Bakea (real name Juan Carlos Paz Gómez) is a Spanish illustrator and visual artist based in Madrid. A former art director turned full-time artist, Bakea is known for his colorful and surreal universe populated by fantastical creatures that blend the playful with the uncanny. Combining photography, digital illustration, and sculpture, he creates imaginative worlds that explore emotion, identity, and inner life. His creations — inhabitants of his so-called Bakelanasland — have earned him international recognition in the fields of contemporary illustration and character design, including features at Pictoplasma Berlin and collaborations with global brands.