Jorge Alderete is an Argentine designer who is best known for his contemporary and unique illustrations and designs. He was born in Argentina in 1971 where he was exposed to comic books of the time. He slowly developed an interest in the graphics that were represented in such books. In 1989, he joined the Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina, to study design and visual communication.
This move led to even more interest in the area of illustration and design (Hainsworth par.1). He temporarily worked in Argentina before moving to Spain. However, he permanently relocated to Mexico where he has currently developed most of his best-known works. His illustrations, designs, animations, and comics have been displayed in many places across the world.
Elements of dynamism are evident in his work. In terms of his artistry career, Jorge Alderete is known for his surrealist and kitsch kind of designs and art. As a young man, he was interested in comic books where he drew inspiration for his work. This influence is evident in his work, which strongly leans towards comic book drawings and designs. He draws inspiration from science fiction, horror movies, Mexican culture, and the US underground comics among others.
Other graphic designers view Jorge Alderete’s style as a ‘pop’ style that is marked by many connotations and images of cultural garbage. Cultural garbage or trash culture is used to refer to the many aspects of the society that people consider insignificant. In other words, the society looks down upon this culture. In the last sixteen years, Alderete has stayed in Mexico. Hence, most of his culturally inspired designs are depictions of the Mexican culture, although he also depicts the Argentinean civilization.
Common elements in his work include Mexico City graffiti, monsters, Lucha Libre, aliens, and the 1950s and 1960s cultural and pop depictions, and science fiction (Hainsworth par.3). Some of his works include mutant with a cigarette, Maradona the soccer player who is depicted as an apostle with a burning soccer ball in his heart, a beehive hairstyle, and a green-faced female vampire among others.
One of the major factors that distinguish Jorge Alderete from other designers in Mexico and the world is his focus on cultural aspects that the society has ignored. His focus on the trash culture is an exclusive strategy that other designers rarely or never address.
In Mexico, while most of the aspects that are depicted in Alderete’s designs have little significance to the culture, Alderete has an opportunity as a foreigner to look at such cultural practices from an outsider’s viewpoint. Therefore, most of his works depict many Mexican cultural aspects that other designers have often overlooked (Hainsworth par.4).
For example, the Mexican Lucha Libre wrestling is often viewed as an activity of the low-class members of the society. Consequently, for a long time, it has escaped the interest of great designers and illustrators in Mexico and across the world. However, as a foreigner, Jorge Alderete has managed to gain interest in such activities. Consequently, he has developed an illustration and design career around such activities.
Concisely, Jorge Alderete’s unique designs that focus on the trash culture and other depictions of cultural aspects of the pop civilization have enabled him to differentiate himself from the rest of the designers. He has established a unique practice that has led to his popularity and success as a modern designer and illustrator.
Works Cited
Hainsworth, Stanley. Jorge Alderete Gets Inspired by His Friends: The Spark Where Inspiration is Born, 2011.