About
Our Concept
Obscyra, an artist-run magazine and platform born in Basel, exists to bridge the gap between artists and those willing to engage with art on its most visceral level.
Obscyra envisions a space where artists, collectors, and audiences engage in unfiltered, direct, and meaningful exchanges—a shift from the conventional frameworks that often mediate artistic visibility. As the art market evolves, Obscyra recognizes the growing desire for personal connections between creators and those who experience their work, fostering an environment where artistic voices resonate beyond institutional structures.
Through its curatorial approach, Obscyra positions artists at the forefront—prioritizing their narratives, their autonomy, and the raw intensity of their practice. It seeks to dissolve the barriers that obscure artistic presence, creating a platform where art is not just observed but felt, confronted, and engaged with in its most immediate and unbound form.
Coming Autumn 2025
The first issue of Obscyra is set to be published in Autumn 2025 (Oct 26), marking the beginning of a new space for artistic revelation. This edition will not only feature emerging and established artists but will also include in-depth interviews, visual explorations, and critical essays that dissect the shifting landscapes of contemporary creation. On the day of the Launch also begins the 3-week long exhibition at an experimental off-space which used to be a bank vault in Zürich.
Meet The Team.
We are Obscyra.
Arlo Jake Lagmay is a surrealist artist as well as an architect specializing in pharmaceutical design and consultancy. His work bridges the rigor of architectural discipline with the expressive potential of surrealism, engaging with ideas of spatial transformation, controlled environments, and the subconscious interplay between structure and perception.
As the founder of Obscyra, he envisions a platform that fosters direct engagement between artists, collectors, and audiences, reflecting a broader shift in the art market where deeper, more personal connections take precedence. Advocating for a system that places artists at the forefront, Obscyra strengthens artistic autonomy and amplifies their work beyond institutional prestige. By dismantling the barriers that often mediate artistic discourse, Obscyra seeks to cultivate a space where artistic voices resonate with immediacy, clarity, and unfiltered authenticity—standing as a pylon between the unbound and the seen.
Emy Vicencio is a Philippine-Swiss-trained architect, artist, and professional lecturer at the National University of the Philippines. In both her academic and professional careers, she advocates for an approach that prioritizes spatial quality and precision above all. While she subconsciously carries this philosophy into her art, it is in her artistic practice that she embraces spontaneity and human imperfections as integral elements of the work.
Art and architecture form the dual pillars of her self-expression. As a curatorial partner at Obscyra, she extends this philosophy into contemporary art, offering a perspective where order and spontaneity, precision and intuition converge. Her role strengthens Obscyra’s commitment to uncovering emerging voices, fostering a dialogue that challenges conventions and expands the boundaries of creative practice.