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last-nephilim

About Daniel:

"I am a gathering of dreams, woes, and prose of chaos."

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Daniel Ignacio (aka dkaism) is a Filipino-Canadian artist and author from Toronto, Canada. He has a background in photojournalism and graphic design. After graduating from the University of Toronto in 2014, while working as a graphic designer, he began his digital art journey and taught himself the ways of the digital art media. In 2018, Daniel started his freelance work as a professional artist and has been working with independent clients and partners from around the world.

 

Daniel is a contemporary visual artist, author, creator of dream worlds dipped in mystery, poetry, magic, and chaos. He explores surrealism and fantasy genres and connect them to more contemporary fiction genres such as slice-of-life, solarpunk, cyberpunk, and dark academia. He has an on-going collection of art series called Wormwood City, Garden of Bir, Forgotten Gods, and The Daydreams: Journal of Superrealities.

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"Running away? Tell me. I'm fluent in disappearing. You say, "I just wanna disappear for a while," but truly, once you taste disappearance, you will not desire returning to reality." - Daniel Ignacio

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Socials

  • 2016 - PRESENT Visual Artist on Instagram with 15k+ following. This is the platform where I experiment with "Ekphrasis", where I publish an artwork along with a lyrical prose that describes and reinforces the meaning behind the piece—sometimes even a full poem.

  • 2016 - PRESENT Visual Artist on Twitter with 4k+ following. This is the platform where I practice various literary tones along with my artwork. It is a mix of profound literature, normal prose, and satirical tones, only to support the storytelling that my artworks and my brand convey.

  • 2020 - PRESENT Visual Artist on TikTok with 100k+ following. This is the platform where a lot of experimentation happen. From trend-following, to inspirational content, to knowledge-sharing.

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Features

  • 2016 Behance Illustrations, "Fine Lands"

  • 2016 PWB Achievement Award

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  • 2018 Ello x Fumogallery - Call for New Talent

  • 2018 MrSuicideSheep - “We Collide” by MitiS, Featured Artwork

  • 2018 Arts & Times, Friday Feature, Toronto

  • 2018 RedBubble Blog, Featured Artwork "The Daughter"

  • 2018 Ello x Digital Decade, Shortlisted and Featured, "Future Fest", London UK

  • 2018 Ello x Unvael

  • 2018 Ello 3D Art Category

  • 2018 RedBubble Features: "This is My Calling", "The Daughter", "Ancient Titans" & "Ancient Spirit: The Owl"

  • 2018 Walltones, "Japan" Collection, Exclusive 50/50

  • 2018 Artstation Community Page (December 2018)

  • 2018 ThatChannel.com Presents “Liquid Lunch”

  • 2018 Toronto.com & The Mirror (Scarborough) Interview for Birkdale Art in the Park

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  • 2020 MakersPlace, Featured Creations "A Blessed Day"

  • 2020 MakersPlace, Featured Creations "Neo Dystopian"

  • 2020 MagNFT.com, Issue X, Artist Feature

  • 2020 INPRNT, Featured Artwork "Queen of Spring"

  • 2020 Redbubble, Featured Artwork, "Always" (Now Sold Out)

  • 2020, MakersPlace, Covid-19 Relief Auction, "Planet on Hold"

  • 2020, E1337 Blog Feature, DKAISM - "When Art and Esports Meet"

  • 2021, Consecrea Featured Artist

  • 2021, Death Stranding Book Cover Art

  • 2021 Artist of the Month featured by artist and author Melissa Gilbert

  • 2021 "The Boy in Gaia's Spring" artwork dedicated to World Art Day campaign to support Creative Commons. Primary sales were donated.

  • 2021 "The Girl in Leda's Dress" artwork for "Objkt 4 Objkt" SOLD OUT, a celebration of artists releasing affordable limited edition digital pieces for all types of digital art collectors.

  • 2022 "The Red Prince" limited print edition release, also to officiate the birth of a new Daniel Ignacio art series The Garden of Bir.

  • 2022 OneChurch.to presents "Artist Launch" interview with Matt Smith, Episode #01, along with two other Toronto-based artists Margaret Lim & Laura Dick

  • 2022 #DayoftheDeviant Semifinalist @ DeviantArt

  • 2023 Streets of Zine presents "Street VS: Dystopia"

  • 2023 "This is not an art book" is published, an "art+literature" book, the first of it's kind. Daniel is the only artist in history who has put together this type of book with such fine-art quality, depth, meaning, and intent. The title This is not an art book comes from the fact that the the book is, itself, a work of art.

  • 2023 "Grief Beyond The Walled Kingdom" artwork donated to #TezQuakeAid fundraising initiatives to help rescue operations in Syria and Turkiye

  • 2023, "Solomon's Lost Pupil" submission for Makersplace & Nematic Gallery OPEN CALL, part of Community Favourites

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Past/Upcoming Exhibits

  • 2018 RAW Artists Toronto Presents "ENVISION"; Feb 22-23

  • 2018 The Tyler Effect, Inaugural Charity Event; Mar 20

  • 2018 RAW Artists Toronto Presents "MAGNIFY"; May 17-18

  • 2018 Vibe Arts Festival, Gallery Exhibit; Jun 8-10

  • 2018 Birkdale Art in the Park, Public Art Fair; Jul 8

  • 2018 Gallery 1313 presents "The Landscape" Art Exhibit (UDRW)

  • 2018 Ontario Society of Artists: Emerging Artists Juried Exhibition; Oct 4

  • 2018 Lawrence Park Art Show; Oct 12-14

  • 2018 Vibe Arts Holiday Fundraiser, Featured Artist; December 2018

  • 2018 Birkdale Art in the Park @ Artists Walkway, S.G.H., Toronto, 2018-19

  • 2019 Toronto Public Library, Agincourt Branch; Jan 1-31

  • 2019 Birkdale Arts Festival, June 22

  • 2020 Pancakes & Booze Art Show via Makersplace Feature, Jan 18

  • 2021 Tomorrow Exhibition hosted by Makersplace, Feb 24

  • 2022 OneChurch.to features "Demand for a Utopia", parallel to the question Is it okay to yell at God? (timestamp 17:23) and as an emotional response to a post-pandemic new-world and taking the time to grieve.

  • 2023 Solo Art Exhibit ONLINE, "Conversations" - Special virtual exhibition that requires a limited number of audience for maximum quality of experience. (January, Session 1)

  • 2023 Solo Art Exhibit ONLINE, "Conversations" (April, Session 2)

  • 2023 Solo Art Exhibit ONLINE, "Conversations" (April, Session 3, LAST SHOW)

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Past/Current Work Experience​​ (Creation-intensive)

  • 2012 - PRESENT Author of a well-archived art blog, featuring fine art, photojournalism, literature, and socio-political commentaries.

  • 2013 Junior Photojournalist at C.A. Academy, Taguig City, Metro Manila.

  • 2015 Graphic Designer at Photographers Without Borders, Toronto headquarters @ North York, ON.

  • 2015 Documentary photographer with Kairos Asia Mission featuring the Aeta Tribes of Northern Luzon @ Cagayan Valley, Philippines

  • 2016 Assistant Photographer with PWB in partnership with G-Adventures, Cambodia.

  • 2017 Creative Director and Brand Designer at JDL School of Performing Arts, Scarborough, ON

  • 2017 "Marketplace" and "Shantytown" art series officially announced; 2019 series renamed to "The City"; 2021 art series renamed to "Wormwood City"

  • 2018 - PRESENT Creative Director for a local ESL program sponsored by local faith-based non-profit organization.

  • 2019 Documentary Photographer for Colour Your Life Project, an independent charity organization hosting art programs for kids in different communities in the Philippines.

  • 2020 - PRESENT Freelance Artist, Creative Director, and Solo Artist hosting virtual art exhibits to audiences from all over the world.

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