The Catharsis w/ Zeikori

Undeniable surface of reality, fantasies will continue to gather. Memories awaken as one dragged, sledgehammered to the ground. Pain is not an option anymore. Retry and outrun the reality. Unshackle the memories that intercepts. Salutes to you.. Hatred reborn. İmplode now.. Cause no one will attend your self destruction.

Say hi to Zeikori, undoubtedly a beautiful person and artist. Approved to become a part of me. Agreement sealed. We are in this forever. Connotative portraits of strange silhouettes, that's what defines her perception. Affection clusters as you embrace and do what you love. Identity blinks to be appear, hints you the trail. Blast now.. Cause no one will attend your rejuvenation.

(Courtesy of Zeikori)

Hi Zeikori. Would you like to introduce yourself in the first place?

Zeikori: Hello! First, I want to thank you so much for the opportunity and taking the time to interview me, It really means a lot!

I always try to think of the right words to describe who I am as a person while giving an introduction, trying to express just enough without sharing too much. It shapes the way that other people perceive you, and whether you present yourself accurately or incorrectly, the responsibility remains as yours. I have several usernames; some may know me as Zither, others as 0ddiseus, and the majority as Zeikori. However my real name is Victoria Feres, and I am a Venezuelan half Colombian woman with Palestinian ancestry.

Drawing isn't just a passion but a source of solace for me—a method to understand life and myself while simultaneously providing financial support for me and my family since the age of thirteen. My life has always been rather nomadic, I grew up as a Venezuelan immigrant and made my way through three different countries, attended fifteen diverse schools, and called eighteen separate houses "home".

And while I can't imagine a life without art, I don't feel comfortable enough giving myself the title of artist, despite my appreciation for my art—because I do like my own works—I still have to recognize that I have a long road ahead of me to truly feel somewhat deserving of calling myself an artist.

Do you remember how you initially noticed you apt for drawing and illustration?

Zeikori: I started drawing long before I learned to read, so I don't really remember when I decided that drawing was what I liked. Both my mother and my maternal grandmother are artists, and since I was born, I have been immersed in the subject.

It has been my defined passion since long before I can remember. I can't begin to describe myself without thinking about the drawing first.

You mentioned earlier that you tried to imitate other artist’s works as by copying to expand your technique and style. Ultimately you created your originality in that process. What are the remaining challenges ahead since you repeatedly force to reach a greater form?

Zeikori: Specifically when I was 6-8 years old I used to look for images on the internet to copy as an exercise, that helped me a lot to understand the form of the lines and different shapes.

When I turned 9 and started going to an italian art atelier, I began to take inspiration from older artists that also studied there and it was based on mixing all the characteristics that I liked in each of them (perhaps texture, colors, or theme) that my style was formed, and has been in constant mutation since then. Technically speaking my goal is to achieve more complete works in terms of setting, backgrounds, and structures. Which has been one of my biggest challenges since I started.

Usually when I draw I focus much more on making a visually interesting piece rather than on the emotional side of what I make. Not only in art but also in my daily life, emotional blockage has always been a main topic for me. As a child I learnt that emotions are just a sign of weakness and overall undesirable, now that I have grown up I find myself trying to learn and unlearn, to accept and to let go. Trying to express myself and understand how to let my emotions flow instead of rationalizing and ultimately ignoring pain. I've made great progress in this topic, and I hope that it keeps going this way.

Do you ever realized what stimulates your creativity and motivation that makes you halt what you currently do, and then begin to draw promptly?

Zeikori: Music helps me a lot to concentrate and inspires me. At the moment, I have a huge love towards the ethereal wave musical genre, as well as gothic rock and similar branches.

Contrary to what is common among artists, when I am melancholic or in a negative mood is when my emptiest and most soporific drawings are born. It is when I am in moments of calm and allow myself to feel that I am really satisfied with my work. Music allows me to reach that state of calm that I so much need.

As far as I’m concerned, you are into Silent Hill and Fatal Frame. Those video games underline psychological horror genre with a complex storytelling other than the unease atmosphere. Are you focused on maintaining a similar complex emphasis for your art?

Zeikori: I cannot deny the great reference that these games are for my drawings and the great source of inspiration that their gloomy aesthetics represent for me, it is one of my goals to be able to continue implementing elements of them in my works.

I began to develop a taste for this type of games after playing Resident Evil for the first time when I was 13 years old; since then, I have become very fond of similar video games, especially those with complex stories, such as Outlast, American's McGee Alice, or Rule of Rose

In a broader sense, what are your key influences that boosts your encouragement?

Zeikori: Since very early in life, I've been involved in a lot of situations where blood was a present component, experiences that have impacted my life deeply. It was around the same time that I started to be very immersed in the topic of my religion, questioning my faith and whether to believe or not.

Through art, I aim to process and reflect upon the complexities of religion and its impact on individuals and society. It is this deep connection to my religious journey and personal experiences that drives me to create and share my artistic vision with others. My key influences are religion and violence; without even noticing, these two elements have always been very present in my art.

What are you working on at the moment?

Zeikori: Regarding artistic works and in the literal sense of the question, at the moment I am working on finishing an oil painting of Emma (2020) and in a broader sense, I'm experimenting with texture and different concepts for my future drawings.

Answering your question from a more personal side, I'm currently focusing on embracing solitude and self-respect, managing negative thoughts, and allowing myself to feel without judgment. I'm also striving to be gentler with myself and not overly critical. Often, my self-criticism comes from a place of apparent self-awareness rather than a voice of insecurity, making it hard to combat these thoughts despite me knowing they're often inaccurate.

Do you ever think what awaits you in the near future?

Zeikori: I think about the future a lot lately, even though I consider myself as a person who lives mostly in the present, it is difficult for me not to think about the future these days. For now I want to concentrate on drawing and turning this hobby into a stable source of income and my only job. It would be a dream come true to work on something that I love and enjoy so much.

Please type it down an Anime, and/or Manga that makes you extremely pleased.

Zeikori: I haven't watched any anime lately, I've distanced myself a bit from it (for no specific reason). But one anime that will always have a place in my heart is Shingeki no kyojin.

As for manga, my all-time favorite is and always will be Sailor Moon, it was a big part of my childhood and remains a great source of comfort for me even today. As for artistic references within manga, Junji Ito with his work Tomie comes to my mind first, Hirohiko Araki also becomes a source of inspiration often and his art resonates a lot with me.

I am grateful for your taking part on my realm. I would like to hear your afterwords..

Zeikori: I just wanted to extend a big thank you for having me as part of this project and to say that I really enjoyed answering these questions. It was such a pleasure chatting with you about art, and I really appreciate the opportunity to be part of your realm.

If there's anything else you'd like to know or discuss, just let me know—I'm here! Thanks once again for considering me for this project. Looking forward to hearing more from you soon, wishing you nothing but the best :) !

CREDITS

Official IG page of Zeikori, tap @0ddiseus