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Surreal illustrations by Simo Liu of 'disaster rooms' that we hope to escape from

Before Covid-19 impacted our lives, most of us enjoyed a sense of freedom that we probably took for granted. After months of restrictions, our need for escape has never felt so strong; it's a feeling Los Angeles illustrator Simo Liu shares greatly in her latest series.

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Figure in orange suit stands in a room facing floating viral particles and molecular structures, representing escape from pandemic disaster

Called Escape, her illustrations tell the story of a lone character trying to escape from different rooms in search of Utopia. "These rooms represent natural and man-made disasters that occurred in 2020," Simo explains. "From coronavirus, locust plagues, forest fires, floods, and earthquakes. Covid-19, in particular, led to limited flights, travel bans, social distancing rules and more – all leaving us feeling trapped.

"Meanwhile, we see people from other countries treating the pandemic differently, some more lightly but others more harshly. Either way, this year has left us feeling overwhelmed and wanting to escape from the chaos."

Simo was inspired by Bong Joon-ho's black comedy thriller, Parasite, and its opposing worlds as well as the twists and turns of Maurits Cornelis Escher's mathematical graphic paintings. "Both show contradictory spaces, which are extremely difficult to escape from," she says.

Creating nine different rooms for the series, Simo presents "eight individual difficulties" but one of hope, and that's of Utopia. "Even though we are suffering right now, there is always light in the darkness. The pandemic will disappear eventually, the sun will rise again."

A figure in orange clothing stands at a doorway while cartoon bees swarm around a room containing a hanging honeycomb, a framed picture of flowers, and a dark floor opening
Illustration of an airport departure lounge with stacked aeroplanes in a confined space and a no entry sign, representing escape from restrictions
Two kangaroos trapped in a room engulfed in flames from a forest fire, with embers and a burning sphere floating above
Diverse group of people celebrating and playing together in a bright yellow room with a red wall, illustrated in a colourful, playful style by Simo Liu
A person in orange holds documents at an airport counter while a uniformed official in blue gives a rejection sign, with destination cities listed on the left and three clocks and a plane icon displayed above
Figure suspended from ceiling by pole escapes flooded room filled with geometric shapes and furniture, with windows and door visible on teal walls
A figure in orange reaches toward a blue door while surrounded by disaster room elements including a pendant lamp, framed landscape, geometric shapes and scattered objects on a patterned floor
A figure in an orange suit stands in a surreal landscape facing palm trees and green hills, with a sun, floating clouds and stars in a bright blue sky above
Grid of nine illustrated disaster rooms by Simo Liu featuring a character attempting escape from scenarios including pandemic, fire, flood, airport chaos, aliens and earthquake
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