COSTIN CHIOREANU

Born on the 13th of March, 1982, Costin Chioreanu is a Romanian graphic designer, illustrator and video artist. His passion for drawing and his interest in heavy metal music were juxtaposed in the mid 90’s, when he realized that the artworks found in his own collection of bootleg cassettes released in the post-communist era, had to be improved.

Not long after, Costin discovered the urge to play heavy metal music so this is how he got into a deeper level of illustrating music, starting with his own releases. His first official works in terms of illustrations and designs related to the metal music are actually the cassette covers and logos created for his bands’ demos between 1997 and 1999.

Specializing in Graphic Design, with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree at the National University of Arts, in Bucharest, he started his graphic studio in 2003, under the name of TWILIGHT 13 MEDIA. Since then, he has been covering all types of expression regarding music illustration, from covers, posters, merchandise design to filmed or animated videos, live DVD’s, or full concert screenings. Some of his more renowned collaborators are At the Gates, Opeth, Arch Enemy, Darkthrone, Napalm Death, Arcturus, Ulver, Enslaved, Triptykon, Decide, Mayhem, My Dying Bride, Katatonia, Wardruna, Paradise Lost, Sigh, Necrophagia and many others. Most likely he did the video for Horisont’s latest single from the Sudden Death album, Revolution.

Costin Chioreanu is mainly renowned outside the borders of his country, given his power to express the unseen in visual terms. Many around him have been trying to explain the thing which influenced Costin, regarding the way he shows the world those phenomena which don’t appear in the human’s sight. Some say it is his bloodline, thus they credit some of his relatives, who came from Transylvania – that realm which urges us to detect associations with the mystical matters. Others believe that the power of expression arrived once with his existence in the physical world, breaking through that curtain which covers the unfathomable unseen. However, they can all agree a single thing. Chioreanu’s abilities to master the visual dimension go along with the fervour he has felt since childhood towards the most darkened type of music, which is heavy metal. He gradually came to fit among the idols who write gloomy sounds, and today we find him around the highest circles formed by musicians.

Costin is one of the artists who is the first in attacking the egos, being aware of the fact that this act destroys also the view upon himself and his life. The experienced effect can be described as an adjustment of one’s reflection that was distorted to some extent.

Regarding Costin Chioreanu’s musical path, among the long list of albums and soundtracks released, there are a couple of things known about his leaning towards avant-garde metal, and his experiences also include an experimental emphasis through which he built an intense atmosphere fitted with layers of light and darkness. There’s no wonder that he wrote and recorded music along with “key charac- ters” in the international scene, such as Attila Csihar (Sunn O))), Tormentor), David Tibet (Current 93), Rune Eriksen (ex-Mayhem, Aura Noir), Mirai Kawashima (Sigh) or Kimo Helen (Hexvessel). We might envision thus an ambient structure while trying to intertwine the information about the two musicians, but at the same time, they can easily get unpredictable.

Services Available Through FlyingFox AB:

• Exclusive Gallery or Event Exhibitions: Costin has quite a collection of original artwork and music to present to the world. This can be a mix of mediums and themes, or a specific subject focusing on just album artwork, for example. Or perhaps an all-encompassing experience based on just the videos. His catalogue of work is vast. Dark and light. Space and Earth. Sight and Sound. The goal here is to have Costin’s hard work shown in public or private exhibitions of all sorts, worldwide, showcasing a mix of mediums developed as a whole design.
  

• Live Painting: Per event or per tour. Costin will paint live, on stage, during a concert or event. The audience will watch the canvas come to life while he takes his surroundings and unique point of perspective both audibly and visually from the stage to create a one of a kind masterpiece in front of a live audience. The process of the painting will be shown on a backdrop screen so the audience can see every stroke of the brush as they are immersed into his world through the sounds of the band he is painting for. The unique piece of art will be available for sale at the end of each event.
  

• Live Solo Appearances: One-man band show focused on contemporary music / dark / experimental / ambient sonic realms. This is something to behold as Costin expresses his artistic mind in the form of music. Anything and everything that you can imagine can come to existence in one of these performances. This is perfect for any sort of festival, event, exhibition, gallery, etc. Have an idea? Drop me a line.
  

• Public Exhibitions Based on Client Commissions: Exclusive projects including art exhibition, screenings and soundtrack, all created by Costin himself, to represent an overall collective of mixed mediums. There are literally no boundaries with this one. Ballets, art galleries, cultural events, book interpretations, films, theater, operas, etc. Have you ever wondered what Costin’s version of the darker side of Pippi Longstocking would look like, for example? Yeah. Me too. The sky’s the limit with this one. We can discuss simply doing the visual art aspect of your idea, and/or also including video and a soundtrack, all from the same mind to form a coherent vision.
  

• Creating Commissioned Compositions: For other visual artists, any kind of event or long and short movie soundtracks. Looking for a soundtrack to accompany your reading of poetry, your soliloquy or a story by H.P Lovecraft? Have you just produced a short film project or documentary that you need the perfect accompanying background for? Or perhaps you are a dancer and you are looking for a particular piece of music that you have yet to hear to perform your solo. You can work together to find the missing unique musical aspect of your own piece of art. Music has the occasion to truly bring your work to life.
  

There is so much room for creative interpretation here. Do you have an idea pertaining to any of these services mentioned that you would love to see brought to life? There are no boundaries in art.

“I’ve been a huge fan and admirer of Costin’s work ever since I first laid eyes on his intricate interpretation of space, time, Earth and humanity. His style is incredibly unique and just hit all of my senses in the right way. I could see the story he was trying to tell, so vividly. It is an extreme honor to be able to work with someone radiating talent on multiple channels to help him further his career through ‘outside the box’ practices. I am so excited to see what new levels we can reach with this. ”– Erin Lynch, FlyingFox AB