Joel Mellström – Graphic Artist of the Year 2026

Jury motivation

Joel Mellström is awarded for a distinct and imaginatively resolved artistic practice. His surreal compositions open contemplative spaces where the familiar becomes poetic, ambiguous and quietly unsettling. The jury was particularly impressed by the precision of his visual language and by his ability to evoke reflection, atmosphere and narrative tension through works that are at once minimal, dreamlike and conceptually compelling.

Upon winning his category, Joel said:

"Getting to hear about me winning my category some months later was an absolutely wild feeling. It really came as a surprise. As someone who, even though I'm a full-time creative, lives in a constant state of impostor syndrome, it also felt very reassuring and flattering to have won.

About Joel's work

Joel's colourful and surrealist digital collages are mostly minimalist. "Every now and then I'm sort of maximalist, but I try to keep it simple." he says. "I love to create landscapes with bold colours that might look sort of like a snapshot of a dream you could've had."

The work he submitted for the award is covers many years of creativity. "The selection showcases some of my favourite pieces, and how my creativity has evolved over the years, as some are examples of my earliest works and others are some of my latest."

Joel is hugely influenced by film, in particular by the director Wes Anderson and his colourful story worlds. "He is pretty much the reason behind me finding my creative voice."

What is it about digital art that keeps him interested? "What I love is that I'm not constrained to waiting for the paint to dry before adding the next layer. So, when I find the perfect first piece, the vision for the whole artwork comes almost instantaneously."