the
Stranger & Stranger / Bespoke Liquor
Kardashev II is an ultra-pure vodka created with an advanced graphene filter that uses single-atom carbon lattices to remove impurities at the molecular level. It is incredibly smooth, clean, with a crisp mineral finish. Crafted using glacial spring water sourced from the Lake Baikal basin in Irkutsk Oblast—the deepest, oldest, and most pristine freshwater lake on Earth—it is then filtered through graphene carbon matrices developed in Russian precision labs. Water from Baikal is glacial in origin, low in mineral contaminants, and exceptionally pure. Additionally, the surrounding Irkutsk Oblast has cold, stable conditions ideal for distillation.
Inspired by the Kardashev Scale, this liquor represents what is achievable by a Type II civilization as theorized by the late Russian astrophysicist, Nikolai Kardashev (b. 1932 - d. 2019).
His scale was designed in 1964 and has 3 base classes: Type I, Type II, and Type III. Other astronomers have extended this scale to Type IV and Type V, which is quite fantastical considering that the energy available to this kind of civilization would equal that of all energy accessible in not just our universe, but in all universes and in all timelines.
A Type I society is possible 100 to 200 years from 2025 (22nd or 23rd century), and a Type II society will arrive 1,000 to 3,000 years from 2025 (Year 3000-5000).
Thus, it is enthralling to note: the human race is not even on this scale yet. Since we still sustain our energy needs from dead plants and animals, here on Earth, we are a lowly Type 0 civilization. We have a long way to go before we are promoted to Type I.
Each side of the label is an abstract representative of Type 0, Type I, and, of course, Type II civilizations—each aiming to epitomize the achievements of each respective society through fine lines and ‘visual debris.’ The goal for Kardashev II’s labeling is to carry the viewers understanding of the concept far beyond the simple essentials, as well as to spotlight the essence of a Type II civilization based on their anticipated acquisition of a Dyson Sphere.
The Dyson Sphere is a proposed megastructure that fully encompasses the Sun (or any other star) to harness its energy. The output energy of the Sun would easily satisfy our rising energy requirements as we become more technologically advanced. In a practical sense, it is currently beyond the scope of our engineering capacity.
There also exists the alternative concept of a Dyson Swarm, a decentralized system of orbiting satellites that capture stellar energy, rather than a solid shell. This almost served as the focal point for this project, but, ultimately, I was much more enthused by wonder and scale than I was by feasibility.
Neither thought experiments were created by Kardashev, but he believed them to both be theoretically achievable by around the time that a Type II civilization is reached.
These ideas, despite bearing their fruit in the distant future, are the result of unnmistakably cultivated and courageous human imaginations. Regardless of the scale, I’m one to believe that they are worth thinking about now. And my goal with Kardashev II was to prove that it’s worth looking at now, as well.
Concept,
Design,
3D,
Brief:
Evan Fandrei
Custom logo, type, thematic branding, and van design.
Active clientele.
Tasked with emulating mid-tier and high-tier packaging that resembles products typically styled from Hill Country Fair and
H-E-B grocers. University project.
Monterey Village, Album by Marlon Funaki
Sunlight / Autumn, Singles by Coldcut
Custom logo and branding for Holden Forero’s Right-on Records. 12” and 7” labels for Marlon Funaki’s Monterey Village and Coldcut’s Sunlight / Autumn, respectively.
Complete redesign of the logo and branding for Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, a luxury and eco-safari resort located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The region surrounding the Clayoquot is virtually a ghost town on the west coast of the central island. The resort is extremely remote and only accessible via seaplane or ferry from the mainland.
Branding, logotype, and packaging design for the conceptual Italian hot sauce brand, Bruciare. Intended as a love letter to both the confounding authenticity of Italian cuisine and the contemporary stampede of organic, unprocessed condiments through grocery aisles. Three heat levels, three designs.
Typographic poster on John Leigh a.k.a. Karborn, a mixed-media artist and graphic designer based in London, UK.
With The Alleys of Your Mind (2021) as a template, this is a completely Karborn-centric design, using creative elements found strictly from his digital oeuvre.
This piece was displayed at CSULB’s School of Art galleries during my BFA cohort’s junior show in 2024.
This artwork is created for personal enjoyment and expression. Any copyrighted material included is used solely for artistic purposes and not for profit or commercial gain.
The following excerpt is the label underneath, taken directly from karborn.com:
The Alleys of
Your Mind
42 x 49.7 cmArtwork drawn directly onto the machines - pixel painting x pointillism x digital/analogue CRT-TRINITRON hybrid.
taken eternally into the ether by @ArtOnInternet
Cybotron - Alleys of Your Mind (1981 USA) - a brilliant rework of - Ultravox - Mr X (1980 UK)
The composition based in part on Saul Bass psychology textbook illustrations circa 1980s?
Cybotron recuts Ultravox and Karborn recuts Saul Bass in painted pixels. Thank you + acknowledgements to Cybotron. Saul Bass. Ultravox. John Foxx.
Conceptual advertising campaign for ED RUSCHA / NOW THEN, an exhibition showcasing Edward Ruscha’s work spanning across his six-decade career, displayed at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) (Floor 6) between Sep. 10, 2023 and Jan. 13, 2024.
The campaign is based on Ruscha’s Swarm of Red Ants from Insects, 1972, with one from a portfolio of six screenprints on display during the exhibition. Elements of the artwork itself were used as digital assets for poster, feather flag, and gift shop item designs, as well as a variety pack of internet display / banner ads.
This artwork is created for personal enjoyment and expression. Any copyrighted material included is used solely for artistic purposes and not for profit or commercial gain.
Fine Art
Photographic Series / Editorial Spread
“a meditation + exercise + celebration of our dearest
subterranean gunslingers.
Disposable six-shooters firing incendiary rounds of acrylic ammunition.
Hugs, stains,
faux groceries.
Palettes kiss the underground walls.
Thy neighbor might just be a musician of
color & underlying shape.
& do not neglect impermanence; it is
to be celebrated.
Especially when the art itself is a fleeting moment of time…
Commemorate your neighborhood ambassadors of love
through pigment & propellant.
This is the law.”
Designer,
Photographer,
Art / Creative Director,
Post-Production Editor,
Concept Developer,
Lighting,
Stylist:
Evan Fandrei
Model:
Will Price
Ink by hand with a sculpted vinyl block
정, jeong
“Rather than through a definition, jeong is best explained through examples such as a mother sharing food with her friends or children and adding more at the end; a bus driver greeting passengers and asking them to hold on tight; constant fighting with someone that ultimately forms a bond with him or her; two people at a restaurant sharing their food with each other; assistance for an elderly person to carry a heavy bag or walk up stairs; and a seller of vegetables or fruit at a market throwing in a few more items for free.”
— Jeong: a concept to be experienced, not defined