ARTIST STATEMENT : Zephyra Vun (aka anARCHI design, aka Zef) is a visual artist from Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada) whose art conscientiously integrates flow. I strive to preserve the purity of art - the human body’s present participation in artistic expression within our digitally dominated world.

I strongly believe that hand-making and corporeal craftsmanship are critical in generating provocative, authentic work that is humanized. It forces a slowed and mindful creative process through physical and intentional interaction (where one cannot ‘undo’ with the click of a button). Hand-made work also manifests a restorative quality, felt by the creator and observer, by connecting the mind and body through tactility.

At a very early age I developed a passion for working with my hands. Upon graduating with a Masters of Architecture Degree in 2011, I became further compelled by this life-long interest. Degree in tow (having completed my final thesis drawings by hand, contrary to the vast majority of my peers who opted for computerized renderings), I carried with me a critical observation about design, which would forever change my approach to creating.

Design and art can often be perceived as unapproachable. Today, design professionals seldom work by hand, relying heavily on digital media, while digital artists and mass-produced art prevail. Both become foreign, dehumanized practices that produce objective, generic work rather than involved expressions of their unique creator. Originality disappears. It is difficult to connect with a piece of art that has no apparent human origin.

This disparity and disconnection only heighten existing feelings of disintegration that are synonymous with the current digital age in which we live. My work is an attempt at reintegration - to honour and validate our innate human desire for deeper, visceral experience.

The pseudonym, anARCHI design (registered as an official business name over a decade ago), was derived to embody this philosophy, of making design and art more accessible and relatable. By placing "ARCHI", a commonly used prefix in the Architecture profession, secondary to “an” (meaning “anti”) metaphorically diminishes what it represents: disconnected, dehumanized, and unapproachable design.

My work can be described as slow flow, purposeful improvisation where every stroke has intent and purpose. My creative process involves aligning myself with the present moment so that an instinctual clarity may be discovered. I draw inspiration from minimalism and the cycles of nature. I find true originality only reveals itself when I am present and open to possibility.