Check out our latest collab with Yoni Alter, a multimedia artist who explores the threshold between art and design. His brightly colored works oscillate between figurative, abstract, form and space - always challenging the viewer to look twice.
Learn more about his work in our interview below.
Q&A
Can you introduce yourself?
I am an artist and designer. I live in London and am originally from Israel.
What do you create?
I basically play and have fun! I create a multitude of works: sculptures, illustrations, paintings, prints, digital and more. As I create, I let experimentation and exploration guide me - I try to make fun and interesting discoveries.
Did you always want to be an artist?
I have always been creative, but I never thought about what I wanted to do for a living. When I started art school, I discovered a real passion for the practice of design and art. Today, I am truly grateful that I can make a living doing what I love to do most.
How did you start your life as an artist?
I was working as a designer, but I was also creating my own artwork. I made a minimalist art print that showed only the eyes of famous cartoon characters. I came up with this idea because when the lights go out, all you see are their eyes! And, I thought it was interesting to see if these characters were recognizable only by their eyes. At that time, there were not yet all the social networks... I sent my work to a few blogs, and it immediately went viral! So I continued to produce prints and, little by little, I started to make small objects, then sculptures and so on.
Can you describe your art in 3 words ?
Fun, colorful and cheerful!
Where do you get your inspiration?
Most of my ideas come to me while I'm working. It's super exciting to discover a new idea or something that seems relevant and worth exploring further!
What do you think about when you create?
I'm focused on what I'm doing, thinking about what I could improve and things I could test. For example: testing how the image looks if I change the colors.
While I'm working, I like to listen to music - it helps me a lot!
Why do you use so many different materials in your artworks?
Originally, I didn't plan to use so many different materials. In fact, when I started, I was in digital design and thought I would never do non-digital work. But once I started playing with materials, I was hooked and haven't stopped since.
What was your first creation?
My dad was an architect and he would often bring home old architectural plans for me to draw on the back! I was super excited to have these giant blank sheets on which I could let my imagination run wild with my pencils!
What do you think creativity means?
Creativity is an integral part of my personality. I'm always thinking of ideas, even when I don't want to. The more you practice making art and design, the more creative you become. And that's why I'm so committed to what I do. I think I'm always getting better.
Can you describe your creative process?
Most of my designs are done in my head, then I use the computer to visualize them. I am constantly experimenting while designing on the computer; it allows me to test different ideas. Sometimes I even deviate from my initial design because I discover something more interesting.
With your creations, what are you trying to express?
Intentionally, nothing. I'm not trying to express anything in particular; my work is about joy and optimism. If I can bring positive things to this world - which already has enough drama - and make people smile, that's great! There is nothing more satisfying than making as many people smile as possible!
Colors seem to be very important to you, why?
Colors are the most fundamental element of any visual creation. Just by using color, you can have an impact on the viewer. I love discovering new color combinations. It's powerful, striking!
Tell us more about the creation process of this neon collection?
It was fun. The technical limitations of neon push you to extreme simplicity, which is a very good thing!
Tell us more about the neon "LOVE" & "YAY"?
Why did you choose these words?
All other words are overrated. What other word is better than "Yay"; it is used by children when they are happy! Even though the word "Love" is used so often in art (and everywhere else), I don't mind using it myself because love is what matters most.
Tell us more about the 3 neon lights?
We can say that you have a passion for cars, shoes and skateboarding!
The drawings are simple, wriggling lines of different colors that, when placed next to each other, become in our minds a car, a sneaker or a skateboard.
Why did you choose neon LED as your medium?
It is powerful. It fits perfectly with the type of art I practice, which is about creating visual impact!
Why did you decide to collaborate with Yellowpop ?
I really liked their previous collaborations with artists and especially the one with Keith Haring. It looks like his drawings were made to be reproduced in neon!