Rocky Spirit, a festival celebrating documentaries about the great outdoors, takes place in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and online. This entirely free festival champions an offline lifestyle immersed in nature. For the past two years, the festival has commissioned unique commemorative posters for the event, and this year, Denis was invited to design the poster.
Denis was struck by the festival's innovative use of high-tech screens in an open, public setting, and for no cost at all. "It was impressive to see such advanced technology utilised in such a natural environment," he reflects, noting the Villa-Lobos Park, where individuals from all walks of life convene annually to enjoy a curated selection of films celebrating the outdoors.
The vast screen inspired a vision reminiscent of sci-fi, leading Denis to capture the mental transformation of the audience. "I aimed to reflect the experience of the spectators, where their minds open and blend with the technology, becoming one. This fusion of technology and human experience is a recurring theme in my work, where one extends into the other." He also sought to include the audience in the artwork: the athletes are portrayed not in action but in a moment of contemplation. The festival, he notes, serves as a canvas for showcasing the films and their impact on viewers.