Dayworld Rebel 1987

Don Ivan Punchatz made this illustration, Dayworld Rebel, with paint, and you can really see the brushstrokes, the texture of the pigments pushed around on the surface. It's a very tactile, handmade thing. The palette is pretty wild: muted oranges and browns contrasted with vibrant greens and blues. Punchatz doesn't shy away from the gaudy, it's like he's saying, let's have it all! Look at the swirling vortex of energy in the center, the way he layers those transparent blues and greens to create depth and movement. It's so dynamic, so full of life. This piece reminds me a bit of some of the psychedelic sci-fi paintings of Mati Klarwein, who was known for his surreal, otherworldly imagery. I love how both artists embrace the weird and wonderful, creating images that are both visually stunning and deeply thought-provoking. Ultimately, these works celebrate art as a space where ambiguity and multiple interpretations reign supreme.