UART MEDIA FEST is organized by the Gulliver multifunctional complex, which has the largest facade screens in Europe, in cooperation with the international company MEET FUTURE.

Motion designers, 3D visual, and light designers are invited to participate in the international multimedia contest and festival UART MEDIA FEST 2024. Contestants may win grants to develop their projects and have an opportunity to showcase their videos on the largest facade screens in Europe for thousands of festival visitors. The participants may compete in two areas: tech-heavy media art and digital & crypto-art.

Why Participate to the UART MEDIA FEST

The festival will take place on the 5th of October, 2024 in the heart of Kyiv, Ukraine. The works of talented motion designers from all over the world will be showcased to thousands of visitors on the large facade screens. The final screening of the participants’ works on the screens of the Gulliver multifunctional complex will take place on the 5th of October, 2024.

The winners, who will be determined by eminent industry representatives, will receive grants for the further development of their projects. The two winners of the UART MEDIA FEST competition will receive an award of $3000 for the best video and $1000 for NFT and the opportunity to cooperate with MEET FUTURE, i.e. the opportunity to present their work on the largest international media platforms.

Creative studios or individual designers can submit their video works that were created before or create content specifically for the festival. The topic of the second UART MEDIA FEST is “The Universe in Everyone”. For more information about participation and conditions, follow the link.

Gulliver shopping mall always strives to be at the forefront of cultural and social events. We are pleased to organize such an innovative festival, which confirms our status as a leading cultural center of the capital. Together with our partners MEET FUTURE, we continue to write the creative history of the country together, telling about our endless possibilities. Kateryna Zhurakivska, Marketing Director of the Gulliver shopping mall, comments. MEET FUTURE, the international company, the expert and trendsetter in innovative technologies and events, has become the organizational and executive partner of UART MEDIA FEST. The festival will be part of the big birthday celebration of the Gulliver shopping center, which celebrates 11 years in October. The event will combine traditional art and digital installations of the future, united by the topic of artificial intelligence.

UART MEDIA FEST was the first event of this scale in Ukraine, which took place in October 2023 in honor of the 10th anniversary of the Gulliver shopping mall. The festival attracted both national and international audiences: 22 artists from different countries took part in the contest, and their works were seen by 1000 festival visitors offline and 4000 viewers during online translation. All works were distinguished by their unique style and concept, but were united by the theme “The Light in Everyone”. This event became the starting point for a new format of cultural events in the country, combining contemporary art and digital tools of the future.

UART MEDIA FEST has won the 14th edition of the Eventex Awards 2024, the world’s most prestigious marketing award.

Go here to visit their website >>>

The post UART MEDIA FEST 2024 | International Media-Art Fest appeared first on Hue & Eye.

Join crypto art enthusiasts in Amsterdam for an exclusive ETHDam side event dedicated to digital art and collectibles lovers.

Cryptorefills, in the st-Art studio, proposes an amazing event dedicated to all the members, with lovely surprises and amazing art displayed by st-Art artists.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to be a part of the vibrant digital art scene in Amsterdam. Reserve your spot today!

About the organizers

st-Art is a platform created by and for artists. It was born out of a need to support artists world wide, by developing them and offering them a chance to display their works and to tell their story. They feel that art should be accessible to all and free from boundaries related to business. Indeed, their core business are workshops (painting, sculpturing, ceramics, digital art).

CryptoRefills allows you to buy mobile top-ups, gift cards, e-gifts, and vouchers with Ethereum, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies on the most important L1s and L2s.

Cryptorefills_flyer_qrcode_print

Event Highlights

• 6:15 PM – Meet web3 enthusiasts during an aperitif accompanied by drinks and a buffet

• 6:45 PM – St-Art event introduction
• 6:50 PM – Cryptorefills talk about Atomicrails and how it impacts the NFT market

Location

St-Art Studio: Kinkerstraat 2 – 1053 LV Amsterdam

This art gallery is just 5 minutes from the city center and a 30-minute bus ride (or 15 minutes by bike) from the ETHDam conference venue.

Special Gift

All participants will receive a special gift from Cryptorefills; find out everything about it at the launch of Atomicrails!

Whoever buys an artwork from the exhibited collection in the St-Art studio will receive the corresponding NFT as a gift.

See you there!

The post NFT Art Event | Cryptorefills @ St-Art Amsterdam – 20.05.23 appeared first on Hue & Eye.

Yeo Shih Yun (b. 1976, Singapore) is a recognized Singaporean artist whose innovative approach to ink painting got her international acclaim. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the National University of Singapore in 1998.

Soon Yeo would pursue a Diploma in Communication Design at LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts in 2001. Consequently, she gained the Post Baccalaureate Programme in painting at the San Francisco Art Institute in 2002.

Approaching Ink Painting 

Yeo’s experimental fusion of traditional ink painting with contemporary mediums, such as new media and performance art, has resulted in dynamic and unpredictable works that challenge conventional notions of the medium. Her unique creative process has earned her recognition, including a 2011 commission by the Singapore Art Museum and the People’s Choice Award for “Conversations with Trees,” which was nominated for Sovereign Asian Art Prize Finalists in 2012 and auctioned by Christie’s Asia. She has also won the UOB Painting of the Year Competition (Distinction in Abstract category) twice, in 1999 and 2007.

Exhibitions and Participations

Yeo has held exhibitions in major cities, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei, Shanghai, Tokyo, and New York, and has completed numerous commissions, including National Gallery Singapore’s “My Ink-credible Adventure” and her solo exhibition at Esplanade, titled “Chance Encounters,” in 2021. 

She participated in the “NFTs + The Ever-Evolving World of Art” Tezos exhibition at Art Basel Hong Kong in May 2022 and the “Digital Baroque” exhibition and auction curated by 4ART NFT+ marketplace and minted on Palm network.

In 2017, Yeo published her first book, “INKPULSE: the art of Yeo Shih Yun,” which chronicles her creative process and highlights her pursuit of new depths and perspectives within and beyond Abstract Expressionism. Additionally, Yeo is the Founder of “INSTINC,” an independent art space in Singapore.

Yeo’s innovative approach to ink art has significantly impacted the development of the medium both in Singapore and internationally. 

 We had an exclusive interview with her!

Hello Yeo! When or how have you understood you wanted to become an artist?

Growing up, my mum encouraged me to do whatever interested me. By age 5, I knew art would be essential to my world. Despite my deepest desires of creating art , I did not get to embark on any formal art training until my early twenties – compelled by the practical concerns of life. For my mum’s peace of mind, I had to complete my Business degree course from NUS before I could finally pursue my true passion and enroll myself in LASALLE College of the Arts. At that time, my decision was frowned upon and appeared to puzzle many, but I knew without a doubt that art was the epicenter of my core and calling for life. I could not imagine anything else.

Please briefly describe your technique and tell us what drives you to make art.

As an artist, I constantly draw to the rich history and limitless potential of ink painting. My passion for this ancient medium has led me on a journey of experimentation and exploration, fusing traditional techniques with contemporary mediums and unconventional tools.

One of my unique approaches to creating art is my collaboration with unexpected partners. I find inspiration in nature’s organic and unpredictable forms and often work in tandem with trees to create abstract compositions. For this, I also enjoy using non-traditional tools such as remote control cars and toy robots, infusing my works with playful and whimsical energy.

Through this unorthodox approach, I seek to challenge the boundaries of traditional ink painting and explore new depths of creativity. I embrace the fluidity and spontaneity of movement, allowing chance and improvisation to play a role in my works.

My creative process is constant experimentation and exploration, pushing the boundaries of what is possible with ink painting. By embracing the unexpected and collaborating with the world around me, I seek to create truly unique works that reflect my passion for this ancient medium.

Ultimately, my art reflects my deep respect for the rich history and limitless potential of ink painting and my unwavering commitment to exploring its endless possibilities.

What is the main feature that has changed in your work or practice?

My works are becoming more prominent in scale, and also, since 2020, I have used more digital media in my works,

Which artist primarily inspires your work? And is there something else, outside visual arts, that keeps you motivated?

Hard to name just one. Some are Robert Motherwell, Toko Shinoda, and Chua Ek Kay. I love traveling!

How would you like people to engage with your work?

Feel the energy from the ‘works.’

Spread the word! Do you have anything exciting on the horizon?

Yes, I have an upcoming solo show named SEPTUM that will open from 21-30 APRIL at SUPPER HOUSE in Singapore.

In Latin, SEPTUM means Seven, representing the series of seven paintings and poems. This exhibition aims to break down the perceived separations between art forms, creating an immersive installation.

The paintings, created with industrial sponges, are a result of masterful control of the water-based medium. Poet Euginia Tan crafted
seven abstract text poems in response to each painting, infusing a visual layer to the words. The exhibition will also be documented in a limited edition publication.

SEPTUM is a new chapter for Yeo Shih Yun, pushing her boundaries with her techniques, medium, and expression. The artworks bear her signature bold strokes and strong composition but with fresh colors and newfound
fluidity.

Follow her on Instagram or go to her website >

The post Yeo Shih Yun | SEPTUM, New Exhibition by Singaporean Ink Painter appeared first on Hue & Eye.

Undeadlu is Lucrezia, born in 1995 in Italy, where she still lives and works.

Lucrezia has drawn since she was a child; being this her passion, she would have studied art to create her future, but her parents refused her to do so. They always disagreed on how art could be a reliable job choice but rather a hobby that won’t deliver financial safety. Later, Lucrezia went on a degree in mechanics and eventually hated it.

Feeling unapproved and demoralized was starting to become her daily routine. 

Her parent’s thoughts, while frustrating her, also somehow fortified Undeadlu’s love for drawing as she decided to enter the world of tattooing and worked in a studio for some time.

Soon, she realized that the studio was mainly a money machine where art was at the bottom of their priorities, a conclusion that pushed her to leave.

“I saw a world where the money comes before human relationships and where someone legitimizes stealing the work of others (in this case mine), justifying it with the phrase ‘Come on, it’s just a drawing. You can’t get mad!’ Well, no. It’s not just a drawing, but that’s another story.” she explains on her website.

 

Visualizza questo post su Instagram

 

Un post condiviso da Lu (@undeadlu)

The Rise of Undeadlu

After some time, Undeadlu finally discovered the world of digital illustration and became a true fan of it. In February 2020, a friend she will always be thankful to suggest she look at SuperRare.

From there, she discovered the magical world of crypto art. A world where “stealing” is impossible, where you are free to express yourself, and a world full of great opportunities.

 

Visualizza questo post su Instagram

 

Un post condiviso da Lu (@undeadlu)

 

Visualizza questo post su Instagram

 

Un post condiviso da Lu (@undeadlu)

You may find Undeadlu on SuperRare, Makersplace, KnownOrigin, Opensea, Async or on Instagram.

The post Undeadlu | Finding Herself Through Cryptoart appeared first on Hue & Eye.

Foundation.App is a straightforward application used for bidding on digital art on the Ethereum blockchain. The platform aims to become the new creative economy for digital art. Here, people can purchase, trade, and browse digital art within a manageable user interface.

On the platform, artworks are tokenized on the Ethereum blockchain using non-fungible tokens (NFTs). To fully appreciate the platform, it’s essential to have a good understanding of how NFTs work.

Why Should Creators Use FoundationApp

NFT marketplaces can often be discouraging to use at first. However, Foundation has created a platform that facilitates the user experience, providing a simple platform for bidding on digital art.

Furthermore, Ethereum blockchain may track each piece on Foundation using the Etherscan block explorer. It adds a layer of transparency to the auction process that makes it easy to see when and who created it, plus an entire history of who has owned it since.

Foundation bridges crypto and culture to encourage a network of bilateral support between artists, creators, and collectors. The platform also shares tools with the rapidly evolving excited developers.

How Does It Works?

All Foundation creators have a profile page. This page displays the artist’s work and the bidding history of each piece created. Also, the creator profile shows a short bio and links to social media accounts.

The platform features live bidding for various Foundation artworks, including the Edward Snowden NFT. 

Foundation is a simple and easy-to-navigate suite for NFT artists and digital art enthusiasts to participate in decentralized auctions for various creative pieces. Furthermore, this is achieved in a decentralized and transparent manner using the Ethereum public blockchain.

To bid in auctions, you’ll need to connect with a Web3 wallet, such as MetaMask.

Start Creating Drops on Foundation.App

 

Visualizza questo post su Instagram

 

Un post condiviso da Foundation (@withfoundation)

Conclusion

Foundation is making non-fungible token (NFT) art auctions accessible and appealing to all. It also aims to become the go-to platform for NFT auctions with a simple user interface and easy-to-use functionality. Furthermore, as the platform continues to see increased adoption, the platform’s community redefines how we think about NFTs. Moreover, it is using NFTs for social good, to promote charitable causes and decentralization.

Click here to explore Foundation.

The post Foundation.App | All You Need to Know appeared first on Hue & Eye.

Gizem Dogan is a digital artist and visual designer who specializes in simulations and conceptual renderings. Her work and artistic style falls under the surreal, modern, and metaphysical. Her work has deep ties to outer space, the universe, and physics laws.

Gizem was born in Izmir, Turkey. She attended Istanbul Yildiz Technical University where she majored in Interactive Media Design. She has worked on a variety of projects including music videos and commercials. Gizem is also a successful artist in the NFT space, her art has been acquired by multiple collectors on SuperRare.

Gizem first met digital arts at 18 and participated in her first group exhibition within UNHCR in 2019.

She enjoys various art forms, including digital art and crypto art, and started this early on. Gizem particularly appreciates creating simulations with Houdini as she feels it allows her to express herself the most. 

Curiosities about Gizem.

Cinema is one of her biggest passions, especially movies from her favorite directors such as Darren Aronofsky, Gaspar Noe, Tom Ford, Bong Joon Ho, Yorgos Lanthimo.

She loves food and will never eat for survival rather than for absolute pleasure as an authentic Turkish girl. She also loves the nordic lights and would like to travel to Norway or Iceland for some inspiration as she believes there is a correlation between those effects and the simulations she creates.

Her favorite artists are Bernini, Neri Oxman, Pigo Lin and Can Büyükberber.

As for the NFT ones, she likes Hexeract and Murat Pak, with a special eye for The unsold by Murat Pak. 

Gizem and NFT Art.

She has recently been working nonstop on an NFT series for SuperRare.

Gizem’s approach to NFTs started in 2020, while she was already interested in the technology behind crypto and blockchain. After all, NFT is a combination of two of her favorite things: blockchain technology and digital art. 

Gizem has just finished a 3 piece series Xibalba and is already working on her next project soon. 

 

Visualizza questo post su Instagram

 

Un post condiviso da Gizem (@gizemdoogaan)

 

Visualizza questo post su Instagram

 

Un post condiviso da Gizem (@gizemdoogaan)

Follow Gizem on Twitter or Instagram.

Gizem on SuperRare >

Gizem Dogan on FoundationApp >

Click here to discover more NFT news >>>

The post NFT Art Stories | Gizem Doga, Between Art, Science & Technology appeared first on Hue & Eye.

Mehmet Turgut (b.1977) is a third-generation photographer from Ankara (Turkey).

His homonym grandfather was also a photographer. As a matter of fact, Mehmet has a family of photographers. His grandfather, paternal grandmother, father, and uncles were all photographers. They mostly shot portraits and people, specializing in advertising and architectural photography. Indeed, they all performed the techniques in their own time, from analog to digital photography.

Work and Career

Mehmet starts with the theory of photography, printing techniques, and photo editing to shift to fictional photography and photographic art.

Mehmet has won several national and international awards for his work, including the Photographic Society of America and Austria Super Circuit. He also has given many workshops and talks in various institutions such as TEDx Istanbul and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mehmet created record covers of Patricia Kaas’ “Best Of” and Ozzy Osbourne’s “Let It Die.”

In 2009, he was given the “Photography Artist of the Year” award by the Turkish Art Institution; in 2014, he won the “Photographer of the Year” award at the One Eye Land Awards.

Mehmet has been the owner and the creative director of the “Karakalem” Magazine since 2008 and the “46” Magazine since 2010. He also published his first photographic book, “30” in 2012.

In 2014, Mehmet created the project “Ala Portreler” with names like Ara Guler and Aydin Boysan. He opened his first international exhibition at the Rome Expo Sabatini in Italy.

He continues to produce visual consultancy and content for literary magazines such as Kafa, Ot, and Tuhaf and works at universities as an educator.

His work has been shown from Rome to Boston and all over Turkey. In 2014, he created the “Âlâ Portreler” exhibition with Turkish masters of art and design, including legendary photographer Ara Güler, world-renowned as “The Eye of Istanbul” and one of Turgut’s biggest inspirations, as well as famed architect Aydin Boysen. In addition to his fine art and celebrity shoots, Turgut has done commercial work for global brands including Coca-Cola, Red Bull, Pepsi, Nike, Ford, and Jack Daniel’s.

NFT Interest

He considers NFTs as a part of our contemporary lives. That’s why Mehmet sees this trend as very exciting. His idea towards the NFT community is a thrilling and hopeful one, for which reason the medium is growing so fast. Together with his team, Mehmet aims at building their NFT community to support further artists in producing NFT related projects. 

NFT New Collection, Rock Drop by Mehmet Turgur

When Mehmet Turgut was a child, his dream was to work with Rock Stars. As an internationally recognized photographer, 20 years ago, this dream became a reality.

In his new NFT collection, “Rock Drop,” Turgut offers animations based on photos from his shoots with Cooper and “The Prince of Darkness” — available at Crypto.com/NFT.

Read More on Crypto.com. 

The post NFT Art Stories | Mehmet Turgut, Rock Star (NFT) Photography appeared first on Hue & Eye.

NFT Playground Amsterdam is in the heart of Amsterdam, located at the corner of Vijzelgracht and Weteringcircuit, where a team of crypto revolutionists transformed 200 m2 of open space into an immersive workplace for crypto enthusiasts wanting to get involved in the Web3 Ecosystem.

Founder Bart Bloemers: “NFT Playground wants to be the no.1 introduction to the Web3 Ecosystem for all curious-minded people, entrepreneurs, and artists. Our space is for you if you want to learn, meet up and work together with others to explore the possibilities of NFTs. We teach you to grab your own NFT, trade them, or get involved in NFT projects.”

The green walled Playground converted its identity this summer, and from June the 10th, it functions as a Digital Art Gallery, Co-Working space, and educational place. Participants are welcome to become a member of the DAO as well.

About the Playground

You are welcome here to meet with the new players in this upcoming industry. Mint some art in the space, or bring your laptop to work there. Sign up for a workshop or masterclass with one of their members. Don’t forget to make new friends and have them also encounter other revolutionists! 

Create your first NFT with NFT Playground Amsterdam

At the heart of Amsterdam, located at Weteringdwarsstraat 107, 200 m2, you will find an immersive Playground for crypto revolutionists.

At their events, you can learn more about purchasing, finding, or creating Digital Art and NFTs and onboard artists hungry for more.

Check their calendar for the following dates. 

NFT Playground is ready to give you a crypto jumpstart!

What do they do?

• onboarding new enthusiasts (How to create, sell or collect NFTs)
• onboarding for local artists (Target audience // how to sell // NFT workshops)
• Connecting around web3 (Meetup/NFT events/ Community Calls/ Co-working)
• Exhibition (Digital Art / NFTs / Glitch/)

Access to the Playground is free

Why participate?

If you also feel that the world needs more decentralization, more digital art, and more collaboration opportunities, go over and join!

Go here to visit NFT Playground Amsterdam’s website and Discover More >

The post NFT News | NFT Playground Amsterdam appeared first on Hue & Eye.

Besides, since their high traceability facilitates the authenticity and source of the work, this feature, in turn, makes the job easier to buy, sell, and trade. 

Everybody heard of Christie’s auction of an NFT art, a purely digital collage, for US$69.4 million, with an NFT to “guarantee” authenticity.

This ownership information is stored on the blockchain with a specific ID and linked to unique metadata. It became part of an algorithm. 

More interesting is that NFTs’ value derives from owning the whole entity.

The non-divisible nature of NFTs also helps with ownership rights and verifying provenance.

Besides associating the artwork to an NFT, software code called smart contracts may regulate aspects like managing transferability and paying royalties.

Therefore, NFTs can be extended beyond the sole ownership and transferability and include various other applications and functionality, like linking the NFT to another digital asset.

For example, one may write on a smart contract to automatically distribute a portion of the amounts paid for any subsequent sale of the NFT back to the original owner to give the owner the ability to recognize the minor marketplace’s benefits.

CAN MY CONTENT BE AN NFT?

Probably yes! 

Indeed, almost anything is a digital asset to link to an NFT. Today, there are very few restrictions of what content may or may not be getting “tokenized” and turned into an NFT art. The technology is still in its early days. It’s a great moment to experiment with the medium with your artwork as the market for digital art continuously grows its demand.

Digital art, songs, memes, and even startups are on sale on NFT marketplaces. And the best is only yet to come.

HOW TO CREATE AN NFT?

You won’t need a total technical understanding of the cryptocurrency or blockchain systems to start with NFT crypto art. It’s crucial to mention that NFTs are mainly part of the Ethereum blockchain.

The following three steps are a summary of what you will need to commence selling and trading art with NFTs:

• Set up an Ethereum Wallet
• Purchase a small amount of Ethereum.
• Connect your wallet to an NFT Marketplace. 

WHAT IS AN NFT MARKET?

There are several websites that you can submit your NFT art. You may think of these sites as NFT art galleries. The popular term for these websites is “NFT marketplaces”.

WHERE TO SELL NFT ART?

The answer is “NFT marketplaces”.

Here’s also a list of the most popular NFT art marketplaces that lists NFT art for sale:

• OpenSea
• SuperRare
• Nifty Gateway
• Foundation
• VIV3
• BakerySwap
• Axie Marketplace
• Rarible
• NFT ShowRoom

For a more comprehensive overview of NFT art websites and marketplaces visit our directory of NFT marketplaces. 

Have fun and good luck!

If this article weren’t helpful enough for you, we’d be happy to hear from you! Please write us on Instagram or send us an email at hello@hueandeye.org.

The post NFT Art | How To Create and Where To Sell appeared first on Hue & Eye.

Marta Pitchuk is a talented artist from Ukraine that is still living and working there. Pitchuk’s work is primarily focused on traditional media like oil painting and graphite drawings. We at Hue&Eye recently got to interview her!

Let’s start from the basics. What’s your name and where have you grown up?.

My name is Marta Pitchuk and I was born and grew up in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.

When or how have you understood you wanted to become an artist?

I once tried to remember exactly when I started painting, but I realized that I don’t know myself without a brush in my hands. My mother has an art and graphics degree, and since childhood, I have had the opportunity to observe the creation of her paintings. One of my most vivid childhood memories is when my mother worked on a replica of a small portrait of Lydia Delectorska, created by renowned French artist Henri Matisse. The whole process of creation seemed like magic to me. That’s when I realized that I wanted to dedicate myself to art. I still have, indeed, that portrait in my workshop.

I knew then that I wanted to study art and become an artist.

Choosing which university to attend and which program to pursue was a daunting task for me. I was most impressed by the Monumental Painting major offered at several institutions, browsing various art programs at universities across Ukraine. The paintings on the walls at these schools did not particularly interest me then. But the program appealed to me because it allowed me to become acquainted with many artistic techniques: stained glass, mosaic, fresco, sgraffito, encaustics, etc. Another reason I chose this major is that entrance exams for this program were challenging; it gave me confidence that this program had high standards for future artists.

For me, being an artist is a natural calling. My workday does not end when I close the workshop. Even at home, I think about what I was creating that day; I look for new ideas and live in the captivity of my creative thought. Even if my paintings were not interesting to anyone, I would still keep making them because painting is part of who I am.

And how would you like people to engage with your art?

When I made the first Motanka, I felt that this specific image reflects who I am as an artist at this stage of my life. In my paintings, an inanimate doll passes through time, travels from previous centuries to the present, and turns into a woman of flesh and blood. The living Motanka is no longer an object but a person with her character, thoughts, and views. She is the embodiment of the past that came to life.

I explore the ethnic regions of Ukraine, trying to find something special and unique in them. Each of my works is devoted to a specific area, so it is an anthropological study. The value and mission of my paintings are that they communicate the energy and power of a Ukrainian woman who inspires and encourages the viewer to admire their roots.

Can you briefly describe your creative technique and tell us what drives you to make art?

My painting ideas come in many different ways, often in my sleep. It’s almost like a mirage, just one specific motion or image. It is never a detailed image of a painting but one crucial detail or element, like the movement of fur in the wind. When this vision comes to me, I immediately put it on the canvas. This singular vision later becomes the basis for the entire painting.

The ideas for paintings come to me from somewhere. My task in life is to listen to these ideas, understand them, and depict them on canvas. I don’t come up with them; they want to be born through me. I’m just a mechanism through which they can happen.

The state of my soul in creating my artworks varies. I paint some of my artworks very quickly, with a lot of dynamism. Others need to take their time. I often leave the paintings that need to wait to face the wall for up to a year. Only when her time comes can I turn her around and finish the artwork in a few hours. Every painting is different, each with its unique mood and approach.

Working on an image of a Motanka, I completely detail her facial features, and only then do I cover it with painted threads so that Motanka may have a soul. It becomes not only a beautiful image but also a deep reflection of her own thoughts, emotions, and experiences. If you look closely, you can see a woman’s gaze in the middle of the picture under a layer of paint.

Which artist primarily inspires your work? And is there something else, outside visual arts, that keeps you motivated?

It is my everyday life that inspires my work the most. I often draw inspiration from adventures through the Ukrainian countryside, where I seek out antique headdresses, embroidered shirts, and traditional interior decor. Analyzing the traditional ethnic motifs specific to the various artifacts I discover and getting the style of work from which I draw inspiration is what I aim at. Also to form the central tenets of my technique from the tempera style, where you begin with a dark background. I borrow the method for illuminating the image from a tempera religious painting. I like the idea of painting light onto a dark background rather than the traditional way of painting shadows on a light backdrop.

The continued journey to discover more about my past and the history of Ukraine keeps me motivated. My “Motanka” series began after I found a traditional Hutsul headdress called a чільце (chiltse) in my old family house. In my free time, I research conventional Ukrainian clothing, caps, and other ancient relics to breathe new life into the symbolism of the past.

As a digital artist, do you feel you’ve been waiting for something like NFTs for a long time?

My art is traditional painting, and I think I will continue to paint in this medium and base my shows around this physical art style for a while. My husband and I also create a lot of street art murals across Ukraine. I like the juxtaposition between the bleak Soviet high-rise buildings and the highly adorned, folksy Motanka heroines. Being able to explore new mediums and ways to express myself and share my art is at the core of my work.

A foundation of my work is not to be afraid of mistakes. I’m not scared to lay down strokes that I will later need to cover up and spend hours of my time getting it right. All of my art brings this personal freedom. As an artist, I feel I have to be in a state of perpetual soul search.

I saw the transition into NFTs as a natural next step to bringing traditions and past artifacts into modern-day life and reinvigorating the symbolism of the past. I genuinely believe that it’s the essential task of each Ukrainian painter to show our rich and remarkable culture to the world.

In times of war mainly, NFTs have provided an important way for me to continue to share my art and historical facets of Ukraine. I hope to contribute to this by sharing my NFTs, bringing awareness to my culture, and supporting the relief efforts by donating proceeds from sales of my NFTs to the excellent organizations working tirelessly to provide aid every day in Ukraine.

And how do you see the NFT world will benefit your professional career?

I offered my art as NFT to help support my country in dire need. It is very tough to transport goods across our borders right now, but NFTs, and crypto in general, provide a borderless, decentralized environment for exchanging goods and money. NFTs allowed me to use my art to raise funds for organizations doing great work on the front lines every day, risking their lives to help Ukraine. NFTs have also provided me with a medium through which I can share the history of Ukraine through my paintings with a broader audience and raise awareness of the brutal treatment the Russians are inflicting upon Ukraine.

Spread the word! Do you have anything exciting on the horizon?

At the beginning of June 2022, I launched a project with Devvio, a blockchain company. The project is on their GlassBlock marketplace. Through NFTs for Ukraine (NFTsForUkraine.io), we are selling NFTs of 7 of my paintings, one of which is called the Victory Motanka of Kyiv Polissia, which I created while the war waged outside my studio. I would often be painting and would have to stop my work because I could hear bombing outside.

The work I have for sale is available to anyone who wants to support Ukraine while securing a unique Ukrainian history and culture moment.

I have included high-resolution images of these 7 NFTs. However, I would be happy to send over 2 of them as NFTs, valued and $25 and $2,000, respectively.

The art is part of my “Motanka” Series, depicting the traditional Ukrainian Motanka talisman, with roots in ancestral memory and symbolizing protection from evil, hope for a better future, and fertility.

Follow Marthe Pichuk on Instagram >

The post Marta Pitchuk | Ukrainian Painter and Illustrator appeared first on Hue & Eye.