Rebel of the Week: Aelhra the Artist of “LIES”
June 9th, 2011I’ve had the pleasure of meeting this week’s Rebel of the Week a few times at comic conventions around New England. The first was at Boston Comic Convention 2010 where I happened across his exhibit booth. It caught my eye, like it would any other person, with the topless women in his screen printed pieces. I flipped through his books and came across a beautiful picture that I now call my own:
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- Yes I have a backwards “V” mask on.
Aelhra has been painting and drawing for 20 years and screen printing for 3. With no formal art training his success has been based on what he has put into it, not forgetting what he wants out of it: fun, food on the table, and fantastic art that he too can enjoy!
No it doesn’t take JUST talent to become the Rebel of the Week. We look for people who are opening their mouths (or in this case their fine motor skills) to share the truth with the world and also stand up against the powers that be. Something about Aelhra has brought him to Silver Circle’s attention. His most recent series will tell you why…
Aelhra, who has always avoided politics in his artwork, is taking on some of the most popular conspiracy theories…however now knowing they may not, in fact, be theories. He is 2 pieces into the series that will focus on “the less-popular arguments and invite [the] audience to dig deeper, to question, to look at all sides.” The series is called LIES, and some of the conspiracies he’ll be covering are NASA’s moon landing and the central bank of America, The Federal Reserve (picture above).
His over all goal is to give his audience a new way of thinking about the world around them, while also exposing them to subjects that aren’t normally covered in the daily news. He wants to be relatable while also communicating the issues thoughtfully.
“My LIEs, on the face, are a nod to popular conspiracy theories. I use a modified LIFE magazine logo to offer context and initial comfort..a familiar cover layout highlighting subjects that affect the country and the world. It draws folks in. At this point I’ve captured an audience that may be aware that all may not be as it seems.”
Silver Circle understands more than anyone, the way art infiltrates the mind as opposed to academia. Aelhra is taking his gift and using it to convey what other artists don’t seem to be doing at the moment. Questions about this large, controlled system we live within are being taken on by Aelhra’s work, and for that he is presented this week’s much envied Rebel of the Week Award.
Check out his work as it is published on his blog. This awareness project of LIES will touch many people. Thank you Aelhra!
