These Figural Feelings

ALTHOUGH THE BASIC EMOTIONS CAN BE REDUCED to just four: happiness, sadness, anger, and fear, scientists have found as many as 27 categories of emotions including very specific ones such as aesthetic appreciation, craving, and entrancement. It goes without saying that lockdowns and pandemic events elicit many of these emotions, in combination and in succession, even more so than pre-pandemic circumstances do. 

How poetic in fact, to recognize the many nuances produced by our neurophysiology.

When I came across Rokas Alelunias' posters, I felt delighted to see my own myriad of emotions visualized, in a style that sparks my own aesthetic appreciation. Here, I speak to the artist about his work; the posters he started making out of boredom, and developing a more personal visual language.

LSP: What motivated you to start designing daily posters?

RA: To be honest; stress and anxiety. I just needed something to do to calm my mind.

LSP: Your posters reflect a few different art styles, what is your inspiration for these styles?

RA: I really love trying and learning new things, and if I see something really interesting I want to emulate, deconstruct the process and ideas behind it. I think at first it was more about doing and learning, but over the years some of the styles transitioned to my own visual language that is more about expressing what I feel and what is meaningful for me, different ideas - different styles. I am really interested in lino-printing, wood printing, cut outs and I usually dwell into Greek mythology, Biblical stories, figures and forms.

LSP: Do you have a favorite artwork that you made?

RA: I don't have the ones I love, but there are some that I hold really dear to me, because of the certain things that happened in my life at that moment. 

LSP: How has the Covid pandemic impacted your creative process? Were there any changes?

RA: It's a little bit harder to find new and interesting ideas, because it's been quite a while since I meet people in real work. Lately, I feel like boiling in my own sup - the same ideas swirling around and nothing new. It's hard to find things that would really inspire me.

LSP: What advice would you give to new artists?

RA: I don't have one, but thinking about, maybe it would be something like. You do you. Be honest to yourself and make decisions that feels right for you. It's definitely a bumpy road ahead, but if you trip you won't regret it.

Diva, Love Sick, Self-love, and Willpower by Rokas Aleliunias. Shop the posters at casualpolarbear.com/posters