Tag Archives: Afrofuturism

A portrait sitting with Ixa Psyborg, multi-talented Berlin music creator!

Ixa at Adenauerplatz Nov 10 2021 by Suzanne ForbesWhat a joy it was to spend time drawing Ixa!

We met on Adenauerplatz, near my home, and sat outside in the Fall air talking for hours. I gave them the mask/headpiece I made them and it fit perfectly! We had so much to talk about, with our shared love of alien technology, Kirby Krackle and futuristic urban glam.

Ixa at Adenauerplatz Nov 10 2021 by Suzanne Forbes detail Ixa’s new EP “Androidgyne” had just dropped that week, and it is SO GOOD.

It’s incredibly exciting to see a creator developing their rich powers like this. Check out Ixa’s new music video for “Codex” on Youtube, Codex streaming on soundcloud, and  “Androidgyne” on Bandcamp. You will be glad you did.

I so look forward to drawing Ixa performing their new music live, in their fantastic alien cyborg style and cybernetic bodypaint. Meanwhile, you can see some clips here! My previous drawing of Ixa is here.

This is Ixa’s new video “Demi Urge”.

You can also see Ixa perform at the recent CTMFestival “Queers in Concert” show held at flagship Berlin queer club Schwuz. Their blacklight body paint is by artist Eva Schumy.

Also, Ixa appears in the debut film by Dornika, “Dream Dwellers”, which premiered at Schwules Museum last night!

You may remember Dornika AKA ManyFacedGodx from this drawing session, which happened right after costume fitting for Dream Dwellers. You can watch Dream Dwellers for free on the queer anti-capitalist platform Realitytvwow, right here! Also, Ixa is a contestant in the Mx. Kotti Drag Pageant November 19th!

This is Ixa’s bio:

Ixa is a DJ, drag performer, performance artist, and self-proclaimed cyborg from a race of bioluminescent extraterrestrial creatures with Nubian features booming in speakers. Their psychedelic music combines elements of loud, digital distortion incorporating idm and industrial, with trap/hip hop at the core. Their new EP ANDROIDGYNE, released in August, begins with a conceptual premise of the rendering of a liquid rainbow anomaly into their native form as Ixa. In order to survive the planet’s atmospheric conditions, they have begun searching for Earthly technology to fuse with their body.

I am such a fan and so glad to know this preternatural galactic being as a friend.

Portrait session thanks to my Patreon Patrons, whose monthly financial support makes it possible for me to continue making art as a vaccinated but Covid-vulnerable disabled person.

With your support, I can work from home or safely outside and keep telling the stories of Berlin.

A jeweled headpiece for Berlin artist Ixa Psyborg!

Headpiece for Ixa Psyborg by Suzanne Forbes August 2021There is of course a great tradition of figurative artists making accessories for favorite performers.

Alphonse Mucha designed jewelry for Sarah Bernhardt! So when someone inspires me with their style like Ixa Psyborg does, I find it quite reasonable to create something completely unique for them. And the timing worked out great with this piece!

Ixa has so much new music & art right now!

Check out their new music video for “Codex” out on Youtube, Codex streaming on soundcloud, and a new LP, “Androidgyne”, dropping on August 31.

Plus gigs all over town! Ixa is one of the performers at an incredible show this Sept. 5 at queer clubhouse Monster Ronsons – “Psychedelicious” features the original music of Berlin drag performers!

I outdid myself with this headpiece I must say!

Like the one I made for GodXXX Noirphiles, It is based on a transparent blue acrylic mask. The “horns” are made of Angelina Fantasy Film, custom cast UV resin crystals and butterflies, mermaid pearls, Swarovski crystals, jelly crystals, microbeads, glass beads and UV drips and drops, which are cured on the fly in the sun.

It is fairly light, and robustly constructed, so it can be worn on stage, flung around, packed in a costume suitcase, etc.

I drilled holes through the mask at the earpieces and wired the “horns” of Angelina Film on to make it structurally sound.

It takes a long time to make one of these!

Curing the UV resin is a very slow process, and getting the two sides balanced compositionally is really hard!

After each dendritic cluster of drips is formed, I add pearls, crystals, and microbeads, secured with glue.

Then I go back and secure everything with resin. Then more drips, curled colored craft wire, more microbeads (these have to be attached with glue because the surface tension of the resin is too high to hold their light weight) and more pearls.

It’s very satisfying and meditative!

As I have said before, I also see these pieces as psychonaut companions, a safe place to put your consciousness if a situation or psychedelic experience is challenging. You can drift off into their infinite detail quite peacefully!

Ixa Psyborg Berlin by Suzanne Forbes September 26 2020Here is the drawing I made of Ixa performing at twilight last year, with the colors that inspired the headpiece.

Ixa is on Insta, Youtube as Ixa Music, bandcamp, and Soundcloud. Check out this Berlin talent!!