Ukrainian designer Yurko Gutsulyak likes exploring the space between design and contemporary art; he experiments with materials and reproduction techniques to focus upon the sensory elements of his work. In 2005, along with Zoryana Gutsulyak, he founded Gutsulyak Studio as creative director, which operates between New York, Toronto, and Kyiv.
Yurko Gutsulyak designed the Lunar Collection, his interpretation of the essence and symbolism of each of the twelve zodiac signs, designing unique, and interactive greetings cards that the studio sends out for the Lunar New Year. The studio has been creating these cards for the past twelve years, finding it a great way to thank friends, family, clients and others.
With the dragon card, Gutsulyak says, ‘The tactile sides of the card mimic dragon skin, offering a distinct sensory experience. As a black surface, the dimensional patterns of letters printed on dragon scales morph into a hidden message.’
There is a participatory quality to the cards, which encourages a tactile approach. For example, the goat greetings card folds like a hand fan, which transforms it into a playful accessory, like a goat mask. Gutsulyak says, ‘The floral ornaments draw inspiration from Petrykivka art, a traditional Ukrainian painting style.’ Similarly, the rooster card was inspired by experimental tempura paint Renaissance techniques, using real organic egg yolk for printing.
Similar elements can be seen in the printing for the ox card. Inspired by the way the ox chews, the printing technique involved crumpling the paper, as if it had been nibbled on, before printing on the one-of-a-kind cards.
