Andrey Kasay’s wonderful illustrations are pretty weird. Seeing his work is like going on an adventure; from a draped-cloth river passing through a landscape of red mountains to sharks swimming in a flooded living room, his pieces take you on the most surreal trips.
Luckily clients haven’t shied away from this type of work – Andrey has worked for big brands like Google, The New Yorker and Adidas.
Originally from the east of Russia but now based in Moscow, the artist refers to his own style as “Far East surreal pop art.” He uses bold lines to draw shapes which he then fills with distinct colors. Shadows and gradients are kept to a minimum, giving the illustrations a look reminiscent of old-school comics.
‘The stranger, the better,’ seems to be Andrey’s motto. Not only are his pieces humorous and quite frankly absurd, he takes an unexpected approach when talking about his work. For example, he argues his style is “very serious – there’s no humor.”
He continues, “I like this quote from Bender Rodriguez that says, ‘Let’s face it, comedy is a dead art form. Now, tragedy…that’s funny!'”
And so he lets “real life” inspire the scenes he illustrates. “All my works are based on true stories. For example, Kitchen is just an exact copy of my kitchen.” And the secret to his original color palette? He says sometimes his dog helps him select which hues to use.
This doesn’t mean the artist is only out there to provoke. In his illustrations there are little hints of a story waiting for you to unravel it. A title like Tired for example can change the way you react to a man sprawled face-down on a staircase.
Yet, a very serious explanation of Andrey’s style wouldn’t do justice to his work. The unsettling, strange atmosphere that leaves you feeling unsure of whether to laugh or to worry, is one of its many charms.
