What we know: Character design is ruled by an interconnected history of archetypes, an interpretation of cultural codes and shared communicational standards.

What we want to find out: Some characters feel utterly unique, some are clever visual remixes, others an overt homage, some cross the line into fan-art or rip-off territory, while others happily blend whatever influences without even realising it. Pictoplasma wants to flip the script on the myth of “the original”, often touted as an artist’s singular autograph, guided by an inherent genius or talent, and asks instead: to what extent are our creations our own, and how do we even determine the dimensions of originality, or indeed, imagination? How much is shaped by influence, inspiration, common tradition, and shared memories?

Why: The accelerated rise of generative AI is making this question even more urgent as it shifts viewers’ relationship to the concept of originality. The tools, building upon enormous collections of pre-existing imagery and concepts, are programmed to spit out nostalgic, dreamlike, distorted echoes of their origins. While some creators fabricate a distinct style by feeding the tech with their own sources, most output undoubtably merges layers into a flattened, comforting blend of familiar imagery that loses the meaning of its origination.

Another why: Fading cultural hegemonies also challenge established standards of character design as a universal visual language. While the world grows more multipolar, the long-standing dominance of Western pop culture iconography, the influence of Japanese Kawaii, or kitschy, exoticised portrayals of other cultures are all being questioned and reconsidered. This opens a much-needed space for previously unseen visions in the names of diversity, queerness, marginalised identities, and creative perspectives from the Global South, sparking new reflections on how we, as picture creators, engage with images and the inherent patterns in our work. Will we see a new era of multiple visual representation, or simply witness the rise of the next pictorial hegemonies and stereotypes? 

What for: The 21st Pictoplasma Conference aims to cut to the heart of it all: In 2025, let us strive to create work that feels original, fresh, exciting, and purposeful – and at the same time, commit to an honest appraisal of our ‘origin stories’!