Interview :: Leta Sobierajski

posted by George Wheeler March 10, 2014

Leta Sobierajski, multidisciplinary designer living and working in New York, produces colourful, tactile work in multiple mediums. Having collaborated with many design agencies, Sobierajski’s portfolio is packed with great branding, photographic, motion and illustrative projects. Personal highlight, Sobierajski’s photographic still life compositions feature an oddball collection of fruit, tape, ritz crackers and painted hands. These quirky images experiment with everyday objects in scenes of monochromatic colour. Painted hands then bring new dimension to these previously still lives as objects are held, positioned and disrupted.

I recently had a chat with Leta about her work:

The various still life compositions you have done are great. what inspires these?

It’s an inconsistent collection of graphic experiments and ideas that are largely inspired by surrealism. It’s a source of expression and experimentation that allows me to try new techniques and work with new materials to create objects out of otherwise mundane and unexciting materials.

How do you come accross the objects featured in these works?

Most objects are chosen based upon their availability and their relativity to where i’m working. Fortunately, most of the materials are cheap and easy to come by—I buy most of my materials from the grocery, art supply, and local 99 cent stores.

The use of coloured hands interacting with these objects brings a whole new dynamic to these compositions. Why hands?

Hands are fun to work with, and they are similar to fruit. It is a medium that is naturally inconsistent and imperfect. In addition, it’s a subject that already possesses so many genetic characteristics that are very difficult to replicate otherwise, making the results slightly different in each shot. Hands are great because they help engage objects in a still life and add warmth and movement while still remaining stationary.

What have you been working on recently?

I like to keep a few things going at a time. I am currently putting together an image series (similar to Add/Ends) for a sock company from Australia, and a branding project for an inspirational website that teaches professional techniques for students pursuing creative degrees.

Finally, If you could feature anyones hands in your work who’s would they be?

The tentacles of the giant squid could make things very interesting.