By Sophie Jonsson
With Fall in full swing, many will be looking for fun ways to keep the bright and poppy colors of summer alive. Look no further than L.A. artist, Alia Penner. For years, Penner’s Pop Art and rainbow-filled art has attracted collaborations with empowering women like Brie Larson, Rowan Blanchard, and Katy Perry, as well as companies like Tiffany and Co. and Warby Parker on their debut commercial.
Penner has stated that her work is inspired by the 1960s and 70s, in combination with her extensive literary and knick-knack collections. And while her work is simultaneously unique and eclectic in its own right, even if you are unfamiliar with her work or influences, the designs within her previous work may seem too familiar.
If you live in Los Angeles, you have no doubt saw advertisements for the Los Angeles Film Festival in September. The poster features bold orange and white lettering and a woman’s eyes cut out in the shape a sleep mask, all of which are surrounded by Alia Penner’s signature colored stars. In addition to visual art, Penner is an avid film lover who has spent the last ten years as the Creative Director of Cinespia, the company responsible for orchestrating movie screenings in Los Angeles’ iconic Hollywood Forever Cemetery. So it’s no surprise that she was approached to design this year’s festival poster.
Regarding her poster, Penner has said, “I wanted to make an image about what it feels like to be one of those wonderful people out there in the dark, watching the magic of movies come to life.” Now, with her work on buses and billboards around the city, Alia Penner’s work is more noticeable than ever, currently making her one of the most influential pop artists in the Los Angeles art community. And while Angeleno’s may not be seeing her poster in the dark, they have (and will) no doubt be looking at her artwork with enchanted eyes, consumed by its magic.