As we're checking with artists about how ways the pandemic and lockdowns are affecting their practice, we, not surprisingly, find a whole variety of scenarios unfolding. We’ve talked with people who feel literally stuck in "park," and others who are finding ways to work with new materials and techniques they can utilize from home, as well as some, stimulated by the situation, who are exhilarated with almost breakthrough moments. One of those artists is London-based designer and illustrator Reuben Dangoor whose series of pandemic-inspired works are deservedly placing him at centerstage.
For years, Dangoor has been recognized for playful, witty illustrations that shine an honest light on British culture. His portrayal of the country’s best-known grime MCs as British noblemen in stately homes led him to design the set for Stormzy’s tour. Politics and football-related illustrations are natural fodder, and all are punctuated by sharp wit and perception in work that is sincere and accessible, but packed with a punch. But the recent series of works started during the lockdown are making a global stir as he poetically captures all the anxiety and odd beauty of the stillness in our midst. Everyday moments experienced first-hand, inspired him to create images successfully encapsulate an emotional state many of us have in common. By placing his subjects in the middle of a bigger, often surreal setting, Dangoor illustrates remoteness and loneliness in the scope of a whole world sharing that view.
Curious to learn more about these digital renderings and hear about his plans for them, we reached out to Reuben and had a little chat about these works and this peculiar moment in time.
Sasha Bogojev: I know you don’t yet have a title for this body of work, but how did the whole series develop?
Reuben Dangoor: It grew organically as the weird lockdown situation just started making me see very normal things and situations as alien and strange. For example, the image of the earth floating in front of the kitchen window came from doing the dishes and looking outside and feeling very far away from everyone. Watering the houseplants had me reminiscing about hanging out with mates in the park. And then, sitting on the sofa watching TV got me thinking about how many other people were in exactly the same boat. So, I dropped the couch in the middle of the sea. Another piece was inspired by watching a neighbor mowing his garden after years of neglect.
I love how a lot of negative space around characters emphasizes their importance to the vision. Was this purposeful?
After spending a while indoors, outside just started feeling unknown and uncharted: space, the open sea, a jungle. The characters in them are usually quite small in the frame, as it amplifies the scale of the situation. They feel swallowed up. Being stuck inside the world and current events can feel big and scary, and the distances between people can feel larger than they actually are. So I just wanted to play with the home environment versus the world outside.
What other concepts would you like to work on?
I have lots, and that’s my silver lining to lockdown. I have a bit more time to work into pieces and concepts. I've seen some nice videos of the way wildlife has started to infiltrate cities and towns due to lockdown. I feel like there is something in watching wild animals roam empty cities that's pretty emotive and compelling.
What technique did you use?
I started off with a few sketches of things around my house, views from our windows. Then I worked everything up on my Wacom.
What are your usual tools of the trade?
Normally pencil sketches to start with, then I will paint them up digitally. if I am happy with that, I normally transfer them onto the canvas with acrylics or screenprint them. I've also begun to work on animating the digital pieces which opened up a whole new dimension for the work, which is really exciting.
Any plans of remaking those using more traditional techniques?
Yes, definitely, they will all end up on canvases with acrylics.
Any further plans with this series or plans about what you'll be doing after the pandemic is over?
I'd like to just carry on and see how this series progresses. I'm enjoying it. I had my first solo show canceled due to the pandemic. So maybe after lockdown, it could be nice to show the work that was created during this period.
