One of the most striking aspects of Miriam Persand‘s practice is her ability to breathe life into anthropomorphised creatures. Her fascination with animals like owls, pigeons, rats and alligators – especially alligators due to our “reptilian anxious brains” – serves as the jumping point for addressing complex emotions.
As such, she gives these creatures human-like qualities and draws them driving cars, meditating, sipping soda or hanging out and playing music. Pigeons and rats tend to prop up more frequently in her work as they’re the animals we see most in the city. But all of which are metaphors for the intricate workings of the human psyche.
Born in Madrid, Spain, Miriam studied graphic design in Brighton before returning to her hometown. She also boasts a degree in Philosophy, where she specialised in digital art and aesthetics. Oh, and she’s also learning to tattoo, has two published comic books entitled Animal Party and Internet Sublime, and has collaborated with publications and contributed works to The New York Times, Condé Nast Traveller, GQ Spain and more.
When it comes to creating her pieces, Miriam reveals a few key sources that spark her creativity. “Walking around is what inspires me the most,” she says. “I also like to meditate a lot – I’m a very chilled and easygoing person.” She also has a love of the occult, psychedelia, tarot cards, sci-fi and comics, all of which transcend into the trippy worlds that she builds through her work. And more recently, she’s enjoyed watching the flowers that her girlfriend planted growing in pots on the terrace. It’s a combination of the little, everyday moments and big questions around our existence that seems to shape her unique vision.
Miriam has recently participated in the collective exhibition Graphic Constellation: Young Women Authors of Avant-Garde Comics, which is based in Belgrade, Serbia. “I am so lucky because I am on it with some of the comic book authors I admire the most,” she says. Miriam contributed a comic named Brief Rite of Passage, which was shown on a door frame “that people got to open and cross as a threshold”. Miriam’s latest endeavour, a 32-page comic book titled Mute, is set to explore the art of communal living between animals and humans, perceived through the act of cooking a delightful feast. Her art not only captivates the eye but also invites viewers to ponder deeper questions about our relationship with the natural world.
Miriam’s pieces are a mesmerising blend of surrealism, psychedelia and a touch of whimsical nonsense. Futuro stands out as an example, featuring an alligator in a meditative stance beside futuristic cars and houses.
This composition invites viewers to dream of a world where even the most mundane objects become fantastical. In four personal projects – What Are The Chances, Mouse Chillin, Reason and Inside The Temple – Miriam weaves stories that evoke a sense of wonder, pushing the boundaries of what’s expected in the real world. Whatever she puts her mind towards, Miriam will exude a surreal quality that transports viewers into an extraordinary land.