Caio Caldas is a Brazilian artist, illustrator and graphic designer based in London. With a multidisciplinary approach to image making that ranges across different media; encompassing drawing, publication and moving image; he creates comic, somewhat satirical digital illustrations loosely inspired by pop art, internet culture and memes.
We spoke with Caio about his work and inspirations. Read below to find out more!
What attracted you to your craft?
The creative freedom, mostly. I have a background in graphic design and advertising. While working for clients can be fulfilling in its own way, I am never as accomplished as when I see people relate to things I have designed for myself. Making art to me is like a little game where you try to find meeting points between an individual world view and a wider generational one. A lot of the fun comes from conciliating a sense of personal identity to an idea of popular appeal while trying to challenge these concepts.
What does your typical day look like?
I’m currently trying to romanticise my starving artist era as I work part-time in a cocktail bar to pay the bills. My typical day usually involves waking up a little late and popping out a few quick sketches on my iPad to get the brain juices flowing, then putting on a nice shirt and going out to shake beverages through the late hours of the night.
Does your product have an environmental focus / does it support the circular economy?
While not necessarily a primary focus, I guess I do try to be sensible about where I source material from/what kind of material I use and how I print.
What is the unique selling point for your products?
I believe there is a specific, unique voice and style that permeates most of my work: it is silly, fun and accessible, while simultaneously ironic and sometimes a little cynical.
Where do you find / source your inspiration for designs?
Pretty much everywhere. My collection is part of a larger ongoing series of over 100 illustrations where I take a sort of “quantity over quality” approach to drawing, playfully trying to draw without thinking and create as quickly and spontaneously as possible.
Please can you provide a little more info on how your interest in design started and developed?
Image making has been an expressive part of my life for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories of it are from constantly doodling in front of the TV as a child while I watched endless reruns of cartoons, which I still blame for my drawing style.
Do you have any favourite items in the collection?
This always kinda feels like choosing between my children for me. I like the deadpan humour in the “art show” one. I’m also pretty happy that not just a shop commissioned prints of the one with the yellow guy with 4 eyes as I think it’s a particularly quirky one.
How would you summarise your collection in a few sentences, words?
What if Keith Haring and David Shrigley had a deformed child that was on the internet too much?
Does your work have a social impact?
At the moment I’m not sure but I hope that one day it will aid the proletariat in seizing the means of production.
What are your hopes for the future? Where would you like to take your design career / collection?
I just want to be able to afford to live in London working full-time on my designs at some point. Tate permanent collection wouldn’t hurt either.
Any other thoughts you want to add…
Be kind to each other and call your parents every once in a while.