Austyn Taylor, open call winning artist and her many characters spreading optimism across the world one gallery at a time: "My work is vivid, colorful, innocent, courageous and absurd. I make characters in hand sculpted clay based on animals and people I have encountered. The work acts as a signal- "everything will be ok" like a safe place to wonder about how we even exist as humans in the first place." Taylor is internationally recognized for her hand-built ceramic sculptures—playful yet deeply philosophical characters inspired by animals, human behavior, and the shared experiences that connect people across cultures. Influenced by ancient clay traditions from Mesopotamia, Japan, Europe, Africa, and Central America, she sees clay as one of humanity's most universal artistic languages: fragile yet enduring, humble yet capable of carrying profound meaning across generations.

Giusy Amoroso, also known as Marigoldff, winner of the fifth Open Call, constructs speculative ecosystems where biology and industry converge. Working across digital and physical realms, her practice examines how organisms adapt within environments shaped by contamination, technological intervention, and ecological instability. Rooted in her upbringing in Southern Italy’s “Land of Fires,” Amoroso’s work moves beyond narratives of destruction to focus on transformation as a condition of survival. Through hybrid anatomies—where metal, synthetic matter, and organic tissue coexist—she proposes new models of life that are both resilient and dependent. This conversation traces the conceptual, technical, and experiential layers that define her evolving practice.

Danish artist Laust Højgaard explores the tension between strength, vulnerability, and identity through paintings and sculptures populated by symbolic characters and surreal situations. Drawing inspiration from classical mythology, architecture, and contemporary pop culture, his work investigates how individuals navigate societal structures while negotiating their own instincts and inner conflicts. Based on the small island of Thurø near Svendborg in southern Denmark, Højgaard works across painting and sculpture, often combining expressive figuration with raw, intuitive processes. His work frequently reflects on humanity’s relationship with nature, control, and the systems that shape modern life.

New Zealand–born, UK-based artist Cas Campbell works across ceramics, handmade paper, sculpture, and installation to explore humanity’s deep connection to nature. Drawing on evolutionary history, queer identity, motherhood, neurodivergence, and overlooked lives, Campbell’s practice weaves the personal with the historical. Their recent ceramic works construct alternative icons inspired by boundary-breaking female and queer figures, reframing ideas of gender, care, and permanence. In this in-depth interview, Campbell reflects on their journey from painting and installation to clay, the impact of becoming a young parent, and the slow development of a research-driven studio practice. The conversation offers an intimate insight into an emerging artist reshaping contemporary ceramics through tenderness, and resilience.

Marcus Jansen, a globally renowned contemporary artist whose bold, emotionally charged works confront the complexities of modern life. Known for his distinctive fusion of street art, abstract expressionism, and social commentary, Jansen’s paintings explore themes of power, surveillance, and the human condition in an ever-changing world. From his early roots in graffiti culture to international acclaim, his journey is as compelling as the art he creates.

An in depth interview with Mate Orr, one of our Open Call winners, a young artist making waves on the international stage, talking about his work, how it all began for him and what is next.