Golgotha studio's loud and impressive visuals feel straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon

Although spanning motion graphics, identities, web design, animation, art direction and everything in-between, design studio Golgotha’s work is some of the most visually succinct (and striking) we’ve seen in a long time. Based in Paris, the studio was started in 2013 by Guillaume Hugon, Marvin De Deus Ganhitas and Antoine Aillot and has built up a portfolio that is loud and buoyant, not to mention impressive.

Guillaume, Marvin and Antoine studied graphic design together at École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and, initially, Golgotha was the trio’s band name. “We played around with ‘veejaying’ by using basic 3D tools for parties and shows. This mainly brought us into the video world and we had fun mixing 3D and motion with the usual 2D design tools,” they recall. “With the 3D tools, we felt like there was an infinite creative world of possibilities opening just in front of us. It was very exciting!”

From here, the studio – whose name is inspired by “extreme death metal band names” and is also the place that Jesus was crucified – was born. Years later, Golgotha has developed a strong and distinctive visual language, largely characterised by its busy aesthetic and attention to detail.

This meticulous approach can be seen in one of Golgotha’s projects for the release of Nike’s VaporMax. Tasked with creating a video around the theme of the city, the trio explains how “of course, we imagined a rollercoaster style looping video with lots of details and small elements you can not even see on the screen because of the speed.” With the shoe at the centre, the video whizzes through multiple worlds packed full of flying objects. “We even 3D scanned ourselves, rigged and animated our virtual bodies to run inside the scene,” Guillaume, Marvin and Antoine reveal.

Although clearly proficient in new technologies, Golgotha got to flex their muscles with more traditional animation and character design when creating the video for Ground Zero’s spring/summer 2017 collection. With a cast of virtual heroes, the video is a refreshingly different take on a fashion film, feeling straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon.

Whether creating highly fabricated visuals inspired Pokémon and Dragon Ball Z or working with live action footage, Golgotha’s daring and almost gaudy designs are impossible to ignore. Despite having such a characteristic visual language, the studio explains how, “we don’t think about how to fit into a style or specific signature, everything comes very naturally,” concluding that, “Golgotha is permanently the result of our three minds.”