SHOWCASE

/ ARTIST / 2024

BKKIF Artist  
ARTIST: NANI Studio
COUNTRY: Philippines
EMAIL: hello.nanistudios@gmail.com
CONTACT: https://www.facebook.com/helloNANIstudio
https://www.instagram.com/nanistudioph/
NANI Studio is a branding and design studio based in the Philippines, founded by Nadine and Niqui, inspired by the Japanese word "NANI?!" which signifies surprise and unexpected wonder. At NANI Studio, we are dedicated to crafting exceptional branding experiences and creative work that leave a lasting impact on people.
We understand that every brand or brief or piece is unique. Our approach as a studio is personalized to meet those specific needs, ensuring that a story is told authentically and captivatingly.

For Bangkok Illustration Fair we created a series called, FRUIT FOR THOUGHT.
In the effort to “feel our feels” we created a series of illustrations appropriately named FRUIT FOR THOUGHT.

Fruit For Thought aims to help us navigate through the human emotions we feel everyday- the emotions that we sometimes repress or forget to express or try to ignore all together. By drawing them as fruit- one of our favorite things in the world!- we aim to make them more tangible and understandable. 

For a nostalgic twist, we illustrated the fruits Polly Pocket-style- hoping to make the “feelings” even more tangible and familiar. We wanted to process these feelings and make them less intimidating as we explore its depths.

ABOKADO NG ALALA (Avocado of Worry)



How does anxiety make you feel?

We alluded the feeling of anxiousness to an avocado- a fruit with a heavy and dense seed. The big seed alludes to the feeling you get at the pit of your stomach the moment you feel anxious or uncomfortable.

The pit represents the core of the anxiety- the root of where all the heavy feelings come from.

The maze shows us how messy and confusing it can get to navigate anxiety. You feel panic or terror at first before you reach clarity and peace.

NIYOG NG KAPAYAPAAN (Coconut of Peace)

Beyond the vast ocean, what we love most about the sea are the coconut trees. Their fruit—refreshing juice and tender meat—brings a sense of calm and peace.
We associate coconuts with a time when life moved slower, allowing us to fully savor each moment. In the illustration, a surfer enjoys the stillness after a wave, basking in the ocean’s serenity.
This imagery reflects the balance we all seek—a perfect escape from the rush of daily life, with the coconut symbolizing the calm and safe space we crave.

MANGGA NG PAGBABALIK-TANAW (Mango of Notalgia)

We all have that one fruit that brings back memories of childhood—for us, it’s the ripe, golden mango. Often served in a grid-cut style, it’s the perfect afternoon snack, a sweet merienda after a day of playing under the sun.

This vibrant fruit symbolizes more than just a treat; it embodies the essence of sweetness, nostalgia, and the joy of embracing our inner child and of life’s simple pleasures.

The accompanying illustration captures this spirit, showing the carefree activities we loved as kids—like hopscotch and tree climbing. It’s a tribute to those innocent, joyful moments under the warm glow of the sun.

We believe in keeping the inner child alive because it teaches us the beauty of pure, uncomplicated happiness.

DALANDAN NG LIGAYA (Dalandan of Happiness)

The dalandan (a sour orange) represents the different
things that keep us happy: simple as that.

The illustration shows activities that provide us
excitement — crafting outside of our work (cooking and sewing), playing music, being with our beloved pets, and biking- the jolts of energy we need after a tiring long day.

We realized when we dedicated time to hobbies we loved, we’re able to function better through the everyday.

Like a dalandan, these activities add the zest we need in the life!.

PINYANG MAPAGPUNA (Over-thinking Pineapple)

A pineapple: hard and strong on the outside but soft
in the inside.

We thought the pineapple was the perfect fruit to depict a feeling we’ve been trying to unlearn.

The pineapple’s tough exterior represents the guarded nature of hyper-observant individuals. Its eyes represents how we’re always on the lookout, always observant- to a fault.

Its interior signifies our vulnerability
and the loneliness that our inner thoughts can cause.

KAMATIS NA MALUMANAY (Tomato of Tenderness)

Our tomato symbolizes a different kind of love—self-love. While tomatoes are often associated with tenderness, we wanted to use them to remind us to be kinder to ourselves, especially on tough days when everything feels overwhelming.
We tend to be hard on ourselves, blaming our actions and feeling like we've mismanaged everything. But we aim to show ourselves the same patience we extend to others—the patience we may not have received when we were younger.

STAY FRUITY

This is a playful depiction of the emotions we carry every day, reminding us that it's these feelings that make us more human and empathetic.

In the illustration, a human figure is formed from a fruit net bag, symbolizing how we hold and carry our emotions. Inside her are different fruits, representing the diverse feelings we experience.

They walk with pride, not only acknowledging her emotions but embracing them, proud of every feeling she carries.

Bagsakan Market

We are inspired by the actual market where we purchase our produce, called Bagsakan, translated it means to drop off or to deliver.

In the middle of the bustling market, we see a small picnic mat where all the fruits representing emotions (like the mango, avocado, tomatoes, pineapple, etc.) are displayed in neatly arranged boxes and trays. The stall is overflowing with vibrant, colorful fruits, each one inviting people to explore its hidden world of feelings.

It represents how emotions are often laid bare in everyday life, much like fruits in a market—accessible to all, yet rarely explored in depth. The market setting emphasizes that these feelings are common and universal, yet each holds a world of complexity inside.

Kariton ng Damdamin (Cart of Emotions)

Two girls sharing fruits with the neighborhood through a kariton, a traditional Filipino cart used by fruit sellers in Manila.

Inside the kariton we see an array of fruits from the series, such as avocados, mangoes, and pineapples. The kariton represents the accessibility and openness of sharing emotions, while the act of giving and receiving fruits signifies the importance of expressing and acknowledging feelings within a community.

Feels Smoothie

Through reflection, we've realized how essential it is to embrace a balance of all emotions. We can’t thrive by feeling only good or bad; we need the full spectrum to function properly.
In our visual, we’ve created a smoothie made from the various fruits we’ve illustrated, each representing a different emotion—even those that are hard to process, like the tomato symbolizing self-love. Over time, we learn to acknowledge, feel, and coexist with all these emotions, letting them harmoniously blend and live within us. And we hope this blend is able to enrich us the way smoothies do!