Oli Scialdone: Earlier than coming to digital artwork, you have been an oil painter. Are you able to inform me just a little bit about the way you discovered not solely digital artwork, however NFTs? How have you ever explored self-expression all through your journey as an artist throughout mediums?
Serwah Attafuah: Each of my dad and mom are artists, so I began being artistic at a reasonably younger age. My dad is an African storyteller and metallic sculptor, my mum is a graphic designer and painter. I used to be all the time inspired to attempt new issues, so when I discovered a set of oil paints in my dad and mom storage/studio, I immediately fell in love and painted each day. We misplaced our storage in my early teenagers and I needed to discover one other approach to be artistic, however I actually thought lengthy and laborious about what medium would allow me to be artistic each time/nevertheless/wherever I needed. Digital artwork made probably the most sense; all I actually wanted was a pc and I might run free. So now, I’ve been making digital artwork for over 12 years, which is nearly half my life. I began out actually experimental as a result of I taught myself and had no actual trainer or mentor telling me I used to be doing issues ‘the unsuitable means.’ It labored out rather well ultimately as a result of now I really feel like I’ve a method that isn’t attainable, as a result of I created my very own methods of doing issues.
I obtained into NFTs in mid 2020 when curator Lindsay Howard invited me to be part of a digital artwork group present powered by NFTs. I had solely heard of NFTs in passing, however as soon as I obtained began, it completely modified my life and the way in which I checked out artwork transferring ahead.
OS: You started a TEDx discuss you gave in February by talking in regards to the many metaverses you explored on-line whereas rising up, saying that “Having the liberty to attempt on totally different metaphysical hats with the technological assurance of an undo button allowed me to curate and discover my id for years to return.” What did it imply so that you can create digital areas the place you possibly can safely discover and specific your id? How did that affect your paintings in ORGASM, ACTIVATED?
SA: It was so vital and influential for me to have had these areas rising up in early variations of the metaverse. I in all probability wouldn’t have gravitated a lot to digital artwork if I hadn’t had these lived experiences. I truly was homeless for a short while once I was a toddler–going to the web cafe and diving right into a digital wonderland was a brilliant escape for me. Now I can create areas from scratch which can be sanctuaries and protected havens, and it’s tremendous vital to have these for my psychological well being. I’ve all the time needed to be a world builder, and 3D artwork provides me the instruments to do this. Creating the ORGASM universe in pink and gold shades is an extension of this.
OS: You’ve described your paintings as “surreal cyber dreamscapes and heavenly wastelands, populated by afro-futuristic abstractions of self.” What are your ideas on how these dreamscapes and wastelands in your worlds work together with the pictures of the self that you simply depict? How did this theme in your work translate into your work “EXPLORATION” within the ORGASM, ACTIVATED assortment?
SA: My work is admittedly about pushing the surreal in each up to date and conventional view. It’s additionally heavy on the theme of afrofuturism. To me afrofuturism is about portray afro and black cultures with a constructive future centered mild. My characters are what I name abstractions of reflections of self, that means that I’m telling my story via totally different variations of me. With “EXPLORATION,” I actually needed to seize a sense just like the centre of the universe in orgasmic bliss via what I feel is my signature artwork model of afrofuturism and afrosurrealism.
OS: How did the shade Orgasm encourage your work and work together together with your self-expression as an artist?
SA: Pink and gold tones have all the time been a relentless in my work. I see it as a logo of power and female energy. I even have a deep ardour for make-up and have been utilizing Orgasm since I used to be 15; I really feel like I’ve all the time been making an attempt to duplicate the identical glittering pores and skin impact and powerful glowing appears throughout all my digital characters.
OS: Are you able to inform us just a little extra about your artistic course of in bringing the piece to life? How did you go about creating the paintings itself, after which translating it into an experiential AR filter that permits others to self-express within the context of your creation?
SA: I began by actually making an attempt to faucet into what Orgasm meant to me. It’s one thing private but common. I’ve a philosophy that an paintings isn’t actually completed and revisit and broaden on ideas consistently. So I made a decision to broaden on my piece “Voidwalker” (2020) to create “EXPLORATION,” tying to the topic of common orgasmic bliss. I first began with mapping out the place all of the 3D planets could be, then labored on the lighting and total vibe. The 3D make-up was actually fascinating to discover. I like working in AR and to have the ability to create a chunk of paintings to go along with it was actually particular.
View ORGASAM, ACTIVATED right here on SuperRare.
