Kokomoo’s maniacal girls
Chinese artist Yan Wei, aka Kokomoo, creeps me out. Her linear, black and white drawings of cute little girls with maniacal grins and soulless eyes look deep into my psyche with a hunger for destruction and pain. Luckily, in their two dimensional forms, they are unable to leap off the page and sink their sharp little teeth into my soft flesh. Instead, I can enjoy their evil cuteness from a safe distance, while pondering the reasons why Kokomoo’s style gets darker and darker as the years go on.
At some point her illustrations changed from angelic to demonic, and while I don’t want to meet any of these frightening little girls in a dark alleyway, I think that Kokomoo’s descent into darkness has made her a better artist. I wish I could read her blog to find out the inspiration behind her latest works, but unfortunately I don’t understand Mandarin.
Tagged: black and white illustration, Chinese artist Yan Wei, Chinese artists, Kokomoo, Yan Wei
RELATED
Stumbling across the comics of artist Vanessa Davis just made my day. Her personal meanderings and sketchy style just make me want to read every little thing I can get my hands on. I especially enjoy the memior-esque series she’s been creating for Tablet Mag. I can’t think of any better way to procrastinate on a weekday afternoon.
One of the last exhibitions I saw in Beijing before I returned to the States from living there was a solo show by Lin Tianmiao. I wished I had seen more of her work earlier in my time living in China, as it would have helped me stay positive about the mostly shallow and confused art scene there that was at the time propped up by sleazy, orientalist gallerists from Europe. Read more
The work of Chinese comic artist Benjamin — nee Bin Zhang — is full of energy, and bright but contracted colours. He has published his comic book in seven European countries, and his book, Orange, was a big hit in the French market. After impressing fans with his fast and dynamic drawing skills at the Comic Convention in New York, the editors at Marvel Comics started to take notice of this young digital artist. Read more
Also by NIKKI SAVVIDES
Illustrator Molly Crabapple is inspired by Victorian culture and the sexy, bawdy world of burlesque. Her illustrations are colourful and erotic, her voluptuous female subjects bursting out of their corsets while eying off the viewer with undisguised lewdness. Having worked on numerous commercial projects, organised her own shows and illustrated several graphic novels, Crabapple also created Dr Sketchy’s Anti-Art School in New York City in 2005.
The twenty minute walk from my house to Newtown takes me down cramped backstreets and past run-down buildings decorated with some of the best stencil art I’ve ever see. One of its creators is Sydney’s Syke, a member of a group known as the Original Art Club, who ‘busk’ their art on the streets of the inner-city suburb. Read more
New Delhi-based digital artist Archan Nair (aka archanN) has worked for notable clients, including CNBC, Hugo Boss, Apple and Tiger Beer. But although his corporate works stand out in their glorious, hyper-real colour, his more intricate and personal works are my favourites. Read more
YOU'RE SAYING (0)
No comments yet.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Cairo-based Denis Dailleux has photographed everyone from Catherine Deneuve to anonymous subjects from the slums of Cairo, constructing a unique portrait of the capital of Egypt. Read more
Boxfresh is a British streetwear company notable for its emphasis on DIY fashion. Their Boxfresh vs Series, a collection of collaborations ranging from straight fashion into the bicycle arena, has just launched their latest battle — between Boxfresh and Pete Fowler, of Super Furry Animals artwork fame. Read more
Print Liberation is an exceptional Philadelphia-based creative visual agency whose website showcases a variety of deisgn styles, each immaculately executed. Read more
Katy Smail’s illustrations are kind of like candy floss sticking to wind blown lips — sweet, tempting, yet always just a little bit out of reach. Read more
Oh, ok, so now I’ve seen it all. Or perhaps, in this case, I’m not seeing enough. Japanese game shows are so much fun. Seriously.
The Nine Streets, or ‘De Negen Straatjes’, is so named for the nine small, cosy streets between Raadhuisstraat and Leidsestraat, just minutes from the heart of Amsterdam. Read more
Hmmm, I don’t know if it’s the extra strong coffee I’m gulping down, or that faintest slither of feel good sunshine that’s creeping through the blinds, but this song is making me feel mildly euphoric, and that kinda works right now. Play it loud. Play it through headphones. And imagine you’re decked out in day glo polyester with a dramatic burst of velvet lining. Damn, my feet just can’t stop from dancin’.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST
Yu Xiao was born in Zi Bo, Shandong, China. She received her M.A. in Photography from China Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2009. In this work, Never Grow Up, Yu Xiao digitally created child versions of herself as a commentary on China’s one child rule and the intense focus on childhood that results. Read more
Check out Mike Stimpson’s Lego reinterpretations of classic photographs. Stimpson’s version of Malcolm Browne’s iconic 1963 photograph of the self-immolation of Thich Quang Duc is particularly twisted. Read more
Good thing Kris Kuksi channelled the trauma of growing up with an alcoholic stepfather, his disdain for ‘the typical American life and pop culture’, and his fascination with the macabre into obsessive, baroque assemblages, paintings, and drawings. Read more
Entre Chien et Loup by Amira Fritz
This fashion photo series — Entre Chien et Loup — is the product of a collaboration between Parisian-based photographer Amira Fritz and Matthew Cunnington and John Sanderson. Read more
Diane Koss’ recycled bottle monsters
Check out Diane Koss’ amazing handmade stuffed monsters if you’re looking for a last-minute gift. Her mostly cycloptic creatures are fashioned from felt made from one hundred percent recycled plastic bottles. Read more
It’s spring cleaning time and we have a massive pile of assorted new release CDs to give away to a randomly selected LAEM subscriber. To enter, just be a subscriber and leave a note under this message telling us the city you live in.
Lads, this is one to keep your girl smiling. Made from a sterling silver band, with 18K yellow gold and a 0.07 carat ruby, this ring by Satomi Kawakita is absolutely stunning. We have it for sale in the Lost At E Minor online store. Read more
DISCOVER MORE
SO...
SEARCH: Can't find what you're looking for? Do a search..
IS IT GOOD FOR YOU TOO?
We hope you're enjoying your time on Lost At E Minor, but it’s not over yet. Got something to share? Tell us about it and we'll look to publish it. If you want to have your work featured on the site, we'd love to hear from you. Pssst, we also have an online store stocking some of the goodies we feature on the site.
If you're a media agency and want to use this platform to connect with our readership, then drop us a line and tell us about it. Oh yeah, and we do digital consulting for cool brands that want to reach the sort of demographic that visits this site.











