Inspired by the spirit of WAGMI, an edgy NFT art at Biennale City disrupts the notion of performing arts and how it should be viewed
Inspired by the spirit of WAGMI, an edgy NFT art at Biennale City disrupts the notion of performing arts and how it should be viewed
A row of vertically placed televisions, some with attached headphones, serve as digital frames that ‘play’ the artworks in a loop at Café Papaya. Myths and Memes, the show curated by artist Vimal Chandran, is Kochi’s first ever NFT art showcase. Put together by the 101 India NFT Creators Project, the exhibition features the works of 14 NFT artists. 101 India is a digital content platform that tells the little-known stories of the country.
“I have put together the works of the best artists in India’s NFT scene. I have integrated artists and works across all genres, practices and age groups. For example, Ajay Menon, a photographer, actor Reema Kalingal, an editorial cartoonist Satish Acharya, and graphic artist Prasad Bhat,” says Vimal, who is also showing his works from his ‘Folk Sci-Fi’ series. Most of the participating actors have been a part of the NFT scene from the very beginning.
Ajay Menon was toying with the idea of cinematography-related NFT projects and was discussing it with Vimal, who was already part of the NFT art scene, when he met Jaideep Singh, the founder of an offbeat media company, of which 101 India is a part. , and the 101 India NFT Creators Project shaped many of the conversations.
One of Vimal Chandran’s works in the show. photo credit: special arrangement
Since 101 India Stories is rooted in India, and the country is full of myths, this was an inevitable choice. While not all works stick to its strict definition of myth, it is the role of each individual artist where modern mythology fuses with myth to create.
“The impact of meme culture on the crypto-world is enormous; the aesthetic is distinct and related to crypto-memes. A meme communicates in ways despite the language barrier; ‘trollface’ for example is known worldwide and People know what it communicates. Memes are the new Monalisa! NFT art has unlimited possibilities, limits will disappear and the best part? The creator can protect the authenticity of each work, especially since memes are anonymous. Artists in VFX and animation now have a mark,” says Vimal. With Sotheby’s and Christie’s conducting NFT auctions, he says, NFT art is here to stay.
Reema Kalingal in ‘Nethe’ | photo credit: special arrangement
The locating of the show in Kochi was deliberate, says Jaideep. Apart from being the Biennale city, it was the “large, active community of NFT artists from and in Kerala” that led the show to be held in the city, adding that “the nature of art shows will change, art will become more immersive especially.” When Augmented Reality comes in handy… the potential of the Metaverse is limitless.”
Artwork of Reshidev RK | photo credit: special arrangement
Plans include creating content around art and artists, “not didactic but interesting where artists will talk about their art to engage with audiences,” he says. The content will be uploaded on social and YouTube channels of 101 India. It is the first in a series of plans for them nationwide, “four shows monthly, each week in a new city and also take it abroad.”
The show is a disruptor that pushes boundaries while changing the perception/expectation about an art show. Unlike work hung on walls or installations, ‘Dekhna’ art becomes a dive into the works with artworks of Varun Desai and Jibin Joseph’s generative, ‘Cyberdelic’ as well as works by Fahad Hussain. Fahd, the founder of Onseed Artists Collective, works with psychedelic arts and music communities. He has created concert art, album covers and costumes for musicians.
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Actress Reema Kalingal shows off her second NFT, ‘ Nethe‘ (for Malayalam weaving), in collaboration with Ajay Menon. Reema’s choreography, featuring her and a group of dancers against the background of working weavers, is based on the dancer’s weaving movements.
This is not her first NFT, In October 2021, she became the first Malayali actress to leave NFT, ‘Rebel Bloom’. It was created in collaboration with Frankie (Francis Kurien), Lami (Lakshmi KTP) and Bohomonk (Mahesh Krishnan). The music for it was composed by Lamy, photoshoots by Frankie and material by Bohomonk.
Portland-based Resideve RK’s works are presented in a colorful manner, while San Francisco-based digital artist Vidya Vinnacotta makes a bold feminist statement through her art, which is as rooted in Indian culture as through a modern lens. is seen from. The expressions of mythology, folklore and contemporary expression in the art of Sachin Samson and the works of Berlin-based digital artist and illustrator Archana Nair are layered and complex. Rajni Gadhvi’s works show her background in branding and packaging as a creative director and motion designer. Shizi Umar is the youngest to have a Masters in Fine Arts from Jamia Millia Islamia.
It had its constraints in setting up such a show, and the unavailability of digital frames with the specifications required to display NFT art. “It is new, frames were hard to find. The ones that are available are very expensive. These are minor problems that come from doing something for the first time. I am sure that since there will be demand, they will start production in India,” The team had to improvise, so the 43-inch television screen was placed vertically, says Vimal. “We had to make some technical adjustments like changing the resolution so that the visual quality of the artifacts was not compromised,” says Jaideep.
Jaideep says the aim is to bring NFT art into the mainstream and make it accessible by educating people about it and creating space for new artists to explore the medium and realize its potential. This is in the spirit of ‘Wagmi’ – the confidence building of the crypto world for ‘we are all going to build this’.
Affiliate programs include shows, presentations, talks by artists such as Bose Krishnamachari (July 3), meet and greets with artists, among other programmes. Alongside is a display of NXT art skateboards by Merkaba Board. The show opens at 12 noon, and there are affiliate events from 6 pm onwards. The show will conclude on July 6.