Bachelor of Design student Kyiandra Thanou has an undeniably bold aesthetic. Combining prismatic hues, 90s vibes and varied ethnicities, her pieces stand out for all the right reasons.
Describe the universe that’s home to the people depicted in your artwork.
I imagine they come from a universe that’s a little unusual, surrounded by vivid colours and patterns. Not so much a perfect place but more so somewhere where nothing is taken too serious.
Are your characters ever inspired by people in your day-to-day life?
A lot of the time they are. I get a lot of inspiration from individual style. Usually when I’m around the city I’ll see groups of people that stand out in a different sort of way and it really influences me to recreate it with my own twist.
Tell us about your recent pieces inspired by Coogi knitwear. What gravitated you towards their colourful aesthetic and why did you identify with it?
I have a thing for the 90s. I think that’s why I really identified with the Coogi style because it’s such a unique contrast of colours and patterns that people instantly link to that era. The hip hop and soul scene from around then was a really big influence on me too as the style and talent was a real stand out and kind of set a direction for me to make art that suited that genre of music.
Who is your ultimate muse?
My ultimate muse would have to be Sara Andreasson. Her work is insane, her use of vibrant colours and the way she depicts characters is really unique and comes as a big inspiration to me.
How important is it for you to represent different ethnicities in your artwork?
I think it’s extremely important. There is no superior ethnicity, we are all human and I think sometimes that gets forgotten amongst all that happens in society so it’s really great that I can showcase diversity and equality through art to open people’s minds a little more.
Which artist would you most like to collaborate with and why?
I would love to collaborate with Jack Marshall. He’s an artist from London and also the brother of musician Archy Marshall. I’ve been following his work for quite some time and love what he creates. He does a lot of designs for musicians and that’s something that’s really interested me also
What is the perfect recipe for maximum creativity?
Pretty much zone out, listen to some good music and let your brain flow with it. Take notice of all your surroundings when you walk down the street because the most unexpected thing could spark the best creativity.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
My goals are to have my work printed onto clothes eventually and a zine running. I would love to be in London or Amsterdam creating some crazy things and collaborating with other artists over there!
Find more of Kyiandra’s work on instagram.com/vivid.scrbble
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