Portal Realms

Art

Artists and the Ever Changing World

Art and science have always had a close relationship. Throughout the Enlightenment period, great thinkers and explorers recorded their findings through text and detailed illustrations. Artists of the time utilized depth, perspective, shadow, and even the golden ratio to bring the images in their minds to life.

Though art and STEM fields may seem to resonate with different parts of the brain, for artists in the computer age, they converge. It is something deeply human that invites us, no matter our background, to play with tools as they become available to us. Is it any wonder that one of the first uses of the computer was to make art? Or that the early internet was filled with bugs, glitches, and slow download speeds that artists transformed into found objects worth enjoying?

The Dawn of the Digital

Victor Acevedo’s career evolved alongside the storied trajectory of PCs and the Graphic User Interface, or GUI period. But his interest in the mystical and the metaphysical nature of art began in his analog period. Having read books like “The Tao of Physics” by Fritjof Capra and Wassily Kandinsky’s book, “Concerning the Spiritual in Art,” he was immediately drawn to the metaphors in Eastern thought that explored the tension between things that can feel simultaneously full and empty. 

“In the book, [Capra] discusses among many things, a metaphor found in Eastern mysticism called the ‘void plenum’ or the ‘void matrix,’” Acevedo told 79Au. “This can be described as a kind of omni-dimensional substrate of reality; a vast ocean of ‘isness’ that is paradoxically completely empty (void) and simultaneously full and brimming over (my words) with physical and metaphysical potentiality (the matrix or plenum).”

“Penance Untitled with IVM v02” 1983-2023, reproduced with permission from the artist

According to Acevedo, this concept spawned his graphic visualization of the so-called ‘void matrix’ as a structural field. Then he read R. Buckminster Fuller’s book “Synergetics: Explorations in the Geometry of Thinking.” There he found the field-like geometrical structures that became a wellspring of inspiration for many of his works. In pieces like “4-Fold Rotational Wasp” or “Penance Untitled with IVM (isotropic vector matrix) overlay,” we see the lines and angles at times penetrating the subjects, and at other times fading into obscure forms. 

In 1983, Acevedo began exploring the digital realm, taking his appreciation for the concrete and the abstract with him. In pieces like “Huichol Ghost” and his video work “Proxima Nova,” a musical collaboration with Igor Amokian, one looks into a prism, experiencing the vastness that stems from looking at a familiar subject with new eyes.

“The use of the geometrical overlay is a way to metaphor the spatial and energetic structures that create a matrix or context for the figurative ‘happenings’,” he said. “It is an aesthetic choice to convey a particular graphic metaphor. For me, it’s more like the human subjects need the geometry.” In his piece “@_The Edge of the Metaverse v03” Acevedo explores the virtual/physical hybrid that has become modern life. “Now almost every human on the planet has their reality altered, enhanced, or impacted by digital technologies,” he writes in the artwork description.

For me, it’s more like the human subjects need the geometry.”

Victor Acevedo

"@_The Edge of the Metaverse v03"

Through geometrical overlay, Acevedo is able to represent the networks that connect all of our lives. Like lines connecting each of our devices, platforms, and versions of ourselves, the geometry reminds us of the invisible webs we weave throughout our lifetime. And with virtual and augmented reality, it is only going to get more convoluted.

Creativity in the Age of the Artificial 

Erika Fujyama is a filmmaker whose freelance work led her to photography. But while looking through her many shots, she found herself more interested in the “bad” photos. “While curating still images, I would find that a few of them which don’t look technically good were interesting somehow. Then I started playing with them, using effects, overlays, filters,” and all of a sudden, what most would consider the scraps on the editing floor became the very materials of her digital art. 

“What I like the most in this journey is that most of my digital artworks and NFTs are made of clips or photos that are ‘creatively reused’ or up-cycled raw materials converted into so-called artworks,” Fujyama told 79Au. “There’s something inside me that wants to transform the boring ordinary reality into something abstract, funny or provocative.”

While looking for webinars or communities that could help her learn how to use artificial intelligence in her work, she stumbled upon the world of web3. After finding AI, Fujyama’s eye, which was trained on film and photography, saw new ways of imagining the world around her.

“There’s something inside me that wants to transform the boring ordinary reality into something abstract, funny or provocative.”

Erika Fujyama

Left: “THINKER” by Erika Fujyama

In “THINKER,” she explored the idea of what artificial intelligence would consume if it were a living, breathing being that needed sustenance to survive. Using Midjourney, she tried different prompts along the lines of “if AI was a humanoid metallic sculpture, questioning his existence, reflecting if he could be considered an artwork.” 

“My goal was to pick one good image of an AI being, and to make it process data as we humans process food,” she said. “Information and feeding have the same purpose and mechanism.” As Midjourney only generates still images, Fujyama then had to animate the piece. “I made a stop motion thing and gave some ‘life’ to it. Thinking is a never ending process that’s why it’s a loop.” Finally, Fujyama placed the artwork in front of the iconic New York Public Library on 5th Avenue.

“This world is made of vibrational patterns of thoughts, feelings, memories and experiences,” she writes in her artist statement. “Multiple layers of colors and dynamic shapes come around. I capture the potential of the outcomes and make them shine and coexist through art.” Placing a 3D sculpture in the middle of a busy building, where people may or may not see it, assuming they know it exists, captures this concept perfectly.

An AR rendition of “THINKER” placed in front of the NYPL, reproduced with permission from the artist

Existing In and Outside the Lines

As technology continues to expand far past what even the most far out science fiction creators can imagine, it will be artists who play, create, and ponder. In both Acevedo and Fujyama’s works, metaphor becomes the most precise means of communication. It’s difficult to grasp what is happening in today’s world, both because the technology changes so quickly, and because we may never truly know what lies behind the curtains.

Like with previous technologies, we see artists being the main users of both NFTs and artificial intelligence, and the exploration has only just begun.

Ready to get started as an artist or collector on Mint Gold Dust? Check out our Metamask start up guide to get started. Ready to start minting? Apply to talk with our curatorial team today.

Weekly Recap

79Au | 6.22-28 Art is a Portal to the Immersive

In the world of NFTs, almost everything is cross-genre. Some pieces invoke the tension between the physical and the digital. Others combine multiple styles and mediums. Increasingly, more and more artists are using art as a portal, to bring together the visual, musical, literary, performance-based, technological, and beyond.

Artists have used NFTs to break down all kinds of philosophical and financial barriers. The artists in “Portal Realms” show multiple ways of straddling different worlds and disciplines. A coder can indeed take her seat at the artists’ table. And a DJ can build entire realities with the combined power of visual art and music.

The Transformative Nature of Immersive Experience

Iamnubio has felt the electricity of a crowd dancing and vibing in unison. He has created that electricity, using all the tools necessary to drop a participant in the middle of a memorable moment. As a DJ, he has always aimed to connect with the audience on a deeper level. 

Working under the pseudonym of Iamnubio has helped him to explore different facets of sound. It has also allowed him to follow the spark of inspiration regardless of the medium. Furthermore, many of his artworks utilize original soundtracks, adding to the sensory experience of the work. “I’m exploring unique aesthetics, textures, and visual narratives,” he told 79Au. “These experiences have informed my music production, allowing me to experiment with different sounds, layering techniques, and musical elements to create a rich and immersive sonic experience.”

Any elongated musical experience aims to tell a story. Whether it be an album or a live set, the artist curates a journey to share with their listeners. But there’s also something to be said about the visual experience of it all: the way the artist performs, the backdrop to the stage, the lights. This is the spatial, multi-sensory approach that Iamnubio brings to his works.

“These experiences have informed my music production, allowing me to experiment with different sounds, layering techniques, and musical elements to create a rich and immersive sonic experience.”

"Inner Conquering" by Iamnubio

“I believe that music has the power to evoke emotions and enhance the impact of visual art,” he said. “When I add music to artwork, I approach the visual elements with the intention of synchronizing them with the emotional essence of the music. The visuals are crafted to resonate with the mood, rhythm, and energy of the accompanying music, creating a powerful and immersive experience for the viewer.”

Immersion is a prominent theme in Iamnubio’s works. In the piece “Inner Conquering,” we see someone viewing the world through the lens of a headset. The layers of color scheme, facial expressions, and body language hint at the subject’s perception of an alternate reality, one in which they are fully immersed. Though this piece does not feature music, it includes Iamnubio’s iconic dancing skeletons and invokes the energy of music.

For Iamnubio, as both an artist and as a DJ, immersion is the crux of the experience. “The concept of immersion allows individuals to transcend their physical surroundings and delve into alternative realities,” he said. “It opens up a realm of infinite possibilities, where boundaries between the real and the virtual blur, enabling new forms of expression and storytelling.” “Inner Conquering” highlights the power of technology to transport us to new dimensions, to provoke introspection, and to challenge our perceptions.

“Dreamscape” by Trish Gianakis

The (R)evolving World of Computer-Based Art

Trish Gianakis has been exploring the intersection of art and technology since the 1980s. A veteran of merging IRL art installations and emerging technologies, her work interrogates the very nature of our increasingly phygital experience.

Having studied computers and how they work, Gianakis brings thoughtful and creative logic to her works. “While earning my masters degree at SVA in 1999, I had to learn JavaScript, C++, and Unix,” she told 79Au. “I have a deep appreciation and understanding of what computers are capable of today, since I understand programming.” Perhaps it is the understanding of digital infrastructure that makes the presentation of her art so engaging.

Gianakis has created a large scope of works, from 3D sculpture to AR filters to glitch to something like digital watercolor. You can view them in the gallery she has built and curated herself. “I am enjoying using AI, creating worlds in Spatial,” she said. “I enjoy creating in VR with Gravity Sketch and then exporting it to other 3D programs such as Blender or Nomad. Mostly I enjoy exporting my art to AR to share with the world.”

View of "Dreamscape" from inside Spatial

“The abstract and freedom in creating in VR is reflected in this dreamlike space, no walls, or windows, but rather a free floating and playful environment.”

Having worked with AR for so many years, she has witnessed the changes in perception around the technology. However, a lot of people still don’t seem to understand the difference between AR and VR. This is part of why she continues to explore the medium, and to invite people to experience it.

With “Dreamscape,” she created a digital structure that could be experienced on its own or inside of a virtual world. “I wanted to create a space for people to be free and interact with my art,” she said. Using the mirror setting in TiltBrush, she created bug-like creatures that double as the architecture of the space. Depending on the angle you can see the insects, the structure, or both. 

“The abstract and freedom in creating in VR is reflected in this dreamlike space, no walls, or windows, but rather a free floating and playful environment,” she said. In AR, the world can be enlarged and you can walk through it, or you can move it around. You can also view “Dreamscape” in Spatial where you can jump around as an avatar.

Gianakis has looked at her practice from many different angles. On one hand, she finds ways to incorporate technology into her physical sculptures. On the other hand, she finds ways to illuminate the physicality of her digital sculptures and AR objects. “AR is still a mystery to most people,” she said. It is a mystery that she does not intend to solve, but to explore.

Ready to get started as an artist or collector on Mint Gold Dust? Check out our Metamask start up guide to get started. Ready to start minting? Apply to talk with our curatorial team today.

Weekly Recap

79Au | 5.18-24 At Home with the Supernatural

Art lovers have often revered their favorite works as a portal into the artist’s soul. Artists transform a subject in the act of recreating it. But the viewer also changes as they absorb the artist’s vision. Yet another theme racing through the artworks in “Portal Realms” is the supernatural forces of change.

Anything can be a portal: a memory, a daydream, a movie, a threshold. It can be physical or intangible, real or imaginary. Almost more important than the portal itself is the version of ourselves that meets us on the other side.

Joyce Korotkin Looks Into the Light

Many of Joyce Korotkin’s artworks take root in the in-between places that populate our world. Some of her works live in a moment between the past and the future, a disquieted present. Others look at the world almost through a supernatural lens. “I’ve been fascinated by the lore of crystal balls since I first saw The Wizard of Oz as a young child,” Korotkin told 79 Au. “[Specifically] the scene where Dorothy gazed into the Witch’s ball at a world within the world.” 

Many of Korotkin’s earliest memories involve her getting lost in a world of color. As a young girl, she drew a line with chalk along the bricks of her childhood home. “I stared at it as closely as my eyes could get, transfixed, for what seemed like hours,” she added. Then in Kindergarten, she dipped a brush into a pot of deep pink paint. “I couldn’t get enough of staring at it; I wanted to devour it,” she added.

Ever since, she has been fascinated by the power of the gaze. Or rather, how one can be transported into an alternate universe by the act of gazing. 

In her work “The Occurrence: The Child #1,” she shows a child looking over a scene of destruction. Here, she taps into another recurring theme of her work, “that out of the blue of an otherwise perfectly ordinary day, something happens that transforms the world forever.”

"Occurrence: Species 1 / Transmutation 1"

“Digital art and the emergence of NFTs felt like the same quantum leap from the past into something completely new and disconnected. Here was an intangible art comprised of nothing but light.”

Even the evolution of Korotkin’s project shows the ways in which technology can change the world in an instant. The child featured in the artwork in the “Portal Realms” exhibition is the protagonist of  “The Occurrence” series on Mint Gold Dust. The artwork was created using AI, procreate and animation. However, Korotkin created the other works in the series before she ever heard of AI art tools. “Suddenly, it’s here, and everything has changed.”

The overnight success of AI feels similar to the recent NFT bull market, though on a smaller scale. Each technology helped us recognize the hurrying pace of the future. “Digital art and the emergence of NFTs felt like the same quantum leap from the past into something completely new and disconnected,” Korotkin said. “Here was an intangible art comprised of nothing but light.” 

“Light has always been the province of painters,” she pointed out. It is one of the main things everyone writes about when discussing a specific work. “Vermeer’s Light, Rembrandt’s light, Caravaggio’s light, Impressionist light. And here was a new art, distilled to art’s essence: Light itself.”

Matt Menendez Explores Interstitial Space

Menendez’s piece “Beyond the Threshold: The Portal” features a figure edging closer to a gateway. The terrain flashes with seas of blue and white light. This work, like many others by Menendez, leans into themes of fantasy and science fiction. The ambiguity around the setting as well as the subject allow for the viewer to fill in the details. 

“What excites me the most is that [fantasy and sci-fi] allow for unlimited possibilities of imagination and invention,” Menendez told 79 Au. “It’s their sense of wonder and escapism that always draws me in.”

Indeed, the portal taps into both the escapist nature of fiction and the shift from one reality to the next. Like in life, the future that will greet the subject in the artwork is still unknown. And it is that very quality of uncertainty that makes gazing into the flashing blue so exciting. 

Menendez has a long career in architecture and design, which one can see readily in his work in “Portal Realms.” With an acute awareness of space, Menendez aimed to explore the idea of the in between. “Interstitial space is a common conversation in the architectural world,” he said. “But in the context of the metaverse it holds a different meaning.” 

When we think of portals in metaverse spaces, we typically think of doorways to different worlds or spaces within a world. “You don’t really get to experience them,” he said. “They are more  just a ‘quick’ teleportation to a different space.” It was this area of intrigue that inspired “Beyond the Threshold: The Portal.” What might the inner workings of a portal in virtual space look like if we took the time to look?

“Interstitial space is a common conversation in the architectural world. But in the context of the metaverse it holds a different meaning.” 

"States of The Metaverse - Flow"

“I wanted to explore this interstitial space as an atmospheric experience that spans x amount of time rather than a quick transition,” he said. “The notion that one can experience the space from one side of the portal to the other is fascinating to me, and I would hope for others too,” he added.

A Virtual Butterfly Effect

Both artists we spoke to this week were fascinated by the unlimited possibilities that exist in making even a single piece of art. When using AI art tools, word choice alters the output. When choosing colors, even a slight shift of shade could change the mood.

“What I use as a prompt for portals in Midjourney isn’t the same as, say, Kaiber, which is what I used to create ‘Beyond the Threshold,’” Menendez said. “I like to think of these different prompt syntaxes of language and how we look at different architectural styles.”

And for Korotkin, her love of color spills over into a perfectionist’s dilemma. “Just about every digital piece I make has several iterations, mostly based on different colors,” she said. “And sometimes I just mint them all and let collectors decide for themselves. ‘The Secret Life of Flowers’ is one such series.”

No matter the medium or style, each choice the artist makes affects the next. And it is in these strange and unsettling moments between start and finish where art truly thrives.

Ready to get started as an artist or collector on Mint Gold Dust? Check out our Metamask start up guide to get started. Ready to start minting? Apply to talk with our curatorial team today.