At 23, self-taught Mokokchung artist Tiasunep Aier — known online as Sate Aegis — is building a world of visual storytelling shaped by grief, imagination, and the quiet power of emotion.
Tiasunep Aier, better known by his artistic pseudonym Sate Aegis, is part of a growing generation of young independent creators who are exploring identity, grief, imagination, and silence through self-taught mediums. A recent graduate with a Bachelor’s degree, Aier blends illustration and writing in deeply personal, often introspective works that have slowly found an audience both online and through local art networks.
“I don’t remember a version of myself that wasn’t already lost in some sketch or scribble,” Aier said in an interview with Mokokchung Times. “It’s always been less of a hobby and more of a compulsion.”
Operating under the name Sate Aegis, Aier is known for sharing illustrations, abstract visual narratives, and prose-poetry that reflect inner emotional landscapes. His work is not tied to any commercial venture or studio. Instead, he creates independently — sharing pieces through social media, digital zines, and sometimes in collaborations with other young artists. His style is layered with symbolism, leaning heavily on monochrome sketches, imaginative characters, and a raw, hand-drawn honesty.
Aier’s creative journey, he says, began with his late father, who used to draw cars and Pokémon characters for him as a child. “I picked up the habit and never really put it down,” he said. That early influence was later shaped by a range of creative icons, from comic book artist Jack Kirby and Romantic painter John Martin, to Japanese manga creator Tite Kubo, and musicians David Bowie and Thom Yorke.
“Jack Kirby taught me imagination doesn’t need permission,” Aier reflected. “And John Martin — just biblical scale. The world ending on a small canvas.”
But it is Tite Kubo, the creator of the manga Bleach, who influenced his artistic voice most profoundly. “The most important thing he taught me was silence — in art. You can show more emotion through a character’s eyes than with any amount of background detail.”
Though he has yet to formally publish a complete volume or series, Aier continues to work on self-initiated projects that cross between visual and literary storytelling. He is candid about uncertainty regarding his next steps after graduation. “I don’t really have a five-year plan. I’ve never looked at art or writing as some career ladder I’m supposed to climb,” he said.
What drives him, he said, is simpler: “All I really want to do is make something that hits someone in the chest. Make some kid pick up a pencil and go, ‘To hell with it, I’ll try.’ That’s enough for me.”
When asked why he adopted the name Sate Aegis, Aier chose to keep the meaning private. “It carries meaning. I just don’t like sharing it.”
Behind the uncertainty of his next move lies a clear belief in the power of artistic vulnerability. “If I can’t draw it, I’ll write it. If I can’t find the words, I’ll draw. It doesn’t need to be perfect — it just needs to exist.”
Now 23, Aier is not rushing into exhibitions or commercial commissions. For him, the act of creating remains personal. “I still feel like I have a few more years left in me. Let’s hope I don’t betray myself and let the ideas die out too soon.”