I recently came across the work of a Korean artist who goes by Silllda. Her art blends detailed illustration with surrealist imagery that evokes elements of asian culture: chrysanthemums, ceramic teapots, mirrors. The result is captivating. I am drawn in by her blend of realism and fantasy, and the deadpan expression on the characters she illustrates. I am also amazed at how her works are visually appealing at first, then draw the viewer in to realize that they are actually seeing something disturbing: flowers made of fingers, an icecream cone stacked with laughing infant heads. She comments on her work in a recent interview: “On the other hand, I want to make beautiful horror. It’s calm like the morning sunshine, but the inner side is a tragic and bizarre contradictory picture.”
