In a world increasingly entwined with digital threads, the essence of art finds its expressions manifested through pixels and virtual realms. This fusion of art and technology took a majestic turn at the Digital Art Fair Asia (DAFA) 2023, where the confluence of creative minds and digital virtuosos painted a narrative of what the future of art embodies. MakersPlace, a digital sanctuary for creators and collectors, heralded this narrative by presenting the enigmatic realms conceived by David Ariew and Hideki Tsukamoto, two luminaries of the digital art domain.

MakersPlace will be at the fair presenting three incredible digital artists pushing the boundaries of their mediums: David Ariew, Hideki Tsukamoto and Brendan Dawes in a presentation curated by MakersPlace Senior Director Jessica Marinaro.

David Ariew’s ‘Quantum Stargate’, an infinity room and virtual reality endeavor, was the cynosure of the event. This project found its abode in the revered Immersion Room at DAFA, an arena previously graced by the likes of Refik Anadol and Jacky Tsai. Quantum Stargate is not merely a piece of digital art; it’s a sanctuary where the boundaries between reality and imagination blur, inviting souls to wander through infinite planes of divine light, as expressed by Ariew.

MakersPlace celebrated the sale of Quantum Stargate in a pioneering partnership with Phillips Auction House, marking a significant milestone in the journey of digital art into the heart of mainstream art commerce. This alliance not only accentuates the global recognition of digital art but also underlines the intrinsic value and reverence accorded to David Ariew’s ethereal creation.

But the narrative didn’t end with Ariew’s cosmic vistas. Hideki Tsukamoto’s ‘IMMORTAL #2’, part of his generative IMMORTAL series, provided a complementary yet contrasting visual narrative. While Ariew’s creation was an expansive journey through cosmic realms, Tsukamoto’s work captivated audiences with its singular motifs and breathtaking intricacy, a reflection of life’s impermanence against the backdrop of the infinite cosmos.

The harmonious juxtaposition of Ariew’s and Tsukamoto’s work at MakersPlace’s strategically positioned booth next to the Immersion Room was a visual dialogue between the vastness of the cosmos and the intricacy of existence. This artistic dialogue, elucidated by Jessica Marinaro, Senior Director at MakersPlace, portrayed a delicate equilibrium that resonated deeply with the audience, making DAFA 2023 a sanctuary of digital contemplation.

MakersPlace continues to be the nexus where digital artistry finds its rightful place in the contemporary art ecosystem. Its endeavors in DAFA 2023 have not only elevated the stature of digital art but have also highlighted how blockchain technology is catalyzing a new era of creativity, authenticity, and artistic commerce.

DAFA 2023 has once again underscored the boundless potential of digital art and its significant resonance in the modern artistic and commercial landscape. As we step into an era where digital artistry is not just revered but also commercially celebrated, the endeavors of MakersPlace, David Ariew, and Hideki Tsukamoto are emblematic of a future where art and technology coalesce to narrate the tales of our existence.

The Schedule

The MakersPlace team will be on the ground for the duration of the fair at the MakersPlace booth, and we will be participating in panel discussions.

• Friday, October 20: VIP Day
• Saturday, October 21: VIP Day
• Sunday, October 22: General Admission Day
• Monday, October 23: General Admission Day

Tickets are available now and can be purchased here.

TL;DR: MakersPlace showcased the captivating digital artistry of David Ariew and Hideki Tsukamoto at Digital Art Fair Asia 2023, marking significant milestones in the commercial and artistic landscape of digital art. The event highlighted the boundless potential of digital creativity and the pivotal role of blockchain in fostering a vibrant future for digital artistry.

The post Enigmatic Realms of Reality: David Ariew, Hideki Tsukamoto, and MakersPlace Shine at Digital Art Fair Asia 2023 appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Combining Art, Charity, IRL & Web3, Trevor Jones returns with the most prestigious Web3 event of the year 

TLDR

• • September 3-5 near Paris, France
  • Ticket gains you access to the event, open bar and food
  • Includes pool parties, entertainment, headlining DJ performances, fireworks, wine tasting & so much more
  • Charity auction hosted by MakersPlace in memory of the late Alotta Money. Donations will be made to Maggie’s to support families in need of cancer support
  • Exclusive and limited space for some of the top networking experiences in Web3
  • View Castle Party Trailer for more visuals here

• Ticket deadline: August 25th!! Purchase tickets here!

• More info on Castle Party here

Castle Party

After hosting last year’s inaugural Castle Party in Stirling Castle, Scotland, Trevor Jones now travels across Europe with the return of his famous Bitcoin Angel Castle Party. Scheduled for September 3-5 at the Château de Vallery, located in the outskirts of Paris, Trevor invites us to a historical monument once home of the princes and princesses of Condé. 

“The 2022 Castle Party was so much more than we could have imagined. Where else could you have had such a unique opportunity to meet 21st-century digital artists amongst the aesthetics of a late 11th-century Scottish castle.” – Trevor Jones

Fusing art, history, technology, charity, community, culture and entertainment into a 3 day prestigious and unforgettable event, Castle Party is easily the leading Web3 function of the year. 

Entertainment, games, food and open bar are all included in the price of entry. Rewarding his collectors, all Bitcoin Angel holders receive discounted rates and additional perks. For a limited time, those who refer a friend will also receive 50% off next year’s tickets.

About Trevor Jones

For those unfamiliar, Trevor Jones can easily be coined one of the leading and most iconic artists in Web3. Although considered a traditional painter, Trevor began to experiment and explore the collaboration of art and tech to enhance the viewer’s experience, while also engaging with them on a deeper level.

Notorious for his collaborations with creatives and brands including Alotta Money, Ice Cube, Pak and MacCallan, along with a record breaking $4 million Bitcoin Angel sale, Trevor continues to innovate, experiment and propel the industry forward.

Castle Party 2023

Traveling from five continents and dozens of countries, this highly anticipated event once again brings together prominent artists, builders, collectors and industry leaders in an intimate and exclusive moment in history.

Entertainment includes performances by Grammy-nominated musician BT, Arthr, Sarah Main, and DJ RT. Along with French circus acts, football tournaments, debates and pool parties. Aside from networking and enjoyment, Trevor has also teamed up with NFT marketplace, MakersPlace, to curate and exhibit a charity auction in memory of OG Crypto artist, the late Alotta Money (AKA Philippe Fatoux). Last year’s auction raised  £17,000 for Maggie’s cancer charity, which focuses on providing free cancer support and information across their multiple centers and online support groups. Featuring a selection of 31 artists including Pak, Hackatao, Jose Delbo, and Andrea Bonaceto.

An unforgettable event you don’t want to miss, make sure to visit Trevor’s website here for full details and information. Tickets available here and must be purchased by August 25th.

Have you booked your #CastleParty2023 ticket?

Enter https://t.co/ks33K3qT56

All tickets include:

Local cuisine
Open bar
DJs & pool parties
Games & entertainment
Daily debates & nightly fireworks
31 Artist charity exhibition
Way too much fun!! pic.twitter.com/9smezyeKt0

— Trevor Jones (@trevorjonesart) June 21, 2023

For those unable to attend, stay tuned for exclusive Castle Party footage from NFT Culture.

Make sure to spread the word, as Trevor Jones and Bitcoin Angel Castle Party 2023 make history as the largest, most prestigious Web3 event we’ve seen so far!

Follow Trevor on Twitter for latest updates.

**NFTCulture is an official media partner with Trevor Jones for the Castle Party Event

The post Making History: Trevor Jones Castle Party 2023 appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

The legacy sci-fi, fantasy and horror brand and the premier rare digital art marketplace team up for the first of many planned drops.

Heavy Metal Magazine is a monthly American magazine published by Heavy Metal Publishing, Inc. It features cover art of heavy metal music artists and articles on heavy metal music, interviews with musicians, reviews of albums and books about heavy metal music and history, horror movies and other topics.

The magazine was founded in 1977 in the United States as a response to the rapid growth of the heavy metal rock genre. The magazine’s original publisher was Larry Flynt Publications (LFP). In 1983, LFP sold their publishing assets including Heavy Metal to Glamour Group Ltd., an English publisher that specializes in producing men’s lifestyle magazines.

Los Angeles, CA – MakersPlace and Heavy Metal Entertainment LLC officially announce the first of several upcoming drops featuring new and legacy artwork from the legendary Heavy Metal magazine, an originator of fantasy, horror, and science fiction artwork.

MakersPlace, the world’s most trusted marketplace and community to buy and sell genuine digital collectibles, is the ideal partner for a legacy brand like Heavy Metal, who also place a high premium on authenticity and quality of creative.

“MakersPlace is the apex of all art marketplaces in the digital space, and the talent behind the scenes is unmatched,” says Matthew Medney, CEO of Heavy Metal Entertainment LLC. “We look forward to offering the best of Heavy Metal’s iconic, striking artwork to the MakersPlace community.”

“MakersPlace is honored to partner with legendary fantasy and science fiction magazine Heavy Metal,” said Craig Palmer, CEO of MakersPlace. “They’ve launched the careers of untold artists who’ve captured our imagination the past 45 years.  We look forward to offering their historic past and future artworks to our collectors.”

For the first installment, MakersPlace and Heavy Metal present the artwork of Greg Hildebrandt in a drop called Angel of the Gods. Hildebrandt is the internationally acclaimed illustrator who spent many years illustrating alongside his brother Tim and publishing as The Brothers Hildebrandt. Though Tim died in 2006 due to complications related to diabetes, Greg has continued to create unmistakable and varied illustrations.

“It is just a new way for people to consume art, which is never a bad thing,” offers Hildebrandt. “Technology and the world will always move forward with innovation; that is just the way it is. I still paint traditionally, it’s what I do, but I’ve never been the type of person that would say, “oh, these new ways of doing things aren’t real art or shouldn’t be done!””

The Brothers Hildebrandt are most famous for painting fantasy and science fiction art, including the original 1977 Star Wars movie poster, the popular Lord of the Rings calendars produced in the 70s, comic art for Marvel and DC, and illustrations for Magic The Gathering and Harry Potter for Wizards of the Coast, though that is but a small portion of their total output and impact on visual culture.

Individually, Greg has created art for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra for the past 19 years. He created their Winter Program Tour Book art, album covers and concert merchandise. In 1981 he licensed one of his dream paintings for the cover art on the Black Sabbath’s Mob Rules album. He started his ongoing American Beauties pinup art in 1999. In 2019, it was announced that Greg would provide cover art for a new series of Star Trek comics, Star Trek: Year Five, from IDW Publishing. During the 1980s and 1990s, Greg illustrated a number of classic books, including Greg Hildebrandt’s Favorite Fairy Tales, Alice in Wonderland, Dracula, Poe: Stories and Poems, and The Phantom of the Opera.

Heavy Metal Arts drops on October 25, 2022 at 3:30PM (PT) https://makersplace.com/heavy_metal_magazine/drops/heavy-metal-arts/

About Heavy Metal Magazine

First published in 1977, Heavy Metal Magazine, the world’s foremost illustrated magazine, explores fantastic and surrealistic worlds, alternate realities, science fiction and thrillers, in the past, present, and future. Writers and illustrators from around the world take you to places you never dreamed existed. Heavy Metal Magazine was the first publisher to bring European legends like Moebius, Enki Bilal, and Pepe Moreno to the U.S. while showcasing non-mainstream American superstars like Richard Corben, Greg Hildebrandt, Vaughn Bode and Frazetta. Heavy Metal Studios, spearheaded by President Tommy Coriale, is developing and producing TV and film content adapted from Heavy Metal’s rich and vast library of original IP. The iconic home of cutting-edge sci-fi, fantasy, and horror stories is moving at warp speed toward the future, so buckle the f*ck up. Heavy Metal’s pages have served as an inspirational epicenter for the likes of Ridley Scott, Guillermo Del Toro, Chris Columbus, Jon Faverau, & more. Put simply, if you’re a fan of pop culture, genre filmmaking, & television, you’re welcome.

With CEO Matthew Medney and an incredible team at the helm, Heavy Metal promises to boldly go where no one has gone before. Explore ancient secrets, forgotten worlds and savage futures…

About MakersPlace

MakersPlace is the world’s most trusted marketplace and community to discover, buy, and sell authentic NFTs from the world’s leading digital creators. We offer digital creators a trusted platform to sell their creations directly to fans and collectors worldwide.

The post MakersPlace Announces Heavy Metal Arts featuring Greg Hildebrandt & Heavy Metal Magazine appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Hannes Hummel & Dexamol of BLOOM Collective are at it again, this time partnering with MakersPlace to launch their latest collaboration Cycle. Cycle comprises 4 pieces of digital art created by the successful duo and one incredible physical 3d-holographic art.

Inspired by Cassette Futurism ( a recreative process inspired by 80’s and 90’s film) each of the five pieces transposes the theme into a unique interpretation of the idea while remaining connected to the broader collection. The 1/1 Auction and holographic piece combines the visions of both artists blending both digital and physical in new fascinating ways.

Hannes and Dexamol (along with the broader BLOOM collective) have been featured in many galleries around the world including the TED Vancouver Gallery hosted by NFTCulture, Art Basel, The Crypt Gallery and more.

You can buy the drop on June 8th at 6:30PM EST on makersplace

Here are some amazing stills of the 3D images for your pleasure:

Manekia Cycle

Symbiotic Cycle

R&D Cycle Dex

Recharge Cycle Dex

United Cycle

About Hannes Hummel

Hannes Hummel is a German-based interdisciplinary Designer and 3D Artist focusing on contemporary imagery. Guided by an explorational design approach, Hummels’ recent creations focus on the mesmerizing complexity of organic structures recreated digitally. Symmetry, tessellations, and patterns within patterns capture the fragments of nature. His artworks were most recently shown at Art Basel Miami.

About Dexamol

Originally from Toronto and currently residing in Tel Aviv, Dexamol’s explorations transport us to a future of synthetic insects and environments. Producing short animations and digital images, Dexamol’s art bypasses engendered dichotomies such as “natural vs artificial” to instead focus on the big beauty in small things. His work was most recently shown at Art Basel.

About BLOOM Collective

BLOOM is a collective of some of the world’s brightest creative talents from the NFT industry. Artists with over 100 years of combined commercial experience. BLOOM is a design-led collective that stands for the absolute highest levels of quality, integrity, and diversity.

The post Cycle by Hannes Hummel & Dexamol of BLOOM Collective appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

The best and most creative portrait photographers in NFTs. 

I’ve gathered some of the brightest and most talented directors of light as well as instructors of talent. It takes an immense amount of talent and hard work to compose a staged photograph. This collection of photographers makes it look easy. 

I’ve worked with some of the best photographers in europe. In my earlier professional background as a retouch of fashion photography, that lasted for more than 15 years.

The artists in this curation are in a class of their own, with a plethora of awards and prices under their combined belts. 

AMIR HOSSEIN 

@amirhslo 

Is a portrait and fine arts photographer living in Tehran, 

He pays special attention to composition, colors and the light in his photographs. Amir is a strong believer in the theory; that light and color are the most vital items and tools for producing an emotional photograph. 

ALEXY KAZANTSEV 

 

@kazantssev

International Award-Winning Portrait Photographer, Lecturer. Alexy has been a photographer since 2012. He prefers to create natural deep portraits. Most often using natural light coming from a window. 

ANTON PLOTNIKOV 

@gitarist_r 

Is a portrait photographer who studied with Igor Sakharov-Ross in Saint Petersburg. His style is characterized by classical minimalism, the person is the focus, not the packaging. 

In his portraits, Anton tries to share emotions with the viewer. When the model looks into the camera, the viewer should have the feeling that the model is looking at them. Emotional and expressive portraits are a trademark. 

His work has won several awards, including a final appearance in the Hasselblad Masters and publications in the “Lensculture” magazine.

VINOGRADOV 

@vinogradov_art 

Multi Awarded Portrait Photographer. Sony ambassador. Capture One partner. Headshot master. Redhead lover. 

Always in search of interesting people and types. As a source of inspiration. His style is simple and concise portraits, which differ from sincerity and truthfulness.Using a minimum of retouching. 

OPRISCO 

@oprisco 

Fine art photographer. Based in Ukraine. 

Incognito, a minimum of information is part of the art! 

NASTASYA PARSHINA 

@nastasyaparshin 

A gentle photographer, her signature is; conveying tenderness, fragility and a little sadness in portraits mainly revolving around girls. A wordless storyteller, for each viewer its own. Painting a narrative with light. She takes inspiration in romance be it books, films or painting the arts. 

Winner of many contests, including the FIAP 2021 Biennials. 

She’s a renowned dog and candy lover. 

ALEKSANDER KIRENNOI

@froz3n89 

Award-winning Portrait photographer. HIPA finalist, FIAP and PSA multiple Gold medalist, 35awards 3rd Great Photographer, IPA, SIPA, FAPA Honorable mentions. Alexander loves natural light as well as natural beauty. 

DIMITRY SHAD 

@blacksunphotog1 

Is a fine art photographer, and body art master with more than 50 international awards under his name. Using brushes and a camera, he recreates the inhuman dark beauty and perfect body, in lines with his demons. 

DIMITRY AGEEV 

@ageevphoto 

Is a portrait, conceptual and documentary photographer since 2008. Winner of many international photography competitions including the Hasselblad masters in 2014. 

In his portraits he uses the technique of tracking gaze, which was used in iconography by the old masters.

DANIEL RUBINSHTEIN

@dn_rubinshtein

Film director, fashion photographer and artist. Her works have been published in Vogue Italy, Vogue Britain, and Vogue Ukraine, as well as Esquire, Forbes and Playboy. 

 

The post noPortrait by noCreative : A curation on makersplace appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

The world’s first Leonardo Da Vinci NFT in a 670 million pixel hologram. Drops April 21, 2022 at 3:30pm PT 

SAN FRANCISCO, April 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — MakersPlace, the premier marketplace for rare and authentic digital artworks, today announced that The Holoverse, the first company to tokenize historical masterpieces with rights and make them into holographic NFTs, is releasing a first-of-its-kind holographic NFT of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, La Bella Principessa, which will be auctioned on April 21, 2022 with a starting bid at $100,000. Using this groundbreaking technology, Old Master artworks can now be viewable, when people do not have access to the originals. 

Top – The Holoverse Co-founders, CMO Leonardo Terzulli and CEO Andrea Prince. Bottom: The first HoloNFT of daVinci’s La Principessa is displayed during the day and at night. 

“We are honored to breathe new life into old masterpieces like this one with our proprietary Holo NFT technology. This painting is not on permanent loan to a museum, and very few have been able to see it,” said Andrea Prince, Co-founder and CEO of The Holoverse. 

“Now someone can have it displayed in their home or office in the physical realm, while unlocking new capabilities for viewing it in the digital world. We knew MakersPlace was the right venue to launch such a rare and valuable piece of art,” said Leonardo Terzulli, Co-founder and CMO of The Holoverse. 

The auction winner will own the first-ever HoloNFT of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, La Bella Principessa, a portrait of a young Milanese aristocrat in beautiful renaissance dress, which will be on display at a world-renowned museum in Italy this fall. The HoloNFT comes in digital and physical formats. The original canvas is scanned into a multi-gigabyte photogrammetry image that enables the viewer to zoom in and experience the work in more detail than the naked eye could see. The unique 1:1 hologram will be encased in a crystal case (73cm x 73cm x 12cm), viewable in daytime and night, and will be delivered and installed with white glove service. 

“When I saw this piece in person, I was astounded by the amount of detail the hologram provides. This technology creates a whole new experience when it comes to viewing artwork,” said Craig Palmer, CEO of MakersPlace. “Nowhere else can you see such minute details of an Old Master, and zoom in at will to really see the texture of the lines and canvas.” 

The hologram is slightly larger than the original, as it improves the performance and visual impact (50cm x 35cm). The hologram is generated by rotation at very high speed (900 

rotations per minute) of four blades containing 256 micro LEDs and microprocessors, which 

use an algorithm to compose the work in the air. 

Explore La Bella Principessa by Leonardo da Vinci by visiting a special microsite created for this viewing experience, and learn more about the art history on our blog. 

About MakersPlace 

MakersPlace is the premier NFT marketplace for digital art. Launched in 2018, MakersPlace utilizes blockchain technology to facilitate the sale of authentic, original digital artwork, ensuring rarity and ownership for both creators and collectors. MakersPlace has emphasized accessibility since its inception and has attracted a large mainstream audience as the first NFT marketplace to accept both cryptocurrency (ETH) and non-cryptocurrency (USD) payments, which it facilitates through crypto wallet and credit card transactions, respectively. MakersPlace helped catapult digital art and NFTs onto the global stage, with the historic sale of Beeple’s Everydays: The First 5000 Days for $69.3 million in partnership with Christie’s auction house in March 2021 – the record price for any digital artwork. Our mission is simple: to enable a vibrant future for digital creativity. Please visit: https://makersplace.com/ 

About The Holoverse 

The Holoverse is the first company to tokenize historical masterpieces with rights and make them into holographic NFTs. Masters of art such as Leonardo, Raffaello, Michelangelo, Caravaggio and many others are the pillars in the history of art in the universe. The Holoverse looks to maintain this heritage in eternity, taking advantage of what the latest technologies in the world have to offer, creating a new value and a new life for the masterpieces that have shaped history. The Holo NFT represents the perceived value of a digital asset. For the first time, those who purchase a valuable NFT will be able to enjoy its ownership to fruition, with a true piece of design. 

Media Contact: makersplace@dittopr.co 

The post Premier NFT Platform Makersplace Partners with The Holoverse to Auction First-of-its-kind Hologram of da Vinci Masterpiece appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

I’m Stephan Duquesnoy, and I’m a digital art lecturer at the University of Arts Utrecht and digital artist in The Netherlands. In my work I tend to take mathematical ideas of natural beauty and combine them with romantic era aesthetics. Basically, there are a lot of ornaments, classical compositions, women, and flowers!

Links to Stephan’s Work on NFT Marketplaces

My work also tends to be a reflection of my own mindset at the moment that I’m making it. I carry persistent depression with me, to live with that I always try to be alert of what I feel and experience. My personal work acts as a coping mechanism which lets me express my relation with the world and myself, instead of keeping it inside. Even though my work has strong roots within the old school theory of beauty, there can be a contrasting unsettling edge to my work. That edge is where my personality tends to shine through, and is often tied with the underlying symbolism and themes in my work.

My career has been quite chaotic, I started in Information Technology as a programmer, but ended up studying theater. From there on I moved on to doing game concept art as a job, ran an art outsource studio, a fashion tech startup, teaching digital art and designed games for professional hackers. This varied history all comes together for me in my own work. For example, large portions of my work are procedurally created through tools I create myself in Houdini, in combination with handmade assets in Zbrush or painted textures in Substance Painter. I somehow have this weird kink, that I want to make as much of my art by hand as I can, so I rarely use pre-made assets. I think this has to do with me being a lecturer, I just need to have those moments where I learn something new in my work, or it becomes boring.

So yeah in short. I like classical art, do everything by hand, and I struggle with some mental issues. And in my own work, everything just feels like it naturally connects

I started in NFT in December 2020. And sold my first piece for 100 bucks on Makersplace, and have been active in NFT since. Although I do not drop as much art as a year ago, because I started spending considerably more time on the creation of my work, as the floor prices slowly went up!

Where are you from? 

The Netherlands, and I live in a small city next to The Hague (Which is close to Amsterdam, but then again. Everything is close to Amsterdam)

What is your favorite thing to do on a weekend?

At the moment I also work a couple of days in the week at the University. So the weekends tend to be the moment I can actually focus and work on my own digital work. Its hard balance to figure out, but slowly getting there, but I’m hopeful I will find some opportunities this year to think about doing things in the weekend that aren’t work ! I’m really looking forward to just being out and about again, with my sketchbook and just observing the world as it passes by.

One thing you cannot live without? I absolutely love my sketchbook, it’s always in my bag or near me. Although it doesn’t get used as much as it used to. But when you pull me from the screen, and I’m out in the world, you can be sure you can find me sketching in parks, subways, or anywhere.

Who is your favorite artists (Non NFT)? There are just too many to name. In general I’m really attracted to the pre-raphaelites and romantic era art. In general the aesthetics of the 19th century really appeal to me. I think this is a time in art where there was a certain balance between the scientific analytical side of art, mixed with the desire to express ourselves or our place in the universe. 

There are also a ton of contemporary artists I admire, although a lot of those artists entered the space last year. One artist that stands out to me is Kris Kuksi. He makes these amazing elaborated sculpture/collage pieces, that really tie into my fascination with historical artists, but he finds a way to blend that with our contemporary experience of the world. 

Who is your favorite NFT artist? It has to be Android Jones. Andrew has been a role model for me since the first day I started doing digital art. He was one of the first artists who made me realize you can make masterpieces digitally, through conceptart.org. When he left his game-studio to pursue his own performance art career, he made me realize there is more to art making than just pretty pictures. And planted the seed to one day create my own work without any constraints. When I saw he was on Superrare, and how he set everything up, I immediately realized I wanted to follow in his footsteps, and jump into this weird NFT space. After 15 years of observing his work and career, I had my first interaction with Andrew through NFT twitter, which was a huge confirmation I’m on the right path.

What made you pursue NFT art? Ofcourse Android Jones as well. But I think the core of it is the independence. I have always struggled with art. I’m not someone who is excellent in working on someones vision, I need constant challenge in my work, and I can not repeat what I already know. Most digital art jobs however need you to do exactly that, there are briefs, compromises, deadlines, and comfort zones you need to reliably work in to be successful. It sounds terrible, but it just bores me too much to be in that production environment. But when I can make my own work, without compromise, I’m just simply happy and content.

In the online world however this is a hard path to choose. Because pre-nft the only way to really be successful is to create a lot of art. So you have constant social media or patron updates, or can do a lot of commissions. But I’m quality over quantity person, I need time to do things. So even if the work is good, if you do not produce enough it never gets out, and thats where it ends.

I decided for myself that that is what life is. And was about to dedicate myself to my academic lecturing career, and keep making art as a hobby. But that’s when NFT happened

NFT in a way resembles the World of Warcraft auction house to me. I can make something, invest in it. Put it for sale, and make a healthy margin on it. The more time I invest in the quality the better the return. So business wise, it just made sense with how I see art creation, and how I love to work. From day one it felt very natural to work like this. I can still share my work with the entire world, and don’t have to gatekeep anyone through a patreon account. Instead I work with actual patreons who support me and my expression by collecting my work.

What is the one piece of NFT art you wish you had purchased but missed out on? Ofcourse the work done by all the amazing artists in Bloom. I feel like I’m in a catch22

with them. The prices of there work is always slighty out of reach, and when my floor goes up, and I can afford them, everyones floor went up!

But the work I really wish I purchased, is a work I wish I never sold. It’s called “Portrait” and on Makersplace. I sold it for a 100 dollars at the time, as it was my genesis in NFT. However it is also a work that I created while my dog was diagnosed with cancer, and finished on the day she died.This was a really fast and complicated goodbye for us, as she always was an huge pillar of support for me. A lot of my emotions from those days are in that piece, and in a way it feels to personal to have sold it. I would love to buy it back from secondary at some point in the future. 

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go?

 I would love to go back to East Asia and the giant cities in that part of the world. There is a sense of being alone, and detached there, that feels weird but very comfortable to me. Getting lost in the mass, feels like home in a way.

Do you make other forms of art?

 Next to digital art, I also draw a lot. My sketchbook is a such a huge natural extension of myself, and I love the freedom that freehand sketching gives me. Experimenting on paper, and abstract ideas that happened during a train trip, are often the starting points for new ideas and concepts. I’m especially looking forward again to summer, being outside, and just drawing in the sun again! 

How did you come up with your specific style? 

Lots of experimenting. I have always had a bit of darker, melancholic side to me. And I have always loved classical art, and concepts like vanitas. At some point I just started playing with that, in my sketchbook, mostly through sketches of skulls. I started making those sketches in 3D, and thats when the ball started to roll. Slowly the skulls went away, and made room for more surreal abstract elements, and started adding more classical art inspirations. And thats how it ended at where we are right now!

How has your style evolved over the years?
My work started with digital painting, and creating art for entertainment games, which also was more cartoony or casual in design. Slowly I started playing with more darker elements in my work, using a sense of realism. In my personal work the fascination and groundwork of my current style has always been there, just never truly developed. 

What is coming in the near future?

 Lots of exciting things. There is ofcourse a Nifty Gateway drop with NFT Culture coming. I’m also working on an exhibition piece for a large historical art museum in the Netherlands which will open soon! I have plans for a new personal series and some collabs with other artists are also in the works. I haven’t dropped new art in a while, but for good reason!

Do you have any upcoming drops?

Yes! At the end of march my work will drop on Nifty Gateway, in a collection shared with the awesome artists at Bloom! It will be a multiple edition piece, with an affordable price!

Links and such: 

Link to Website: www.stephanduq.com

Social links:
https://twitter.com/stephanduq
https://www.instagram.com/stephanduq/
https://www.artstation.com/stephanduq

The post StephanDuq NFT Artist Interview appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Eniosta | mae australian is a digital artist working in 3D to create surreal, dreamy environments. her work is a means of escape, and is shared with the purpose of transporting the viewer alongside her to a place that will soothe their soul.

i hope you find some small escape. – Mae

Hi, I’m Mae and I go by eniosta online.I have lived on the East Coast of Australia my entire life. It’s just the right balance of insane weather, incredible landscapes and excellent humans.

First, where can collectors find your work?

Website: https://www.eniosta.com/

Social: https://twitter.com/enixsta | https://www.instagram.com/eniosta.eth/

NFT Marketplace: https://makersplace.com/eniosta/ | https://opensea.io/collection/seussian | https://foundation.app/@eniosta | https://dissrup.com/@eniosta

Can you tell us about your background and what lead you down the path to becoming an artist and ultimately experimenting with NFTs?

I have definitely always been creative in some way or another, which I think was initially influenced at a very young age by watching my mother paint and my older sister sketch. Thinking back on my early childhood when life was a bit chaotic for my family, it always stands out to me how peaceful and calm they were while they were just focusing on making something beautiful. I think that really sunk in – that focusing on creativity was something you could do to kind of step outside of the chaos of life.

As I grew up I experimented with different mediums, sketching, painting, weaving, sculpture – but none of it ever clicked as something I was either very talented at or I enjoyed enough to pursue too seriously. When I was about 25 I started using interior design as a creative outlet which led to 3D modelling. I found the problem solving side of the work so meditative in itself, like really focusing on how to get something constructed in 3D space from just a cube or a sphere, and my love for the medium just grew from there.

Eventually I made the move from selling furniture assets for video games to creating my own art. At the beginning my work was also rooted in architecture and interiors, inspired by some incredible people like Alexis Christodoulou and Charlotte Taylor. Over time I think I have grown into creating work that is authentic to me and I think that is so important.

I have been in crypto for six or seven years, but I didn’t really know a lot about the NFT space until 2021 when I realised it wasn’t just about collectables. The entire concept just made sense to me as the answer to digital art being recognised as real and important, and when I realised how incredible the community was in the space I just had to be involved.

When did you mint your first NFT? What platform did you choose and why?

September 30^th 2021, on Foundation. At the time I really thought that opensea was just for pfp collections and Foundation seemed like the best starting point for 1/1 work.

Can you tell us one thing you cannot live without? (and why)

My dogs. I am a person who lives with really severe anxiety amongst a myriad of other mental health disorders, and my dogs are the biggest comfort to me during rough times. There is nothing quite like cuddling a dog and having them stare into your eyes with just pure love.

Who is your favorite artist(s) (Non NFT)? What about their style resonates with you?

I was recently introduced to the work of Brett Allen Johnson, a landscape painter from the US who creates these incredible abstracted landscape works that just make you melt into them. Brett’s use of light and color is magnificent and I’m inspired to sit down and create something every time I look at his work.

Who is your favourite NFT artist? What makes this artist unique?

If I have to choose just one, I’ll say Rhett / Mankind. His use of color to make something real become surreal is just incredible. His work provokes a real sense of serenity within me and he is absolutely one of my biggest inspirations.

What made you pursue NFT art?

I think realising that some of my favourite artists were in the community and contributing to the space was the kicker for me; before that I had this idea that it was all pfp monkeys and day traders. Digital artists have kind of had it kicked into us to believe that our work isn’t really worth anything, and when I realised that wasn’t the case anymore I felt compelled to participate. It feels like we’re in the early days of an art revolution and it is a privilege to be a part of that.

What is the one piece of NFT art you wish you had purchased but missed out on?

Mankinds Scarce Abundance. I will absolutely own one of these, one day.

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go? Why this location?

Probably Peru, because I feel like I absolutely must see the Rainbow Mountain in Cusco with my own eyes before I die.

What are your other passions besides art? Why?

I guess the biggest one is psychology. The human brain is such a fascinating thing in so many ways. I studied for a few years to become a psychologist and life ended up getting in the way of that, but I approach almost everything from a psychological perspective as a result and I think it helps me to understand myself and the world around me a lot better than if I just took everything at face value.

One of my favourite things to do is have a discussion with someone about one thing that they are super passionate about that I know nothing about. I get to learn a whole new thing, but I also get to watch their face light up with excitement and ask questions about why they are so into that specific thing, and I think I learn a lot about people and their brains this way.

Do you make other forms of art?

Not for a while, it’s been all about 3D for the last 3 years. But I have been missing painting lately, so I hope to get my brushes out soon. Painting is a whole other type of meditation and one of my favourite activities is to paint while I’m camping in the middle of nowhere.

How did you come up with your specific style?

This is quite difficult to condense into a succinct answer but ultimately the foundation of my style is this:

I create to leave the chaos of my own mind behind, so creating is a meditative process for me. When I started to share my work on twitter and it got some attention, I realised that my work was also meditative for other people.

If I had to describe my style I would say it is soothing, surreal and meditative. To me, those words are what naturally comes out of the reason that I create. I got to the specific visual style by learning about line work and the psychology behind it, and combining that with the elements of nature that I love the most. I have tattoos on each inner elbow, one of mountains and one of the ocean.

Of course there are many artists (Rik Oostenbroek, Six n Five, Andres Reisinger, Mankind) and places (the Rainbow Mountains in Peru, China, the lines that form in the deserts of Arizona and Utah) that have helped me to refine my work into what it has become.

How has your style evolved over the years?

This is wild to me, but it has not yet been 12 months that I have been making art the way I do now. In that time though, I see a really consistent growth and evolution, and I think it is the insecurity I have about my work that is constantly pushing me to grow. I’ve gone from creating work that would not be necessarily distinguishable from any other image should you type ‘dreamscape’ into a pinterest search, to finding something that is really authentic to me and I’m really proud of that.

What is coming in the near future?

So many things. I have a few really exciting collaborations that will be sprinkled throughout the year; I’m in talks with some very cool art teams about collections that I will potentially be involved in and beyond that I’m just really excited to see how the rest of this year sees my art evolve

How was collaborating with our friend NoCreative?

‘Abulia’ my collaboration with NoCreative has fetched the highest price tag to date and is also above and beyond the biggest piece in terms of time spent on the project. I’m so proud of what we created, it feels like the perfect meeting of minds.

If you could collaborate with one artist who would it be?

Mankind, without question.

Can you link us to your recent drops?

https://makersplace.com/h4/oreka-1-of-1-270233/ | https://makersplace.com/valent/disocia-1-of-1-285601/ | https://makersplace.com/roguenft/abulia-1-of-1-266827/

Do you have any upcoming drops?

I’m currently working on a piece for PJ Curly’s ‘Women of Web 3.0’ curation on dissrup which I am really excited to be involved in, and I’m hoping to have the final drop in my Seussian Collection on opensea done within the next month or so.

What was your greatest failure and what did you learn from that?

There are a bunch of examples that I could give to this, but the failure itself is trying to conform to what I thought society, or a specific member of it wanted me to be. I learned (the hard way, and over and over again) that life isn’t about pleasing other people – with your actions, with your work, with who you are – it’s about finding yourself and being that person with absolute conviction.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Just my sincere gratitude. The NFT community is a really wonderful corner of the internet to participate in, and the opportunities that have come my way since becoming part of it have honestly changed my life. I’m so grateful for all of it. I can’t wait to see where we all are in five years!

The post Eniosta | Mae NFT Artist Interview. appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Kristian Levin

NoCreative

Professional retouch artist and photographer
with 15 years of experience, turned 3D artist. 

If you are inspired check his art out on:

https://superrare.com/nocreative

https://makersplace.com/kristianlevin/

Creator

Curator

Collector

Who are you and where are you from?

My name is Kristian Levin. Professional retouch artist and photographer, turned 3D artist. Working out of Copenhagen, Denmark. With plus 15 years of experience.
A couple of years ago, I turned my attention to the world of 3D, and never looked back. All my experience form the latter 2 fields of work, translated seamlessly into the 3D workflow and a whole new world opened to me.

A world where I could create anything effortless, and was literally able to control the sun! I now work fluently within and across my 3 areas of expertise, to create, explore and improve.

NFT Culture

Halo

What did you pursue before art? 

I’ve had many other jobs They were mainly in my teens, and early 20s when I first moved to Copenhagen. Like I was an electrician for two weeks at one point, street salesman, check out in a store the list goes on. I’ve done a lot of shit in short spans of time.

When I moved to Copenhagen, I moved there to study Japanese at Copenhagen Business school. This clearly didn’t workout for me and I realized that I’d rather play around with Photoshop than practice my Kanji.

Tell us about what kind of art you are making?

I make 3D based art, with emphasis on an exploration of architecture, art history and the radical movement of fabrics suspended in weightlessness. And storytelling.

How did you got introduced to the nft world?

I got into crypto back in 2016, and loved everything about it. I actually pondered the idea of photography/art provenance on the blockchain back then, without having any conception about NFTs.
When I first discovered NFTs in the summer of 2020, there was no doubt in my mind that I had to become a part of this space. And here we are…

Leviathan

Ark of forbearance and anger, derelict
Night of the brute, antarctic outlander,
Nearing or passing me – an ice-field of cloth
Displacing the darkness – one day
I shall enter your walls, I shall rear
On the sunken marine of your winter, your armory.

MakersPlace

Gun Ana

A thin line curves the fabric of
existence. alignment. She who
brings life, stands tall at the fourth
prime. Everything else, beneath her
Without her candescence, all flesh
would perish.

SuperRare

What inspires you about art? Who are your artistic influencers?

Photographers are a big inspiration:

• Mario Testino
• Henrik Bülow
• Trine Søndergaard
• Blaise Reuterswärd
• Hiroshi Sugimoto
• Ansel Adams
• Annie Leibovitz
• and a 100 more.

They’ve always been a big part of my life, and they bring so much inspiration.

I am very influenced by the Dadaists and surrealists of art history:

• Magritte
• Miró
• Dalie

The great masters:

• Giotto
• Botticelli
• Leonardo
• Raphael
• … all the turtles.

 

The Painters of Baroque are also a huge influence on me:

• Rembrandt
• P.S. Krøyer
• Carl Locher

All these are where I draw my inspiration for themes, lighting and compositions.

Architecture is a huge influence in most of my work, I can only name very few architects, but I love looking at it and doing deep dives into the different genres and styles.

 

Brutalism being a favorite of mine.

There’s of course loads in the NFT/Creative space, like so many that I could go one forever and new ones are popping up everyday! You all inspire me!

What are your favorite pieces and why?

It’s got to be Devéloppé. The whole history and journey with that one is just special to me.

It’s an exploration of Edgar Degas’s paintings, with the individuals (girls) left out.

This piece was done to emphasize the interchangeable nature of a Ballet.

Ballet is a piece of art that’s evolving, and standing the trials of time.It’s an artform where the performer is replaceable.

Hence why there are no ballerinas. The swan lake does not need a particular dancer or group of dancers, they are just the medium of communication.

The story never changes, the art never changes, but the people performing it dose

The lighting is a combined inspiration of the works of photographer Trine Søndergaard, and painter Vilhelm Hammershøi.

Mirrors being mirrors, breaking reality creating a duality, a natural uncertainty by their presence. Giving off an unreal feeling of what is real and what is not.

Tell us about what kind of art you are making?

I make 3D based art, with emphasis on an exploration of architecture, art history and the radical movement of fabrics suspended in weightlessness. And storytelling.

How did you got introduced to the nft world?

I got into crypto back in 2016, and loved everything about it. I actually pondered the idea of photography/art provenance on the blockchain back then, without having any conception about NFTs.
When I first discovered NFTs in the summer of 2020, there was no doubt in my mind that I had to become a part of this space. And here we are…

How do you make your art?

Honestly I just sit down and work, my pieces take a lot of time and my process is slow. So new ideas for other works rise constantly. Some of them I’ll write down, others just stick and won’t leave again. I really can’t remember the last time I didn’t know what to start on.

My Process:

I use a ton of pinterest boards, Models everything in Cinema 4D, and do the simulations in houdini. I render, texture and light using Octane Render. Do post in either Photoshop or davinci resolve. (plus a dusin other supportive programs and plugins)

What advice would you give to other artists starting out?

Community

Consistency

Curiosity

Speak to everyone you can, do not be shy about it. Most of the NFT space is taking place on twitter and Discord, platforms that are made for talking and interacting.

If people don’t want to talk and interact, they are doing it wrong!

I’ve never turned anyone down, who has reached out,and some of the interactions I’ve had because of that. Is what I cherish the most in this space. Many of these people have become my good friends, and are the reason why I am where I am today.

NFTs are not easy… NFTs are really fucking hard work!

If you entered the NFTs space, you just became your own brand, whether you like it or not… You have to market your art. You have to sell your art. You have to make the hard decisions. You have to choose your strategy. You have to determine your price, and you have to build a community and a brand around yourself.

Connect with Kristian on Twitter

 

NoCreative

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ArtNovo is a collective of established media artists, each of whom has been instrumental in bringing  dynamic and influential ideas to life. Each represents a practice that is rooted in experimentation,  innovation and invention, and has gained significant recognition. Their works are recognized for  challenging cultural norms in defiance of any artistic status quo, and have been celebrated in exhibitions by  major international museums, galleries, across the internet and on broadcast television. 

ArtNovo is Irit Batsry, Robert Cahen, Theo Eshetu, Terry Flaxton, John Sanborn, Guli Silberstein, and Nataša Prosenc Stearns – pioneering artists driven to explore new technology and modes of expression. Which is  why they are engaging in crypto-art’s propensity to operate in a decentralized, self-curating manner  without a traditional hierarchy – deviating from archaic artworld structures – but fashioning intersections  with traditional structures and curatorial thought.  

Their interest in creating and releasing NFT crypto-art works stems from their passion to instigate change,  to assemble insights, to advance and strengthen their practices, and to demonstrate how the blockchain is  changing the very nature of art. 

ArtNovo is actively recruiting members across race, gender and cultural background. We expect the  collective to grow and develop to reflect the world we live in and the world we seek to advance.al surface through a ceremonial  movement. 

Learn more about the project here.

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