Luciana Lupe Vasconcelos
Known by the name Lucyferovs, the cover artist presented in the fourth edition of Hinsides Magazine creates art that perfectly align with the spirit of that issue.
Meet Luciana, a South American femme fatale with a fabolous ability to animate the unspoken, as she hereby share her views about life and death of the arts.
Text: Hinsides Magazine
Images: Luciana Lupe Vasconcelos
“Ancestors”
Hello and welcome to Hinsides magazine! Please describe the milieu that surrounds you while answering the following questions and tell us who is conveying these impressions? You may also shed some light upon the reasons to why you are at this specific location right now?
- I’m an artist and illustrator, and I hail from the mountain town of Teresópolis, Brazil - two hours from the famed Rio de Janeiro city. Here I am close to nature and at the same time can enjoy the amenities of a small urban environment. I’ve been working as an illustrator for almost twenty years, mostly doing books. From 2011 on I began pursuing my own artistic voice, which is closely linked to my spiritual pursuit. I’m very much inspired by the dark, the occult, the mystical and the magical in all its forms, and I have a particular interest in witchcraft - both historical and as a practice.
I’m originally from Goiânia, a capital city located in the middle-west where I grew up and lived until 2010. Moving to Teresópolis coincided with the start of my artistic journey. And quite the journey it has been!
Is it possible to recall any crucial moments that made you consider to become an artist?
- Well, I’ve always had a strong artistic inclination, since I was a child. I can’t recall any particular moment of realizing ”I want to be an artist!”, because I’ve always felt I was one already. It was more like a progression from an amateur to a professional, and that happened after my moving to tresópolis.
I had been working as an illustrator for a while, and I started to put more time and energy into developing my own personal style and exploring new techniques as I felt an urge to express myself.
Your work seem to reflect an interest in existential issues and our human nature through archetypical symbolism. A quite shallow description perhaps that you are more than welcome to elaborate further if possible?
- Honestly I don’t really enjoy explaining my work, I feel I rather let people make their own conclusions about it. But what I can say is that my work reflects my own experiences, perceptions, obsessions, views and mystical pursuits through images and symbols that are as old as mankind itself. I aim to always keep a connection with this archetypical well, with this infinite source of inspiration.
Considering the fact that your images often pictures things beyond our immediate perception of an external reality, one wonders how you relate to concepts like religion, magic, the occult and experiences that some would refer to as spiritual? Do you acknowledge a spiritual side of life and if so, how would you explain your personal perception of spirituality?
- Spirituality is definitely a major thing in my life - and it shows in my work. I’m a pagan and an animist and I have a very simple view of things: everything is alive, has spirit and communicates with us. I’m a witch of the (very) practical kind, and to me spirituality is about working with the land, with plants and animals in a very embodied way. I’m also taking my first steps into the Quimbanda tradition, which is very much animistic in nature, so it suits me perfectly.
“Abraço”
Have you been attending any art schools, and if so, what do you think these educations have given you in terms of learnings and insights linked to your own artistry? Is it even possible for a school to teach how to create art? What are your experiences related to this issue?
- I’m mostly self-taught in regards to art. I have a degree in graphic design, but it didn’t teached me much in regards to artistic techniques, it’s a whole different thing. I also did a few summer courses and workshops here and there through the years. My early interest in drawing was fueled by the fact that my mother is also artistically inclined. She’s an architect, so we always had a lot of books on art and art materials around the house.For a long time my main way of practice was copying from comic books, photos and art I would find in books and magazines. I was disciplined enough for that to work in the long run, and with time I became interested in studying in a more traditional manner. Art schools are good to provide the necessary technical knowledge, but that can be achieved without it if one is disciplined enough. The important thing is to be able to bring the vision into materiality by mastering the technique as much as possible.
What, in your opinion, makes a great artist, and how would you describe your main assets as an artist?
- Well, to me a great artist is one that can make art that looks effortless in the technical sense and is infused with soul, with feeling. I think I have a good domain of my craft, but I’m particularly proud of being proficient in pen and ink drawing and to be able to express myself through linework.
Is there any era in art history that appeals to you more than others, and if so, on what grounds? What kind of artistic role models do you have and where do you find your inspiration?
- Yes, I like a lot of things from different eras. I’m particularly into what is known as the Golden Age of illustration (from 1880 to 1920), some of my favorite illustrators - such as Arthur Rackham, Aubrey Beardley, Kay Nielsen and Edmund Dulac - belong to this period. Those artists did a lot of stunning linework and watercolor pieces. I also love the surrealist movement, particularly the women artists such as Leonor Fini, Remédios Varo and Leonora Carrington. I find their dreamlike paintings very inspiring. The gothic period is another favorite of mine, particularly the artist Jean Fouquet. And of course, there’s artists such as Austin Osman Spare and Rosaleen Norton, who were also practitioners of magic and which I truly adore. But the one artist that I consider to be my main muse is the american Marjorie Cameron. Her work is difficult to categorize, she had a very surrealistic style with a touch of romanticism that is absolutely unique. Her linework was out of this world, few artists were so proficient with a nib.
My inspiration comes mostly from my own feelings and experiences, but also from literature, music, film and other artists such as the ones I mentioned.
“Magia Femina”
What was the latest art experience that made you re-evaluate your view of what art can be?
- The AI ”art” polemic that is going on presently made me reflect profoundly on the meaning of making art. Seeing the vapidity of this new thing I can’t help but think of how good art, made by real people, can - and do - affect people. It seems to me such a stupid thing to put machines to do something that is so essentially and utterly human.
What is your proudest moment as an artist so far, and what goals have not yet been achieved? What are you working on right now?
- Well, one of the highlights of my career so far was illustrating a Brazilian edition of Wuthering Heights a couple of years ago. There’s a lot of things I want to do that I haven’t yet, such as publishing a tarot deck and having a solo exhibition. I’m working on some interesting projects at the moment, but I prefer not to go into details. I’m a bit superstitious about that.
Given the challenges that humanity faces; How do you view the future in general, and more specifically, the opportunities to live as an artist?
- I’m not very optimistic about mankind’s future to be honest. And that includes the future of art. But I don’t see much use in worrying about this. I rather worry about what’s within my reach.
Ok, to close things off: What advice would you give to someone who wants to become an artist? Thanx a lot for your time and participation!
- For someone who wants to become an artist, I say: practice, practice, practice! And always seek inspiration from those who came before you.
You´ve just read an interview made by Hinsides Magazine that were published in the fourth issue, Nov 2023. To order this and other offerings by Hinsides Publications, go here;