Ilan Derech

Japan

Born in Mexico in 1990, Ilan Derech is a multidisciplinary artist whose visual language was shaped through years of experimentation in animation, generative code, photography, and film. His early explorations in digital media taught him structure and abstraction, while photography and video revealed to him the poetry of reality. His approach to filmmaking resembles that of a haiku: he captures simple, silent scenes where light, time, and gesture become subjects of contemplation. Inspired by the Japanese aesthetics of wa (harmony), ma (the space between things), and wabi-sabi (the beauty of imperfection), Ilan creates works in which presence and absence converse in meditative stillness. Influenced by wabi-sabi, ukiyo-e, and the tender beauty of impermanence, he draws inspiration from everyday details — falling sakura petals, rain on a window, fleeting shadows. Marked by the loss of his father and a long stay in Japan during the pandemic, he developed a practice in which each image becomes a refuge, a breath, a space of silence and memory.

Ilan Derech’s work has been showcased on major platforms such as SuperRare, Foundation, and OpenSea, and has been praised for its cinematic sensitivity. His pieces have been featured in international exhibitions and auctions, establishing his presence on the contemporary digital art scene. He collaborated with ZEISS on Capturing Mobility, a poetic exploration of nocturnal movement in London, and has been featured in several publications — including SuperRare Visual Haikus, OpenSea In Conversation, and Air Canada EnRoute — all highlighting the coherence and emotional depth of his artistic vision.
Through these collaborations, Ilan continues to craft a contemplative body of work that invites viewers to slow down, breathe, and rediscover the fragile beauty of the present moment.


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Night Dragon | 夜龍

Night_Dragon__夜龍_Ilan_Derech_Video.mp4

Passed from one generation to another.

There runs a legend about a dragon that was summoned by her ancestors to protect them and their loved ones.

A blood pact was made between them and the dragon.

Part of the agreement was that in order for it to live forever, and to protect future generations it would have to live attached to the soul of each one of the family members.

It doesn’t manifest in everyone, nor does anyone know if this legend is true or not.

But, when the night falls, and by sheer luck, you get the chance to get lost in her eyes, there's a fire burning so bright that it feels like a thousand suns.

-

By: Ilan Derech

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Shot on: Leica SL & ZEISS ZM 1.4/35

Year: 2022

Collected by: The H

technique

video

format

portrait

duration

01:03

year

2023

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More on digital art

Generative art
Generative art refers to a way of creating artworks using an autonomous system. In digital art, these are usually generated from code and algorithms created by the artist, often with certain predefined parameters or systems. Although these parameters guide the final outcome of the work, generative art is generally a surprising way to create artworks, as the results are often unexpected and the number of possible outcomes can be infinite.
AI
AI art is a branch of generative art that uses artificial intelligence. Unlike other generative artworks, AI artworks use specific complex algorithms and models derived from machine learning. The most common methods for creating AI art today are GANs (generative adversarial networks) or proprietary prompting platforms such as ChatGPT, Sora, Midjourney, or Dall-e.
3D
3D art uses 3D software such as Blender, Cinema4D, Houdini, or video game software such as Unity to create works of art. In 3D works, artists can either arrange assets (the 'objects' in a 3D artwork or world) that they have created themselves or purchased from other creators to create elaborate environments and scenes (an approach to 3D art called 'set dressing'), or specialize in sculpting, which involves creating their own objects and assets.
Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry is a specialized 3D technique that allows 3D objects to be created from numerous photographs taken of an object or scene from multiple angles. These photos are then compiled to determine the specific positioning, shape, and dimensions of the object in space, and then converted into a 3D model. Initially developed for engineering and urban planning, photogrammetry has become a way for artists to produce extremely accurate 3D models from real-life images.
Collage
An extension of the traditional, plastic approach to collage, digital collage involves searching for and cutting out multiple images, extracting them from their original context, and recomposing them in a new arrangement to create a work of art. Artists can use their own photographs or find images on the internet.
Illustration
Digital illustrations are created using software such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or Procreate. As with drawing on paper, the artist uses a stylus to sketch a figure or object, usually on a tablet, to construct a scene or artistic universe. Unlike traditional drawing methods, digital illustration is much more forgiving, as mistakes can be easily corrected and drawn elements and objects can be easily moved around within a scene.
Video
Video artworks primarily use a recording camera, but may sometimes include additional post-processing or editing to distort, modify or add additional elements to the image. Some artists use state-of-the-art recording equipment to create macro zoom-ins or time lapses, privileging fidelity to the subject matter. Others use additional softwares to significantly modify or warp the video, creating an alternative perspective on the world that surrounds us.

Collections with the artist

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    Poetry 3.0
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  • Magic_Meadow_Polina_Bulgakova_3D.mp4
  • Satori_Rothko_s_Serenade_Ilan_Derech_Generative_art.mp4
  • Tokyo_s_Midnight__東京の真夜中_Ilan_Derech_Video.mp4
  • Wisdom_is_the_key_to_happiness_Andrei_Stan_Collage.mp4
  • Return_of_Nature_Fuji_Vacades_3D.mp4
  • Lighthouse_By_Night_Sophie_Donaj_Illustration.mp4
  • Human_Flux_Jérôme_Delapierre_Video.mp4
  • Flower_Double_Red_Alex_McLeod_3D.mp4
  • Glitter_limes_Laura_Alonso_AI.mp4
  • 2_Bourkes_parrots__zinnia_flower_Ana_Butrym_AI.mp4
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