Co-founded by Matthew Dear and Sam Valenti in 1999 as a boutique record label, Ghostly International has since become a leading figure and voice in the industry for experimental, “genre-less” music and even art, clothing…
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Endlessly quoted by designers and educators, Dieter Rams’ Ten Principles of Good Design has remained a benchmark for creative thinking since the legendary designer released the proclamation in the early ’80s. In an homage to the list of sound advice, London-based studio Bibliothéque—who also helmed the design for the…
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The artist’s latest print series blends graphite drawing with 3D digital sculpture
Haunting curvilinear forms dominate the work of Sougwen Chung, an artist with international roots and a flair for outspoken minimalism. Her most recent series—produced as a limited-edition print run for Ghostly International—portrays four natural phenomena with subtle coloration and high contrast. The individual members of “Étude Op. 2 No.1-4” take the names “Flight”, “High Tide”, “Cocoon” and “Bloom”, and lie somewhere between representation and theory. Viewed together, they communicate a congruent narrative and aesthetic in spite of their abstract form.
“The form and composition of each piece are informed by textures and elements within an original series of graphite drawings,” Chung tells CH when asked about the process. “Elements are deconstructed and then sculpted in a 3D digital environment. The final pieces are a result of a multi-disciplinary approach to improvisation and experimentation.” Ultimately, the blend of mediums and abilities brings about sci-fi worthy, otherworldly shapes.
A departure from her previous print series for Ghostly “Étude Op. 1”, “Op. 2” rejects the minimalist, hand-drawn look for “darker palettes and more iconic motifs.” “‘Op. 1’ was deliberately austere and minimal, celebrating pure form and visual rhythm in the way only black and white images can,” Chung explains. Both series showcase Chung’s talent for visual edginess and slick dynamism—which goes a long way towards explaining her commercial successes. If Chung’s look is minimalist, then it is a minimalism in crisis, full of movement, transition and graphic energy.
“Étude Op. 2” and the earlier series “Op. 1” are available from the Ghostly online store starting at $60. See more images of the two series in our slideshow.
Ghostly celebrates four years of album art by renowned WeWorkForThem graphic designer
Like many graphic designers, the line between Michael Cina’s commercial work and fine art practice is generally pretty clear. His experience in the biz goes back nearly 20 years, and though internationally recognized for his more experimental work at WeWorkForThem—the powerhouse studio he co-founded with designer Michael Young—more recent projects with record label Ghostly International have given the artist the rare opportunity to exercise his more painterly impulses as album cover art for numerous bands. Now, Ghostly is making available a back catalog of his artwork to recognize four years of solid contribution to the acclaimed record label and art house.
The story of Cina’s current renaissance started after leaving Young (who heads up what’s now known as YouWorkForThem) to start his own design studio, Cina Associates, simultaneously rediscovering his passion for painting after years of focusing primarily on graphic design. By drawing and painting in his spare time, Cina was able to truly enjoy the process once again. With “no direction, no goals, no pressure,” he began creating purely for the sake of creating, giving him freedom to experiment extensively with various materials, which really shows in his recent work.
To learn more about Cina and his creative process, check out Ghostly’s recent interview with the artist himself, and while you’re there head to the store to get your hands on some of Cina’s original artwork.
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