This week, I got into the weeds of dark art with Marielle. I was curious about her process and influences, and learned a bunch about her background too. It’s amazing to me how there are so many cultural references we share globally, and how our unique geographical situations contribute to our exposure with them.
As a lover of horror and metal, I was really stoked to find common ground with her, but more importantly, it was her honest and humble approach to everything that stood out to me. I think we are all products of our environments growing up, but what sets many artists apart, is the ability to share uniquely personal interpretations of things that they feel a need to express. Marielle’s work stands out to me as a great example of this.
It’s always been so fascinating to me to explore the journey digital artists have gone through, especially when it’s from pen/ink paper to digital canvases. Instead of feeling threatened by a new technology, or being reluctant to try something new, they lean in and pick up new skills along the way.
From ink to the Cintiq, Marielle’s exploration of art feels very organic. Prior to NFTs she had the full on web2 experience of trying to sell prints, and using social media. So it makes a lot of sense that she has found some joy on the blockchain. It really feels like getting into NFTs is a big part of her discovery of what it means to be an artist, and the pressures of social media are such a big part of that today (for any artist).
Her love of extreme music and horror makes so much sense to me. These are common spaces for many introverted creatives, especially because audio and visual intensity tends to match the noise inside of our minds. It also makes a lot of sense looking at her work, and connecting her influences with what we are looking at.
Additionally, her social influences - from religion to family - are not just relatable; they paint a very clear picture of how artists are formed in this world. There is no right or wrong to this: one can either intentionally ignore their life and make art to escape it in entirety, or one can embrace their life experiences (both good and bad) to let it have an impact on their creations. Sometimes the latter outcome is unintentional as well!
I was stoked to hear that one of her goals currently is to continue building the world and art around her Matriarch series. I think we are re-entering an era of thick narratives, with messages solidly embedded in well thought out conceptual work. Story-telling NFTs anyone? No joke though, this is the kind of work that I think will stand the test of time, and pave the way for future artists to look back and realize that we should not be afraid to lean into fiction across all visual genres of art.
I love a good story, and I think Marielle’s is a great one. To re-iterate my greatest takeaway here, I think her honesty with who she is and what she’s doing with her art is inspirational. It makes me reconsider some of the more rigid approaches I have to my work, and reminds me to be more forgiving with myself, and maybe adopting a little bit more laissez-faire attitude in my process.
Please be sure to connect with her on Twitter, or even on Instagram if you use it! You can find more of her intricate and thoughtful explorations of dark concepts across Ethereum and Tezos. Check out all of her links here. I hope her work shows you how dark art can utilize claustrophobic compositions to free your mind for a bit by falling into it, as it has for me.
Today is drop day for Luiz Widmer and me! Auction for our third and last piece before our 64 piece FND drop is live for 24 hours, and you can find it here:
Next week I share my interview with the super fucking rad Hiena! He is one of my favorite people in the space, and my interactions with him have always lifted my spirits, no matter how down I’ve been. I think this shows in his work as well.
See you next week, and don’t forget to spread the word!
Transmission 7: Marielle