These surreal illustrations express “the general absurdity of being alive”

Taylor Barron describes her illustrations as a set of Escher stairs. “They somehow connect the different parts of my identity, my perception of others, and the underlying quest for both understanding and being understood,” she says. Born in Seattle and now based in Paris, Taylor creates vibrant and surreal images that explore the complexities of identity and existing in the modern world.

Her work spans digital illustration, acrylics, and coloured pencils, inspired by an eclectic mix of artists like Dora Maar, Frida Kahlo, Jane Graverol, Mary Cassatt, Toshio Saeki, Alice Neel, and Hayao Miyazaki. Taylor blends a playful palette with darker themes, ”to bridge the gap between appearance, emotions, and reality,” she says. These drawings explore a range of themes, such as her experience of neurodivergence, body image, feminism, and “the general absurdity that comes with being alive”.

These are all influenced by her personal experiences. “Finding the balance between withdrawing and pursuing genuine connection is something I haven’t quite figured out,” she says. “But the times I felt the need to isolate, the act of creating became a therapeutic mechanism.” The contradictions are mirrored in her images – a dreamlike atmosphere imbued with symbols from the real world, like iPhones or a pack of Sertraline. In playing with the line between absurdity and introspection, Taylor invites us to question and confront our own inner realities, and how we relate to ourselves and one another too.