art by COCONUT
bkk UNZINE art magazine aims to showcase the talents of artists and to bring creativity and community to audiences around the world.
Every month, a new curation from different notable artists is presented under a unique theme. bkk UNZINE is dedicated to promoting both established & up-and-coming talent. The following month’s theme is announced in each issue and we welcome all to submit artwork.
PEOPLE POWER
Hi all!
Thanks for dropping by for our March issue, “Denizens,” which behind the scenes garnered a bit of controversy from those unfamiliar with the term. Nevertheless, this month’s curation is one of the best we’ve had and bkk UNZINE welcomes the many new faces whose beautiful work we’re extremely thrilled to share with you below.
It’s the unlimited creativity of you, the art community, that powers not only the magazine but all the endeavors of bkk UNZINE and few things bring us greater joy than seeing the gorgeous pieces being submitted month-to-month as they come in, so please continue being an active part of the bkk UNZINE family.
Featured this month is Coconut, an incredibly multi-talented artist and dear friend to bkk UNZINE. His wonderfully expressive and observational drawings of “denizens” inspired the theme and don’t miss both his text and video interviews for great insights into animation.
Remember, our weekly Comics Club and Monday Night DRAW! events are still ongoing at our studio UNZINE 95… Every Sunday morning learn about how to make comics from our very own Sketchman Boris and on Monday evenings drop by for a free-wheeling and lively time with fellow creatives…
Now, enjoy the magazine!
Accepting submissions NOW through 25 MARCH
Next month’s theme is...
DENIZENS USA
by COCONUT
digital art
A family in an American town…
artwork & description by:
COCONUT
NIGHT CATS
by CARO LION
pen & pigment on canvas
Surrounded by the noise of other lives, we remain absorbed in the quiet gravity of our own thoughts and shared problems. The world outside is a chaotic hum; our reality is the sharp, steady connection found between the habit of coffee.
artwork & description by:
CARO LION
I SAW A STRAY CAT
by PURPLENERVE
digital artwork
The word “denizen” reminds me of the stray cats around the café I used to visit. This café is like a landmark where visitors can always find many cats. With this idea in mind, I thought it would be fun to draw gangsters cats. They are naughty teenage cats who used to wear baggy jeans and oversized t-shirts, hanging out together in a dark alley.
artwork & description by:
PURPLENERVE
THE MORNING TOAST INCIDENT
by POUPÉE SUNG
digital artwork (Blender, Adobe Photoshop)
A fleeting moment of everyday life in the city, where a schoolgirl runs after a stray cat that has snatched her toast!
artwork & description by:
POUPÉE SUNG
LOCAL MUSICIANS
by SANAXES
digital artwork
Once I was in a school band playing Thai instruments, and I'd say you had to live in one place long enough to understand the locals; music was a part of them. The fun is one thing, but the most interesting part for us would definitely be some random adult tipping us with a big amount of money. We were super hyped back then.
artwork & description by:
SANAXES
ABCD!
by WALAIRAT Y
photography
I once imagined standing among the world’s greatest mountains, wondering what kind of energy I would feel surrounded by peaks reaching toward the heavens. What I found during my thirteen day trek along Nepal’s ABC trail was something far more meaningful. With every step forward, the landscapes shifted, the air thinned, the temperatures changed. As I walked these paths, I began to discover new dimensions within myself.
These photographs capture the Himalayan scenery, the beauty of nature and moments from a journey that revealed both the land and myself in new ways… an experience I will never forget.
All photographs were taken during the summer of 2024 and brought together in 2026.
The title ABCD! is a playful combination of the trekking route name (Annapurna Base Camp) and the Thai expression ดี (dee), which means "good" or "excellent."
artwork & description by:
WALAIRAT Y.
MAHAMUNI BUDDHA TEMPLE
by PAI GYI
pen on paper
Originally illustrated by Samuel Begg in 1906, I reimagine this historical encounter through a contemporary artistic style using curved ink lines and hand-drawn textures. The work is based on The Arrival of the Prince & Princess of Wales at Arakan Pagoda (Mandalay, Burma 1906), blending archival reference with a model.
artwork & description by:
PAI GYI
THE CHINATOWN DRAGON
by CAMPANELLAMA
digital illustration (Clip Studio Paint)
I drew this piece as a key visual for an imaginary RPG adventure game, where two tourists find themselves in a fantasy post-apocalyptic Yaowarat, being chased by mythical creatures.
Yaowarat is often portrayed as red and glamorous, but in reality it isn’t so polished. In this piece, I wanted to show its chaotic, messy side while still preserving the charm that makes the place unique.
artwork & description by:
CAMPANELLAMA
INDRA TAISHŌ
by PADDY J DEVLIN
pencil drawing & Lino cut print on paper
The Twelve Divine Generals of Hong Kong stand in Ngong Ping on Lantau Island as the denizens—the permanent residents—of this sacred landscape, leading visitors along a ceremonial procession toward the ancient Tian Tan (Big Buddha) pilgrimage site. Rooted in Buddhist tradition as protective deities, these figures function as spiritual guardians embedded in the terrain. Having lived in Hong Kong for many years, I became fascinated by their watchful presence and enduring stillness. Through my drawings, I wanted to document the generals as witnesses to a place that existed long before me and will continue to watch over it long after I am gone.
artwork & description by:
PADDY J DEVLIN
LET’S MINGLE
by ART DD
digital artwork (Clip Studio Paint)
I started out making this art work of people and thought how we are all just people in the end, regardless of designation… citizen or denizen. So let's mingle and get to know one another.
Included here are also some gesture drawings of people I’ve been doing under the tuteledge of instructor Dynnaro You, who’s help me progress greatly as an artist.
P.S. I also did this to practice one point perspective if I'm being fully honest, while developing perspective and other drawing tools on my website ajarnart.com where you can check out creative stuff, from tools and references for drawing, posts, to things I created for fun!
artwork & description by:
ART DD
DREADFUL
by ABNORMA
digital painting
Have you ever loved someone so deeply that the fear of losing them consumes you? The thought alone drives you into hallucinations, twisting your mind into madness— until you begin to believe that only death can prove a love meant to last for eternity.
artwork & description by:
ABNORMA
At bkk UNZINE, we are lovers of comics and every month we’ll be shining a spotlight on comics projects worthy of attention. Remember to check out our Comics Club every Sunday at UNZINE 95, hosted by bkk UNZINE founder Sketchman Boris, and have fun learning about different aspects of making comics!
This month we are proud to continue presenting previews of stories by Sketchman Boris himself, as well as give you a look at the cover to a multimedia comic by Cassandra Jean Grindall…
by SKETCHMAN BORIS
A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY
brush pen & ink pens, digitally finished on Clip Studio Paint
From February 2026 onward I’ve made the decision to publish one by one, many of my short comics I have done over the years that no one has seen. I have this tendency to grind my teeth when I am excited to work on an idea and I know I can bring it to life. So I’m calling these weird short stories: Teeth Grinding Tales (TGT) as a tribute to short horror stories that inspired me like Tales from the Crypt.
I call this one “A Member of the Community”. The customs shared between denizens can be specific down to a small community whose members have agreed to something that might be totally foreign to outsiders. These are the first 4 pages of this comic.
And here is the synopsis: A young backpacker hears about free food served by a mythic old man in a remote village. Amazed by the taste of his food, he decides to follow the old man to his temple not only discovering a dark secret but becoming part of it.
You can become a member and read my comics online here: https://ko-fi.com/sketchmanboris
artwork & description by:
SKETCHMAN BORIS
by CASSANDRA JEAN GRINDALL
DENIZENS OF THE UNDERNEATH
multimedia comic collage with watercolor, pencil sketch, digital compositing & various A.I. models
A complex 40-page bilingual Japanese-English comic in a future noir story, this is the cover to a cerebral dystopian story about Hoshi Igarashi, a business reporter taken off the air for pointing out international economic crimes and discovering a human trafficking ring connected to highly placed individuals in the ruling "Blood and Land" party of misogynistic Japan in 2049. Hoshi gets a tip taking her to a school for the deaf in Tokyo, where people with disabilities are considered expendable. Stumbling into a meeting of the American Sign Language Club, Hoshi realizes that the kids are looking for the same thing: justice.
I do in fact work with A.I. But I am not a fan of the biases it codifies. I designed this chapter of the "Our Life in Space" saga to show the weaknesses of A.I. now and in the post War of Angels A.I. banishment of 2049 where an A.I. attempted to crush the human sprit forever. Hoshi Igarasahi in September 2049 is at her breaking point and has decided against the odds to go back to war to preserve that spirit, whatever the cost. Denizens of the Underneath shows how brutal privilege can be. Hoshi is a member of an underclass. The ASL Club is legally deaf and considered less than human. The powerful prey on these underclass and use their dread as gleeful cruelty. Echoing the darkness of our own time, bodies are used as props in a savage melodrama of sexual assault and use of human beings as food, spare parts or breeding stock. Hoshi's loss of her family in the war also marks her as being a member of another underclass, one of the depressed attempting to rise above the evil of the world... and finding a new family to care and fight for after leaving her fear behind. Denizens means community. It does not mean an underclass must always live in that state. This chapter is in production and will be released soon.
artwork & description by:
CASSANDRA JEAN GRINDALL
bkk UNZINE is grateful for your continued readership and is extremely proud to share the artwork of our talented contributors with all of you, our valued art community.
Thank you for visiting us.
SHOW YOUR WORK IN bkk UNZINE!
next month’s theme is…
Accepting submissions NOW through 25 MARCH 2026
