Alessandro Apai’s recent commissions tackle big ideas in a concise manner

Throughout Alessandro Apai’s work, he focuses on portraying a “visual language that is always different, depending on what you want to say”, rather than perfecting a specific “style”. Full of friendly characters, bold linework and considered colour choice, the Barcelona-based illustrator describes his work as “changing, concise and easy”, which lends itself well to editorial commissions.

Alessandro commissioned work includes briefs from the Wall Street Journal, Die Zeit, and El Mundo and in this update of work he’s also squeezed in a couple of personal projects. “I used to create images in very different ways, mostly with ink on paper but also digital with paper cuts, mixed media and sculptures,” explains Alessandro. “I really enjoy experimenting a lot and finding different ways to create the images I want. The process is different all the time because it’s mostly about the idea.”

With an interest in drawing everything, it’s Alessandro’s simple approach to his work that allows him to illustrate less tangible ideas and concepts. “I am interested in the deepest part of human beings, the kind of universal emotions and feelings that can be understood by all of us and our relationship with ourselves, with objects, values, love and hate,” he says.

The beauty in Alessandro’s illustrations is that they don’t need any explanation, they are communicative enough to convey narrative and mood yet imaginative enough that there’s still intrigue within them. “I like to interact a lot with people, it’s always great to see different points of view on the same image,” the illustrator says. “The important thing to me is to provoke something within the spectator, it doesn’t matter if it’s a smile or a frown.”