Issue 34 On Sale

Issue 34 of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, with Julie Filipenko’s vibrant and evocative painting, “Lingering Daydream” on the cover, is out now! Contact one of our Stockists or Shop Online, but don’t miss this special issue.

Inside this issue we dive into the work of Italian painter Alessandro Sicioldr, and soon realise that we have encountered the very essence of fabulous in both of the word’s meanings: the extraordinary and the mythical. Here are tales, rendered in oils with colour, light, and technique that would not look out of place amongst the Old Masters, brought to us with a very 21st century flavour, delving deep into the inner realms of the human psyche. Delivered with a mastery of his materials, Alessandro shines a light into the sometimes uncomfortable world within us all, and by doing so enthralls us with the beauty and mystery of his work and, in evidence of an artist who puts deep thought into his oeuvre, makes us ponder the very nature of ourselves.

We also learn about the creative odyssey of Michele Kortbawi Wilk, whose nurtured passion and work largely revolves around the realistic rendering of wildlife.

We also take a look at Ivan Alifan’s paintings with their varying shimmering textures, from frosting-like drips to multi-faceted opalescent finishes. Ivan’s work is bountiful and deliciously tactile, the surfaces capture something you can practically taste if only you could gently brush a piece with your fingertips. As for the celestial figures in Ivan’s work, beautiful and indulgent, they appear with closed eyes and open mouths, as if found in a state of ecstasy. Completely immersed in their decadent universe and unaware of the viewer’s gaze, their facial features and expressions, which are partially obscured, create a visual language full of sexual subtexts left for the viewer to decipher.

I’m inspired by performers who push boundaries on sensitive topics like gender and sexuality.

Ivan Alifan

Cover artist Julie Filipenko‘s work does not capture the specific imagination of childhood, but it does contain all the elements to lead one there. There are exaggerated colours, impossible realities, and, of course, personified animals. Julie’s bright paintings illustrate a childhood innocence amidst the portraits of her work. Her art delicately tugs at the bindings of what should and should not be, to allow enough room for the imagination to fill the gaps.

We learn more about artist couple Erika Sanada and Calvin Ma, whose living and working together has led to an incredibly special existence full of creative energy. Both of these artists are well-respected sculptors in their own right, forging paths in their unique signature styles. The harmony of their intertwined lives has grown a stable foundation for them to each strengthen their individual practices.

We also speak to Andi Soto in our Path To Creation editorial, and learn how she is a conduit for the fanciful and the folkoric, moving between realms of consciousness. Her line art blends effortlessly into her anatomical and botanical studies, which again echo the mythical beauties and flora of times gone by. We follow Andi through her creation process from conceptualization to completion.

While talking to Rafael Silveira, one senses that lived experience has shaped the 42-year-old Brazilian painter, his philosophical beliefs and the artistic aesthetic through which he explores the mysterious and fragile nature of the human condition.

Next we delve deep into the slightly dark misfits of Bill Mayer, whose contemporary illustrative style and capricious characters seem to be stoically channeling the Queen’s Guard. We also learn what Ken Harman Hashimoto, Owner & Director of Hashimoto Contemporary and Spoke Art galleries, would like to add to his personal collection.

You can also immerse yourself in the world of Joseph Lorusso, whose work is a reflection of emotions like passion and romance, which connects to the masses simply because of the common experience in being human.

In the end love and intimacy is the greatest thing, and if we can experience it, then I’m all for it.”

Joseph lorusso

Then travel deeper into the imagination as we explore the visual aesthetics of Jean-Pierre Arboleda who is deeply inspired by his Ecuadorian roots. He shows us just a glimpse of this sacred jungle sanctuary in his artworks. Jean Pierre paints vibrant, surrealist scenes of exotic creatures in their equally unique and beautiful wilds. However, within the beauty of Jean Pierre’s paintings remains the sobering reminder that such life is precious, rare, and continues to be lost.

As well in Issue 34 of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, we take a look at Australian figurative artist Scott Breton’s striking oil paintings that create a multi-sensory experience. Scott is fascinated by static images that feel as if they are moving – as though the painter is able to transmit to the viewer the sensation of the gestural and volumetric quality so palpable in observation.

We also delve into the visual fairy tale of Kristin Kwan, both sweet and sour parables about all sorts of weird and wonderful characters. Much of Kristin’s work is inspired by tall childhood tales and messy yarns about history. However, all her paintings share kindred magic and romance, which gives her entire collection a dream-like quality. It makes her work playful, endearing and pleasantly sentimental, as though we were children once again being read fairy tales in bed before falling to sleep and dreaming of fantastical worlds that don’t really exist.

Plus we engage our imagination with JeeYoung Lee who destroys the installations she makes. Once she positions the last cotton ball to form clouds, ensuring the right angle to display a lifelike effect, or applies the last orange coat on an egg sculpture before cracking it, she displays them for her viewers; transcends them into her beliefs and practices; grants them access to her self-analysation and self-observation; and photographs the sculptures to capture the impermanence of her art.

Plus, enjoy the arresting figurative paintings of Martine Johanna in this issue’s Lookbook editorial!

In our Snapshot series, we ask six artists: Paul Neberra, Kelsey Bowen, Sharon England, Feral Plains, Stephanie Kilgast, and Daria Aksenova the same quick questions.

• What barriers have you had to overcome to get to where you are as an artist today?
• Is there a piece of feedback (positive or negative) that you’ve received that continues to drive you?
• In the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, has your creative profession felt like a blessing or a burden (and why)?
• How do you develop your imagination as an artist?

In her inspiring ‘Letter from the Editor’, our Editor-in-Chief, Danijela Krha Purssey shares her thoughts on the ongoing COVID situation and its affect on the visual arts globally.

We also highlight more of the wearable art designers that have caught the eye of our Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief, in this Issue’s Some of our Favourite Things editorial.

And last but not least, enjoy a collection of the amazing hash tagged #beautifulbizarre artwork from our social media community of over 1 million followers!

All this inside Issue 34 // September 2021, which showcases some of the best and most inspiring emerging and mid-career artists of our time.

Visit our online store and enjoy Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Issue 34.