A nonbinary person with long hair and bangs taking a mirror selfie in a room with pink lighting, wearing glasses and a black top.

a b o u t

Ræ Azzopardi, alternatively known as MORTVL (they/them) is a multidisciplinary artist and designer based in Cambridge and Toronto. Their work contemplates duality, nature, technology, life cycles, and identity by contrasting the beautiful with the horrific. Ræ has used art as an outlet and as a communicative device when words are at a loss. They portray these moments in a vapour-surrealist manner using symbolic representation to convey their experiences. Their work was initially utilized as an outlet, particularly after they developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. As their healing journey progressed, their work shifted towards discussing political and environmental subject matters with the embodiment of fantastical horror-surrealism. Portrayals of sentient beings revealing their innards, expressing their vulnerability to the one thing we are all guaranteed with after we are born: death.

bio

A colorful painting of a human skeleton with scoliosis on a pink and blue background. 
Ræ Azzopardi’s work is influenced by current events, their farm-yard upbringing, darkwave, nature, and pop-culture horror. Films such as Suspiria (1977), Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), The Holy Mountain (1973), and the original Alien series (1979-1997) paved the way for the horror-surrealist queerified visual language used in MORTVL’s work. They have playful methodologies of visually discussing challenging subject matter, delivered with a side of camp.

Influences

  • Ræ Azzopardi went to OCAD U for illustration and graduated with honours in 2023. They have done everything from commercial work, event posters, album covers to book illustrations, art installations and tattoo designs. They never limit their abilities (within reason) and are always willing to continue learning.

  • Ræ Azzopardi’s deep love of music translated to them making band logos, merch design and album art. They worked in a library’s makerspace where they became efficient at creating vector files in a fast-paced environment.

  • Ræ Azzopardi is a vocalist who makes experimental music using synths, MAX MSP and loves working with other musicians to create their vision. They have participated in designing the UI for a VST, doing visuals for music videos, song writing, and developing concepts.