Alfie Rouy on His Paintings, Distorted Figures, Being Color Blind, Baby Vanga and More

by Rubén Palma
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Alfie Rouy (b. 1998 Sittingbourne, England), based in London UK. Alfie Rouy explores ways of materialising the flow of versatile, fluid-like energies and frequencies that intertwine the mind with the Earth’s current phase of existence. Alongside this, there is a consistent narrative that pushes towards the evolution of Earth, the soul and the oneness of all.

Aiming to provide insight into this, Rouy’s paintings are defined by confined yet free-flowing forms expressing elements of polarity and unity through figurative and abstruse imagery. Here, displays of distorted figures and fractured yet balanced aspects of reality are accompanied by a formulated array of embellished colour amongst complimentary textural marks. Each of Rouy’s paintings is charged with a sense of energy and is made with the intention of depicting aspects of our existence and experience in an elusive and contorted manner.  At its core, Rouy’s practice intends to uplift and transpose feelings of love, wisdom and unity onto the viewer.

Both studio pics are shot by Bex Day

Influenced by Hilma Af Klint’s work with De Fem in the early 1900s, Rouy initiates his creative process with automatic drawing. Created by following intuition, suppressing conscious control and calling upon outer influences to determine the outcome; the drawings intend to manifest a spiritual impression of whatever is being obtained in that given moment of creation. The automatic drawings are the precursor to a finished work and form the foundations of most of his practice. This process is an attempt to transcribe whatever is being received from either within himself or from an exterior source. This is done with the hope to depict a newer more authentic imagery that is better suited to humanity’s current state of consciousness. One which fits a new age, that although may echo traditional symbols in some ways, isn’t limited to the binds of previous interpretations that have been manipulated over centuries.

Hi Alfie! It’s a pleasure to sit down with you! First question that I always ask. How does a regular day look like for you in London?

Tea, then the studio. More tea, then home. Then more tea, and maybe a drink, then sleep.

Growing up, what kind of kid were you? What did you enjoy doing, and how did you spend your time?

I remember being a happy child, I loved the outdoors, playing in the woods and my garden, and getting caught up in the magic and fantasy of it all. At one point, my friend and I convinced ourselves both of our sisters were aliens and we made a factfile with the reasons why. Looking back, I was always hopping from one hobby to the next, I’m not sure if I’ve ever grown out of that?

I gotta ask, and I asked Elsa the same thing. Both of your siblings Elsa and George, are renowned artists as well. So my questions are: How was it growing up in a family of creatives? And how have they influenced you?

It’s been great so far, there’s a nice healthy competition which breeds good conversations and pushes my practice further and further, especially when Elsa and I shared a studio for two years. If I’m doing some work that maybe isn’t at the stage I would like it to be or could need improvement there’s no hesitation from either George or Elsa to give me advice, and vice versa. It’s inspiring to see them grow and gives me confidence as I do the same.  

Alright, so when did you start to paint, and when did you start taking being  an artist seriously?

I started painting about five months before I had to hand in a portfolio for university, before then I had just done illustration and sculpture. From the day I started I haven’t stopped, and it’s been a constant in my life ever since.

The various distorted figures, who are they?

They’re definitely human, in a mid-transformative state, they could be seen as a literal representation of the gradual evolution of our consciousness and understanding of our own perception. They’ve become more distorted as I’ve been trying to deconstruct the way I paint, so as a result they have turned into this fragmented version of my older works. This kind of reflects what’s going on in my mind at the moment – trying to figure out and piece together many things.

This in turn has complimented the ideas behind the work, as it’s almost leaving the body behind allowing it to dissolve in order to progress and understand what is here without the limitations of our body.

Same thing for the various shapes and objects. What’s the story behind them?

It’s the space around us and in-between, the happenings behind the scenes that we have no idea about that make up everything we perceive and do not know we perceive. It’s the space that links all and the space that is beyond our grasp. It’s the thoughts that travel from one mind to another or the ones that lay dormant upon a standing stone waiting to be picked up somewhere along the way.

Through your work you explore ways of materialising the flow of versatile, fluid-like energies and frequencies that intertwine the mind with the Earth’s current phase of existence. Can you tell me about that?

When I draw or paint, in the initial stages of design I try to let go of conscious thought and allow whatever is there to come out, it has its roots in automatic drawing, however I try to allow myself to find these ‘mystery’ energies through meditation while making the work and away from it. It’s the reason my work is becoming a lot more abstracted and less figurative, as you get a different effect and translate different feelings into figurative shapes. I’m trying to reach for feelings and energies that are beyond the human body and material reality.

With that in mind. The evolution of Earth, the soul and the oneness of all. What is it about these topics that resonates with you? And makes you want to document them?

It’s just something I’ve been drawn towards for a long time now, I find the mystery and the experience of it exciting. I’m trying to teach myself/learn how to perceive everything as one. And to observe and live in this way of one. The documentation of this period of time has come about naturally through intuition, I don’t really know why but I know that I want to dissect it and figure out as much as I can of this complex but simple time.

So with what we just talked about. What are you hoping to convey?

I’m trying to open up ways of thinking and question what it is we’re really experiencing and to push our own perception of reality and to play around with it as much as possible to see where it goes. For me it starts with my art, but who knows where it’ll take me in the future. 

Can you walk me through your creative process, from beginning to end result?

I try not to have a definitive way of working otherwise it’s easy to get caught in a destructive pattern that stagnates the work. In the beginning of the process, I allow for the more automatic approach I mentioned earlier, suppressing my conscious thought. This could be as a sketch or a drawing worked on over a few days or straight onto the canvas. I then go on to paint it, where it will probably completely change from its original design. Sometimes I just go straight in and paint without any plan and sit with it until it’s done, could be a few hours or back and forth over a few months.  

How do you deal with creative blocks?

I used to get really bugged out by them, however now I’ve learnt if it’s not flowing it’s for a reason, so I do something else and try again later or the next day until something eventually comes. However, if it lasts for too long then you just have to work through it, as if there’s a blockage then try something new as maybe you’ve taken what you’re doing so far that it needs to be left behind or changed completely. Sometimes however, just sitting there and doing nothing allows it to flow best. 

Can you describe your studio practice for me? And are there any necessities you have to have with you or present in the studio?

Tea and music.

Alright, so besides painting you’re into music and part of the band Baby Vanga, can you tell me about that? How did you guys meet, what kind of music you play etc…?

Three of us met through skating when we were about 15/16. At that point the band only had a completely different line up of members, except for the band’s creator Jules Smith. It dropped off for a few years then it got picked back up again in 2019. We’ve been through a few members since then, however now there’s six of us from all over, four of us are from Kent, one of us is from Italy and one of us is from Morocco.

I’d say the music has its roots in psychedelia, but dabbles more with funk, kraut rock, bossa nova, jazz, folk and prog. It’s got a nice balance of guitars and synth with a bobbly and bouncy yet sometimes fierce and intense sound, with melodic rhythms scattered throughout. 

In a parallel universe who would you be? and what would you be doing?

A shapeshifting cat or maybe a tree that can walk, unaffected by age or time, just seeing the world evolve, starting from about 200,000 years ago, I don’t think I have the patience to start any further back than that.

Can you tell me a story about a time when a connection with someone had a big impact on you?

When me and my girlfriend touched hands over a can of Scrumpy Jack on one of our first dates. It was straight out of a rom-com, but a bit more realistic. Been together ever since.

What qualities do you find most important in the people you choose to spend time with?

Funny, kind, compassionate and craaaaaazyyyyyyyyyyy.

Anybody you look up to?

People taller than me.

How do you approach color?

I’m colour blind, and so is my brother, so colours are all a bit mixed up to me. It’s not super severe, it’s mainly red/green colour blindness but yellows/greens/oranges and blues/purples can all be a bit too similar for me, it depends on the day. So both me and George see our paintings differently from everyone else, unless you’re colourblind too, then you see them how we do.

What inspires and motivates you?

Music and reading and the desire to make work that excites me and others.

How would you describe a perfect day?

Twelve-hour BBQ

Alright Alfie. I always ask these two questions at the end of an interview. The first is. What’s your favorite movie(s) and why?

The Lord of the Rings. Although there are many other great films, The Lord of the Rings just has a special place in my heart and always has done since I was a child. As I’ve gotten older, and having read the books, there is so much depth within the story, the wider world and characters that can be an inspiration to all – which I aspire to have within my work too.

The second is. What song(s) are you currently listening to the most right now?

L’été Indien by Joe Dassin, Running From Home by Bert Jansch, Return Trip by Electric Wizard and Blue Lines by Massive Attack – the whole album is played a lot, although I do skip Unfinished Sympathy and Hymn of the Wheel, they kind of annoy me…

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