TheArtGorgeous - Issue 7 Fall/Winter 2019

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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 12/9/2019 11:14 AM
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