Department Store Illustration Linocut Product

David Vanadia

posted by Robyn Pitts August 18, 2019

Another recent addition to Department Store, is David Vanadia; an independent artist and illustrator born and based in Marseille, France. Through his minimalist style and use of linocut, he creates surrealist representations with a strong graphic identity.

The artisan aspect of linocut immediately seduced David, with the carving of his drawings evoking in him a particular emotion, especially when the final print is magically revealed. He enjoys seeing how the ink is always deposited differently on paper, with each finished print completely unique. It is this singularity that David looks for when creating his work.

“My approach is more thoughtful than spontaneous” he explains, as he begins his creative process by building ideas in his head before turning them into physical sketches with a more defined concept. This process ensures that he always knows exactly what he will represent when he begins to carve.

Through his creations, David approaches the themes of humanity and the mind. For David the mind and the body are indistinguishable; “I aim to represent the mind through the body and the body through the mind” he states. David’s work contains both a spiritual and poetic dimension, with his pieces making use of visual metaphors and graphical play.