Do you remember a time without emojis? It might sound exaggerated, but they’ve become such an important part of how we communicate that a time where we didn’t have any of these visual symbols seems remote. Emojis can speak for themselves, they can emphasize what we’re saying, they can be the protagonists of a (pretty bad) movie, and now, they are the perfect tools to create great works of art.
Los Angeles-based Yung Jake, a digital artist and rapper, has devoted his multifaceted career to exploring the role technology and the digital world has in our current reality. From songs and videos that tackle the subject, to his incredibly popular emoji portraits, Yung Jake has definitely managed to merge our digital life with the arts. These portraits are by no means his main activity, but they’re definitely what garnered him worldwide fame; his emoji creations sell in record time.
With celebrities and public figures as his protagonists, Yung Jake got his inspiration from the pointillist movement: each point is an emoji. In a way, he’s created a new artistic technique that other artists can embrace, but his main goal here isn’t just to create works that go all around the internet thanks to his innovative style, but rather to make us reflect on the symbolism emojis have. Using the famous eggplant, the poop emoji, hearts, magic balls, and a wide variety of smiley faces, his work is a celebration of our daily lives, which he sees as something powerful and meaningful because it’s something that represents us all.
Though he’s claimed he was raised in New Zealand, his persona has no other nationality than the Internet, which is where he works and what he works for. So, here are more images that will get you immersed in his own digital world. Take a look at his unique artistic portraits that will definitely leave you wanting to see more.
If you want to see more of his work, take a look at his Instagram account and his official website.
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The Photographer That Tests Your Constant Obsession With Being Liked On Social Media
The Instagram Hoax That Proved Our Online Self Is A Lie
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