EXLUSIVE EDITORIAL FEATURING ARON PIPER BY FILIP CUSTIC

Filip Custic’s editorial, created in collaboration with Aron Piper, is born from a deeply artistic concept in which art intertwines with still life and the exploration of one’s own excesses. At the beginning, we see juicy, seductive grapes that Aron consumes with delight, filling himself with their essence, their wine, their own blood. From him, branches emerge that feed him, forming a cycle of self-nourishment and intoxication that transcends the physical and becomes a metaphor for overabundance and introspection.

In the following images, we see Aron after the excess: the wine and alcohol leave their mark, and his posture bends, weighted with learning and a rawness that speaks of limits and vulnerability. The work, raw and visceral, engages in dialogue with nature, cycles, and human behavior, yet always immersed in a Renaissance oil-painting atmosphere.

Each photograph reveals itself as a true work of contemporary art: modern and fresh, yet breathing history, art, and classicism. It is a visual journey where the modern and the classical coexist, where the body, nature, and art merge into a unique, intense, and poetic narrative.

We chatted with Filip to uncover the inspiration, intention, and visual poetry behind the project.

This editorial blends still life, performance, and portraiture. What was the initial concept or emotional spark that led you to explore excess, self-nourishment, and intoxication through Aron’s body and the grapes?

I’ve had an open conversation with Aron to play creatively together for so long. We have known each other for some years already , but the perfect idea came in 2025. It clicked one night when I was invited to a guided tour at Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid. There I saw a painting of a bunch of grapes painted by Maruja Mallo, and I thought of how beautiful grapes are in general. I’ve never played with that element in my art, and from grapes comes the wine. Wine can symbolize celebration. The painting of God Dionisio by Caravaggio came to my mind. Some days later, I saw Aron at a party. I feel he is very joyful and chill, and it made me think about finding the balance in life.

The sequence begins with abundance and ends with vulnerability. How did you design this narrative arc, and what does it say about the cycles you wanted to portray—both human and nature-driven?

I like to portrait duality. Good - bad, yes - no , dark - light , 0 - 1 , open – close. A big life lesson and inspiration for me is that we find duality everywhere, and the goal is to find our own balance. But that balance is in a continuous change too, so once in a while u have to re-question yourself. For this project, I show the duality of the excesses. Lots of celebration and dopamine consumption destroys you and gives you a hangover, so find balance. 

⁠The image of Aron consuming grapes, described almost as drinking his own blood, feels both mythological and intimate. What symbolism did you want viewers to feel in that moment of “self-consuming”?

I wanted to show a vampiric/narcissistic scenario. The idea of self-obsession, getting drunk of yourself, how the excess of “self-love “ can dissociate you, rot you and destroy you.

Branches growing from Aron’s body create a powerful metaphor for nourishment and depletion. How did you conceptualize these organic elements and their relationship to the human form?

I have a book of illustrations by Gustavo Doré, where he represented humans merged with trees. I loved how well it was technically done and thought how through photography I can do it without giving body horror vibes or a photoshop copy-paste. I wanted to make it feel natural, organic and not too pretentious.

There is a clear Renaissance influence in the lighting, composition, and atmosphere. What classical painters or artistic movements informed the visual language of this project?

I traveled to Florence this summer. I went to visit and learn from all the art, architecture and renaissance culture. DaVinci, Botticelli, Michelangelo, renaissance time was extremely prolific and a big jump in human evolution. I’ve been playing with technology and the future for a while, and here I wanted to reconnect with the past. There is so much inspiration to learn from there.

The later images depict Aron transformed by excess—his posture bent, his energy altered. How did you navigate capturing vulnerability without losing the beauty or dignity of the subject?

The body pose for this picture was super clear to me. I think I’ve never done a back pose image before, where you don’t really see the model’s face. It was something that didn’t sound interesting to me in the past. I wanted to investigate that and make it captivating. I played with the back musculature.

Your work often merges surrealism with physicality. In this editorial, how did you balance the surreal symbolic elements with the raw, visceral realism of Aron’s expressions and body language?

Back to duality. This is my new balance between realism and surrealism. I like surrealism to be present, but not the main focus. And the realistic result is important to me, so the human eye believes it could be a one click photo, with no editing. 

Wine, blood, fruit, and nature all act as characters in this story. How do you approach composing still-life elements so they become active participants rather than simply aesthetic props? 

They are all one. All the elements need to be connected to tell their part of the story, so it doesn’t look like a random prop to fill. 

⁠This project is both modern and historical, instinctive and highly curated. What was your process for allowing spontaneity while still maintaining a strong conceptual framework?

I like that you can see it’s highly curated, because it is. It’s obsessive to me. I would say 10% of spontaneity. I enjoy polishing and thinking of the details. The editing process is my favorite. I have my time to curate all the pixels. 

⁠If you could summarize the emotional message you hope viewers take away from this editorial, beyond the visuals, what would it be about excess, humanity, and introspection?

All three. I feel it’s a portrait of human nature. Life chapters are all kinds. They go from reaching nirvana to learn from your darkest shadows.

TEAM CREDITS:

talent ARON PIPER
creative direction and photography FILIP CUSTIC
set design JORGE G.
hair and makeup MARÍA LIMÓN