45 Emma Allegretti 34
C M Y K Her Girls Take on the Greatest Existential Challenges of Our Lives text by Katya Lopatko Image credit: Emma Allegretti T he first thing you should know about Emma Allegretti, according to Emma Allegretti, is that she could eat buffalo mozzarella every day — and she does. The second thing: she’s a Rome-based illustrator sublimating the emotional struggles of modern existence, one Instagram post at a time. Mom was an art teacher, so Allegretti has been drawing since she was in diapers. She began doodling what would become “her girls,” her signature women that can only be described as stressed and unimpressed, on Post-It notes at work. Typically holding smartphones, wine glasses or both, serving deadpan face, Allegretti’s ladies aren’t afraid to call out the big existential problems of Western life. From breakups to mental health issues, every issue is addressed openly, honestly, and with a hearty dose of humor. One theme that pops up again and again is the pressure to put up a front, specifically on social media, hiding all inner struggles, emotions and imperfections behind the glossy screen. And yet, despite the demands it puts on the young generation, social media has its upsides, like allowing Allegretti to share her work with the masses. As her account has grown and evolved, she’s made T-shirts with her designs, drawn commissioned doodles for Gucci Beauty, and recently even modeled for Nike (inspired perhaps by the sardonic “Just Do It Tomorrow” T-shirt that her girls often sport). Allegretti works in watercolor to get a break from the screen, but her process has become cleaner and more precise over time. In fact, it’s the simplicity of her work that makes it so immediately relatable, and ultimately, sharable. In the age of social media, it’s an invaluable talent to be able to capture and communicate a complex issue in a simple graphic. Allegretti aces the challenge by adopting a sort of hand-drawn meme style. Her pictures usually feature one figure in an instantly recognizable situation, accompanied by minimal text. Clean and detailed at the same time, they’re clearly conceptualized and fully fleshed out, but contain nothing extra. Advertisers, designers and aspiring memers — take notes. But beyond the style, her work resonates for the same reason a good meme goes viral: it hits on something critical, urgent and true about modern lives. Overcoming the embarrassment of sharing her personal messiness on the internet, Allegretti has been able to strike a deep cord in her audience and help us all laugh our way to catharsis. Her work might not make your crush text you back, but it might just help you forget about them, if only for a second. @allegrettiregretti This issue comes with a set of Emma Allegretti stickers. If the stickers are gone already, someone else was quicker! Write to us at contact@theartgorgeous.com Emma Allegretti sticker_output_115(w) x185mm(h).pdf 1 12/9/<strong>2019</strong> 11:14 AM CM MY CY CMY 35