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Pejac Transforms Basic Graph Paper into Detailed, Trompe-L’œil Tableaux

Pejac Transforms Basic Graph Paper into Detailed, Trompe-L’œil Tableaux

Graph paper is commonly used for plotting, well, graphs, plus other spatial and mathematical visualizations. But for Pejac, its potential goes way beyond a two-dimensional gridded surface. The artist, who is known for his trompe-l’œil paintings and playful street art interventions, often turns to the precise geometry of gridded sketchbooks in order to challenge perception and think instead about depth and movement.

From a group of kids tossing snowballs—wait, they’re cubes from the grid itself—to a construction worker carving out a silhouette of the famous Sistine Chapel motif of God and Adam’s hands touching, Pejac challenges our sense of space and the possibilities of the “blank slate.” Find more on Instagram.

A graphite drawing on graph paper of a young person making a snow angel
Detail of “Mind Trip” (2022)
A graphite drawing on graph paper of young people throwing snowballs that look like the squares of the grid
Detail of “The Architect” (2020)
A graphite drawing on graph paper of a person constructing something with the squares of the grid
Detail of “The Architect” (2020)
A graphite drawing on graph paper of a shark swimming across the surface
“Emerge” (2020)
A detail of a graphite drawing on graph paper of a shark swimming across the surface
Detail of “Emerge”
A graphite drawing on graph paper of a tree in a frame
“Fossil” (2018)
A graphite drawing on graph paper of a person digging into the surface as if moving around the squares of the grid like dirt
“Hidden Gold” (2023)
A detail of a graphite drawing on graph paper of a person digging into the surface as if moving around the squares of the grid like dirt
Detail of “Hidden Gold”
A detail of a graphite drawing on graph paper of a person using a jackhammer to break open the surface to reveal the outline of the hands of God and Adam touching from the Sistine Chapel
Detail of “Art in Veins”

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Pejac Transforms Basic Graph Paper into Detailed, Trompe-L’œil Tableaux appeared first on Colossal.

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Fleetwood Mac's Most Devastating Breakup Song Is Also Their Greatest

No one does breakup anthems like Fleetwood Mac. The band had two couples, both of which broke up during perhaps the peak of their fame. So, while it made for really awkward band meetings, it also gave us incredible songs. Because all of those tracks came from a real, raw place, it's impossible not to feel a connection to what they're singing about.

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Dave Kirwan (1951-2026)

Wonderful people live in some form as long as the rest of us remember them and pass forward the things they’ve taught us and helped us to do. Losing this wonderful man is particularly hard, so I thought I’d share a few words about him and post a film he lent to us— and did a commentary too!

Dave Kirwan (1951-2026) was a husband and father, Grand Sheik (and often keeper of the celluloid) for the Sons of the Desert ‘Busy Bodies Tent’, cartoonist and Illustrator, and a generous and talented human being.

While I didn’t know Dave as well as many of his closer friends, I always enjoyed the chats and communication we had over the years. He was an amazing help to Thunderbean and its pre-curser, Snappy Video, by doing a lot of the early film transfers onto 3/4” tape as well as lending many rare prints and even selling a few to me. Dave’s help, along with his good friend Jeff Missinne, helped me at a time where I was completely new to trying to get anything produced or finished, and I’m forever grateful to them both.

Dave’s son, Alex, has worked in animation since the 90s, creating all sorts of beautiful and fun work. He was nice enough to illustrate the cover for the Flip the Frog Blu-ray as well as provide a commentary for Spooks, a cartoon he grew up with from his father’s 16mm film collection.

When Thunderbean was working on the Mid Century Modern 2 DVD set, Dave lent his whole series of ‘Weatherman’ spots, made by Soundac Studios in Florida. I asked Dave if he’d be willing to do a commentary for these short little films, and was thrilled when he said yes. In the four and a half minutes or so of these shorts, Dave does an excellent job of explaining what they are and how they were used.

So, here’s Dave’s commentary and his prints to boot! I hope you enjoy them!


An excerpt of one of Dave’s ads, selling used 16mm prints in the fanzine Mindrot #16 (February 1980)


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