable agency, but as a conscious, transformative energy capable of leading to peace and clarity.
The representations of the Hindu trinity—Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu—are woven into the work through book deconstruction, symbolizing the dynamics of destruction, creation, and preservation. Both the canvas and book work in symbiosis to encourage reflection on these themes, embodying the process of mindful assembly of new creations from remnants of the old. The act of destruction, when executed with care and intent, is not an end, but a beginning—an opening for growth and rebirth.
Graphic Designer, Fashion Designer, Mixed Media Artist
Eriya Miura is an interdisciplinary visual artist whose practice explores the intersection of tactile design and conceptual hybridity. Her work combines craftsmanship, textile manipulation, collage and digital design to create pieces that evoke both emotion and intrigue. Originally from Phnom Penh and currently based in Bangkok, her multifaceted approach also comes from having lived in New York, Paris and Brussels. Her creations evoke a dreamlike, emotional atmosphere, often characterized by fluid 3D textures and organic compositions. With a background in fashion, textiles, and information design, Eriya’s design philosophy invites materials to reveal their own narratives, emphasizing storytelling through textiles. By blending traditional techniques with unconventional methods of construction, she transforms the ethereal into the tangible, forging a deep connection between process, material, and narrative.
PASSIONATE ABOUT CATS
by GEMSTONE
This is for my love for cats and also for Chinese New Year… so this is my passion.
Here are the twins:
Hikaru is the luck fortune snake.
Karou is the dragon dancing snake.
The younger two:
Mousse has caught her snake.
Alan is playing with his toy snake.
My two older boys.
Kyo is the snake charmer.
Dumpling is scared of snakes.
2D Artist
Gemma Smith likes drawing with pencils for most of her work, but she sometimes use pens and paint as well. Drawing is only a hobby for her.
PASSION
by SOPHIE CARS
acrylic on canvas
Pigeons go crazy about the bread bait, it’s their true passion. They don’t know “pretend” and they don’t need to “know” or “find it.” When they see bread, they eat bread and fight for it and it makes them happy. Kurlik!
Sketch Artist, Painter
From St. Petersburg, Sophie considers her job is to teach, her background was to cure and her love throughout the years has been drawing! Back home, where she participated in many exhibitions, Sophie founded a course of live sketches, believing that drawing live models is an unstoppable well of inspiration. Now she is exploring the rich Thai art scene, meeting new gorgeous people and trying to go to every art event she sees!
Writer, editor, critic and translator Matteo Gaspari chats about comics
bkk UNZINE founder Sketchman Boris met Matteo Gaspari when we were invited to Taichung in Taiwan and was immediately inspired by his enthusiasm about comics. When we started researching for this interview did we learn that Matteo has touched almost every aspect of comics-making. This was such a great chat, even with the missing recording from zoom. We hope you will enjoy this interview as much as Boris did conducting it.
Show your art in bkk UNZINE!
next month’s theme is….
Accepting submissions NOW through FEBRUARY 25th