Ekaterina Yakovleff invited artist Alexander Tullo to the Livart gallery for a discussion of his artistic practice. Over the course of an afternoon, he talked about the stories behind some of his drawings, his sources of inspiration and the current state of work in the field of animation. Their exchanges reflect the diversity of Alexander’s activities and highlight the richness of his relationship with each of his artistic and professional practices. Through their dialogues, we discover not only the versatility of his talents, but also the depth of his commitment to each field.

You’re working on your second animated film, La Maison des Hirondelles. Can you tell me more about it?

I feel that for too long, animation has hidden the representation of real emotions behind a group of fuzzy animals or inanimate objects with personality. They’re afraid to express anything without wrapping it in a metaphor. I don’t think animation is a style of storytelling, but simply a way of expressing anything in any way.

So I started writing a story in animation that was really direct in terms of the emotions it was trying to express, and the story has come a long way. I’ve been writing it for two years now, and it’s very, very special. I think it will be a breath of fresh air for the industry.

What is your relationship with the people you draw?

Most of the drawings are of random people. I can simply draw them without bias. If I want to project something onto them, I can project a part of myself. I try to keep a certain distance from the person. Even if I’m drawing the inside of a store or a bar, I sometimes leave everyone out and concentrate on the space itself. In fact, I often do just that. I feel it’s purely an act of documentation. I think the most important thing is to remember the feeling of that precise moment. The feeling of standing in that store, rather than focusing on the people represented.

Read the full article for the rest of the interview.

Interview with artist Alexander Tullo
Interviewed and written by Ekaterina Yakovleff