Enter “The Kingdom” of artist Stan Manoukian

By John Freeman on October 5, 2019

If you’re in the Northport, New York, area in the United States anytime between now until early November, you might want to check out the Haven Gallery, which is presenting “The Kingdom“, a solo art exhibition by Stan Manoukian.

Born in 1969, Paris, France, Stan Manoukian is a veteran illustrator working in the comic book industry in France and the United States – and as a designer and story boarder for movies and commercials.

Vintage science fiction, classic monsters and romantic writers like Edgar Poe, Lovecraft or Mary Shelley as well as Jules Verne or H.G. Wells filled his childhood and influenced him for ever, spending most of his time drawing strange creatures which look like a mix between aliens from outer space and Cthulhu’s spawn.

In 2006, he started to draw “A Monster A Day” as way to develop his own critter universe and the project grew bigger and bigger. Inspired by old books, dictionaries and old engraved plates and paintings owned by his father, he likes to represent his creatures in the manner of the old encyclopedias; indexing them, classifying them and describing them.

Featuring his quintessential monsters and creatures of the forest, exemplarily drawn and surrealistically conceived, Stan Manoukian’s art emphasises “the flourishing of nature uncovering all the fanciful critters that live and play beneath the fecund growth and cyclical seasons”.

Haven Gallery’s focus is on exhibiting emotionally, intellectually and imaginatively driven, representational artwork that connects the audience and artist with universal axioms and passions.

“We work with both emerging and established artists who transcend their medium and subjects,” they tell potential visitors on their web site, “by exploring the world around them as well as the one within themselves”.

• ‘The Kingdom’, a solo art exhibition by Stan Manoukian runs until 3rd November 2019, The Haven Gallery, 155 Main Street, Carriage House Square, Northport, NY 11768 United States | Web: www.havenartgallery.com

• Stan Manoukian Official Site: diaryofinhumanspecies.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

• Buy ZOOLOGIA: The Art of Stan Manoukian (Amazon Affiliate Link)

Step into the fantastical world where Stan Manoukian’s complex and intricate creatures inhabit. Zoologia: The Art of Stan Manoukian is a 200-page anthology that showcases the famed illustrator’s most loved creations.

Inspired by engraved plates and old encyclopedias, Zoologia: The Art of Stan Manoukian is divided into six chapters each representing distinct geological terrains and environments his creatures inhabit: frozen, swampy, dry, wooden, rocky, and twilight

• Buy Stan Manoukian prints from Black Dragon Press

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.