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IREN HORRORS AND HER ENCHANTING WORLD OF GOTHIC ILLUSTRATIONS

 

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IREN HORRORS AND HER ENCHANTING WORLD OF GOTHIC ILLUSTRATIONS

Text: Anna Mar

Photo: Iren Horrors

January 13 2024

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Text: Anna Mar

Photo: Iren Horrors

January 13 2024

SHARE ARTICLE

Russian artist Ksenia Svincova aka Iren Horrors has long been known in the art community for her beauty and dark illustrations in gothic style. The artist draws inspiration from both contemporary pop culture and mythology, dark tales.

In her work she often refers to Slavic mythology, unfamiliar to foreign audiences. In her Instagram Iren Horrors talks about fantastic creatures, goddesses and deities, pagan traditions and also accompanies posts with music tracks, which is incredibly fascinating and fuels curiosity, even if you are not close to this dark aesthetic. We invite you to immerse yourself in her world and get to know this incredibly talented artist.

I would like to start by saying that I am a fan of your illustrations. They are stunning in their graceful and macabre beauty. How did you find and develop your artistic style? Who or what has influenced you the most? Tell us about your artistic path.

My style began to take shape in 2013, when I graduated from the art university and started looking for myself as an illustrator. I was a part of the Gothic subculture during that time, I really loved Tim Burton’s style and classic Disney animation. At that time, I felt an urgent need to shape my tastes into something conscious, and I was very inspired by the artworks of Abigail Larson, Gris Grimly and Lenka Simeckova. My graphic skills I acquired during my student years were very useful so I decided to study how to work in a similar direction, ten years have passed since then, and I still continue to develop as an artist, and I really think that style is a great tool for me to share my vision of the world.
 

Where did you get this interest in the dark aesthetic?

Interest in the dark aesthetics arose in my early childhood. The first episode that made me feel very strong emotions and think about some existential questions was my visit to the children’s theater for the play The Canterville Ghost. I was about seven years old. The theme of death and the afterlife fascinated me. I grew up in Russia in the 90s, and there was very little of such content around (for example, we do not celebrate Halloween) but I eagerly seized any opportunity to read or watch something creepy or mystical, urban criminal legends, children’s horror stories, scary original fairy tales. At 12, my dad discovered for me the delightful world of heavy and doom metal music, and when I was 14, Gothic as subculture came to Russia, about the same time as Tim Burton’s animation. Then there were several trips to Europe, where I finally got acquainted with the amazing architecture, castles, Gothic cathedrals and cemeteries. At 17, I was already formed as a person, and my tastes are still with me till now. Nowadays I am additionally interested in mythology, folklore, neo-paganism and tarot.

Tell us about your workflow for creating illustrations? What does the process look like from the creation of an idea to its realisation?

About the process. After the idea came up, I collect references with a similar atmosphere (usually on Pinterest) and make the first rough sketches, where I outline the composition and the light-shadow pattern. Then I choose the most successful one, and in the Procreate I make a more detailed sketch, then linework and textures. Previously, my works were half traditional, but I had to change this in favor of digital art to save money and time. After the line and textures are ready, I transfer the artwork to Photoshop, where I do the final coloring. This is the longest stage, I often try different color solutions before I choose the most successful one. Usually it takes me about 8-12 hours to create a piece, but in the current conditions (I am a mom of a 9 months child) the process can take weeks due to lack of time.

A lot of your work is based on mythology and fairytales from all over the world. Which ones are your favourites?

In fact, any mythology is valuable and interesting, most of all at the moment I am imbued with my native Slavic, and maybe also Scandinavian, as the closest to me in aesthetics. I also really like the varied and bizarre Japanese mythology.

If I ask you to imagine yourself as a character from a fairy tale, a myth or maybe a film. Whose image would you like to "try on"? And why?

If I were a character. In my deepest fantasies, I would like to live in a wild forest, create some gloomy rituals there, fly in the night over the pines and feed on the souls of lost tourists. Or live in a mansion with ghosts. Or rough underwater as a siren. My ideal dream at the moment is any character from my artworks.

YOUR SERIES OF PHOTOS IN SPAIN, AT MURALLA ROJA, IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. COULD YOU TELLEvery creative person has to go through obstacles on their way to become an artist. Have you had to face any difficulties? If yes, how did you overcome them? US MORE ABOUT THIS PHOTO SHOOT?

I have perhaps the most diverse difficulties. First of all, these are health problems due to the specifics of the profession (mainly back and wrists). Secondly, these are mental difficulties (acute reaction to criticism, fear of disappointing the audience, impostor syndrome). Thirdly, these are material difficulties that I faced when my country unleashed a war in 2022 and I lost all my projects, all clients and income due to retaliatory sanctions. In fact, I’m still coping with all this, so I can’t give any advice, except that you need to take care of and appreciate yourself, life is too short to spend it on reflexion.

Every creative person has to go through obstacles on their way to become an artist. Have you had to face any difficulties? If yes, how did you overcome them?

I have perhaps the most diverse difficulties. First of all, these are health problems due to the specifics of the profession (mainly back and wrists). Secondly, these are mental difficulties (acute reaction to criticism, fear of disappointing the audience, impostor syndrome). Thirdly, these are material difficulties that I faced when my country unleashed a war in 2022 and I lost all my projects, all clients and income due to retaliatory sanctions. In fact, I’m still coping with all this, so I can’t give any advice, except that you need to take care of and appreciate yourself, life is too short to spend it on reflexion.

In March 2021, you announced to your Instagram followers that you had started working on a Tarot deck. How are things going with the creation of your Tarot deck? Should we expect its release in the nearest future?

About the tarot. The project has been on pause for a year due to the current political situation. I am terribly sorry that this happened and I hope that the situation will change and I will be able to continue working with Liminal 11.

Both, I think. I use it as one of the main sources of inspiration and spend a lot of time listening to various compositions, and also try to find the right track for almost every illustration. With music, immersion in my work will be complete.

Both, I think. I use it as one of the main sources of inspiration and spend a lot of time listening to various compositions, and also try to find the right track for almost every illustration. With music, immersion in my work will be complete.

Your interest in neo-paganism is evident through your art works. What definition would you give to the word "modern witch"?

In fact, this is a difficult question, probably witchcraft seems to me primarily as an aesthetic of life, and I also consider it important to have some kind of creative process. (growing plants, clay modeling, animal care, drawing, cooking, etc) In general, having respect for the surrounding world and nature. The rest depends on the views and beliefs of a particular person, there are too many of them to categorize.

Share with us your list of favourite films you like to watch.

Oh, there are so many of them! I would probably recommend watching some of this: The VVitch (2015), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), Marrowbone (2017), Pride & Prejudice (2005) (if you want something classic without horror), Over the garden wall (2014) (if you prefer animation).

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