FEBRUARY 18th, 2022

Each week artists are commissioned for a piece of art through the UNDRGRND Grant Program. 100 NFTs are minted and are randomly airdropped to UNDRGRND Membership Cardholders. To find out how you can be featured as an UNDRGRND Artist check out our Discord. 

NFTs are making the world smaller. Talent previously hidden from the view of a larger audience now receives the recognition it deserves. In different circumstances, Mekikobra’s artistic growth might never have broken out of the community in Indonesia. Although Mekikobra’s talent is exceptional it takes the proper medium, the proper opportunity, and the proper people to appreciate it for an artist to have an impact. Thankfully, Mekikobra was found and now others can see his work. 

light from undrgrnd by mekikobra

Mekikobra refers to his work as “poser draw” because he followed a trend of graffiti lettering. He began experimenting with street art which eventually led him to develop his current subjects. While he may feel that he simply copied a popular trend, what it has become is something else entirely. 

Eventually a character, he refers to as Pivala, began to emerge. Early drawings of Pivala share a resemblance to The Simpsons along with the jagged drawing style similar to Mike Judge (Beevis and Butthead and King of the Hill). Pivala, which means yellow in Tahli, has grown to become an extension of Mekikobra himself, allowing him to express himself.

Trial and error led him to the color combination that appears in all of his work. It’s hard to imagine his works without the combination as it has become a defining characteristic. 

Only minting NFTs for three months, all collectors will be able to witness the growth of a talented artist, pushing himself until he finally feels he can refer to himself as one. For now, it is up to those who admire his work to call him an artist.