Dazed Club Spotlight is our monthly series showcasing up-and-coming talent from the Dazed creative community. If you’d like to be featured, download the app HERE and join our community. You just have to post a project and the Dazed team will take a look – we select one person from the community to spotlight per week.

“The inspiration behind the Snails comes from the intriguing dichotomy of discomfort and fascination that snails evoke in me. Snails invites us to slow down, appreciate the elegance of little creatures, and rediscover the wonders of the natural world that often go unnoticed. With my work and practice, I aspire to draw the viewer on a journey – to let them feel the world I’ve created. By taking inspiration from unusual things and pop culture, I craft a message, and one of the central themes I explore through my work consistently is the greater representation of women.

“In terms of technical aspects and processes, in my work, I value colour the most and how colour affects the general impact of a photograph. I tend to experiment a lot in post-production and always push and challenge myself and my practice. For this project, I found inspiration in nature and I wanted to incorporate it into the outcome. In particular, I did a series of floral lumen prints, and thanks to the creative help of makeup artist Saphron Morgan, we were able to transform the prints into unreal makeup looks. I had so much fun during the process of creating this project; I was able to just allow myself to use the unusual and otherworldly inspiration in the little things that intrigue me.”

Credits: Photographer + Art Director: Alex Radota @alexradota, Makeup Artist + co-Art Director: Saphron Morgan @saph.art, Stylist: Freya Thomas-Taylor @freyathomastaylor, Hairstylist: Sheree-Jourdan @x_sjourdan, Nails: Chang Wang @mollusknails, Models: Aleksandra Walentynowicz @alek_walent, Emily Yelverton @youngthugyelvers represented by Revolt Model Agency @revoltmodelagency

Styling Assistant: Abi Wood @abiwood, Styling Assistant: Louise Webber @louisewebber.design, Lighting Designer: Marianka Nadolska @mariankanadolska

“In my artistic journey, I’ve been driven by a deep interest in what makes us all human. I’m influenced by the idea that despite our differences in race and gender, there’s something universally connecting us. My art aims to break down the barriers that separate us and explore the shared experiences that tie us together. This series, Synthetic Symmetry, is a way for me to express this belief in a visual form.

“The ten pieces in this collection are all made of cotton fabric. I intentionally took apart facial features to make them a bit tricky to recognise. The goal is to make people think beyond what we see on the surface. I want viewers to consider that our common humanity is more important than the things that make us look different. Synthetic Symmetry isn’t just about faces; it’s about capturing the spirit that we all share.

“I used a technique called cyanotype for these pieces. It involves using light-sensitive chemicals on The Row cotton fabric, giving the artwork a cool blue colour. I chose this method because it adds a historical touch and a dreamy quality to the work. The intentional blurriness in the deconstruction process is like a symbol of how flexible our identities can be, emphasising the things we all have in common. Each piece is a play of light and shadow, representing the complex connections that make up our shared existence. I hope to encourage viewers to question stereotypes, appreciate our shared humanity, and start a conversation about what unites us all.”

“I sometimes feel like a bad gay. I’m not as enlightened as I want to be and not as liberated as so many gay people and allies have fought for us to be. On top of that, I am generally very sensitive and I have found myself feeling like an open wound more than usual lately. I’m not sure why… It might be the state of the world, or of my relationships, or of this point in time in my life… But I have used this zine as a cathartic release of these emotions and created The Soft Gay as an exploration of queer sensitivity.

“Usually, my deep – and borderline unhinged – feelings get locked away when I slam shut my journal, but this zine gives a little insight into those pages. I did even include some pages of my journal by scanning them in with ribbon or jewellery laid on top, blocking the parts that felt too personal to share. Most of those pages are about my relationship with my boyfriend, Reggie, who is also featured in the zine. Our relationship is as delicate as it is special and he has been a beautiful passenger on this journey.

“Beyond my personal life, this zine has been a blessing on my perspective as a fashion student. I have unlocked how fashion can genuinely become an outlet for my feelings with a fashion photo that was styled by me and taken by my housemate, Georgia. The photo is of me dressing up, rediscovering my childhood ritual of squeezing into plastic princess dresses. It’s a special photo for me because Georgia uplifts the soft gay in me every day and it was only her who could have captured that moment for me.

“I spent so many precious moments with this zine, from nights crying into my InDesign file to connecting further with people I love. You know when something happens at the exact moment in time it was meant to? Yeah, I think that’s what this was for me.”

“Great Sale Wood is a short, animated film crafted through the sustainable process of cyanotype, which uses the natural elements of UV light and water. Taking half a year to complete, the two-minute animation is comprised of over 2,800 hand-printed frames. The film explores themes of ecology, climate crisis and spiritualism. I’ve always been inspired by the spirituality and interconnected beauty of the wildlife around forests.

“I recorded the footage and audio around Epping Forest. I then edited the video and exported it into individual frames to turn into contact sheets with nine frames per page. I used watercolour paper treated in the cyanotype solution, acetate, and UV light to expose the images. I turned my bedroom into a mini cyanotype factory, with the UV light being held together by string and shoes, pegs used to hold the glass to the prints and my wardrobe used as a makeshift darkroom. After UV exposure, I washed the prints in second-hand developing trays and hung them to dry. After drying, I scanned each frame and edited them back into a video. The audio was created using a synth combined with digital manipulations of the field recordings I took.

“Lately, I’ve been inspired by my boyfriend’s radio show, PEACEKEEPER RADIO, which platforms underground artists and DJs from across the world. I especially love the experimental mixes, like Mix #012 which gives me strong Runescape nostalgia. We hope to collaborate to host an event with live DJs in the near future.”

Check out the video for Michaela’s cyanotype animation here.

The screening of Great Sale Wood takes place on Thursday February 8 (6-9pm) at the William Morris Gallery.

Sound artist: Dean Logan.

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