Illustrator & graphic novel author
born 1966, Croatia.
„There is often something threatening in my work, a sense of tension and drama mixed with melancholy and nostalgia. But I also firmly believe in resilience and hope, and I would like to believe that the dark side of my work awakens the desire and need to create, the will to fight and survive, and to strive for light and joy. […] One way to deal with darkness is to use it as motivation to do something good.“
Danijel Žeželj’s pictures thrive on the in-between – the strong contrast between light and shadow. In his works he often deals with existential questions such as social injustice and manages like hardly any other artist to create an intense atmosphere with just a few lines, hatching and very minimal use of color. His drawings are reminiscent of dark film sequences that, when viewed, evoke deep emotions.
Danijel Žeželj studied classical painting, sculpture and printmaking at the Akademija Likovnih Umjetnosti in Zagreb. His comics and illustrations have been published by DC Comics, Marvel, Harper’s Magazine, San Francisco Guardian and others. Since 1997 he has also been creating multimedia performances in which he combines live music and live painting in an emotional way. In 2001 he founded the publishing house and graphic workshop „Petikat“. Most recently Žeželj worked on a series of animated films for the film studio „Zagreb Film“.