The upcoming generation of teens is full of kids who are stars to each other, but inhabit practically a different social universe from adults. They're building their own social media followings on Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, you name it -- but to what end? For the olds among us: who are these teens, and how can we be as cool as them? Get to know the most fascinating teens on the internet in our feature, Yasss Teen.
Instagram artist Luis Ruiz, 18, creates beautiful, unconventional portraits and illustrations inspired by communities in his native Mexico he feels are underrepresented in the art world. We spoke to Ruiz about his art, Instagram celebrity, his children's book, and the Mexican press over Skype from his home in Quetétaro, Mexico.
Where does the influence for your art come from?
Mexico is a country that is unfortunately filled with corruption and injustice, especially with certain communities that are being discriminated against. This happens across the globe, but especially in Mexico. Only in the capital, the D.F. or Federal District, is where there is more diversity, and I wanted to showcase in my illustrations this gender-bending current that I'm drawn to. You look at my characters, and you can't always tell if they're men or women. However, with their expressions, I'm sure that people want to know what they're feeling, rather than who they are.
I mean to introduce characters of diverse ethnicities, of all kinds of racial backgrounds -- and I'm looking forward to doing that with the Marias, indigenous women of Mexico that are discriminated against. It's no shocker that these women aren't offered Planned Parenthood-like services. There are women that are giving birth in the streets, and they're not being respected at all. So, rather than being influenced by art or what my country showcases [to me], I want to shine a light on the communities that aren't represented and make sure that they look beautiful as well, mixing them with all the color that I include. I really intend to mix comical aspects of illustration but with a serious note.
Do you feel that your art is political in nature?
Do you find subjects to draw, or are they composite figures from your head?
I enjoy making them up much more. It's easier for my hands to create people that aren't real. I'm always asked, "Who is it? Who was it that you drew?" I don't feel as comfortable trying to copy somebody else, and I'm always doodling. Always, always doodling, so I remember certain traces that I did with my pencil or with my pen. I incorporate them with forms that I think about like I do with fruits that I've drawn, like the avocado.
When did you open your Instagram account and start posting art?
It was in 2013, early on. I didn't use it as often as I do now, I used it as another place to upload the things that I wouldn't want to put or share on my Facebook. But I didn't really started becoming active until summer of 2014. Last year.
Yeah, that's what really exploded everything that I did. During May, I believe, I was upgraded to a suggested user on Instagram, which is a selected list that they update every two weeks, in which they show new talents. The community manager for Latin America, Inez Sanchez, approached me with an interview. That's where everything started becoming much bigger, I was able to reach many more people in the world, and I'm very thankful because it was very quick, and I was just 17 at the time.
I'm very inspired by the tenacity of the dancers, their bodies, their determination is incredible. I ended up in contemporary. That was my biggest challenge when I used to dance, to make it to the Center of Contemporary Dance. It was such an amazing experience. The wonders you can do with the body...I felt very drawn to it and I love it, and even though I no longer practice it because of the school I'm currently in, I always make sure to remember and stretch and exercise a bit to keep my work there, because as a man, it's much easier to lose the work you've done regarding flexibility, than a woman.
It must be kind of jarring to go from just posting art on your own personal account to being this almost celebrity on Instagram.
I'm not sure if I'm acknowledged as a "celebrity," I feel like I'm just doing the same. The fame or the popularity is quite small compared to many other people that are showcasing what they do. I'm really flattered by the opportunity and always looking forward to what my followers have to say, I'm really keen on reading the comments, taking suggestions. I'm always wanting to change my style. That's what I'm always looking for within my drawings. They're of people, but I make sure they're very diverse characters, so after all the people that I've been able to talk to, thanks to Instagram, thanks to The Huffington Post; even in Spain, i-D magazine from Vice, I was able to talk to them regarding marketing and branding. There's been many great opportunities, and rather than the followers and the celebrity and getting to be reached out to by many people, I appreciate that I can make a little bit of a difference in the cultural community of my country.
Oh right. [laughs] When I was eleven -- I was living in Texas at the time -- I wrote a small children's book. It's part of a trilogy that I wrote way back then. Only the first installment that was published, The Universal Stone. It basically discussed the way I thought my teenaged years would be, because back then I was only a kid. I wanted to mix many fantasy elements; I also wanted to include some of the things I used to read back then, such as many popular children's novels that involved magical creatures, and places I loved to visit like Australia. But that project was abandoned -- the other books are written, however only the first one was published. I intend to go back and upgrade the illustrations of those books, which, thank god, you can see some sort of progression from them.
I intend to. The second one will definitely be renovated, because I've changed a lot over the seven years since the first edition. I really want to shift it to who I am today, but to stay true to what the idea was way back then.
I've always been interested in it, and I love to read. However, my goals are always evolving. After I was writing, I really wanted to become a cook, so I was always watching the Food Network and all of these shows which inspired me to cook. Then I left that, and I just was drawn to theatre and dance, which is when I entered Mexico's National Center of Contemporary Dance, during my first year of high school. I left that; I'm currently in my senior year in the common educational system, and as you can see, my main focus is on visual art. I think there are many ways to intertwine writing with what I do now; however, I know that my main goal is to continue focusing on my visual art and exploiting it, and getting to learn more about others who do so, so we can all learn more and grow and become a much more tight, creative community.
Have you ever considered doing comics journalism? Your art is so much about portraying others and real life.
I'd love to. I always appreciate a challenge, and journalism is all about keeping you on your toes. I would really like to host TV news events and stuff like that - I'm actually working on a project like that for this year at school - I could definitely see myself that way in the future; however, I'm not too keen on it for right now. I love a challenge, and I love to collaborate, and get something back I could do with my drawings. It'd be nice to return to writing, yeah.
Most of my friends are photographers, and those are the people that I follow. However, I do like seeing other illustrators' work. Ryan Heshka, this illustrator that incorporates retro elements with a darker tone, which I love, and am very drawn to.
For someone who's a senior in high school, it's a big question. I really want to study abroad. I'm going to be submitting my applications this semester to some very big and bold universities in the US, which I'm very excited to be hearing the results. However, if I do not leave my country, I know I will be moving to the capital, D.F. I'm looking forward to studying design in digital media or visual communications. I'd like to contribute to other kids and make sure that they fight or long for something that is much greater than the environment that they currently live in, because as teens, it's very easy for us to be sitting on the sofa watching Netflix and eating chips, which I love to do. But I feel like we can all be more productive, and really showcase how much talent these young generations have, and for them show it and share it and support each other, because competition does not mean degrading other people. That's something I feel is getting lost with teens.
It seems very sad that all of the support that I've received has been from international media. I was really surprised and flattered when you reached out to me, and that's when I began to wonder, with all the opportunities that I've gotten in the past, is that there hasn't been one big Mexican media outlet who's reached out to me - only a couple of small or local ones. This happens to be the same for many other talented, young kids. I believe that it speaks to corruption, and even in the critic community there's corruption you wouldn't believe.
I mean to introduce characters of diverse ethnicities, of all kinds of racial backgrounds -- and I'm looking forward to doing that with the Marias, indigenous women of Mexico that are discriminated against. It's no shocker that these women aren't offered Planned Parenthood-like services. There are women that are giving birth in the streets, and they're not being respected at all. So, rather than being influenced by art or what my country showcases [to me], I want to shine a light on the communities that aren't represented and make sure that they look beautiful as well, mixing them with all the color that I include. I really intend to mix comical aspects of illustration but with a serious note.
Do you feel that your art is political in nature?
It's very common for people to close their eyes and refuse to see the things that we live with day-by-day. In Mexico, the contrast is very clear between the rich and the poor, so I feel like introducing this to people outside of my country will maybe help raise awareness. My intention is not to make a political statement; however, I do want my illustrations to give something for people to think about or become aware of. I don't like making pretty people and making pretty things, because I don't think there's much you can learn from it.
Do you find subjects to draw, or are they composite figures from your head?
I also make portraits of people that are real, and you can definitely notice the contrasts between those that I make up and those that really do exist. When I do real people, it's to work on my technique, because that's the way I learn by myself, is observing and copying. I'm not too keen on making portraits of people that already exist. I'd rather exploit my own imagination and create.
You were interviewed for the official Instagram blog at one point.
You were also a dancer for a long time.
I'm not sure if I'm acknowledged as a "celebrity," I feel like I'm just doing the same. The fame or the popularity is quite small compared to many other people that are showcasing what they do. I'm really flattered by the opportunity and always looking forward to what my followers have to say, I'm really keen on reading the comments, taking suggestions. I'm always wanting to change my style. That's what I'm always looking for within my drawings. They're of people, but I make sure they're very diverse characters, so after all the people that I've been able to talk to, thanks to Instagram, thanks to The Huffington Post; even in Spain, i-D magazine from Vice, I was able to talk to them regarding marketing and branding. There's been many great opportunities, and rather than the followers and the celebrity and getting to be reached out to by many people, I appreciate that I can make a little bit of a difference in the cultural community of my country.
You've also written a children's book.
You're going to publish the next two?
Do you think you'll pursue more writing as you progress through your career?
Have you ever considered doing comics journalism? Your art is so much about portraying others and real life.
Do any other Instagram artists inspire you?
What do you see yourself doing in five years?
Do you have any final thoughts?
