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As he always does, art director Tommy Washbush tossed around ideas with this month’s cover artist, who happens to be someone readers are likely familiar with, Liubóv Szwako, aka Triangulador.
"I gave Liubóv the freedom to explore a lot of options for his cover, but ultimately we decided to go with what he’s best known for — a mattress painting,” says Tommy. “And considering Hippie Christmas is right around the corner, it’s perfect timing to showcase this unique art and create some synergy between the cover and what people will stumble upon while walking around on the isthmus."
Triangulador, a self-taught artist, has earned deserved cult status for turning abandoned mattresses into works of art. For the cover, he photographed one of his most recent curb creations.
He says there is no particular intent behind his mattress painting besides “having a canvas to practice my spray painting skills without getting in trouble.”
Painting on mattresses is different from painting on a wall or a canvas, he adds. “The materials on the mattresses vary. They could be made out of a super absorbent cloth like fabric (which soaks up a ton of paint) or they could have a glossy plastic-like finish which does not take the paint very well.”
Alternate Isthmus cover options by Triangulador.
Some alternate Isthmus cover options created by Triangulador.
Liubóv, who moved from Mexico to Madison in 2010, is okay with the ephemeral nature of it all. “That's how I explore my ideas without any attachment, since I know beforehand that they'll end up in the dump, no matter how good or bad they might be.”
Aside from his curb art, Liubóv paints murals, makes fine art and draws digitally as well. He says he has a collection of more than 300 original works of art. “I'm a big fan of not mass producing or replicating my work,” he says. “I prefer uniqueness and the energy behind original artworks.”
See more of his work at instagram.com/triangulador and on his website at triangulador.com. He is also part of a group show, "The Street," at the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend, Wisconsin, which runs through Oct. 15.
