UlaZuhra’s coming-of-age graphic novel illustrates the chaos of female adulthood. Titled Aca & Ica: Collected Stories, the publication explores themes of “feminism, class, eroticism, mythological, and esoteric practices in Indonesia through a tongue-in-cheek satirical lens,” the artist says. Throughout the novel, Ula often opts for a heady balance of high contrast black-and-white, set aside moments of vibrant colour, using both to enhance the narratives of the two women – the colour drains from the pages as the intensity of the story heightens. Ula’s work is entirely hand-drawn and hand-painted, and it leans toward body horror to demonstrate the realities of Indonesia’s fraught and complex sociopolitical landscape. It’s stretched across language too, weaving English together with Indonesian slang. Language jumps out of the page with urgency, swirling around “the contradictions, chaos, and quiet moments of navigating female adulthood in Jakarta,” says Ula. #itsnicethat