Illustration: Madison-Sy shows us the beauty of the in-between

Date
4 September 2013

Oh that inescapable, inexplicable fear of sharks when swimming, even if it is in the local lido; illustrator Madison Sy knows it well – “It is the fear of the unknown or that which I cannot see” she says. Yet somehow she makes these irrational anxieties become beautiful, delicious even, that elusive water beckoning at us to dive in.

Her work seems transitional, documenting those mid-points that life has a habit of moving us into; like Limbo , the chosen illustration for the American Illustration 32 Archive 2013, designed for recent graduates it captures that post-university “not sure where my feet are or where I’m meant to be going next” feeling perfectly, leaving us lost somewhere in-between.

We are drawn into Madison’s work, caught in the dreamlike state she creates, completely intoxicated and we’d quite like to stay.

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Madison-Sy: Fears

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Madison-Sy: CAMO

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Madison-Sy: Whether, Weather

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Madison-Sy: Bristol Short Story

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Madison-Sy: Swimming as Stress Relief

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Emily Beber

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