This article was taken from the March 2015 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Emoji can express surprising subtlety, from innuendo to sarcasm -- but are such sprites art? New York-based startup Hi-Art thinks so. Founded by illustrators Nico Ponce de Leon Dios and Paul Lafreniere, their app lets artists create their own interpretive artworks for third-party keyboards -- the "Back soon!" sign above is by Kaput. "Like so many people, I wondered why emoji weren't more diverse or dynamic," says Dios, 34.
Hi-Art includes some iconic masterpieces -- from Vermeer to Warhol -- but it's particularly popular with street artists, and has launched collaborations with musicians such as Jason Derulo and Ghostface Killah. (The app is free, but illustrators can charge a fee for their work.)
But how does one paint a picture intended to express far more than 1,000 words ever could? "The artist is often unaware how their images will be used to communicate," says Dios. "Rothko's colour fields would not be ideal, whereas an expressive Lichtenstein might be perfect. The concept of artwork to replace sentences or express emotion has led to some really interesting things." And yes, there is an emoji Mona Lisa -- just don't expect the recipient to know what her mysterious smile means.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
