We're Having a Zorgasm
The artwork of Zorgasm has now been featured on Sheesh Magazine, along with gracing every Pinterest board known to man. Sage's world of everything sumptuous and grotesque has become cropped profile images and conversations in friend groups of "who looks like who" the most. office couldn't help but want to know more about the young artist. Keep reading to hear about Sage Zoinka, also known as Zorgasm.
Sage Zoinka, you have such a popstar yet extraterrestrial superhero name. Can you tell us the background of your name along with Zorgasm?
My social media handle “Zorgasm” is a mashup of Z — my favorite letter — plus orgasm. I thought this combination not only sounded interesting but also clearly humorous. My goal was to create a memorable moniker to pique interest and make it easier to discover my account. Building on my preference for Zs, I branched out to establish Zoinka as a distinct brand separate from Zorgasm where I could exclusively design and fabricate apparel, as this is ultimately one of my largest aspirations and what I want to pursue further in college and beyond.
Your platform has gotten so much recognition. There’s so many people that repost your work or relate to your art, and at the age that you are — what does it mean for you to have such a connection to youth through your art?
I think it's impossible not to have a connection with the youth as all of the themes expressed throughout my work are pulled from personal experiences. As a teenager, I currently experience emotions and events that form much of the inspiration for my work. In many ways, my online platform is a digital diary that explores what I am experiencing and how I am feeling at that specific date and time. I find it extremely rewarding that there are so many others who relate to my work, as I feel I am achieving one of my goals in actually making an impact and creating a community of connection. Ultimately, I am not only making art for myself but also for the community of people I have met and shared experiences with along the way.
Every artist has their own style. How did you develop the characters that you have, and what inspires these exact drawings and characters?
My digital universe and the characters generated along with it stem from various inspirations like clothing trends of the early 2000s to modern day art and society. In developing a style unique to my own, I often explore the characteristics each of my favorite artists employed in their work. I then extract my favorite characteristics and experiment with them until I create a character design that feels personal to me. It’s been an evolutionary process to create a not only a unique style but also a storyline within my cast of characters that my audience can connect with.
Do you remember the first reactions you received from your work?
An outpouring of positive feedback from my work inspired me to establish Zorgasm as an official art / design account. Since the first few drawings, I have since developed a diverse cast of characters and engaged followers by naming each one, as well as developing their stories. Within months, simple characters turned into scenes of teenage angst in various venues, and spawned a demand for character apparel. It is because of the constant support that I’ve expanded as much and as fast as I have in the last year or so. I never imagined this evolution was possible in the beginning when I was solely creating fan art.
What is your favorite piece or sketch?
My favorite piece is forever changing as I enjoy each new piece better than the last. I am constantly evolving as an artist and my work is ultimately a reflection of my growth. When I look at work from a year ago, it is much less relatable because I’m in a different space now. That said, if I had to pinpoint a favorite piece then it would be my post from October 26 entitled “More Than Friends” because it shares a current expression of how I am feeling emotionally and because I really like how it turned out.
Your work looks like the smoothie of the two Nickelodeon shows, “As Told by Ginger” and “Rocket Power.” It’s this mix between playful and grunge. Are there any inspirations from cartoons or other forms of media that have influenced your work?
While I’m not specifically referencing either of those cartoons, y2k animated series and other cartoon characters have influenced the development of my style. I think subconsciously I do pull from cartoon series I watched growing up but I don’t specifically reference them when drawing. Instead, I am more likely to reference early 2000s iconic movies and photo shoots. Playful grunge is a good description of the mood I like to create in my work.
You just started creating clothes. Are there any collaborations or drops we should look out for?
I am constantly designing, so yes, keep your eyes peeled for upcoming new drops, restocks, and various collaborations. I would also love to do more collaborations in the future, if any potential brands were wondering. At the moment though, my brand is a one person operation and it takes an extensive amount of work to run all aspects of the brand, so, I thank those who are patiently supporting me as I am continuously creating.
I don’t know if you know but when you search Zorgasm up and go to the Urban Dictionary, all of these different definitions come up. Like, a zorgasm is — in somebody’s case — looking at Zac Efron. When we think of your work, how should we as consumers perceive not only your work but yourself?
When you perceive my work you see me, as it encompasses who I am and the beliefs I follow. What I've created is my dream and I am so thankful to everyone who continues to support me along this journey. When you perceive my work you are getting a sneak peak into my mental and emotional world; be gentle and allow yourself to get to know the piece, so you get to know me.
