james white’s psychedelically smooth sci-fi landscapes are out of this world
all images courtesy of james white

 

 

 

for his series ‘neowave’, artist james white takes the viewer on a journey through a sequence of smooth, sci-fi landscapes that are out of this world. the collection of images recalls retro album art from the 70s and 80s, with a neon color palette, strong sense of contrast and glossy gradients.

 

the digital visualizations illustrate dreamlike environments that are familiar, yet strangely surreal at the same time. giant abstract monuments, mirrored geometries and crystalline structures invade each scene, towering above small figures pictured in the frame. sited on sweeping sand dunes are the silhouettes of a few human forms seemingly looking in awe at the oversized objects presented before them. 

james-white-neowave-illustration-designboom-02
‘crystalis’

 

 

 

like artist richard serra’s ‘east-west/west-east‘ sculpture in the qatari desert, white’s sci-fi landscapes explore the intersection between nature, architecture and artifice. ‘the ongoing personal art series explores the style and form of science fiction landscapes and giant abstract monuments,’ white says. 

james-white-neowave-illustration-designboom-03
‘monuments’

james-white-neowave-illustration-designboom-04
‘epitaph’

james-white-neowave-illustration-designboom-05
‘elseworld’

james-white-neowave-illustration-designboom-06
‘cenotaph’