Speaking to the world through images: an insight into the world of AG Rojas, new—land's latest signing.
Raised in Los Angeles by a Costa Rican painter and a Colombian poet, AG Rojas treats every medium as an art form. A filmmaker and an artist, his work reflects artistry, beauty, and introspection. Selected for Outstanding Directorial Achievement at the DGAs, AG has since swept multiple awards across the US and Europe, at Cannes Lions, shots, the CLIOS and more.
Having worked with some of the world's most celebrated brands and artists, from Nike, Samsung and Coca Cola, to Bon Iver, Mitski, and Florence & The Machine, he takes us behind the scenes on his childhood and his inspirations, and the inner corners of his mind.
Coming from such an artistic background, how do you think this has infused your approach as a director?
My childhood memories always include art objects in our home in San Juan Puerto Rico and then in Pasadena California: My mother’s small sculptures and large plexiglass paintings around the house, a framed copy of my father’s first poem, a VHS of “Como Agua Para Chocolate,” an exhibition poster with one of Diego Rivera’s flower vendors, and Dexter Gordon’s “Tangerine” on CD. A deep appreciation of beauty in all its forms has been our family’s primary love language.
There’s a strong sense of spirituality throughout your work. What’s the creative drive behind this? is it always a conscious choice to include these types of themes in your work?
My grandmother is part of the Pentecostal tradition, so I grew up in a house full of echoes of speaking in tongues and 3am prayers. They prepared me for a life of being open to the potential of all spiritual traditions. Producing images is an opportunity to create our own channels to speak to the universe and most importantly to each other.
Your work has a soft sensibility to nature; flowers, colour, the earth. Do you see these symbols and themes as interconnected throughout the body of your work?
Repetition is a valuable tool. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine anything more beautiful than filming the light and color of a flower, surrounded by your friends. Or a sunflower in a field full of other sunflowers, or a calla lily lovingly painted on the wall of a corner store, or a rose tattooed on the back of a person’s neck.
Having started your filmmaking career in music videos, how do you think this has shaped who you are as a director today?
I think having worked in music videos since I was teenager has reinforced this personal mission of producing work that isn’t dependent on the spoken word. I have a strong belief that we should encourage more work that is rooted primarily in visual storytelling, communicating emotions and ideas simply through gestures and music.
Switching between different art forms, from music videos and installations to short form content, how do you find your approach to storytelling changes, especially regarding your commercial work?
In commercials I am able to exercise my ability to make someone feel something in a short amount of time. That is something I’ve been practicing since my days at Pasadena City College as a teenager making short films. Learning how to edit in an accessible education system prepared me for eventually being able to tell a compelling story in 30 seconds.
Where do you draw inspiration from? Are there any filmmakers you look up to in particular? Or are there perhaps some more unexpected places you draw inspiration from?
I am blessed to be in relationships with people who create art that inspires me, first and foremost. There are also many many filmmakers who inspire me like Victor Erice and Lucrecia Martel. Painters like Lynette Yiadom-Boakye and Lorena Torres. And freedom fighters like Soha Béchara and Monika Ertl.
Do you see yourself as a political filmmaker? What feelings do you hope to evoke in people in your filmmaking?
Everything we make is political. I’m interested in making work that attempts to provide an experience of peace and joy for people who are involved in any struggle against oppressive forces.
Watch AG Rojas's reel here.
