orbisms
Transmissions from the Void
Transmission #18 - Images Sombres
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Transmission #18 - Images Sombres

Patiently purging

Images Sombres is one of the most down to earth and thoughtful artists I’ve met through the NFT art world. Sharing his relationship with art, his process, and life experiences, he provides what I find to be invaluable advice for other artists. The vast majority of what we have connected over has very little - if anything at all - to do with crypto and the blockchain. If anything, the biggest takeaway from joining the crypto art madness is the community we have actualized. This podcast is often proof of that.

I wanted to do that thing I do, where I write a breakdown of what we talked about, and touch in depth on topics that really resonate with me. But for the first time since I started this series of articles and recordings, I think I’m going to approach this a little differently. My reasoning is simply that the entire discussion we had is a continuous stream of what it takes to keep a healthy mindset as an artist. I think Sombres is a an intensely unique surrealist, and his technical and mental depth shows greatly in his art.

So, instead of the breakdown I do with every post, I’m going to briefly touch on three points that Sombres brings up without me really even having to ask them, that I feel are part of all of my discussions with artists:

  1. The balance; the work we do for others vs our personal creative projects

  2. Our humanity; identity, social context, and the need to create

  3. The process; the way we bring our ideas into existence

IS’s wisdom carries across with an energy laced with patience and common sense. There is a sense of patience with him, that provides an unhurried feeling of space and time to explore the complexities of these subjects that can often be overwhelming to talk about.

In regards to finding balance, I think this is the thing that is the most difficult for artists to figure out, if they haven’t already. Personally, I am notorious for burning out, juggling both the needs of others and my personal projects, all under both professional deadlines, and self-imposed (made up) ones.

To be able to stay pragmatic about one’s work life, and prioritize making art in their free time is a great balancing act. The consequences of neglecting sleep, food, exercise, and straight up mental rest are dire. We need to make money as much as we need to stay healthy in this world, and for artists, sometimes not making art is synonymous with losing a grip on mental health. Balance is tough.

As for our humanity, this is the thing that fascinates me the most when it comes to art, and the folks who make and support it. From somebody’s background related and unrelated to art, to what circles they run in, I think it’s always important to get a view into how somebody’s mind has been formed over the years.

Most importantly, I think it’s crucial to understand who people were, are, and are becoming. In my opinion, this cannot happen outside of a social context. Whether this means taking a look at one’s social circle, what their cultural background looks like, or even what their family was like, there is always a bigger picture around one’s identity. And sometimes, understanding the picture of others is an incredible resource for learning, and becoming.

Lastly, establishing a solid understanding of what one’s process is when it comes to making art, is entirely underrated. Maybe this is just my perception of it, but I find that those that are the most at peace with their creative endeavors, tend to be the ones that have a solid comprehension of what they need to do to make their art.

Some folks need routine, while others need pure chaos. Some need to disconnect to connect, and others need to tear themselves apart inside. Sometimes folks just need to follow a ritual that allows them to just let go, and sometimes they need to disconnect from all sense of habitual behavior just in order to find something to hold on to.

There is no one way to be an artist. And there is no one way to follow a creative path. If anything, Images Sombres’ approach to his self, and expectation management when it comes to art, is a great example of just letting it all happen when the time is right. And how do we know when that time is?

Welp, if you’re an artist, trust me, you’ll know when you get there, because you’ll be too busy creating to talk or think about it.

Also, a reminder for you to send Sombres a DM about VNV Nation, if you’re interested! His DMs are open. Please be sure to check out his work on Foundation, Superrare, and objkt.com as well!


The next transmission will be with my dear friend, Hato! She’s one of the sweetest folks I’ve met through the NFT world, and has had a crazy ride through its culture. Check her out on Twitter!

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orbisms
Transmissions from the Void
A cross-disciplinary dive into realms of art, technology, crypto, and everything in between. Sometimes esoteric, sometimes thoughtful, always observing connections between our humanity and the worlds we engage with physically and digitally.
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