SDAFF 2022 Blog

Introducing Illustrator art twink

November 1, 2022

The 23rd San Diego Asian Film Festival is back in-theaters across San Diego. For the second time, we have collaborated with an illustrator on the festival’s unique design and identity. This year’s design is described as an “unruly movie palace.” Some kind of gilded relic of the past that, once we return to it post-pandemic, we find that it’s been overrun by strange, filthy, delightful transformations gleefully awaiting our entry.

Our illustrator art twink drew inspiration from Bengali mask sculptures, paper art, and miniature religious paintings called ragamalas. And they’ve packed in so many delightful creatures and delicious textures into every square inch. The 23rd SDAFF brand takes what we might call venerated or sacred, and explores what happens when creatures and plants take them over for their own purposes. The delightful illustrations bring equal parts chaos and joy to illustrate how we are operating in this fraughtful time.

SDAFF’s Brand Manager, Stacey Uy chatted with art twink to get to know more about their work and inspiration.

Stacey Uy: Please introduce yourself! How would you describe yourself and your work?

art twink: Hello! I’m art twink, a multimedia artist that creates creature comfort for worried people who daydream. The characters and stories I like to create are both familiar and fantastical. I draw from my experience as a first generation Bengali-american and from navigating this world as a queer person.

SU: We were so excited to work with you because of the fantastical worlds and creatures that you conjure up. Where do you find inspiration?

at: My love for my worlds and creatures is tied to hearing myths and fables as a child, which developed into my adoration for fantasy and science-fiction. As I grew up, my own mish-mashed imaginary friends became more informed by history, culture & modern art. I am in awe of the millenia of tradition and history in pre-colonial art from all over the world, but I am inspired mostly by South Asian & Bengali folk art. Many modern creatives have also shaped my style and storytelling over the years, such as the Adventures of Tintin, Octavia Butler’s work & the Star Trek franchise.

SU: Every year, SDAFF is based on a narrative for how we view the world at this moment. Our theme this year was an “unruly movie palace” What does that mean to you, and what were you influenced by to create this year’s illustration?

at: For me, the theme brought up imagery of abandoned structures, temples, and spaces overrun by wildlife and fauna. I took inspiration from traditional arts such as Asian relief sculptures and American paper-cut dioramas, as both were tied to theatrical performances in their own ways. I infused the scene with referential elements such as dance, animals & mythology. Putting this imagery next to modern technology and subjects, I hoped to emphasize the powerful result of the old morphing into the new.

SU: One of my favorite parts of the theme is this idea of reclaiming chaos – that sometimes upheaval and change can show us new worlds and remind us of forgotten perspectives, especially when communicated through the imagination of artists. What excites you about the world you’ve imagined for SDAFF, and what do you hope audiences take away from it?

at: I saw “unruly movie palace” as a description of this transitional moment. 2021 was an unsettling mess with the pandemic response and a rise of socio-political violence. With the chaos of 2021 spilling over into 2022, there is no going back to ‘normal’ – but from chaos can come the creation of new ways of being. Like this theatrical production building off the bones of the decadent old palace, we understand that the old & new ways don’t exist in opposition but exist in a natural progression. Chaos has no inherent moral value, and in our creative responses to chaos we can harness its catalytic power.

SU: It’s an understatement to say that covid has revealed and changed much about the world and communities we live in as Asians and Asian Americans. This makes our stories, art and film that much more important, so that we can put in words and pictures how we’re understanding this moment. Is there a film or artist that clarifies or better defines the times we’re in for you?

at: Everything Everywhere All At Once can’t get the spotlight enough in my eyes. It encompasses so much of this moment’s Asian/AsAms experience. It’s chaotic, it’s an emotional rollercoaster, it’s generational differences seeing themselves in each other. It incorporates the concepts of old vs new ways existing in fluctuating conflict & harmony. The internal battle of deciding to approach nihilism in a despairing or hopeful way is very indicative of the moment we are living in today.

SU: People are so excited about the “Where’s Waldo”-ness of your piece. You can find a new scene or character every time you look more closely. Is there a character or scene that you identify with the most?

at: My favorites are the crew members – the little cats above the stage & the one below the stage holding up the props & working the puppets. Any time I’ve been involved with theater or film, I enjoy watching from behind the scenes.

SU: I’m particularly intrigued by our central figure, the director. Who are they to you, and what kind of a director do you think they’d be?

at: I picture them as the counterpart to the stereotypical hyper-controlling director. They’re a God who’s created their world and then takes a hands-off-parenting approach. This alternative approach could be wonderful – giving the cast & crew agency to bring their unique strengths to the stage – or it could be neglectful – abandoning them in disjointed chaos. It could result in a mix of the two, but either way the audience here is loving it.

SU: SDAFF audiences and the Pac Arts team have been captivated by your work. Thank you for lending us your talents to make this year’s festival that much more special! Where can people find your work and support you?

at: thank you! my website is arttwink.com and I’m on most social medias @art_twink yayyy 🙂

Check out more from art twink: instagram.com/art_twink