The dynamic worlds of Skwaam

How Trapxart ignites the next wave of creative expression

Amidst the laid back hip hop beats mixed with the hum of planes taking off and landing at London City Airport, the inviting reception of the Moxy London Excel transported me to a world of creativity that felt worlds away from the polished pretentiousness of the Mayfair art scene (as being a contemporary London-based art critic and journalist that’s precisely where I spend my Thursday evenings the most these days, it seems). Yet, this was different. And this is the essence of Trapxart.

Founded in 2013 by Oakland natives Amina and Jesse Brooks, Trapxart was born from a shared passion for creativity and community. Amina, a UC Berkeley graduate with a background in Mass Communication and professional makeup artistry, and Jesse, also a UC Berkeley alum with a degree in African American Studies and experience in music industry, combined their talents to create a space where art could break free and flourish beyond the confines of social media. Inspired by a Jean-Michel Basquiat documentary, Trapxart emerged as a bold response to the lack of accessible platforms for local artists to showcase their work. Since then what initially began as an underground party has grown into a global movement, connecting the creatives across more than 25 cities. ‘It’s more than just an event, - Brooks’ shared on their official website, - it’s a cultural phenomenon that incorporates fashion shows, music performances, and live art installations’. Such interdisciplinarity is also something that resonates deeply with Kalai Gallery, whose mission is striving to bridge the realms of music, fashion, and art, extending its reach beyond the Eurocentric boundaries of  central London’s art sector and creating a space for diverse, inclusive creativity. 

Among the creators featured in the event is an illustrator, animator, and digital artist who goes by the alias Skwaam and whose work dives deep into his personal creative universe, where the stories unfold and unique characters come to life. 

Tracing his first major influence back to a pivotal moment at the age of ten, when he stumbled upon a Gorillaz music video, the concept of a virtual band composed of 2D characters left him completely captivated, as it masterfully blurred the lines between reality and fiction. Created in 1998 by musician Damion Albarn, best known as a frontman of Blur, and the artist Jamie Hewlett, Gorillaz stood out for its fresh, never-seen-before fusion of music and multimedia. Originally conceived as a satirical response to the increasingly artificial and manufactured state of the late 90s music industry, the band used its virtual persona to allow the music to stand independently while crafting a rich narrative universe that delved into the themes of celebrity culture, consumerism, and identity.  But for Skwaam, this encounter with Gorillaz was more than just a source of fascination - it became a cornerstone of his early artistic development. The way Gorillaz seamlessly integrated character design with complex narrative structures inspired him to experiment with creating his own original characters. This early exposure to the possibilities of storytelling through art ignited a passion in him to develop unique characters,each filled with rich lore and backstory. 

In the vivid and electrifying world of Skwaam, now seamlessly blending illustration, animation, and digital art, influences collide in a chaotic yet harmonious explosion of creativity. Drawing inspiration from a diverse array of sources - B movies, anime, monster flicks, Pokémon, and hip-hop culture - his work bursts with energy and imagination, while the characters, dynamic and highly stylized with sharp, distinct features, inhabit a universe that lives rent-free in the artist’s mind. In his art nothing is static: from character design to the stories they tell - everything is filled with constant movement and motion. ‘It’s a form of escapism, really,’ Skwaam confesses, ‘creating these characters and fleshing them out with background stories and lore provides an immense outlet’. For him, as for many creatives taking part in Trapxart, art is not just a medium but a portal to another world - one where he can shape narratives, build stories, and breathe life into his creations. This process is more than just a creative exercise; it’s a form of self-expression that fully embodies the interdisciplinary spirit of Trapxart. 

Indeed, standing as a testament to Trapxart's main ethos of breaking the boundaries, Skwaam’s work refuses to be confined to a single medium or genre. Successfully translating sound into visuals, he has collaborated with musical artists, working on album covers, and is now experimenting with animation to craft detailed narratives that further bring characters and their stories to life. These animated segments of songs embrace the kitsch and pop culture references that pervade his work, resulting in busy scenes filled with movement and energy.

As Trapxart grows, its influence on the art world is undeniable. Not only expanding the reach of countless artists but also redefining the very concept of a creative community, this platform provides a dynamic space for creators like Shkwaam, whose artistic odyssey is really just beginning to unfold.