Alias

Biography

Rarely are we granted an opportunity to come across an artist as capable of pulling on our emotional strings as the case is with Alias, a German street artist based in the metropolis of Berlin. Completely relying on the stencil technique to get his points across to the viewers, this creative’s stencil art pieces mainly present children and teenagers in different states and forms. This is a relatively common theme present within the street art realm, but what makes Alias’ stencils unprecedented is the fact he usually presents his subjects bewildered by harsh situations, confronted with terrifying issues. His portfolio is highly intimistic and focuses on one individual at a time, presenting us with their small, oftentimes tragic stories in a collective epic tale we call life.

Staying true to the stencil origins, Alias mostly utilizes nothing but black and white within his compositions, accentuated with small touches of red color. This stylistic decision works really well when paired up with the themes and graphically designed figures this stencil creator is so fond of – such as heartbreaking scenes, such as a child riddled with bullets (Body Body Head) or a crying kid with a backpack who is hiding his weeping face from the viewers. Despite the prevailing oblivious conformism, fact is that our contemporary societies are full of similar scenes and this is what makes this artist’s work so poignantly effective. It’s easy to relate to and reflect on the depicted subjects, as we reveal bits and pieces of ourselves within these emotional scenes.

Alias’ interventions are so layered with inner and reflective compassion as all of us are wired to naturally react to injustice. Due to the tragedy infused view of innocent victims, Alias art was often perceived as politically fueled but, in reality, this is not the case. Stencils created by Alias target the viewer much more directly, acting as an instigation of analysis of self. Various tragedies, injustice inflicted upon those who are defensless, feelings of loneliness and isolation are the means thtrough which this street painter hopes to alter each state of mind individually. He deliberately targets our emotions, toys with them cutting his stenciled design in order to create a better world from the very within.

Emotions of Alias Art

The analysis of Alias art will inevitably lead to quiet introspection. The artist investigates how individuals are personally impacted and transformed when affected by their unfair environments. It’s interesting how he is able to depict his mistreated subjects in a way they seem simultaneously mysterious and familiar to the viewer. This way, Alias underlines his wall work with a fact that the existence of loneliness and personal crisis can be found everywhere, despite a widespread tendencty to ignore these occurrences. The unfortunate reality of detachment is not a new concept within the visual arts, as there are numerous artists that have explored this phenomenon in their work. Conceptually, these pieces can be linked to the contemporary stencil art of Alias.

One of the most prominent names we can correlate to the subject of loneliness is Edward Hopper. This American painter was a master of melancholy, having created numerous scenes of detached and isolated individuals drowning in their sorrow. Edvard Munch alluded to the idea of separation as well, usually by painting chilling portraits often produced in series. Andy Warhol used to share his views on isolation through his work as he felt a strong sense of detachment his entire life, something that naturally reflected heavily on his art. Pablo Picasso also had his say on the account over the years of his career – the legendary Spaniard tackled loneliness in quite a few paintings, highlighted by the famous Melancholy Woman created in 1902-3. All of these artists, including Alias, are masters of showing the irony of solitude within a highly populated environment, detached from everyone around them, submerged by the weight of their problems, futilely gasping for air.

The Importance of the Location

Choosing where to place his artwork is always an important decision for any street artist, but for Alias – this is a pivotal choice that can make or break a piece. Addressing a single viewer, without desire to be commercial or reach a monumental scale, Alias chooses spots for his street work with great care. Discreet in measurements, his stencil art is likely to be found in obscure, isolated locations. The location of the piece is actually an integral part of Alias’ portfolio and he uses it as an extension of his concept. By finding the perfect spot, this cutting edge painter allows the stencil to reach the highest level of pathos.

The crying boy is drowning in his tears where no one can see him, the shot child has been tucked away from prying eyes, a small praying girl seeks an intimate place for herself as she begs the sky for changes (Praying Girl). These original locations are as vital a part of the artwork’s identity, carried within each piece even after they are reproduced in a different setting. The search for the ideal location also plays a performative part of each stenciled soul, as a necessary preparatory phase of the creative act. This special relationship between the troubled subject and the abandoned site makes every Alias art piece site-specific, which is a quality rarely seen in street art today.

Materials Matter

Next to the location, the materials used as a backdrop for Alias’ art are just as important. The surface that will serve as a canvas is another conceptual supplement for every piece. Scavenging for rusty old metal and other scrap material to use as a background, this Berlin-based author infuses each of his mobile works with the spirit of the original location. He discovers these materials himself, searching for disregarded plates and grits, and he later assembles these recycled materials into usable surfaces through a collage-like method. Upon these rugged, decrepit materials, Alias executes his stencils immaculately, without any drips or errors that might be common to the medium. Such a flawlessly finished artwork placed on a rough layered surface serves as a metaphor of his wider concept inherently tied to the ourdoors.

Additionally, Alias art depicted on shabby surfaces makes a spectacular view when put in a gallery setting. By keeping the harsh materials of the street, the pieces are able to keep their primal identities and not find themselves compromised by the studio conditions. Thus, Alias allows his poetics to expand beyond the street, while his miserable heroes are kept in their cruel realities, hopelessly striving towards something else. Brought closer to the viewers, the extent of unjustified neglection depicted characters are exposed to becomes inescapable.

Considering the impeccable execution of Alias’ art, the well-rounded concept and the fact his expression works equally well in both outdoor and indoor ambient, it’s safe to conclude that works made by this artist are supreme examples of the postmodern nature of contemporary Urban Art movement.