Vol. 097: The Pond Beyond

Illustrator and art director Muhammad Fatchurofi uses his art as a form of introspection to escape the tension and demands of day-to-day life. Drawing inspiration from spiritual illustrations, Javanese philosophy, and psychedelic music, he seeks to represent depth-of-mind using simple, flat illustrations. These drawings use minimal shadowing and bright, primary colors to give his art a sense of lightness and avoid "dramatic tension", but the lack of contrast also gives equal importance to each element in his art. There are no protagonists or antagonists in his illustrations. Instead, they are dreamlike representations of a mental state, meant to remain open to interpretation and re-interpretation with each viewing, and a perfect accompaniment to music that suggests a mood rather than insisting upon a feeling.

Fatchurofi is based in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia, away from the pressures of a big city. His work has been commissioned for album covers and tour posters for artists like Khraungbin and FORD., editorial publications such as The New York Times and the Huffington Post, and brands including Chobani and LUSH. You can support the artist by visiting his site and ordering his art on posters, clothing, or custom-made wallets.