Josephine Kyhn’s illustrations revolve around characters – their imagined relationships and interactions. There’s a sense of richness to her characters as if each of them has its own story to tell (even if the story itself is withheld from the viewer). Combined with a surreal environment and a vibrant color palette, the end result is sometimes messy, but it’s a playful messiness, and one that draws you in.
“I feel like there is some kind of story or experience behind every character or composition I make,” said Kyhn in an interview with The Re:Art. “That there is something to be told. There are stories developing from my mind, inspired by people, life, the universe and how all these things affect us. Narratively I feel that both the more complex and surreal stories need to be told, as well as the simple and everyday ones.”
“I was once told I had a kind of ‘messy’ style, but that it worked for me,” she says. “I guess that all these elements are a natural part of the way I build up my illustrations; using a lot of different elements depending on the story and theme.”
With her inspirations packed with ideas, it comes as no surprise that Kyhn’s inspiration is varied. “I can find inspiration in almost everything and it is very random how it pops into my mind,” she says. “Sometimes I have different periods where I enjoy drawing specific stuff, which is reflected in my work. I also enjoy reading fables, fairytales and different short stories as an inspiration.”
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