THE STORY

Mr. Tsukui is a young Japanese science fiction writer who wrote an original science fiction story for a joint project between WIRED and Sony or their March 2022 issue “Web3”. I was approached by Wired Japan to create two illustrations - one for the beginning and one for the end of the article.

Mr. Tsukui’s story takes place in the 23rd century, in a dangerous area called "New Babylon," which exists in a corner of a virtual space collective once known as the Metaverse. New Babylon was designed as a supermassive athletic complex that replicated the physical laws of real space, and at its peak, hundreds of millions of humans and AIs gathered to participate in various play and games.

However, one day, New Babylon collapsed due to a sudden and massive failure. Most of that world’s order had been disrupted, and the safety of New Babylon was threatened. The majority of humans and AIs fled to other areas of the Metaverse, and New Babylon was largely forgotten. However, some humans and AIs remained in this dangerous world for one reason or another.

THE BRIEF

The client brief was to create two illustrations with a shared composition—one for the beginning and another for the end of the article. The key elements involved incorporating "insects, birds, fish, snakes, and bats as avatars adapting to the imploding New Babylon." The illustrations were to depict a world where the laws of physics were distorted, reminiscent of Escher's work but with a style inspired by my previous bed illustration.

THE RESULT

The final artwork portrayed three stacked spaces, each with its own peculiar "bugs" and defying the laws of physics. The first space showcased flying fish, clouds, flora, and insects, while the second space depicted their more ominous counterparts — spiders, snakes, bats, upside-down clouds, and lifeless trees. Both illustrations employed soft blues and creams, creating a subtle contrast that conveyed a realm detached from the laws of physics, where the transformation from welcoming to hostile had reshaped its very essence.

Working on this project allowed me to delve into the rich imagination of Mr. Tsukui's story and bring it to life through my illustrations. It was an exciting collaboration with Wired Japan, contributing to the visual storytelling of the "Web3" issue.