Ancient myth and internet culture collide at the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration. Leïla Davaud visited Faerdom: Now, As Ever, Vince Ibay and Jessica Miller’s first major London exhibition.
Utopia or dystopia. Left or right. It’s the first decision visitors have to make when stepping into Faerdom. Follow the Pied Piper of Hamelin’s melody and find rats performing TikTok dances. Turn your back on him and follow the Green Man towards the quiet rhythms of nature and growth.
Both characters embody Vince Ibay and Jessica Miller’s central question: in an uncertain time when the online world dominates our lives, do humanity’s oldest stories still resonate, and can they offer perspective and hope for the future?
The duo, known as Fromm Studio, use medieval-inspired artwork to question the engineering of online escapism, misinformation and self-documentation.
The word Faerdom combines two meanings: the fairy kingdom of folklore and the fair kingdom the early internet promised to be.
Inspired by commemorative and decorative ceramics, Fromm’s unique working method combines traditional influences with digital processes. Using motion capture and photogrammetry, the artists create 3D scans of models, which are then drawn, rendered and imbued with movement, bringing their whimsical characters and creatures to life.
Vince Ibay tells the Echo: “Our work has always been influenced by British folklore, humour and visual culture. We can’t wait to open the doors and welcome everyone into our world.”
He adds: “Our work has grown through making more physical things in the past few years. We created a wooden frame based on Facebook emojis, 3D frames for a few screens and sculptures, among other things.” Like giant corgis…
The exhibition is now open to visitors and runs until Monday, 29th March, from Wednesday to Sunday between 10am and 5pm. Tickets include entry to all exhibitions at £16.50 for adults and £6.60 for children, including a donation. Entry is free for members.
For more information, visit www.qbcentre.org.uk.
