COCO x Pavel Ripley
Our latest collaboration is with artist and graphic designer Pavel Ripley, who has designed a collage-style collection for us of free abstract forms in contrasting shapes and colours.
The new collaborative collection features three different flavoured chocolate bars: Orange, Earl Grey Tea and Cold Brew Coffee.
Pavel Ripley is an analog and digital artist, and designer who mostly works with typography, abstract art, shapes, and textures inspired by nature. Originally from Moscow, Russia, he now identifies as a free world citizen. With more than 15 years of experience in graphics, web, app, motion design, and illustration, he is currently working as an art director on two big projects (one in IT and one in education).
We were drawn to work on this latest project with Pavel due to his standing up and speaking out against his Russian government, and showing full support for Ukraine. Part of our DNA here at COCO is to embrace a collaborative spirit and to support artists, we do not believe in boycotting individual artists because of specific circumstances such as where they are from.
The collection that Pavel has created for us has been inspired by these cultural and social contexts, as seen most visibly in the colour palette choices.
“I chose a colour palette with the domination of yellow, blue, and white with additional red and pink colours thinking about two flags, the Ukrainian flag and white blue white flag — a symbol of opposition to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine that has been used by Russian anti-war protesters.
I am ashamed of what the government of my country does with Ukraine and I stand with Ukraine against war and Russian aggression.”
We had a chat with Pavel about his creative working process in designing the artworks for this collaboration.
What is the inspiration behind these works?
The inspiration behind these works as usual in my drawings are nature, typography and the beauty of accidents. Also, this series was inspired a lot by cultural and social contexts.
Could you tell us more about the concept and the process of creating these artworks?
The main idea here is to show how different compositional principles can be translated into visual language, and how they can express different emotions and thoughts using the same set of instruments and mediums. It’s some kind of attempt to turn chaos into order without lots of regulations.
Working with free abstract forms I’m trying to go through tension and contrast of shapes and colours to the harmony.
We love your belief that art can be a medium for peace, can you expand on this idea?
For me, art is always an act of creation, it's an attempt to create something beautiful, and it is always the opposite of war and violence.
Art can speak using its own language and especially these days it should highlight the problems. It speaks for peace and humanistic values against injustice and lawlessness.
You have a really unique and interesting way of using different shapes, textures and typography elements in your artworks. Could you tell us more about the thought process behind your work?
I draw a lot of sketches almost every day and in the beginning, I only used this practice as a daily workout for my brain and hand. But then I started to use scans of my sketchbooks as the main materials for my design and artwork.
This case is not an exception and all these artworks are compiled of different shapes, textures, and collages I created during my daily practice. While sketching I usually try to let my hand and mind act free to find new ideas, techniques and shapes. So there is a lot of randomness and accident in my practice.
The final piece I usually make with an idea already and combine all the random pieces with some purpose. So I can say that there are two levels in my works most of the time-conscious or rational and unconscious or sensual.
What are your favourite mediums to create?
I love to work with all possible materials but my absolute favourite is a basic graphite pencil.
How did you find the collaboration with COCO?
I am happy to collaborate because I can see and feel your love for art and attention to detail in each product. And especially I appreciate that I have an opportunity to make some kind of statement with your help.
Which is your favourite design from the COCO X Pavel Ripley collaboration collection?
It’s a trick question! I love them all equally because they all are different and each has its own message.
Which past COCO artist collaboration have you been most inspired by?
I really love the collaboration with Neasden Control Centre
