About the Artist
Austin Alphonse (b.1994), in Monmouth, New Jersey lives and works in Los Angeles by way of New York City and holds a degree in Graphic Design from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Austin draws inspiration from the powerful, graphic images of Soviet-era propaganda and Socialist Realism. In this work we see his own familial and personal histories reflected, both of which are steeped in military tradition, blind patriotism, false promises, and intra-personal struggle.
Through the use of a colourful palette juxtaposed with confrontational, often violent, subject matter Austin’s work aims to subvert traditional propaganda narratives to convey stories and ideas that strike closer to the heart of the truth. “I think about my grandfather, a decorated combat veteran of Vietnam, and how he was lauded as a hero publicly, but meniced his own family in private. I think about my own father, an abrasive Drill Sergeant, whose double life as an amateur thespian drove conflict with his identity as a military man.”
Through this lens, Austin portrays a more nuanced version of reality than what we are used to seeing. A reality in which prosperity appears just beyond the reach of his subjects; immortalised, frozen, trapped, in the pursuit of the unobtainable.
Austin Alphonse - In the Studio
A quick Q&A with the artist
Here, we ask the artist questions to uncover the journey that shaped their artistic identity and to explore their passion for art.
Question 1: Can you describe your creative process from conception to completion? What sources of inspiration do you draw upon most frequently in your work?
As a classically trained graphic designer, my creative process closely mimics my design practice. Most of my paintings start out as an idea, or in a lot of cases, a feeling. I create dozens of searching thumbnail sketches in an attempt to hone in on things like composition, concept, and colour—most paintings don’t make it out of this phase.
The concepts that show the most promise are then translated into a series of tighter, more exact preparatory drawings, this process helps me make final decisions about what will and won’t end up in the final painting. The painting phase itself is more of a formality, it is the point in the process where everything I’ve been planning comes to fruition. While I like to have a clear roadmap for each painting at this point, things almost always change. Colors are shifted, compositional elements are reorganized and often removed and new ones are occasionally added.
Like many artists deciding when something is “done” is always a challenge, and usually comes down to whether or not I am sick of working on it.
I would say that the inspiration for most of my paintings is born out of struggle—either personally, or the struggles of those around me. Versions of my friends and family back home in New Hampshire often find their way into my work, their complex lives, and intra-personal struggles are a never-ending source of inspiration. I think about my brother whose transition into civilian life after many years in the Army has left him in a constant search for meaning. Or my friends working in manual labour whose only respite at the end of a shift is a cigarette and cold beer. It is the moments of rest, and calm amidst Sisyphean struggle that I aim to capture in my work. A simple phone call back home often provides me with tons of inspiration.
Visually I am inspired by soviet era propaganda. I find the juxtaposition between beautiful images and dogmatic narratives to be endlessly interesting. I like to play with this relationship in my own work, depicting struggle, and violence in technicolor.
Question 2: How has your style and approach to art evolved over the years? Are there any particular moments or experiences that significantly influenced your artistic development?
Like a lot of people the global pandemic had a massive effect on my art-,making practice. It was during this time that I began to focus more intently on my painting practice. I rented a studio where I committed myself to painting many hours each day after work, and was able to hone my focus with the outside world largely paused.
Question 3: What messages or emotions do you aim to convey through your art? How do you hope your audience will interpret and connect with your work?
I like the idea of portraying morally ambiguous protagonists. Macho men who fall victim to their own devices, war heroes who fight with themselves years after their service has ended. The world can feel so black and white, especially in this age of social media and disinformation, I like to think that, despite my paintings being quite colourful, I am painting the grey areas of life. I hope that my audience will find both fault, and sympathy with my subjects.
Austin Alphonse - '10 Cigarettes'
Austin Alphonse - 'Men Working II'
Austin Alphonse - 'Men Working I'
Austin Alphonse - 'Oasis I'