WorkIllustration

Surreal, Jodorowsky-like images from Moscow-based artist Julia Petrova

Julia Petrova is an artist and illustrator based in Moscow, Russia, whose work is striking for its unusual way of representing people, places and utopian/dystopian landscapes.

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Surreal illustration of Egyptian pyramids with green vegetation and terracotta buildings beneath a pink sky, featuring a small blue figure in the foreground

Her work feels decidedly retro, for all its sci-fi leanings, and reminds us of the works of legendary design studio Hipgnosis, which created images for bands like Pink Floyd, XTC, Black Sabbath and ELO.

In the strange eyes, mysterious heads and desert backdrops that seem to be common motifs, there's also a lot of Alejandro Jodorowsky here, too.

"While it’s tempting, I don’t think I’m present in my illustrations as any of the characters," says Petrova. "In these worlds they navigate, I’m more of an invisible entity always standing next to them and giving them a sense of understanding even in the most unexpected situations. By characters, I don’t only mean human, or even animate, ones."

Her works are mostly created using watercolour, ink and liner pens; giving a sense of both craft and texture to the often eerie, but always beguiling scenes that are packed with detail and a dream-like sensation—you're not quite sure what's going on, but it gets etched into your mind.

The pieces force you to suspend your disbelief (no bad thing); presenting often-familiar motifs in totally new, odd scenarios. Check out more of Petrova's work on Instagram.

Surreal illustration of a destroyed building with glowing cat eyes on a screen above it, flames engulfing a road below, and a clear blue sky overhead
Surreal illustration by Julia Petrova showing a pink courtyard with arched colonnades, a coiled yellow snake, domed structures and ruined buildings under a pale moon
Surreal desert landscape with scattered dark rocks on orange sand, featuring a detached pink face with lips, a rectangular panel showing stylised eyes with heavy eyeliner, and a textured dark form below
A person in white clothing lies on an orange sand dune beneath a red sky, facing a large black oval head with glowing eyes, with a small sun visible on the horizon
Surreal desert landscape with two colourful spheres on sand and a large white explosion erupting in the distance under a hazy sky
Palm trees stand in front of a modern building with a patterned tiled facade in a watercolour illustration by Julia Petrova
Two figures stand in a surreal desert landscape with vintage signage and a retro futuristic building, rendered in watercolour and ink with dreamlike quality
Black silhouetted head with glowing orange eyes surrounded by pastel clouds and drooping palm fronds against a hazy landscape, by Julia Petrova
Figure in orange coat walking across red desert landscape scattered with burning logs and mountains in distance under yellow sky
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