We asked some of the most inspiring folks we know to tell us what they are inspired by.

Zee C. AKA Deco PopZ | Artist

I am deeply inspired by the idea of infusing vibrant colors, pop art, and graffiti into my work to bring smiles to others. Each stroke of bright hues and intricate patterns is a testament to my commitment to spreading joy and positivity. Whether it’s a bustling cityscape or a simple canvas, I aim to captivate hearts and ignite happiness with every creation. The transformative power of art to evoke emotions and uplift spirits fuels my passion to continuously innovate and push boundaries. Through my artistic journey, I aspire to leave a lasting impression that leaves people feeling uplifted and inspired. Read more>>

Ruichao Jiang | Multimedia Artist

I gain inspiration from my observations and reflections on things, as well as from my interests. For example, the inspiration of Male Pregnancy series originated from my experiences in the Chinese fanfic community. In this predominantly female-centric community, I noticed that female creators in the Chinese context are increasingly inclined to project Chinese traditional narrative of objectifying females onto male characters they admire. By doing so, they “second-sex” these male characters, moving them away from traditional masculine traits, making them more approachable and safe to embody their beloved roles. I can see and feel the changes in the representation of female spiritual needs and subjectivity in romantic and erotic creations. These evolving attitudes offer enlightening perspectives, leading me to develop projects addressing gender issues. Simultaneously, I am interested in science and technology, so during the process of developing the concepts of the projects, evolutionary biology and reproductive science gave me a lot of inspiration, and these were why I finally decided to use the Male Pregnancy setting in the fanfic as a focal point to tell a story of gender power reversal. Viewing sexual reproduction as the starting point of gender formation from a physiological perspective, I sought to provoke reflection on gender structures by altering the traditional roles in the reproductive process. I also used sci-fin elements in the projects to make the project more related to real life. I enjoyed developing fantasy narratives based on reason and logic, believing that this rational fantasy grounded in the real world possesses a certain power to engage people in the fictional story. Read more>>