ILYSM spoke with Moscow-based artist & recent commission recipient, Alexander Loginov about embracing digital intimacy and maximizing creativity in everyday life. 

When you first applied to the ILYSM4Artists program you had just made a career shift, and decided to pursue your own path as a creative director - can you tell us about what helped you make the change to pursue your passions?

My new passion is the result of a creative approach to everything, even the management of a personal Instagram. It was because of that, that the first commissions for art directing began. After that, I realized that this is a good opportunity to express all my ideas and develop every day with each new project. But at the same time, I remained an artist with my own approach to work, I really like to draw a storyboard for photo shoots by hand, and write strange poems that form the concept for the project. I use a creative approach to art, even if it's just a post on Instagram, I want to make a picture, I want to make an independent work of art, to bring the visual to the maximum possible limit. And great happiness - when it comes to life as accurately as possible, I look at the sketch and understand - "it's amazing, Sasha." My experimental approach allows me to not just focus on experience and ready made projects under the demand of the market, but to form a new view, doing new things and developing the market as a whole. This is what I want, to change the world, to change the approach to creativity and projects, I feel that it is possible to develop indefinitely, but I would very much like to cooperate with such publications as DAZED, PAP, Another Mag, or with such brands as MISBHV, Balenciaga, Gentle Monster and others. Most recently, I am publishing for the first time in digital DAZED, but I think this is just the beginning.

I chose the path of creative director, as at the moment it is a perfect representation of my profession and experience. I communicate with different people, bring them together, come up with incredible concepts, styling, and all together-gives a single result, the result of the whole team. I admire creativity and develop ideas, sometimes it seems as if I can come up with the perfect idea or creative for everything - and this is not even a challenge, it is a necessity that gives real pleasure to the process and the result.

What drew you to working in fashion and art?

I have always been a person outside of the community. It was difficult for me to assimilate in a particular field or sphere - to only do art, advertising, or fashion, it was difficult for me to imagine this, as it seemed like a dead end. I decided to be everywhere, to connect the spheres of art and fashion, and to look for my own fine line. The most important thing that attracts me is the opportunity to develop indefinitely. I think the fields of fashion and art are about this, in these areas there are no limits and no boundaries, and it's incredible.

What is inspiring you creatively right now?

I am inspired by the idea of accepting myself. I am inspired by nature, as never before, when I get out of the city of Moscow, I am with myself and think about what I really want. I am inspired by people, frankness and intimacy. One of the projects that I am doing now for myself is extremely close shots of girls, which are aimed at accepting themselves, their skin, features. There is this super frankness and digital intimacy. Inspiration can be found in anything, the main thing is to keep a child's perception - and sometimes look with true surprise at the familiar things around.

You mentioned in your artist statement that you are color blind, how has this affected how you incorporate color into your work? Do you find yourself drawn to certain combinations that other people might see differently?

I love colors, the very fact of the existence of color excites me and I experience emotions from bright colors. This is similar to synesthesia, when you simultaneously see and feel the color, perhaps its light, smell, texture. It is difficult to describe how I see colors, since I do not know how others see them, but bright and borderline colors give me special pleasure. Now I like sky bright blue, before that bright acid green. With your favorite color, the feeling of yourself changes, as a new stage - usually I buy a new perfume at this time. I have a separate passion for scents and I remember all the scents of all my friends all the time, no matter how strange it may sound.

We first discovered your work in an image you tagged of us - with a cheekily placed cigarette. Since then, you have collaborated directly with us and shot a number of images. I'm curious what makes ILYSM so distinctive to you and what was it like to collaborate with the brand?

I found the Tabi a long time ago and immediately fell in love with their silhouette, they seemed perfect to me. I consider my collaboration with ILYSM one of the best, the team is open to any suggestions, they are real curators, artists and creators! I really liked the emotional code of the ILYSM brand, it is open to cooperation, it supports many artists. I got the feeling that the brand loves you - and it's true. For example, the content in the brand's Instagram is mostly live photos from people who sincerely like Tabis from ILYSM, different people, different genders, nationalities, and sexualities, it inspires and amazes!

What are you working on and how can the ILYSM community support you?