TokenEditions proudly welcomes Mankind and his new NFT art drop "After the Dance". This powerful two piece collection encourages us to make peace with past events by viewing them from a different perspective and to give ourselves the room we need to transform former ideas and emotions into something new. Using light and the graceful movement of ballet, each artwork elegantly inspires feelings of liberation: darkness is overcome by the rising of the sun and an unexpected space suddenly offers room to dance.
Mankind is a digital artist with over 20 years experience in art direction, working for award winning branding, digital and advertising studios. Since 2020, he's released a handful of NFT art collections that have generated over 700 sales on the primary market, with a total sales volume of 500 ETH. "Violin 1 - The Leading Voice", part of the interactive collection of musical NFTs titled "MozartBeats" created in collaboration with the artist collective NFTunes (Francisco Supin and Baher Al Hakim), was sold for an impressive 9 ETH ($32, 330) in the fall of 2021.
Mankind’s artwork has been described as relaxing and meditative, with powerful, artistic meaning. In his collection "Speculation", released in March 2021, he places clean-cut, glass-like monoliths in vast, natural landscapes, merging opposing ideas of chaos and accumulation with control and minimalism. For Mankind, the artworks symbolize how colliding worlds can give hope for a better future.
Hope is a common theme found in Mankind’s artworks, heavily inspired by his personal journey after a near death experience concerning health and the mental existential struggles that followed. He found his struggles echoed in the pages of “Confession”, by 19th century Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy. In this short book, Tolstoy examines philosophy, religion, and his personal battle with depression as he attempts to answer profound life questions: “Since death is inevitable, what is the meaning of life?” Mankind found the answer of hope by exploring, creating and sharing his artworks with others.
“Every time I make art it gives me hope for a better future. I want to share that,” says Mankind.
The music in each artwork is an original soundtrack by classical and electronic composer Chiara Castanza.
TOKENEDITIONS TALKS WITH MANKIND
What was your first childhood memory of being creative?
I thought the world was all pretty boring as a kid until I pointed a camera lens to the sky. Within the constraints of the cropping, I saw the beauty of the clouds. Somehow focusing within the frame helped me see the world from a better perspective.
What led you down the path of being an artist?
Discovering that I could use visuals to see things differently and help others see things from a new perspective has always been interesting to me, that what we are shown can transform into new ideas and emotions.
Who do you look up to as an artist, and why?
I appreciate all artists that are consistently pushing the boundaries of what makes art great.
When did you begin to call yourself an artist? Was there a specific moment / accomplishment that led to this, or was it gradual?
When others started calling me an artist I allowed myself to use the term. When I sold my first NFT was the first time I truly felt like a digital artist as I could create and sell my work all digitally.
Who or what inspires you most?
Exploring and sharing the idea of hope inspires me.
With the life experience you have now, what advice would you give yourself 10 years ago.
Trust the process. It's going to get better.
If you could collaborate with any musician / composer / singer with your art, who would you choose, and why?
My work tends to suit atmospheric ambient audio. But musicians top of mind right now would be Bjork, Kendrick Lamar, Finneas, Aphex Twin, Kanye, Chance The Rapper, and many more.
Rod Serling (creator of The Twilight Zone) famously said “The most important thing about the first sale is for the very first time in your life something written has value and proven value because somebody has given you money for the words that you've written. And that's terribly important. It's a tremendous boom to the ego, to your sense of self-reliance, to your feeling about your own talent.” This quote is applicable for all creatives, not just writers. What did your first sale feel like, and how did it change the course of your life (if at all)? How much was the payment amount, and what was it for?
My first sale was for 0.5ETH ($100 at the time): Strawberries & cream & skulls, oh my 🍓💀
Selling my first crypto art was a dream I didn't know I could dream for. I had got used to the idea that digital art was an infinitely copy-able commodity only valuable to clients that could afford it. NFTs shifted my mindset and my life.
Why do you make art?
Every time I make art it gives me hope for a better future. I want to share that.
If you could live in any era (past, present or future), when would you live, and why? Who would be the first person you try to collaborate with?
I'm a believer in living in the now. Working with what you have and doing the best you can.
What do you like to do outside of creating art?
Being a dad, learning new technology, gaming, and movies for days.
Why are NFTs important for the world of digital arts? Why are they important to you?
For the first time in history, native digital artists have a way to give ownership, scarcity and confirm provenance of their work. The independence and creative freedom this will allow cannot be understated.
