bkk UNZINE Issue #20
Loving PEACE
Published: 1st April 2022
We realize we’ve been breathing Peace only when we see others lose it. News can inform your mind but only Art speaks to your heart.
In our information driven world we can learn about the results of human actions. Artists however, can make us feel that our inner conversation is also the conversation we want to have with the world.
We are thankful to the artists in this issue for reminding us that deep inside beyond our identities we have built on the outside, there is a being which seeks inner peace out in the world.
PEACE.
– bkk UNZINE team: Jam, Maia, Sketchman Boris, Venky.
If you are an artist and you want to be part of our artist community, the next theme for May issue #21 is “COMICS”, you can submit your artwork at this link:
Artists in this issue
Ban Rak Sun
Oley
Steven
Andi
Elizabeth
Michiko
Venky
Stephane
Chartlajam
Jocelyn
Marc Kuegle
Ranich
Boris
Ineffable
Too fulsome, too
Naive, it was to think
That that which was wrought
In hot flames of simmering
Remnants and debris
Of an emerging sun
And in cooling temperatures and time
Brought forth myriad life
Teeming
But hardly teams,
Each devouring what it could for energy to live
As though being alive overrode the means
By which it was sustained,
Should one day have peace.
Were we fools, like children
With beliefs in an all giving Santa —
A Santa of physical and biological laws–
When at best the best bacteria
Over thousands of years
Became symbiotic like mitochondria
And intestinal microbes
And when the best galaxies
Were not surrounded by black holes.
And as to those boys,
Unwitting aggressors
Who only knew to invade
Our homeland hours
Before their incursions,
Only now do they regret
Their roles
While acting their parts
Ineluctably
Ineffably, indelibly.
And we
In scorched earth policies
For the attrition of supply lines
And the tossing of Molotov cocktails
Onto their stalled tanks
Make ourselves as vile in action
As in inaction.
Hardly halcyon,
Was life, we think
Really worth living?
–Steven David Justin Sills
Author of An American Papyrus
Finding Peace of Mind
Gouache on paper
When you feel anxious or stress out, how do you find your peace of mind? For me, gazing out at mountains and listening to flowing streams help me to find peace of mind.
Personally, 2021 was a hard year for many reasons. One of things that I could soothe myself with was green mountains which I could see from almost everywhere in Wonju city of Korea. Walking in a park with streams, was another way. When I focused on hearing clear sound of streams, my wandering thoughts brought me to the present moment.
I know that these memories of nature would bring me peace while I face difficulties again in the future. I wanted to express these peaceful things in my gouache painting.
Bleeding Heart Dove
Digital art: Krita
To have a “bleeding heart” the saying means to have sympathy towards others in this case the people stuck in the war. This dove represents just that, the olive branch represents the peace I hope they find and the open hand represents a safe haven which I hope they acquire once again.
Praying for Peace
Peace-Scream [ An urge to melt guns into icecreams]
Digital: Sketchbook Pro
This is an idea obviously based on the on-going war in Ukraine. While I haven’t got much in common with them except for we are all humans and all I could say is.
Peace made of blood can be a path to success, but never to true peace. I am sure this art piece is subliminally inspired from some existing artwork. But definitely painting it made me go through some inner dialogues about the deception of peace that politicians have been playing for way too long.
While the summer heat beating me up when all I could think of is how peaceful it will be to have an ice cream!
May a Thousand Doves of Peace Bless Mr Putin !
Water Surface
Material: Seed from Samila beach, turquoises, Malachite, cotton wax cord
Technique: knotting, braiding
This one is actually an order from my customer. He wanted the feeling of the surface of water water with “non-violence” vibe. First I chose the seed that I collected from a beach in the south of Thailand many years ago as the symbol of nature. The stones that I used represent the colors of the ocean surface, blue from Turquoise and green from Malachite. I’m quite proud of how I let it stay simple. Normally, my style will be very loud and detailed. I hope this necklace will work its magic to bring my customer the peace of mind at least for awhile.
Peace Factory
Digital : Blender
I created this 3D animation for this month’s theme of bkk UNZINE which was Peace. As usual it was an opportunity to continue to learn Blender as I am switching from cinema 4D to Blender. Despite of my love for Cinema 4D, I hate and cannot cope any longer with their excessively priced subscription licensing model, hence I’ve decided to go peacefully to open source😉.
Finding Peace
‘Peace and Love’
Mixed media: Hand drawn and painted + Photoshop
This design was my 3rd sticker in my sticker collection! It eventually turned into a print as well as postcards. It is called “Peace and Love”. This piece was hand drawn, painted, and then digitized in Photoshop. It has various designs/tattoos on the hand, but the main message is the peace symbol. After reading this ‘PEACE’ edition of the bkk UNZINE, try and go out and spread some peace and love. We could all use it! If you are out and about in BKK, try and spot these stickers. They are hidden all over. Take a picture and tag me if you do spot them! ✌🏼
Not the War of mine so Who set our World on Fire ?
Nerdy Future Wars
Watercolor and tech pens on watercolor paper
This is an observation I’ve made: With the digital age, the world is slowly becoming or forced to become nerdy. Think about it, most TV shows and movies are superhero movies; you are too shy to approach girls? You have dating apps; you can’t drive? it’s ok we built an app where people can drop you wherever you want. So in the future wars in my opinion will be fought with video games or remote operated drones (it’s already happening) but a sinister thought lurks if people’s lives are not at stake who will care? Welcome to future nerdy wars!
Meet Our New Artists
Let’s hear from the new artists featured in this issue…