While minimalism still has its moments of glory, there’s no doubt that maximalism is in. There’s a particular magic in the idea of intentionally getting carried away, and not being afraid to indulge in colors, textures, and grit. Maximalist art is confident, nearly noncompliant, and leans into every thought or detail. If minimalism bows down to conformity, maximalism breaks the rules.
This week’s Follow Friday artists break the rules in the most dramatically dreamy possible way. There’s a sense of carefree ease that runs throughout their work, and each has a very distinct style. The breadth of their approaches showcase the limitless bounds of maximalism, and makes the style that much more satisfying.
Henryk | @henryk_studio
Every piece of Henryk’s art is imaginative, colorful, expressive, and kinetic. The Sydney artist was raised to hone his creative passions, and it shows beautifully through his innovative pieces. I almost started to drift into a meditative state as I sorted through the varying textures and colors on display in his feed. Some paintings are crumbly, while others are creamy, and each is inspiring and unique to Henryk’s style. If you’ve never before been inspired by color and texture, this account will change your mindset.
Jas | @kool.type
Jasmin is a freelance graphic designer and visual artist from Singapore with an Instagram account that explores the rich variations of typography. Her Instagram feed features colorful compositions that play with dimension and grit, and you can feel a Gen Z decadence in her magnificent, eclectic aesthetic. Punches of color and ligature-filled typography make this account feel as experimental as it does foundational to current design styles.
Mariella Bilitsa | @mariella.bilitsa
This Athens-based painter spends the majority of her time teaching new generations about the power of art, but she also fills her days with her own beautiful portraits of lovely moments. Each of her textured, colorful pieces showcases a fleeting moment, like a woman gnawing corn on the cob, a mustached man ironing clothes, and a woman petting a black cat. Bilitsa’s Instagram feed is a great representation of her impassioned, unique style.
Bernie Kaminski | @berniekaminski
Bernie Kaminski’s cheeky Instagram account is full of perfectly imperfect papier mâché sculptures that are designed to imitate real-life objects. Kaminski’s simple, elegantly constructed pieces showcase the power of a material too often strictly associated with primary school projects. On his feed, you can watch him recreate a wide range of items, from Stan Smiths to a stack of National Geographic magazines, and his account feels as romantic as it does quippy. The real question here is: does art imitate life, or does life imitate art?
Miguel Monkc | @Miguel_monkc
Cuban illustrator & poster designer Miguel Monkc has a heartwarming, adorably upbeat style. His fairly consistent color palette adds a cohesive nature to his feed and creates a charming home base for his distinctive aesthetic. Monkc has cracked the code on creating amiable illustrations through charm and wit, and he’s got the resume to prove it. You can find his work in impressive publications like The New York Times, Fast Company, and Dwell.
