This Saturday, I’m taking part in an event celebrating the life and work of Kenneth Grant (1924-2011), one of the most influential English magicians of the 20th Century. Nine of my Alien Botany pieces will be displayed alongside Sean Woodward, Hagen von Tulien, and Dana Fox, in a special viewing, which will begin at 7:30 PM.
Read MoreAlien Botany at Dorothy Circus Gallery
The tiny Alien Botany specimen below is part of The Miniature Show, curated by Travis Louie, at Dorothy Circus Gallery in Rome. I felt more like a mad scientist than usual in the jeweller's glasses I wore while working on it. If you're near Rome, do to stop by and have a look at all the magnificent tinies in the coming days.
Princeps sanguinem
Ink and acrylic on paper
Framed dimensions: 16 x 2.8"
•Thrives in hot, damp conditions.
•Hematophagous. Bioluminescent tendrils lure hosts, then latch on and absorb blood.
•The Princeps’ peptide-like secretions stop blood coagulation, and its small size allows it to go unnoticed.
•Bulb-root produces a deep-red, viscous sap, which attracts nematodes and similar roundworms, and appears to possess psychoactive properties.
•On-host lifespan undetermined as of this writing.
Actual size (depending on your resolution):
New Alien Botany Fashion Objects
in Alien Botany
Introducing Alien Botany bodywraps in in two muted shades of Venusian mists and distant sunsets. These are the largest Alien Botany scarves to date, measuring a generous 72 X 146 centimetres (28 X 57 inches) and lending themselves to a multitude of options.
Featuring a new pattern of our shipwrecked heroine’s illustrated discoveries – alien-botanical specimens and their interactions with host bodies; some parasitic, others symbiotic.
Cowl, shawl, head-wrap, cravat… Wear them however you please, year-round. Woven from effervescent cotton vera and finished with a fine rolled hem. Printed in microscopic detail and hand-finished in Britannia, 100% sweatshop-free. Both scarves are available in the shop, while supplies last.
An Introduction
For those of you who are new to my blog, my name is Zoetica Ebb and I'm a Moscow-born multimedia artist working in London. I revel in cosmic exploration, imaginary futures and their expression in fashion, and dithering the edges between fantasy and reality. Also, I really like dogs.
I've been drawing since I could hold a pencil, and have been exhibiting since 1999. I committed to my practice fully in 2011, when I began work on AlienBotany, my ongoing concept series. For now, I primarily use hyper-detailed ink drawing and limited-edition fashion designs to bring the Alien Botany universe to Earth. This project is a consequence of a lifetime of experiences and passions, conceived at the intersection of Soviet space obsession, love of the compulsive detail and speculation in antique scientific illustration, and fascination with the beauty and horror of the natural world.
I've lived all over, and I travel a lot. I've been an arts and culture curator, a magazine editor, a filmmaker, a journalist, a blogger, and a photographer, the latter of which I still do from time to time. When I'm not working in my East London studio, I can be found wandering in gardens, sequestered in book forts, and adventuring across the universe.
Until The Future,
Zo
Art in the Crypt - Electric Soiree in the Wake of Cosmic Bedlam
Saturday marked the eve of my first London exhibition. Just one day after a mind-zapping blood moon eclipse, eight artists gathered in the winding crypt at St Pancras to share their work in a spectrally atmospheric environment.
"Chasm" flanked by two Alien Botany specimen in the St Pancras crypt, London
In addition to this being my first London show, this was the first time in the years I've been developing Alien Botany, that I've exhibited it as one body of work. The setting couldn't have been better, with centuries-old brick and moulting paint subtly complementing the shades of cream and red in my pieces.
Yours truly amidst Interaction Tables 1 and 2
The crypt has a sense of silence, too, that seemed to stick around even when it filled with echoing voices and laughter. Despite the night's electric atmosphere, I felt my work was truly seen.
"End of Spring" in the crypt
This was a uniquely gratifying way to present this series visually: within three airy archways in the crypt's central row, which allowed viewers to get close and take time. That feeling of silence let me describe what I've been working on without having to raise my voice too much, or to contend for the listener's focus.
Winding historic rooms and one my Alien Botany specimens
It was a true delight to be able to introduce my work in Europe in this manner, and to be able to have so many stimulating conversations all in one night. My hat's off to The Hellfire Club, who sponsored the event, for bringing everything and everyone together amidst significant cosmic activity - it was an objectively unforgettable evening, as well as a personal milestone for me.
Amorphophallus Venusinus, in multiple dimensions.
With that, I'm packing a suitcase and setting off on a birthday escapade to the British wilderness for a reset and a much-needed digital detox. A massive thanks to everyone who came to the exhibit!
Until The Future,
Zo
My First London Exhibition
in Appearance, Exhibit
Please join me in the depths of the historic Saint Pancras crypt on July 28th, where Alien Botany is part of an eight-artist exhibition. It's my first time showing in London, my new home, and the reception happens to be three days before my birthday, so it feels extra momentous. I will be in attendance, and both prints and original art will be available for purchase.
This one-night showcase will feature the work of artists working with diverse and often subversive esoteric currents, alchemical processes, alien parasites, conjured spirits, and the manifestation of the forces of light and darkness.
I hope your curiosity is piqued!
Saturday 28th July 2018 from 7pm
The Crypt Gallery
St Pancras Church
Euston Rd
LONDON
NW1 2BA
Until The Future,
Zo
Mimus Candentis - Specimen Function
in Alien Botany, Taxonomy
The Alien Botany universe has been incubating for quite some time. Though two of its specimens took on new forms and joined you as Alien Botany wearable art, I hesitated to share their functions. Until today.
Let us begin with the cryptic Mimus candentis – a small aquatic parasite. Its armoured seedling settles on underwater rocks, where a metamorphosis takes place. Once the water-roots, egg sack and incubation chamber are formed, the armour is shed and the adolescent Mimus sets off in search of a suitable host, luring her into water with a bioluminescent bell and introducing itself through accessible cavities.
During the ripening stage, the host is unaware of the invasion while the Mimus uses her blood and oxygen to mature. Hundreds of eggs fill the sack, and three are pushed through the fully formed stem up to the incubation chamber. There, a soft pseudoarmour is grafted onto the budding seedlings by a specialised organ, manus laminarmis (1a). The pseudoarmour needs UV rays to solidify, so the bell dissolves to allow for what's to come. Next, the adult Mimus extends its tendrils along the optic nerve to infiltrate the amygdala and the hippocampus, assuming a strong, but not debilitating, influence over the internal drives of the host. With the impulse control centres conquered, the Mimus clamps onto the eye, casting the host’s gaze at the sun while the armour cures.
When the Mimus is ready to spawn, it induces acute thirst in the host, routing her to a body of water, where ripe larva seedlings are released through the ocular cavity. During this time, the host may experience dissociation, hallucinations, and euphoria.
This process repeats until the host’s resources are depleted.
Companion prints of the Mimus candentis specimen and its Interaction Table are available in the shop.
NEW PROFILE AND INTERVIEW
“Alien Botany presents as a convergence of scholarship and abstraction. It is an academic compulsion to rouse the art out of science and then depict what emerges when our minds are not constrained by the empirical requirements of that science.”
Alien Botany – Reconstructions of a Cosmonaut's Glimpse Beyond is an in-depth profile and interview spanning my serpentine trajectory from hustlin' LA entrepreneur to London-based intergalactic naturalist.
Dark Arts Fayre this Sunday
in Appearance
A peek at some of my inventory for the Dark Arts Fayre this Sunday, where I'll be debuting new prints and my colourful new Spring Flowers greeting card on deckle-edged, cold-press paper.
Materialise between 12 and 6PM to see all manner of indie artstuffs, hear live music, and get your hot little mitts on my fine giclee prints, greeting cards, and more at special fayre prices.
Details here.
The Thing Artbook Signing at Forbidden Planet Megastore
in Appearance
On Saturday, I had the pleasure of signing copies of The Thing: Artbook alongside some talented folks at the famed Forbidden Planet comics Megastore.
Alongside Jason Miller and Brendan Purchase at Forbidden Planet
Though this year has been mostly dedicated to settling into London life and exploring my surroundings, being part of this project has been a professional highlight, doubly so since I finally held this substantial tome in my hands.
My anatomical Kennel Thing in The Thing Artbook, p. 182
Copies of the book stacked and waiting for the signing to begin
Between the heavy hard cover with shiny spot-gloss embellishments, all the gorgeous art, and an afterword by John Carpenter himself, it's a hefty accomplishment by the Printed in Blood publishing team.
Steven Hoveke of Printed in Blood along with some of the artists featured in The Thing Artbook
Meeting so many excellent artists and fellow horror film enthusiasts was a treat, as was finally shaking hands with Steve Hoveke after a year's worth of email interaction. The fans were a lovely bunch, as was everyone at Forbidden Planet, where I have to return very soon for proper browsing. I did manage to swoop up Hiroshi Unno's The Art of Decadence on my way out.
Doaly, Sharm Murugiah, and Mark Borgions
Sartorial homage to The Thing's frosty landscape was paid with an oversized furry hat, but my attempts to get everyone to dress in Antarctica chic didn't quite pan out, with one notable exception: Scott Woolston's impressive parka.
Sometimes, a great horror film gets under your skin and multiples – The Thing has been worth every goosebump all along, but now it's really part of me.
Until the Future,
Zo
A little video snippet of the signing:
100 Works for 100 Euros at Cabinet des Curieux
Paris! I'm taking part in the upcoming 100 OEUVREs à 100 EUROS exhibit at the wondrous Cabinet des Curieux. I've been following this unusual space for nearly a decade, enticed by its crimson walls and the mix of unusual art and artefacts on display – I suspect my work will feel right at home there.
If you're in Paris on Thursday, June 1, don't miss the opening reception and a chance to explore Le Cabinet between 4 and 10PM at 12 passage Verdeau, map below.
The exhibit closes on June 17th.
Until The Future,
Zo
The Thing 35th Anniversary Exhibit
in Exhibit
I'm beyond excited to be part of The Thing 35th anniversary exhibit at Creature Features!
My piece is an anatomical Kennel-Thing from John Carpenter’s 1982 version of “The Thing”, which happens to be one of my best-loved scary classics. The Kennel-Thing puppet, which was created by SFX master, Stan Winston, combines two of my favorite things: dogs and body horror. Though the film is filled with great imagery, the scene it’s featured in has always resonated with me the most.
This exhibit showcases original work from over 100 artists all over the world, paying tribute to Carpenter's chilling vision. There will also be a spectacular display of original props and memorabilia from both the 1951 version and the 1982 remake, gathered exclusively for this event, plus a sneak peek at Printed in Blood, Inc's upcoming THE THING Artbook showcasing over 400-pages of original tribute art.
The opening reception is Saturday, April 8th from 6pm - 9pm at 2904 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, California 91505. The show will run through Sunday, April 16th during regular gallery hours.
CHASM Timed Print Event Begins Monday
The vernal equinox is just around the corner and it’s the perfect time to reopen my shop. I’m kicking winter to the curb with a timed 48-hour print release.
CHASM // Our Heroine Adrift in the Vernal Tides
CHASM will be available as an 11x17" signed giclee print on certified archival paper. She's unframed and ships worldwide.
The launch goes public on Monday, March 20 at 7AM PST. Orders will close 48 hours later at 7AM PST on Wednesday, March 22.
Until The Future,
Zo
Auxiliary Award Winner: Best Artist of 2016
in Award
Touched and honored to have been voted Best Artist of 2016 by the readers of Auxiliary Magazine - it's especially gratifying during this period of transition. Thank you!
Full list of winners here.
The Tulle Bunny and The Underpinnings Museum
Part Josephine Baker, part FKA Twigs, I came up with this rosy confection after being inspired by the exquisite detail of vintage lingerie – and listening to a lot of FKA Twigs, too.
Click to see her bigger.
Researching head-pieces, lace, velvet and tulle, and getting lost in costuming websites while working on this was pure delight. Playing with watercolors for the first time in a small eternity to capture all that texture and detail was something of a thrill, as well.
Now, I'm delighted to announce that The Tulle Bunny is available at two reward tiers at the crowdfunding page for The Underpinnings Museum, created by designer Karolina Laskowska and freshly-launched today. This wonderful project aims to offer an online exhibition of vintage and, eventually, modern-day lingerie, with detailed imagery of every garment and historical information. All of this will be supplemented with specially curated exhibitions, blog posts and constant new additions. As an example of the museum's inaugural collection, here's a pair of 1930s tap pants that inspired part of my drawing:
Just look at all those tiny hearts! I, for one, am terribly excited about the prospects of poring over the gorgeous details of vintage and antique underthings, as well as learning about their construction and the context in which they were created. Give the exquisite art of lingerie a proper home on the internet, built by true devotees – help fund The Underpinnings Museum today!
Auxiliary Magazine Interview & Editorial
I just picked up the tearsheets from the spring 2016 issue of Auxiliary Magazine, where I talk about the evolution of my Alien Botany multimedia art series and offer a taste of things to come. This feature includes an editorial I art-directed and styled alongside a bit of micro-fiction I wrote to offer a different glimpse of the Alien Botany universe. Explore below!
And the images on their own, so they can receive the individual attention limited page counts cannot offer.
Our Annual Birthday Sale is Here
It's July, which means my birthday is around the corner – and I'm kicking the party off early.
Until July 31, everything in the shop is 15% (or more) off. Pick up a signed print or two and stock up on Alien Botany wearable art – dresses are available in limited supply and there are just three pairs of leggings left, so ordering sooner than later is recommended.
Alien Botany Dresses are Here to Love You Again
Straight from our cosmic cauldron to your closets, a very limited edition of wearable art dresses is available to ship right now.
Read MoreWhen You Gaze Into The Bern, The Bern Gazes Back
in Exhibit
Last month I wrote about my Bernie Stardust drawing's adventures with The Art of a Political Revolution exhibition. This extraordinary show has continued its travels and grew until it ended up in New York, where it opened on Saturday to a crowd and some surprise guests: Bernie Sanders, fresh from his trip to the Vatican, his wife Jane, and a few other family members.
Imagine my delight when I found out that Ann J Lewis, a fellow exhibiting artist, happened to get this video at the exact moment of Bernie and his granddaughters looking at my drawing:
Participating in this exhibition has been such a gratifying experience already, and this managed to elevate it even further. As an artist who primarily works in the surreal and fantasy realms, I'm proud and happy to have been there from the start, drawing the one candidate who's managed to add a little magic and a lot of hope to American politics.
Today is the last day in New York, so if you're on the East Coast, I hope you're able to drop by. Details here.
Bernie Stardust, Making Rounds
In December, I did something for the first time: I drew a portrait of a politician. Presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders, casting a hopeful glance into the future from a cosmic backdrop.
I called this drawing, "Bernie Stardust". It was two weeks before David Bowie died. I decided to use the illustration for stickers, which, at $3 each, have scattered all over America and raised $400 for the campaign.
The original drawing is currently on the road with the official Bernie Sanders art exhibit, The Art of a Political Revolution, having traveled from California to Texas and Massachusetts, so far. It's fair to say that this drawing has had its share of adventures, and now here's another: it's on a flyer for an upcoming rally in New Jersey. You should go.
Dawn
in Personal
Since 2001, biorequiem.com has been my home online. From its clunky inception as an art portfolio, HTMLed, badly, from my decrepit-but-beloved second-story apartment in Chicago's Little Puerto Rico district to the sound of thunder and stray bullets, to its years as a bustling alternative fashion and lifestyle blog, it has endured many incarnations. A few older ones:
Today, it's a bit of everything, housing my photography galleries, blog posts and a detailed overview of the numerous projects I've taken on, from journalism and publishing to filmmaking and humanitarian work. A hybrid of preservation and presentation.
Recent years have seen a metamorphosis in my work, my perspective and my passions. Amidst these shifts, my focus returned to art completely. As the work multiplied and took on a cohesive shape, it demanded a home of its own, which brings us here. Biorequiem.com will continue to serves as a space for photography, personal blogging (should the mood strike and time permit, no promises) and everything else, while ZoeticaEbb.com will serve as a dedicated space for new art and related news.
This design feels so right. Sparse, with focus solely on new work I haven't shown in full anywhere until this moment. A clean sheet of paper, cocooning a life yet unknown.
Have a look around and enjoy this first look at Alien Botany's progression so far.