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Two miniature figures sit in a tiny living room set inside a fridge. They lounge on a small sofa and armchair, with a chocolate coffee table between them.

Blanca Espinoso on embracing the everyday in her art direction practice

The London-based, Spanish art director uses her practice as a way to navigate cultural differences and poke fun at societal norms.

Blanca Espinoso describes herself as a “visual nomad”. Often found remixing the ordinary – such as caution signs, doors and fashion pieces – her work is all about the act of reimagining the world around us. Originally from Madrid, and having moved to London to study creative direction at the London College of Fashion, she credits the language barrier and “frictions of living abroad” for her penchant for crafting unusual visual narratives – most noticeable in her usage of emojis, where she translates her ideas about the fashion industry and society-at-large in fresh and creative ways.

Throughout the years, Blanca has developed a fascination with Dadaism due to its whimsical nature. And as far as present day inspirations go, she muses on everything from “tube signs seen on my journey around the city and even melting ice cream”. So it’s no wonder that throughout her work, you get this feeling that she has her fingers on the pulse of the city at every moment, as she indulges in all things witty and coincidental. “I want to question conventions, redefine beauty and use eclectic mediums – that is the heartbeat of my practice.”

Gallery(Copyright © Blanca Espinoso, 2023)

A digital collage of a yellow warning sign that reads “CAUTION SLIPPERY FLOOR”. A person wearing a white shirt, tie and yellow sunglasses is depicted mid-fall across the centre of the sign.
A collage sculpture made from architectural fragments and panels, set against a draped silver backdrop. The structure includes a car window, several coloured doors, a painting of a figure, and a yellow folding screen.
A collage against a red background featuring a sketch of a person entwined with a serpent. A blue glass bottle sits inside a white ceramic basin, positioned over a pair of legs wearing blue trousers. To the left, a small portrait and a vase of red flowers sit before a leaded glass window.
A collage of a figure composed of various objects and textures. They wear a silver bob wig with a reflective square over their face, a pleated skirt, and pointed silver shoes.
A surreal digital collage of a figure composed of organic shapes and textures. The head is that of a white dog, with a row of teeth placed across its forehead, while the body is formed from purple and beige flower petals.
A collage portrait of a person wearing a black blazer and a striped shirt. A surreal arrangement of images, including a pink cowboy hat and a bird, covers the centre of their face.
A surreal collage of fragmented images and figures set against a grainy, textured background. The composition includes a large eye, a pink face in a cowboy hat, and two people in white outfits sitting together.
A portrait of a person wearing a white shirt and a green tie. A colourful collage is laid over the left side of their face, featuring a hand with red nails, a figure, and abstract shapes.
A surreal collage featuring a blue-skinned figure reclining on a pink wing. A smaller figure with a white mask sits beside them, holding a yellow flower.
A 3D render of a giant blue bottle of “Dixie” cleaning product standing on a city pavement. The bottle is spilling a pool of bright blue liquid across the cobblestones next to a parked car.
A digital collage shows a large knife slicing through a skyscraper as if it were a cake. The sliced section sits on a white plate with a spoon, positioned in front of another tall office building.
A white mannequin wears a dress constructed from rows of yellow and white labels. Each label features the name “John Applegate” in blue text.
A small 3D render of a green canoe and a red paddle is placed over a blue priority seating sign. The canoe sits across a white figure pushing a wheelchair.

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(Copyright © Blanca Espinoso, 2023)

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About the Author

Yaya Azariah Clarke

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Yaya (they/them) was previously a staff writer at It’s Nice That. With a particular interest in Black visual culture, they have previously written for publications such as WePresent, alongside work as a researcher and facilitator for Barbican and Dulwich Picture Gallery.

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