Where Fantasy Meets Flesh : Nik Kosmas

Part mythical figure, part digital alchemist—@nikkosmas is the kind of artist who turns vulnerability into theatre. Blending fashion, performance, sculpture, and CGI, their work feels like stepping into a dream that’s both seductive and slightly off-kilter. Think: Greco-Roman statues reimagined as queer avatars in a cyberpunk temple.

Nikkosmas doesn’t just create images—they build worlds. Their visual universe is lush, bodily, and intentionally disorienting. Faces blur, bodies morph, identities twist and stretch. At the heart of it all? A deep curiosity about desire, transformation, and the self in digital space.

Based in Paris, their work has orbited galleries, fashion campaigns, and underground scenes alike—always balancing the divine with the grotesque, the polished with the perverse. Whether they’re casting themselves as a genderless demigod or crafting glitchy masks of emotion, Nikkosmas invites us to stare a little longer, question what we see, and find the erotic in the uncanny.

How would you describe your work to someone who’s never experienced it?

I’m most interested in sculpture—stuff that’s technical to produce. A lot of people describe my work as scary, freaky, or horny. At this point in my life, I’m just making what feels natural to me, what I’m genuinely interested in.

My work deals with intense subject matter and strong visuals. I used to make art that was more academic, more aligned with the mainstream of contemporary art. But I got sick of it. Now I make freaky, weird, bad-taste monster art—with high production value.

What role does the body play in your art—both physically and metaphorically?

The body is a great way to make a story land. We all have bodies. Characters and narratives that involve people are essential to human society, so including the human body in art is kind of a shortcut to engagement.

Beyond that, I’m really into sports and I’ve always trained a lot, so I also have a functional interest in the body. I just enjoy looking at, thinking about, and working with it—especially my own. It’s a big theme in my life.

Is there a recurring theme or symbol that keeps reappearing in your pieces?

I’m interested in suffering, learning, and growth—and the thin line between positive and negative. It’s a broad subject, but I try to include a little seed of that idea in most of my work. Healing and harming—it’s cliché, whatever—but those themes have been present in my life, and I’m sure they show up in most people’s lives too.

Who or what influences your aesthetic—ancient myth, fashion, sci-fi?

Well, I don’t have to choose—so, all of the above. As a kid, I was really into fantasy novels. As an adult, I got more into sci-fi. And even later, now, I’m into anime and manga, which I didn’t really have access to growing up. Fashion is something I just like to make. I wouldn’t necessarily say it influences my art directly, but sometimes I throw a bit of that style into a sculpture. Mostly, fashion is just part of how I live. As for mythology—I’m not sure my aesthetic is directly influenced by it, but I do think those archetypes and essential stories are important.

What’s one piece you’ve created that felt like a turning point for you?

I think The Healing Chair, followed by Hellscape, were both pivotal. With those works, I really learned something about production and pulled off things that weren’t easy. You should definitely check them out. Hellscape hasn’t been exhibited yet—but it will be soon.

What’s next—any upcoming projects, shows, or concepts you’re excited about?

I'm co-curating and also producing a bunch of sculpture for other artists for an exhibitions coming up next year in Paris and it's going to be fucking major so stay tuned for that.