Beppe Reborn: 33 Artists Recreate Maltese Cartoon Character And Open Up As Quarantine Resumes
Prickly pears for ears and an eight-pointed cross pattern on his clothes? You’ll be hard pressed finding a more Maltese cartoon character than Zack Ritchie‘s Beppe. But what if some other super talented artists got their hands on the curious character instead?
“Early in January, I reached out to both local and foreign creatives in different fields and asked them to depict Beppe in their own creative way,” Ritchie explained of his latest project. “I also asked them to share something they have learned about being creatives.”
As the weeks rolled on and the whole planet gradually went into a Coronavirus-induced lockdown, Ritchie’s project suddenly took on a whole new life.
Within a couple of months, 33 different representatives of Beppe arrived, with everything from 3D renders of the prickly-pear character to black and white, semi-demonic sketches.
Freelance illustrators, tattooists, cartoonists and creatives of all shapes, sizes, experiences and nationalities came together to rework the Maltese character, and it really is a sight to behold.
The end result is absolutely stunning, and can be checked out in all its glory here.
Beppe Reimagined. Left: 3D artists Vizwali, Right: tattooist Daniela Farrugia
Left: Illustrator extraordinaire Moira Zahra. Right: BRND WGN's Creative Director Philip Sultana
Beyond the awesome act of collaboration and inspirational works showcased, the creatives’ lessons rang louder amidst the chaos that is 2020.
“One of the reasons why we face creative blocks could be that we’re too used to doing things in a standard manner,” visual designer Glenn Ellul told Zack. “A lifestyle that is too systematic is not the ideal environment to nurture creativity. We need to do something different every now and then to stimulate our mind.”
“Once you’ve found something new, apply it to what’s familiar, what you’ve worked with before,” UK-based illustrator Moira Zahra continued. “That’s how the work gets richer, more layered and therefore more meaningful.”
“One thing that I believe in is to be who you want to be, and create whatever you imagine,” promising MCAST student Jordan Falzon said. “At the end of the day, the work will speak for itself and will reflect who you are.”
“There will always be hard times working in the creative industry,” designer Jon Calleja puts it. “But would you rather be happy doing something you love or stuck in a job you hate? Put in the time, the rest will sort itself out.”
Left: Freelance Illustrator Steffi Venturi. Right: Bari-based 3D designer Nicola Strada
Tag an art fan or creative who’d love to check these pieces out!
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