On this episode, I get to hang out with Roberta, an amazing artist that I met through the digital art world. I think it’s important to immediately note that Roberta has academic and industry experience with graphic design, and has been a full-time NFT artist for a couple of years now. As such, she has a really good grip on how the space works, and her insights during our discussion come from well-informed experience
Starting off with a quick insight into what a typical day looks like for her as a full time artist, we embark on a deeper trip into her mind. From the very beginning we are tuned into the culture around crypto art, the behaviors that define it, and how it can appear to folks observing it from the outside. And yet, the entire discussion is ultimately about having a very human experience as an artist.
From the mechanics of 1/1s vs editions, to notions of what curation can look like, Roberta shares some perspective on how it all works. She even touches on the psychology of being a part of the culture on social media - both the ups, and the downs of it all.
Prior to NFTs though, she was working in a graphic design gig, and had a pivotal moment that led her away from that industry. After being asked to make a homophobic poster, which is especially ridiculous because she’s gay, she realized this job was not something she wanted to do. From there, she found her way to the digital art world, and it looks like her journey started with $100. Wild.
The more we talk about how it all works with NFTs, the weirder it gets to anybody that’s not in it. It reads as a scam run by cults. Which is hilarious considering a cult needs a leader and we have anything but those, but it also explains why mass adoption is so far away. Can you imagine telling folks that you need to spend $100 to sell art to people you’ve never met before, via the internet, on marketplaces that nobody has ever heard of before, and that all of it is happening with a currency that has a fluctuating value every second of the day? Yeah, get outta here you crazy person.
The truth is that it’s more than just a loosely regulated casino - I really believe stories like Roberta’s can show how there is an alternative economy and marketplace here, that has the potential for immense positive change. It’s already changed the lives of many artists in a meaningful way, and it offers this promise for folks in virtually any non-creative industry as well.
The psychology of it is really fascinating, especially for those of us that are still actively engaged with the ecosystem. I think it takes a combination of having a vision, understanding the potential of the technology, and finding the right community, in order to exist in a way that is not detrimental to one’s well being. Roberta’s approach to both social media, and her personal work is a great example of this.
The big reminder here is that we’re all just human, and there are way many more bad players and scammers out in the non-NFT world than in it. But as Roberta points out, the media always tends to pick up on the low hanging fruit - in this case, negative things like scams and grifts.
Now as a performance artist myself, I loved hearing that she loves Marina Abramovic’s work, and what her work stands for. Talking about art from the physical world, we discussed about the complexity of considering how digital art would find a place in physical exhibition formats. Talking about Maria Pleshkova, Bezmiar, and Glowa as well, there is an interesting consideration of how different types of artists and art mediums can find different display modes in physical art spaces.
The conversation circles around to the topic of mental health, and Roberta gets really personal about what things were like for her in the past, and how she worked through them with a combination of therapy and lifestyle changes. Her story gives us a little insight into why her work tends to have dark themes, and she says something that really stood out to me: “With every piece, I’m being super vulnerable.” This is so honest, and powerful for me. Especially as an artist that works with vulnerability at its core.
In fact everything about Roberta is honest, and I found our entire session to be so humbling. She’s got a great sense of humor, but has a great depth that I feel lucky to have gotten a glimpse into. I value discussions that can acknowledge the importance of therapy, and esoteric views of how art can be a reflection of who an artist is, and who they are becoming. Roberta truly understands this metaphor well, and hashes out her view on it gracefully.
When asked the burning question of ‘what’s up with the nipples’ in her work, her does not disappoint! Roberta’s humanity really shines here, and outlines how most artists are not all that serious. I think that for the most part, we’re all goofballs in some way.
The fact is that we’re all just trying to find ways to continue doing what we do. Some of us are well organized, some of us are not, and at the end of the day, there is a reason things are labeled and categorized. It helps people understand what we do, and it helps us find systems to work within. It’s easy to spiral out otherwise.
I was humbled to have her ask me about my work with suspension, and it led to a really interesting segway into Roberta explaining how artists can develop their own style. She’s got a system, and you should listen to what she has to say about this process, because it’s really beautiful, and incredibly pragmatic.
From there, we get a little deeper into what she’s doing with her art, some of the roots in her creative flow, and a whole bunch more laughter and nipple talk. My hope is that anybody listening to her talk can appreciate how far being honest with yourself can go. Further more, I hope you can look at her work and appreciate it on a deeper level than before!
You can check her out on Twitter and Instagram, and also be sure to see her 1/1 NFTs directly on Foundation, and SuperRare.
Next week, I am sharing my podcast session with the amazeballs Randy Ortiz! This will be a little departure from digital art, and into fine art. Check him out on Instagram, and see you next week.
Transmission #28 - Roberta Railaitė