Tea Time by Uğur Özdemir

JANUARY 4TH, 2024

UNDRGRND brings a new feature: #PHOTOGRAPHY.

No words. Just photos.

Necklace of Temptation

Untitled

Ballerina 1

CHAOS // THE ELEMENTS

Tea Time

Up To No Good

DECEMBER 5TH, 2023

100 NFTs are minted and randomly airdropped to UNDRGRND Membership Card holders. View past exclusive drops, only available on secondary, on OBJKT.com.

I’ve been waiting two years for this.

A wise woman and friend (name drop: Angie Taylor) reminded me that “punk” was just a term that meant “weirdo” or “freak”. It encapsulates the outcasts from the mainstream and puts us all in a group. Underground has become a ubiquitous term that transcends culture and language because of our shared, now global, experience.

When I began planning the first UNDRGRND DIGS article, I knew the five first artists I chose would need to set the tone for what I wanted UNDRGRND to represent. As much as I want to make UNDRGRND for everyone and to have a fluidity to what it means to be “underground”, I can’t help but imprint my vision all over this.

Mekazoo was one of the first five artists I chose. Along with the others, his work resonated with me and everything I grew up on: bright vibrant colors that pop, stop-motion-styled animations, street art, video games, cartoons, and action figures. I gravitated towards Mekazoo’s art because I recognized a part of myself in his work; the part I’m inevitably building UNDRGRND around.

So it was no surprise that I found a kindred spirit in Mekazoo, especially music.

“In the early 2000s, I was the singer of a hardcore/metalcore band. [Music] helped me get over my problems and disappointments. Some of my favourite bands are Deftones, Bad Religion, Defeater, Thursday and Alkaline Trio.”

No doubt Mekazoo and I would have run in the same circles and gone to the same shows. Self-described as an “Illustrator and designer ruined by 80's cartoons, video games, cheap plastic toys and moderate drinking,” Mekazoo captures a nostalgia that resonates with me and other now uncool dads of a certain age, down to even our comfort zones.

Mood Swings

The Valley Of Dead Dreams

A Boy And His Dog

Memento Mori

Cosmosis

Ghosts of the Futures Past

The influences were clear throughout his work: The Simpsons, Adventure Time, Game Boy, and mechanical department store rides. Even though I can surmise why Mekazoo uses Death as a main character throughout his work, it’s the only subject/influence where the logic is not apparent.

“I’m not a religious person but death is certain. When you come to a certain age, you start to experience death more often and from your closer circle. It's my way of handling the concept of death.”

It may explain his defacement of pop-culture icons like Mickey Mouse.

“I really love old cartoon characters as I grew up watching them. I have nothing against it.  It's more like my take on those characters, in a more grim/dark and down-to-earth way.”

That word choice, “down-to-earth” gives his work a new context. Many of us who feel drawn to underground scenes (be it music, art, or film) do so because the mainstream, filled with bubbly marketing tropes and positive vibe-only influencers, does not represent the deeper, darker, non-small talk topics of conversation. Too many harsh life experiences and brushes with reality push us away from cookie-cutter, mass-produced, cliche word art and discussions about the weather. This coded phrase “down-to-earth” becomes a signal to people like us who understand loss.

Just like his art, something darker lurks deeper within Mekazoo. He pairs childhood fantasies, characters, and memories alongside the reality of losing that childlike view of the world when faced with the certain reality that everything we love will one day tarnish like our cheap plastic toys discarded in the landfill.

This sounds bleak but there still is hope. Even death manages to find a way to enjoy the park. Maybe only outcasts can understand that to see the darker side of reality means to be free from the fear of it as well.

Someday I’ll pry and find out what that inner demon is, in person, over a beer. For now, fans of Mekazoo’s work, myself included, will have to settle for the message he sends us through his art.

NOVEMBER 30TH, 2023

Colonna Contemporary is a contemporary art gallery dedicated to bridging the worlds of traditional and digital art. Located in Wayne, PA, Colanna Contemporary is more than just a physical space. It offers collectors an unparalleled opportunity to explore the most advanced trends and technologies available today. By seamlessly blending these two art worlds, we can uncover new dimensions of creativity and redefine the artistic landscape.

We all feel we know each other in this space, but we don’t, not really. You don’t know someone until you breathe the same air.

I’ve spoken to Adam several times online and recorded a podcast with him (coming soon). I’m never one to shy away from topics so I felt like I got a good sense of Adam, what he was about, and who he was. I think we feel that because artists are so used to expressing themselves through their work and talking about themselves we get a good sense of who they are.

But we don’t, not really.

Getting to know people takes time, breathing the same air; which I did at the opening of his show From Pigment to Pixel at Colonna Contemporary until mid-December.

Spend time with Adam, even virtually, and you’ll see he’s articulate, intelligent, and deliberate. These characteristics serve him well when he speaks with collectors about his work. His salesman is professional and educated, making any collector confident in their investment in his talent.

I just happened to be in the right area to overhear a conversation between ADHD (Colin Frangicetto) and AD_AD (Adam) about sobriety. I was just the wallflower soaking in the experience as best I could.

There is a club I am not a part of as I’m not an artist. There’s a shared experience in creating, selling, and presenting art at a gallery that artists understand and that I will never experience. You see it when they interact: the familiarity, the comfort, the recognition of another emotionally connected individual; it breaks down boundaries and barriers. The small talk melts away for true connection.

I asked Adam later about his struggles with substances and if it’s ever represented in his art.

“Would you believe no one has ever asked me that before?”

I’m not surprised. Asking someone about their sobriety, or struggles with it, makes those without that shared experience uncomfortable. Uncomfortable may not be the right word, but people certainly feel apprehensive to pry. It’s a personal journey that can go south at any moment and unless you know where they are on their journey, strangers will steer the conversation back towards topics they’re comfortable with; less emotionally raw.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, for Adam I am familiar with the world of recovery. I had a family full of addicts. I was going to school for drug counseling in my pre-web3 life. I am a part of this club.

“I have not objectively put anything related to sobriety in my work. But you cannot separate the artist from the work. The art and the artist are inseparable. I was afraid I would lose something in my art when I got clean — you know the ‘No junk no soul’ thing. And I definitely had to deconstruct and reconstruct my identity which includes being an artist. What I found was that my work before I got clean was kind of like running at a cliff and seeing if I could stop before falling over. My work since being clean is far more meditative, precise, and intentional with great attention toward developing the process.”

“The daily work it takes to live a life free from substances as opposed to a life dependent on them which I also lived from my youth until I was about 30 years old is inherently baked into the work (CREATOR/DESTROYER; CONFLICT/Resolution). the sacred and profane as represented by the gold square.”

The laziest joke anyone can make about abstract art is, “I could do that. It’s just a bunch of squiggles and random things.” Spend any time with abstract artists and you’ll understand how much time and thought goes into the abstract expression.

The precision required to stay clean mirrors Adam’s deliberate intensity toward his craft and success.

“I could just as easily throw it away and get wasted as I could continue the daily maintenance needed to stay clean. Of course, substitution is a reality for addicts — but far more than using art specifically as a drug I use work itself. The art is pure. It is my workaholism which includes social media, networking, sales ($$$), and poorly defined work-life balance that is the obsession.”

I’m sure plenty of others (myself included) will identify with the addictive nature of this space — the collecting, the FOMO, the obsessive nature of it all. This digital art revolution has brought together many of us searching for something to share with others. Maybe we’re sharing our addictive personalities.

Regardless of what brought us here, the truth remains: art is a shared experience. Getting to know the artist adds another layer of shared experiences. And, since you can’t separate the art from the artist, I’m a part of a different club, that understands Adam’s art that much more.

Magic Carpet #825 2023 Mpozzecco X AnnaZubarev

NOVEMBER 29TH, 2023

5 Artists From the UNDRGRND Collection 

UNDRGRND DIGS is a periodical feature showcasing artists that the UNDRGRND curators dig. We sift through the social media and NFT platforms to find the best artists waiting to be discovered. UNDRGRND believes in the artists we feature and we will purchase NFTs from each artist featured.

The blockchain symbol appearing next to the artist’s name indicates which UNDRGRND collection.

View the Tezos UNDRGRND Collection

View the Solana UNDRGRND Collection

View the Avalanche UNDRGRND Collection

Radiance

To Believe is to See

Restore

HeadSpin

Bloom

Sumpa Kita!

The delicate balance of something as temperamental as life comes through each work of Hero Granada. Nature and flowers paired with skeletons or decaying individuals complement each other, reminding the viewer of the beautiful synergy between death and the rebirth of beauty. In Restore, Hero focuses on the cultural connections between Japan and Philippines. The mending of broken pottery via precious metal (Kintsugi: a Japanese art form) symbolizes the deep influence adopted through shared experiences and how this can help protect even the most resilient Filipino heart.

Fire In The Attic

Room Behind

No Escape From The Mind

I See Your Soul

Blooming

Unbreakable

Yúla’s work focuses on the internal struggles of women and the hope to carry on. Room Behind portrays an adolescent girl in all white standing in front of the childhood toys of a younger girl: a stuffed bear, tea cups, dolls, and a merry-go-round pony. To the right of the girl are stereotypes associated with women under the rule of patriarchy: laundry, detergent, decorative lamps. We get a bleak picture (especially if paired with No Escape From the Mind and Fire In The Attic) of a female existence. Yet Yúla maintains a hopeful viewpoint based on her works like Blooming and Unbreakable which celebrate the female form flourishing and the reliance of feminity.

ROSSO di SERA

Sig.ra Carla

Sig.ra Rosaria

INAPPAGATA

LA BRUNA

BILANCIATO

Matteo captures the complex difficulty of being a woman with care and empathy. Highlighted within the multiple metaphoric layers in Bilanciato (Balance): a faceless body, with a rich internal labyrinthine design, teeters on the edge of a beam containing a starry void as a halved-head with makeup adorned face drabbed face with an askew smile. Is it commentary on the difficult balance between the beautiful internal vs the external? Or the severance of the mind from the physical beauty? Or a statement on the unfulfillment of societal beauty and the struggle to let go of these standards? There are enough questions and answers to explore with Matteo’s work to keep us all busy.

LUNA Nights 2023 Hanart X LUNA by ANNAZUBAREV #2

DOTS PATTERN by Aaron Sosa with LUNA By Anna Zubarev

LUNA Nights 2023 Hanart X LUNA by ANNAZUBAREV #3

The Tez Date

Lunar Lullaby 2023 SOROUSH x LUNA BY ANNA #9

Ode To The Book of Shadows

Anna Zubarev manages collaborations the way a skilled director creates a film. Bringing together artists, blending techniques and talents to ensure a perfect balance to showcase each equally. Anna manages to become the focal point or the supporting character, which ever is required, to bring out the best of her work and others. All of this is apparent with intricate, meticulously designed patterns that could only come from a creator with the grand vision to see how the universal creative method connects each and every artist.

UNDRGRND community members nominate their favorite undiscovered artists to be featured in weekly DIGS. UNDRGRND empowers its community to dig for bold, innovative, undervalued NFT artists.

Things Fall Apart

Shadow of its former self

Beauty In Ruins

Into another world

Courage

Chosen by The Hug community to be featured in this edition of UNDRGRND DIGS, Fera’s photography captures moments and places exuding emotion. The gravitational pull restrictions that hold us to the ground, and sometimes hold us down, are null and void in Childhood Fantasies where the children live out their weightless dreams. Captured on a mobile phone Fera shows the best camera is the one you have with you.

Each UNDRGRND DIGS will feature artists our curators have purchased for the UNDRGRND Collection.

In the Storms of Life

NOVEMBER 22ND, 2023

UNDRGRND brings a new feature: #PHOTOGRAPHY.

No words. Just photos.

Golden Bridge

Every road is a footpath

In the Storms of Life

Dear Mom, Dear Dad, My Child

#20 Uno

//Ghost Screen Grown In The Wrists of Titans Called Space Time & Deadmall//

NOVEMBER 17TH, 2023

100 NFTs are minted and randomly airdropped to UNDRGRND Membership Card holders. View past exclusive drops, only available on secondary, on OBJKT.com.

With visual artists the focus tends to rely on the visual interaction between the works and the audience; they utilize visuals as their language of choice. With abstract artists we rely on context clues, like the title, to help translate the idea.

We can feel santiago’s obsessive need to create not just through the sheer amount of art he creates but also through the sprawling length of the titles: don't tell the truth again cause it's tiring, units of droid emotion as gaps between liquid and impossible to find buildings that are found on the beach before the catastrophe, this is the secret story of a pair of shoes that grew in your mind before the planet started making those weird noises and fumes.

“[My] visuals come from a place of pessimism about communication and life,” santiago says, “I am a dad who hopes the air is breathable in 20 or 30 years because I love life intensely. But, I often feel that the big human project failed. We, collectively through generations, made a building that can’t stand up, is weak and celebrates the worst in it, and punishes the good. This is a common [theme] in post-meme, vaporwave aesthetics and glitch art. In the whole field of art expressions that are related to the internet culture, some are harsher, while others are more like a joke that looks back at a more serious pessimism and says, ‘Well things aren’t that awful, right?’ I think that being part of a shared experience about the internet and being adults from the era after the pandemic, we find meaningful, interesting similar images and thoughts.” 

His visual creation, the frequency of creating, and meticulously crafted titles convey santiago’s sense of urgency to fix and properly communicate our dire situation.

training for an end of time

While santiago feels that the human experiment has failed, he manages to provide some hope by rebuilding breakdowns in communication through his art.

His project Human Kernel is described as the “anti-pfp project on Tezos”. 1/1 digital painting PFPs each one has a personality and different depiction creating no assemblence of continuity.

“I’m not a native English speaker, so I ignored at the time every meaning of kernel, I meant it in the way of convolution matrix (which I also understood very vaguely). As a kernel in corn, it kind of gives a funny metaphor of how an individual in a community might act or be valued, for good or bad, and PFPs have had this crazy approach to community and some common ideas between them on how value is created that I suppose marked a special moment in the history of cryptoart. [It] also something made from the border, the margins, the Hic Et Nunc underground, from where maybe we could say whatever cause most weren’t listening.”

When the global community struggles to interpret and connect through language the results can be problematic, humorous or perfectly indicative of how universal art bridges our gaps in language.

While not a native English speaker santiago manages to convey and communicate ideas of individuality and value extraction from individuals through a side project, regardless of any perceived barrier in understanding.

With what seems a constant stream of creative thinking, process and writing, santiago manages to perfectly articulate his intent with each work so that we all may understand as if we shared a language.

NOVEMBER 14TH, 2023

Colonna Contemporary is a contemporary art gallery dedicated to bridging the worlds of traditional and digital art. Located in Wayne, PA, Colanna Contemporary is more than just a physical space. It offers collectors an unparalleled opportunity to explore the most advanced trends and technologies available today. By seamlessly blending these two art worlds, we can uncover new dimensions of creativity and redefine the artistic landscape.

The path that led me to a small local art gallery (Colonna Contemporary) to meet an artist I didn’t know (Space Case/ADHD), who lives down the street from me and played guitar in two bands I grew up listening to, started twenty years ago.

It’s strange how web3, or even art, makes the world smaller. Plenty talk about how it creates community by connecting strangers across the globe with similar interests, tastes, and even beliefs. Still, few discuss how strangers find each other in the ether of the internet only to discover they’ve known each other all along. I’ve known the work of Colin Frangicetto long before I knew the art of ADHD, who also happens to be Colin Frangicetto. 

It’s hard not to write about Colin’s art without talking about Colin’s music. Once you connect the dots between the musician and the visual artist it’s obvious that one cannot exist without the other. Just like the guitar Colin played for bands This Day Forward and Circa Survive, there is a sharp, ravaging tone (sometimes literally) that is palpable throughout his works. 

Colin’s show at Colonna Contemporary entitled A Noisy Mind showcases palpable depictions of the emotional and physical experiences of an artist, musician, and human being. Attendees can experience Colin’s tinnitus in Constant Companion, an iPod mounted to a pure white painting on wood that plays the tone of his tinnitus on an infinite loop. Homesick I & II are collections of stolen hotel keys mounted on wood; an arrangement of magnetic keys contrasts the pull of home from Colin’s years spent touring.

Two of his larger pieces 7300 Days of Xanax and 10959 Days of Adderall reveal the attempts at medicating away the mental noise in his head. Each work features an enlarged Xerox copy of prescription bottles with one line of paint for each day on the medication. The daunting task of maintaining focus and persevering to create these works is dwarfed only by the lifetime depicted taking these medications and the emotional fortitude spent battling anxiety and ADHD. 

Pink Noise

Common Companion

Homesick I

Homesick II

7300 Days of Xanax

10959 Days of Adderall

Almost everyone who enters web3 starts at the bottom. Those with larger followings who achieve outside success and gravitate towards web3 come with polished marketing and a built-in audience. Colin started on the bottom, like most of us, and began to work his way up the hierarchy ladder; just as he’s done with his bands before. This lends authenticity to Colin’s art. When traditional institutions, web2 entities, or popular personalities entire web3 there’s often a surge to hop on the bandwagon. So desperate are we to validate our belief in web3 we quickly anoint them based on previous success so that it may translate to our digital world. This lack of necessary struggle leaves whatever creation is being brought to web3 reeking of an opportunistic money-grab. But, when it is authentic and it is true, it resonates with the audience. 

ADHD’s art rings true like nickel-plated guitar strings vibrating through a distortion pedal on a mix CD your girlfriend made, playing on your dad’s car stereo while your friend asks, “Who is this?” and you answer, “Circa Survive.” 

Twenty years later I sat next to Colin, when he would casually brush off the fact that he was in a band. Thinking nothing of it I’ll ask what the name of that band and, and when he answers, I’ll remember listening to his band to drown out the noise in my head by filling it with the noise from his. 

Whether utilizing music to drown out the mental noise or emptying those thoughts through creative expression, ADHD finds profound ways to share his experience with other noisy-minded fans.

Face to Face

NOVEMBER 11TH, 2023

Each week 100 NFTs are minted and randomly airdropped to UNDRGRND Membership Cardholders. View past exclusive drops, only available on secondary, on OBJKT.com.

Fears and triangles.

From Istanbul, digital artist Umtksa puts our, and his, deepest fears on display for the world to see. Rather than bury them away in an attempt to control and hope that they recede, Umtksa purposefully goes internally to places many avoid. This facing of, and unearthing repressed fears embodies the larger motif behind his work.

“One of the recurring themes in my art is the representation of opposite concepts sharing the same space,” Umtksa says, “This can be seen in my works, where I try to show how seemingly opposite ideas are connected and share common ground.”

A perfect example of this is Umtksa’s work Face to Face, where, “two faces are sharing the square space equally. The triangle numbers of the two faces are also equal, to be precise, they each consist of 206 triangles. This use of symmetry and balance emphasizes the idea that the two faces, despite their apparent differences, are connected and share the same space.”

We can see this balance at play in his works like Muses, depicting his inspirations, fear, and the internal conflict between the stress of creating and the anxiety and self-loathing that comes from not working. Is there no respite from ergophobia?

blinders

rage

abducted

pray

space-less

sleep paralysis

Our metaphorically richest creations tend to come from the places that we come to fear the most.

“A lot of my work revolves around fears because it is a bottomless pit for me as an anxious person,” says Umtksa, “My work MEdible is a good example of this. I have more fears than I can draw and animate, and depicting them in my art, helps me to see that other people have similar fears. It's like creatively talking to a psychologist. I find that I am better at drawing these fears than talking about them. By depicting them in my art, it helps me to process and understand them better. Using art as a way to express my fears is a powerful tool for me, and allows me to connect with others who may be going through similar struggles. It's also a way for me to create something beautiful and meaningful out of something that is often seen as negative.”

We continue to see this well of creative inspiration play into a motif of balance; contradictory ideas being used to see typically negative aspects of our emotions as positives.

Even his choice in style, using sharp jagged triangles to depict flowing, rounded subjects supports a concept of conflicting ideas working together to create something harmonious.

“It allows me to be more free in terms of ideas. The restriction of using only triangles forces me to think creatively and come up with new ways to use them. It pushes me to explore different perspectives and techniques, resulting in a unique and dynamic style.”

With anxiety comes the scrupulous nature that analyzes the entire creative process ensuring each aspect speaks to the creator’s intent; giving the audience something beautiful from something we often repress.

The beauty comes from the balance.

Spectrum Seduction

NOVEMBER 9, 2023

UNDRGRND brings a new feature: #PHOTOGRAPHY.

No words. Just photos.

Suprise

Flags

Levitating Girl

Splash

Spectrum Seduction

Dunce 003: "Apply Pressure" by Coco Loso

NOVEMBER 1ST, 2023

5 Artists From the UNDRGRND Collection 

UNDRGRND DIGS is a periodical feature showcasing artists that the UNDRGRND curators dig. We sift through the social media and NFT platforms to find the best artists waiting to be discovered. UNDRGRND believes in the artists we feature and we will purchase NFTs from each artist featured.

The blockchain symbol appearing next to the artist’s name indicates which UNDRGRND collection.

View the Tezos UNDRGRND Collection

View the Solana UNDRGRND Collection

View the Avalanche UNDRGRND Collection

Probably head #4

Probably head #1

Probably Two Heads

Probably Forbidden Fruit

Probably Harmonious

Bloody symphony

This probably won’t be the last time you read about Iri, probably. Ukranian artist Iryna Kis’s haunting portraits of untraditionally beautiful women will probably stay with you and find you in other publications in the future, probably. Iri captures the essence of each portrait with how she titles them but respects each piece's own autonomy so much that she does not speak for them and adds the qualifier, “probably”, to each one; as if each one may one day come to life and decide to contradict her assessment of their character.

Explosion

Overthinking

Create

Hail Demons

Symbolism

I am a Boss

Don’t blink or you’ll miss the meaning in the boundariless-Basquiat-styled work of Anahiz. Anahiz captures the constant toil of humanity and what it feels like to be alone with one’s thoughts. The sharp. jagged, raw lines reflect the exhaustion from over-analyzing one’s work (Overthinking), or from personal pressure to create (Create), to keeping our demons at bay (Hail Demons) that try to break our confidence (I am a Boss), or from our drive to constantly get better (Symbolism). The struggle leaves us worn, tattered, and exposed until some of us eventually explode (Explosion). The inner workings of Anahiz are on full display and we should open our eyes and acknowledge that we too feel just as the subjects of their work.

The king's rhinoceros

Queen of deer

I`m as it is 003

queen of bees

The wonder of creatures

I`m as it is 001

True acceptance takes an inner strength that some of us never achieve. The subjectiveness of beauty allows for all of us “wonderful creatures” to be the queens (or kings) of our respective species. Sara Dehji celebrates all body types and creatures in her work. Sara exudes confidence as the self-proclaimed “queen of web3” and should be honored for her work that pressures her subjects (in her work and fans of her work) to accept themselves as they are and say, “I’m as it is.”

Dunce 005: "Stay Vocal"

Dunce 002: "be assertive"

Dunce 003: "Apply Pressure"

Dunce004: "Just Listen!"

Dunce 001: "dont stress"

Pork King "Spoilet"

The work of Coco Loso acts as a secret public journal on full display for everyone to indulge in. In his series Dunce, Coco Loso shows us his constant battles with himself. With constant swings between inner monologues of self-care (Dunce 001: “dont stress”) to the self-punishment for being lazy (Dunce 003: “Apply Pressure”). It’s evident these creations are only for Coco Loso and released into the ether for us to discover his deeply personal revelations; never calling attention to himself or helping us find it, but not hiding it from us either. It’s only a matter of time before more of us begin to discover his work and pay attention.

Happy Strolling Around Shimokitazawa

Hazy Day Amsterdam

Watching Charles Bridge

Extended Window

Swish Swish Swiss

Stuck at Home

Aline Subi’s altered photography works as a travel blog in a cartoon world. From Prague (Watching Charles Bridge) to Amsterdam (Hazy Day in Amsterdam) we follow a pink-haired woman (possibly Aline) and her cat (perhaps Aline’s real cat) as they take in sites and scenery of Europe many of us will never see unless we alter our mindset. We can only hope for more installments of this psychedelic-travel blog from a relentless vagabond (Stuck at Home).

Each UNDRGRND DIGS will feature artists our curators have purchased for the UNDRGRND Collection.

Silent Witness by Fenelon

OCTOBER 31, 2023

UNDRGRND brings a new feature: #PHOTOGRAPHY.

No words. Just photos.

THE GHOST IN YOU

Forbidden Apple

Self #45 The invisibles night

The Graveyard Train

Silent Witness

Office Hell! by James Clapham

SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2023

5 Artists From the UNDRGRND Collection 

UNDRGRND DIGS is a periodical feature showcasing artists that the UNDRGRND curators dig. We sift through the social media and NFT platforms to find the best artists waiting to be discovered. UNDRGRND believes in the artists we feature and we will purchase NFTs from each artist featured.

The blockchain symbol appearing next to the artist’s name indicates which UNDRGRND collection.

View the Tezos UNDRGRND Collection

View the Solana UNDRGRND Collection

View the Avalanche UNDRGRND Collection

Uncertainty

Endless fun

Trash crypto girl

Lone Observer

The caves of Sanagasta

Hopi’s inter-dimensional art crosses over different worlds to see in between the different realities. What happens when we cross that event horizon? Mind expansion or destruction? These fever dream loops are not for the faint of heart or the superficial observer but for those seeking a higher consciousness. For those looking for mere entertainment, perhaps there lies the path to mental anguish.

80s Party!

Conjuring

Burger City Attack!

Yoyo Chad

Happy Summer Music Crew

Alpha Chads at the Climbing Gym

Getting older can be fun. At a certain point in your life you’ll get to a position of influence and create the things that you enjoy, that you want to see exist in the world. James Clapham’s art feeds the Gen-X and older Millenial generation nostalgia with bright pop colors and over-crowded scenes filled with characters’ odd behaviors like a bizarro Where’s Waldo. All of these things may be lost on older and younger generations but for a certain age bracket, these pieces feel like our childhood.

The Heir

The Silent Intruder

Sailing to the Unknown

The Ingenious Inventor

The Conspiracy

Treason's Trail

The current art renaissance we are experiencing came with trash, memes and glitches. 0xNiel is putting glitches into Renaissance art. A blend of the past with the present, 0xNiel creates AI scenes that feel based on actual points in our history of humanity with a twist from our current time as if we are reaching back (or they are reaching forward) to ensure our that we do not forget either.

TGIF

Noise

Bliss

Mother Nature

Warrior

Into Forever

Virgina Lori uses AI like an educated hippy. Artworks based on nature, celebrate womanhood and exude a level of genuine happiness that rings true from the artist. Virginia’s own personal gratification comes through in pieces like Bliss and Into Forever which shows an AI couple glitching and changing appearance, representing a lasting love that adapts as the years go on.

Current & nagging thoughts

Trash diva

When does a thought become an idea?

La Muerte del Pop III

Legado

Self love

Collage, gifs, and the inner workings of the female subconscious. The art of Aempatia bombards viewers with metaphors that come at them like the racing red ball that appears in a few of her works. The ball in Current & Nagging Thoughts races around the image like an anxious thought as an individual with their head down as the ball bounces off her and continues around and around, endlessly beating them down. Aempatia’s work depicts the exhaustion of being human beautifully.

Each UNDRGRND DIGS will feature artists our curators have purchased for the UNDRGRND Collection.

SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2023

Each week 100 NFTs are minted and randomly airdropped to UNDRGRND Membership Cardholders. To find out how you can be featured as an UNDRGRND Artist check out our Discord. 

Beauty is in the chaos.

Our lives become more hectic with each passing day. Many of us too busy to catch up with those we care about because of our need to support our lifestyle.

Turkish photographer Halil Ibrahim Cetinkaya slows the world down when we cannot do it for ourselves. His work captures the ever-moving city of Istanbul.

“Turkiye,” Halil says, “especially Istanbul, is a cultural heaven. You can feel the history in every inch of land, from streets, buildings, places and the sea. It helps me to always be motivated to create art. Our nation has so many cultures from the Middle East all the way up to Andalucia.”

Filled with a diverse population there are many differences, but many similarities we all share. Halil’s work captures the buzzing lights of people commuting at night. Where do they go? Why does it need to be this way?

“There’s a series called “Heroes” where a guy from Asia has the ability to stop time. I wanted to freeze the moment and capture the light movement to create a mystery like its process. When you try to shoot long exposure, you cannot predict the exact shot because of movements. Sometimes it will be awesome and sometimes it’s not. For me, the main reason for using long exposures is light trails, to see people mystery around us. I choose everyday locations so people can recognize places. It’s a way out for me from hectic city life.

The “Light Trails”, is to tell secrets of light and create a moment to people can “exit the matrix”. 3 main components to shoot long exposure are movement, light, and enough time to capture. I capture mostly more than 30 seconds to get smoother trails.

Light Path - Prologue

Light Path - First Contact

Light Path - Non Stop

Light Path - Attention

FLUX CITY: Istanbul

To contrast the constant demand for attention, to always be moving forward, Halil’s collection Heroes of Art asks us all to slow down and appreciate the methodical focus it takes for craftsmanship.

“I focused on the traditional artists’ lives and made them immortal in a digital way, plus, if possible, to help those traditional artists with sales to encourage them to continue their art.”

So while the exhaustion from the fast-paced, commercial life of the city, or the palpable fumes from cars and buses filled with tired workers, may resonate with us, Halil asks viewers to stop for a moment. If we imagine these tail lights of those going home to people they love and care for suddenly the haste in which they move is justifiable and warranted. All our struggles are for those waiting to spend with us at the end of the day. What we rush towards is what the focus should be.

Or in simpler pop-culture terms, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and take a look around, you might miss it.”

So pay attention. Halil sure is.

Overthinking by Doruk Seymen

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

UNDRGRND brings a new feature: #PHOTOGRAPHY.

No words. Just photos.

Rainbow Road #1; Curated by Natalie Sosa

Frame 17 of 21; Curated by Natalie Sosa

VOX POPULI; Curated by Natalie Sosa

NEON DYSTOPIA #1; Curated by Maciej Miliszkiewicz

Hyperreal #7; Curated by Maciej Miliszkiewicz

Facades #2; Curated by Maciej Miliszkiewicz

Human Forms in Motion | Chapter One: Falling #1; Curated by Maciej Miliszkiewicz

LFG; Curated by Pablo Chaco

Transfigured Melody; Curated by Pablo Chaco

Overthinking; Curated by Pablo Chaco

ARROZ CON MANGO 002 by Ernesto Asch

SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2023

5 Artists From the UNDRGRND Collection 

UNDRGRND DIGS is a periodical feature showcasing artists that the UNDRGRND curators dig. We sift through the social media and NFT platforms to find the best artists waiting to be discovered. UNDRGRND believes in the artists we feature and we will purchase NFTs from each artist featured.

The blockchain symbol appearing next to the artist’s name indicates which UNDRGRND collection.

View the Tezos UNDRGRND Collection

View the Solana UNDRGRND Collection

View the zeroone UNDRGRND Collection

ANOTHER KIND OF BLUE(S)

PATHETIC DEMON SELFIE

Portrait of the (struggling) artist

LA LENTA MUERTE DE LA JOYITA DE LA FAMILIA

THE RANDOMNESS OF PIXELS

FALLING PIXELS

The pixels are the main attraction in the glitch art of Ernesto Asch. Even when the motion remains subtle the impact is distinct. The meticulous arrangement of individual pixels creates a striking defined impression. By manipulating contrast and employing negative effects, he manages to produce mesmerizingly abstract glitch portraits that possess a sense of depth, extending far beyond the mere foreground subject.

Morte a Verona VI

Morte a Verona V

Morte a Verona III

What nobody is looking for is in the merging point.

Your gaze rests on the window of the building

Over there, behind the corner, there is a switch on the wall.

Mlibty, aka Marko Zubak, is an unknown-known personified. Known by those artists in NFTs since 2018 before the boom, unknown to the majority of those who have since left the space. Yet anyone who sees the work of Mlibty recognizes the talent immediately. Mario’s work on OBJKT features moving sketches of ghostly figures and his subtle suggestion that he sees something in the background. On Zero One, the background is also a focus where the dangerous lives of paper dolls are on full display. Now that the market has slowed, a revisit to artists that sparked this century’s renaissance should welcome a rejuvenated interest in artists like Mlibty.

⅂0ꓤꓕN0Ͻ ⅄ꓕƎᴉ¡ᴉXN∀

Hiding Spot

Cave Painting

T̵̙͌͐r̸̽͜á̷͇̳̓ñ̵͔s̵̺̭͑̒v̸̺͘ȉ̸̠̅ŗ̴̛͖́u̵͙͛l̶̫͈͛́e̶̼̤͌́n̷̠͗c̷̘̍̚ë̶̬́

𝚆𝚎𝚕𝚝𝚜𝚌𝚑𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚣

爪㠪尺长闩乃闩廾

The prevalent static throughout 6ENERATOR’s work communicates the buried irritants we all have but attempt to control and hide from the world. A perfect example of this comes from ⅂0ꓤꓕN0Ͻ ⅄ꓕƎᴉ¡ᴉXN∀ where the static is contained into a triangle in the background in an abstract mess of sharp edges and bold lines. Even when it is controlled our world view is often affected and changed beyond our control.

Spirit Guide (audiovisual)

RUBBERNECKING

The Last Kiss

Crystalline Planet

we're looking at you

MULTIPLE FACEGASMS 003

The aliens have landed and Julia K. Ponsford is communicating with them, or are they communicating through her? These portraits of beings that aren’t quite human but resemble living things, blend glitches, AI, audio, and motion. This creates not quite a collage but more an array of content, like distant radio signals from the cosmos being interpreted and communicated back and forth between these alien beings.

CCollab #8

Chill

No. 24

No. 25

CCollab #9

No. 19

We’ll leave the debate of whether PFP NFTs helped elevate the toon portraits of graffiti-style artists or diminished the appeal to others. A staple in many street artist repertoires (e.g., Greg Mike, fnnch, Mekazoo, Mahendra Nazaar, Dr.Robo7, DRMN BG) the cartoon portrait gives the abstract freedom of street artists a focal point and constraints to explore their personal style. These characters become their calling card, their intellectual property, and perhaps their alternate persona. Bujang’s Copymouse will become another in a line of immediately recognizable characters from extremely talented artists.

Each UNDRGRND DIGS will feature artists our curators have purchased for the UNDRGRND Collection.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter for more information: #UNDRGRND

dreamers by fraim.10

AUGUST 24, 2023

As expected, the NFT space has taken shape and changed.

Such an open space does not look for labels. However, they are often unavoidable. It is necessary for the space of digital art, cryptocurrencies, project exchanges, and business to begin to lay the foundations for a long life as a revolutionary movement. Everything is a mixture of interests and actors that have found a window of opportunity but were not fully defined. Now as time passes this new entity has spaces where each character finds its niche.

So far, we can see a clear picture of where the most relevant characters fit in and those that move on from the initial emotion of profit - thanks to the bear market - to build an alternative of true visibility for creators. Creators, not just of art, but all kinds of culture creators.

In this mix, there are artists, business people, traders, risk-takers, dreamers, and in the future, those who will learn from our mistakes.

At the moment many artists who have not found sales but stagnation have either left or taken reservations; many have given up full-time as creators to pursue ventures that provide stable income. Those who stay become vulnerable to scammers from the desperation for discovery as the artistic revelation of the moment, because if you are not one of the favorites of the businessmen or patrons you will struggle for visibility,

It is never what you know but who you are.

Some advice, my dear fellow artists: Business people will pay for your work when you show your value, not just talent. Business people who bet on digital creatives buy what has value, as they know that value will increase. They look to invest, build, create alliances, and connect. For that, they need to see your value.

Consider the Medici group - Cozomo and his crew - a great example of business people supporting amazing artists and using the opportunity to grow themselves and create opportunities for others. Business people know how to find opportunities even in their leisure time as if an innate behavior. Nothing is done just for the love of art - unless all other needs, including the need for attention, are already met. All of us, especially artists as we are business-illiterate romantics, need to learn from these people.

On the flip side, there are dealers, those who buy art to find someone who will pay a better price and hope for a profit. They might try to get a famous artist's work for less money to make a name for themselves. They won't give you the same respect as business people and help you grow. They are selling, not adding value.

And what of the dreamers, those who like the business people build but of themselves, and their emotions? They build out of conviction for the community and those lacking the spotlight. Dreamers seek equality of opportunity, they assign value based on empathy, perhaps from experience. They bet heavily on the rebellious, anarchic, and different speech of each creator. The dreamers risk personal resources and put their names on their work. Their credibility is at risk if they fail, however, they recover because of the appreciation and the comradery of those who understand the struggle.

Finally, the risk-takers, the gamblers and scammers. I can't help but smile ironically at the thought of them, as despicable characters who detract from the seriousness of the movement it’s opportunism embodied in deft fingers that are increasingly ingenious in taking whatever they can: value, parts, reputation, money. But, like all of us, they find themselves amidst great opportunities where they can "work" unscrupulously.

In this fragmentation of the digital culture revolution, where change happens every 24 hours, survival and adaptation come from an iron will to belong – because no matter the character you identify with, you have found here a space to see and be seen. I am constantly reminded of Allen Ginsberg's poem Howl, it is a reading of the future that we are susceptible to every day. 

So, learn from the business people, build like the dreamers, and distinguish between gamblers and friends.

But above all, live the dream of being in the digital revolution.

1960s Tree

AUGUST 7TH, 2023

Each week 100 NFTs are minted and randomly airdropped to UNDRGRND Membership Cardholders. To find out how you can be featured as an UNDRGRND Artist check out our Discord. 

This will all end.

You. Me. Everything.

It’s something we all think and worry about but get to experience only once. Unless you’re Fred. Since an electrocution at a young age, Fredrick (Fred) Schultz finds himself traveling to the vast unknown of life after death.

“I thought maybe I was having a recurring dream, I wasn't sure if I was having out-of-body experiences, because it was happening so regularly, like every three months,” Fred says, “So I decided when it happens, I’d test it.”

“During the out-of-body experience,” he continues, “I would go to places that I wasn't familiar with, see what was there and I would look for things that I could verify later. I would make a mental note of what was there and then go there when I returned back to my body.”

Each and every time Fred searched for confirmation, he was given proof that these were in fact out-of-body experiences. While incredible, the profound emotional impact on Fred was even greater.

“The first thing I experienced is the feeling of love,” he continues, “I felt pleasure more intense than I ever had in my life. I could no longer feel my nerves or pains in my body. Every feeling is a thousand times more intense. This is when I learned to only live for happiness and love. Then you start realizing that you're outside your body. So you think to yourself, ‘Hey, I'm gonna go and see this place’ and you're there. One of the bizarre things is you don't realize that you're dead you don't feel like you have died.”

“I became aware that I could see multiple dimensions, I was seeing atoms, at the same time seeing the electromagnetic magnetic fields. I could see the wind and sound waves that are around us.”

“The other thing I saw, is we are all linked. All our orbs are connected. The connections work like the internet, we are all linked to the universe. In there, we all have access to universal knowledge. All of the experience was pleasurable, I felt no pain.”

“It was enlightening but I was mildly disappointed when I found out I had them from heart attacks and not a spiritual gift. But the experience did not diminish, it lead me to learn more about other people who had experienced the same.”

In the realm of human existence, lies a crossroad where physical affliction and spiritual blessings collide. It is within this enigmatic intersection that lies a choice - a choice that determines not only how we perceive ourselves but how we perceive the world around us.

How Fred experiences the world comes through in his art.

Night wave

Sacred blue tree

Galaxy 888 tree

Rainbow Swirl Tree

Blue Room

Mandala Ghost Wave

Fred's inclination towards issues concerning climate change, and even trees (e.g. The Tree of Life) comes as no surprise when one considers his unique experience. Seeing humanity as intrinsically interconnected, he forms a deep emotional bond with this existential challenge: the impending demise of something so fundamental to our existence. He embraces the importance of preserving that which is precious to every one of us, recognizing the fragility of our shared existence. Understanding the need for conservation, he seeks to protect the invaluable resources that sustain us.

Is this a genetic curse, in a sense, a burden passed down through generations? An answer attributed to science and brought on by an electrocution? It may manifest as a physical ailment, but it whispers the tales of struggle and hardship etched into DNA. However, these whispers need not be the voice that echoes through our minds. They need not define us. It is within the human spirit to rise above these genetic curses, to transform. Through resilience, determination, and self-discovery, we can rewrite the narrative. No longer beholden to the chains of our genetic inheritance, we liberate our souls and embrace the power to redefine our story.

What if these are spiritual blessings? It is here that we find a different journey, yet one just as profound. A spiritual blessing, a gift emanating from the depths of the universe, invites us to recognize our interconnectedness, embrace a higher purpose, and perceive the world with clarity and enlightenment. A spiritual blessing bestows upon us a sense of wonder, a profound understanding that we are part of something greater than ourselves. It beckons us to explore the depths of our souls, connect with the divine, and share our unique gifts with the world.

In the end, the choice lies with the individual.

Fred reminds us to consider our connections to find solace and motivation in acknowledging the beauty, even amidst the impending demise. Perhaps this will lead to our preservation and ultimate survival.

Whether a physical curse or a spiritual blessing, we are given a canvas upon which to paint our existence, and Fred is doing just that.

Off & Running by Venta

JULY 17TH, 2023

5 Artists From the UNDRGRND Collection 

UNDRGRND DIGS is a periodical feature showcasing artists that the UNDRGRND curators dig. We sift through the social media and NFT platforms to find the best artists waiting to be discovered. UNDRGRND believes in the artists we feature and we will purchase NFTs from each artist featured.

The blockchain symbol appearing next to the artist’s name indicates which UNDRGRND collection.

View the Tezos UNDRGRND Collection

View the Solana UNDRGRND Collection

Prompted Future

The Dentist

Hyperesthesia

Cataclysm

Calcification

Jean Saucisse takes pen to paper creating beautifully traumatic scenes that feel like an abomination of a creative child of Ralph Steadman and Tim Maxwell. The immediate horrific effect on the viewer only filters out those unable to handle the beauty hidden within. Prompted Future begs the question, even hopes for, if the current state of AI saturation will lead to a future filled with individuals overcome with Stendhal Syndrome (a psychosomatic condition involving rapid heartbeat, fainting, confusion, and even hallucinations, allegedly occurring when individuals become exposed to objects, artworks, or phenomena of great beauty and antiquity). 

Details 097

JMP 040

JMP 021

LS 004

JMP 024

JMP 025

Jenna Mikal blends AI with her abundance of artistic talent to create a seamless partnership where many trained individuals would be hard-pressed to differentiate between artist creations and collaborations between artist and machine. Her series Details in Details of modern scene speaks to this search for the specific details that help us define scenes of play, happiness, and simple life. Eventually, thanks to artists like Jenna, society will drop the moniker “AI artists” and be left with just "artists"; that she and others are already.

Dog Day Doom

Building Up/Breaking Down

Man Eats Plane

Waiting For. . .

Three Homies

The growing frustration from outsiders concerning AI art needs to familiarize themselves with artists like Venta. Venta’s digital painting blends seamlessly with the mutated-by-radiation-exposure creatures that AI programs tend to output. Perhaps Venta’s input images even torture the machine in a type of revenge to reinforce our dominance as the superior being. Our use of AI is a conversation between machine and creator; a collaboration where the languages are similar but nuances are lost at various stages of the process. We learn that despite a breakdown in communication and information lost in translation produces something entirely new, something created together, beyond what we understood ourselves.

Isolated World : 3

Isolated World : 2

Isolated World : 4

Gravity Playground

GLASS WORLD - O4

GLASS WORLD - 14

The infamous riverboat scene from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory produced nightmares for an entire generation. Diverr’s Isolated World: 3   may exist in the same realm but as the inverse. A boat travels down a river but rather than a captain attempting to induce a panic attack as the passengers grimace against vile scenes, these experience a colorful, graffiti-styled universe where the hallucinations may become real but open a world of possibility rather than emotional destruction.

Black Maori Little Bears

Black Maori Giraffes

Black The end has no end

Flower Power

Black Maori Dragonflies

Maori Moose

Louize’s talent is obvious in the detail of her Maori-styled animals that do so much with simple black and white. These works though show the power of art and the connections we draw from simple designs and colors. Black Maori Little Bears bear (pun intended) a resemblance to We Bare Bears, a beautiful cartoon about three brothers. The Black Maori Dragonflies resemble the dragonflies from a former underground band Coheed & Cambria. And while Louize may have no awareness of these references, the fact remains that her art can connect those audiences that do and transfer those nostalgic and fond memories to her art, with just black and white intricate lines. That’s the power of art, connecting us and finding a common reference point without ever speaking a word to one another.

Each UNDRGRND DIGS will feature artists our curators have purchased for the UNDRGRND Collection.

Prophesied Acolyte

APRIL 14TH, 2023

Each week 100 NFTs are minted and randomly airdropped to UNDRGRND Membership Cardholders. To find out how you can be featured as an UNDRGRND Artist check out our Discord. 

Art bridges the divide created between differences and language. The explosion of Indonesian art in the crypto art world has created a broad window into life in Indonesia. The more time Americans spend looking into this world, the more we see our kindred spirits. 

Sutayah Marahakim creates glitch corporate-satire gifs that represent Indonesia and reflect a similar world many Americans also experience. Marahakim’s Corpomen series is inspired by their real-life experience in the corporate world, “my work deals a lot with businessmen, startups, and venture capitalists,” Stayah says, “(My art is) my bitter, satyrical commentaries for this money burning, soul-sucking, drunk with greed industry.”

Any individual dealing with the negative effects of a capitalist-driven society can relate to the soul-sucking nature Marahakim expresses in their work. But, these works extend beyond just the experience of our physical experiences. 

Marahakim combines supernatural elements, along with overarching themes across multiple works. With the first three years spent as a playwright in their creative career, we can see the influence of fantasy, mythology, and story-telling coming out in every piece. Each one allows us to escape the corporate grind and see the truth hidden in the strive for financial success, and hopeful achieve a more idealistic future.

“There are always greater worlds out there,” Some exist because we imagine them. Some are hidden, and some are yet to be discovered. My art is a keyhole to peek into them.”

R(eap)iver Dolphin

manifestival

Promethean Gift

Mechanical Mandor

Palugada

Kulikantor the Dispensable

Perhaps there is more honesty than criticism in Marahakim’s work. Despite being critical of the corporate Indonesian world, Marahakim remains proud of who they are.

“I am, for better or worse, a proud Indonesian,” says Sutansyah, “I have within me several Indonesian worlds as the formation of my love. We are not as diligent as most Asians. We are not as physically gifted. We don’t win a lot of medals. We are loud, chaotic, thrashing around, breaking the law, bribing, and accepting bribes. But we are also warm and diverse. We respect (even love) foreigners. We are tolerant (not on the internet), cheesy, and love to live life but are always ready to laugh about it. We are a lovable mess.”

We all play a role in creating our surroundings. A lesson not lost on Marahakim, making the critiques of their world all the more important.

The more we explore these other words and peek through the keyhole artists like Sutayah Marahakim create, the more we see our similarities outweigh our differences.

Aphrodite 01# by Lucinda Lyons

APRIL 11TH, 2023

5 Artists From the UNDRGRND Collection 

UNDRGRND DIGS is a periodical feature showcasing artists that the UNDRGRND curators dig. We sift through the social media and NFT platforms to find the best artists waiting to be discovered. UNDRGRND believes in the artists we feature and we will purchase NFTs from each artist featured.

The blockchain symbol appearing next to the artist’s name indicates which UNDRGRND collection.

View the Tezos UNDRGRND Collection

View the Solana UNDRGRND Collection

Lubital Bliznih's satirical art exposes everyone to potential danger. Lubital's absurd loops provide humorous social commentary, targeting members of the church and pigeons using Lenin’s statue as a public bathroom. In his work Narcissist, Lubital openly critiques society's obsession with themselves resulting in a bloody mess. The tough Texas Freshner, which gives smells a misguided kick out the window, exemplifies masculinity according to Lubital's satirical perspective.

Visit Dream Street by Meganeko, where a black and white pixelated town caters to predominantly feline inhabitants. Try your luck at the Chicky Machine, where you can use a claw to grab a live baby chick. Or, get lost in the tunes at the Catnip Music House and let them soothe you to sleep. The Dream Street Collection presents a fantastical world where cats and birds live in harmony, suggesting that the absence of humans may contribute to their peaceful coexistence.

Things

Hand in hand

If Deniz's paintings were not digital, you could physically experience the texture of each work. Deniz's pieces have a visceral appeal that is both unsettling and beautiful. Each work has an appropriately descriptive title, such as Dysfunction and Worst experience I have ever had. Despite their tongue-in-cheek humor, the titles are somehow understated for the intense emotions conveyed in each piece. The most cleverly titled work is I can touch my knee, a portrait of a boneless figure contorting, perhaps showing off their contortionist abilities to a proud, albeit disfigured, parent.

Doll Maker

Electric Venus 03 #

Anya 03 #

Blue Venus

Dancer 02 #

Lucinda Lyons's wide array of abstract digital drawings capture the shapely beauty of the female form. Despite the unabashedly beautiful nature of her images, Lucinda portrays tender sorrow in some of her works. In Eliza 04#, the subject emits emotions in a spectrum of colors from her body while hiding her face. Similarly, in Elena, the subject obscures her face from the audience. When Lucinda does depict the faces of her female subjects, they hold the audience's gaze with confidence, as in Blue Venus, daring the viewer to blink first.

Indonesian artist Wiwitaek strives to bring self-reflection and awareness to their audience. Their series Anagnorisis (which is the point in a play or novel, in which a principal character recognizes or discovers another character's true identity or the true nature of their circumstances) is a self-proclaimed journey of discovery for them as an artist and us as the viewer. These hand-cut collages represent years of growth in their art and share a part of the artist creating it but also a part of what we the audience see in each. Whatever you may see is exactly what Wiwitaek intends for you to see, for it is your journey as well. 

Each UNDRGRND DIGS will feature artists our curators have purchased for the UNDRGRND Collection.