#68: Morena (Mav online)

We're joined by traditional & digital artist, Morena aka 'Mav online', who tells us more about Train to Busan (2016), trashy Y2K fashion, Filipino dishes! And so much more.

Morena, also known as Mav online, is a Filipino-South African traditional and digital artist obsessed with horror, storytelling, psychology, vintage fashion, history and the beauty of human connection. They’re passionate about representing and writing about the ugly parts of mental health issues and disabilities, not villainising them like media has historically done, because if we're all a little more educated we can all be a little bit kinder to each other.

We welcome Morena to The FRM Newsletter to share what they’ve been into recently.

😈👢 Fashion

I can never stick to one aesthetic or style because I adore them all. I really admire people who are dedicated to a specific aesthetic. I love to research and deep dive different forms of fashion because I love to see how people express themselves and their individuality throughout history and how the subcultures developed. I'll forever love 70s-90s runway fashion, the trashy Y2K or skirt-over-jean 2000s combo and traditional wear from all types of cultures.

🎧🎸 Music

I have one big playlist with all the songs I love, an amalgamation of different genres, and my friends seem to think I'm sick and twisted for not organising it. If you like consistency it'll probably give you a headache. But if you'll hear me out, my faves are:

1. She's a Big Boy – Mcbaise (the music video also has incredible art, I adore it)

2. Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!) – Garbage

3. Toes – Glass Animals

4. Sticky – Ravyn Lenae

5. Hole-dwelling – Kikuo

6. Gimme A Chance – Dreamer Isioma

7. Cosmic Girl – Jamiroquai

8. Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare -All) – Type O Negative

9. Your Mind – Greentea Peng

10. Compost Face – Baits

🎥🎎 Film

1. ParaNorman (movie) – Other than the fact that I just love this movie and zombie movies in general, stop motion films have my entire heart and soul, I respect the people who work on them SO much because it is an insane labour of love. 

2. Train to Busan (movie)

3. Death Parade (anime) 

4. Midnight Mass (series)

5. Cadaver (2020)

6. Love, Death & Robots (anthology series)

7. Killing Eve (series)

8. Ready or Not (movie)

📚🎞 Books

If you like tech and fantasy mixed together, I'd recommend ‘The Time Hunters Saga’ and the ‘Artemis Fowl’ novels. (the movie adaptation is awful)

🥘🌏 Food

I grew up with a variety of different foods, but if you ever have the chance, try some Filipino dishes! Adobo (national dish), sinigang (personal fave) and chicken inasal are my personal suggestions.

🍺🌊 Travel & Lifestyle

I try to visit the Philippines every few years to see my family overseas and it's such a beautiful place. If you're into beaches, good food, night markets and lots – like a severe amount – of karaoke then I highly encourage you to visit. Not during June though, it's typhoon season, it's crazy.

👩‍🎨🧠 Tips

1. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Life's hard, we were meant to forage.

2. Do not trust all advice from artists in the industry!!! Some of them will insist you suffer from severe month long sleep deprivation for the sake of your art – you can't share your art if you're stressed, unhappy and on the brink of death.

3. Art doesn't have to be profitable to be worth something.

4. Take a 5 hour nap.