THIS IS THE FUTURE: Maz Joachin and Building a New World

Encountering Maz Joachin’s work is witnessing true artistry. His work is honest and free, filled with an imagination that is often lost in a world determined to steal our joy. Through his comic art and illustrations, Joachin embraces his artistic desires without fear of being constrained by capitalism’s compartmentalisation. Works such as Supernova and Canyon 1-3 showcase how artists can thrive when they work from the heart and approach their craft with curiosity, joy, and love for creating itself.

Joachin’s forward-thinking is the primary characteristic of his artwork. His love for creating not only inspires fellow writers, artists and makers but also builds worlds that exist beyond the present, filled with future promises of decolonisation and anti-paradise. Naturally, he is a builder, a dreamer, and the very essence of his practice is decolonial. Joachin rejects any ideas of paradise and the commercialisation of Caribbean storytelling. While his environments are often inspired by New Providence, they are filled with new idiosyncrasies that stem from his mind. This peculiarity of the comic book genre calls for world-building and for the artist to create immersive worlds where readers can get lost.

THIS IS THE FUTURE explores Joachin’s process of building new worlds and environments in his illustrative works and how he has mastered the art of storytelling over time.

About the artist
Maz Joachin is a Haitian-Bahamian illustrator and comic book artist who has been creating original stories and characters for over 15 years. Influenced by Hayao Miyazaki, Jamie Hewlett, and Glen Keane, he developed his craft through a series of ongoing comic projects.

His comic Supernova was first published in Yea Bey magazine in 2013 and later released in print, followed by a shorter work titled Canyon—both available in the museum store. Joachin also founded Steaming Kettle Studios, producing comics, illustrations, and animation.

He has contributed to films Roselyn and Caliente, both screened at The Bahamas International Film Festival, and is currently working on his first animated series, Nassau Rock. Joachin was recently nominated for an Elevation Award for Visual Artist of the Year.