Eye Candy In July: melinjin
Hi melinjin, could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us a little about your background?
Hi! I’d describe myself as someone who absolutely loves learning new things, so my career path is far too long to sum up properly. But at its core, everything I do revolves around being creative, whether that’s digitally or by hand.
Where is home for you?
Winterthur. ❤️
And where do you feel most at home?
In the water! And anywhere I’m surrounded by friends. The last time I had that feeling of home was actually at a concert. It was this strange mix of nostalgia and, «Right, everyone move over. I’m settling in here. This exact moment is where I belong.»
How would you describe your style?
I love drawing animals and plants, but I’m not interested in recreating reality. I prefer blending things together a little or inventing entirely new creatures. I like working on that fine line between reality and fantasy. I also enjoy strong contrasts between light and shadow, balancing minimalism with intricate detail.
What do you hope your work evokes?
Honestly? Nothing in particular. I just want to make the world a little more beautiful and enjoy the time I spend drawing. If someone connects with one of my pieces or it sparks a personal memory, then that’s a lovely bonus.
Which song inspires you?
When I’m working, I usually dig out the full catalogue of wonderfully terrible '90s and 2000s music. I also recently discovered Dackel by Zorsch & Kurt. How did I manage to live for eleven years without knowing this ridiculous yet brilliant song? It’s fantastic! But to stop my musical reputation from being completely ruined, here are a few tracks that sit in my all-time favourites rather than my guilty pleasures playlist: Dream Odyssey by MONO, Oh, It Had To Be You by Black Foxxes, and Against the Law by Donbor.
Apart from your art, what else brings you joy?
I recently started tattooing at the wonderful Pikaia Atelier in Zurich. There’s something fascinating about tattoos—they’re works of art that stay with you throughout your life, grow older alongside you and, one day, die with you too. I find that incredibly poetic. Another big passion of mine is games. Together with my best friend, Dodo, I design board games under the name Lamalandstudios. We try to make as much as possible by hand, from laser-cutting and staining the wooden pieces to sculpting and 3D-printing the figures, right through to sewing the fabric cases they come in.
Do you have a favourite piece among your work?
Not just one, but I do have a few favourites. One is Lick 1, featuring a cat that’s been caught red-handed while grooming itself. Someone loved the print so much that they decorated an entire birthday party with it, which I thought was incredibly sweet. Another favourite is Ravens. I spent more than 100 hours creating it, using nothing but tiny dots and lines. A bee, however, was less impressed and promptly relieved itself right across the drawing. I suppose that’s just one of the hazards of making art outdoors in the summer.
Our readers will be waking up to your artwork in their inbox every morning for the next month. Is there anything you’d like to leave them with?
I recently came across a quote that really stuck with me: «it’s actually pretty punk to rest in a world that profits from your exhaustion.» And I think that’s true. Don’t let yourself be rushed around or bullied by words like efficiency and speed. Take your time. Learn something new—drawing, tattooing, a new language, an instrument. Design board games, learn to identify different types of moss, watch birds… whatever it is, as long as it does your heart some good.