Genesis
This is my genesis NFT artwork. It is about navigating the merger of the physical and digital worlds which is being made possible by the lock and key otherwise known as an NFT. It is about the rebirth of being and the merger of man and technology. It is about a brave new space that we as a collective can shape in a way that supports and serves everyone. A celebration of continual growth, connection, dreaming big, and that a rising tide lifts all ships.
This work of art started as an abstract painting on canvas. At one point in the process imagery started to make its way into the painting. At the time I was falling in love and reaching new clarity on many things in my life. Without a doubt these things found their way into the painting, and the original painting can be seen in the "sunrise state."
I worked on the painting for a few months and then had to travel for a while. When I got back to the studio I decided the painting was finished. This was 2017.
Fast forward to 2021 when I entered my first NFTs.tips clubhouse room in February. For a week straight I participated in amazing conversations for 8+ hours a day about the possibilities of NFT’s and the metaverse and my mind started to explode. One aspect of NFTs that I found particularly interesting was the ability to add conceptual things into the smart contract that were inherently tied to the NFT itself. This is the reason I decided to drop my first NFT on Async Art.
Overflowing with inspiration and new knowledge I took the painting from 2017 and began to paint into it with Procreate. Almost 100 hours of logged time later, and countless more conversations on clubhouse, I present to the world “Genesis.”
Day/Night feature was chosen to showcase the work in color and black and white but also an added transparency of showing important steps of the creative process in the "states" of sunrise and sunset.
Sunrise shows the original physical painting, which turns to the digital/analog hybrid version throughout the day. At sunset the digital layer of color is shown separate, which then changes into the final digital/analog painting for the duration of the night.
As a painter the process is integral to how I reach a final image. Now with this autonomous NFT I think it’s amazing to give the collector ownership and insight into this process.
Being able to experience the same imagery in various states activates the idea of continuous change. The symbolism in the painting is open to interpretation as well as reflective of our current times of entering the metaverse. The act of seeing the painting in process is also meant to remind us that everything is a work in progress and it’s the process itself that gives meaning to existence.
Sunrise State - Original painting on canvas Day State – Black and White final version hybrid of digital and analog painting. Sunset State – Layer of color digital painting. Night State – Full color final version hybrid of digital and analog painting.
Bio: Over the last 20 years Ari Lankin has extensively developed painted languages exploring abstraction, conceptual process, and realism. His current paintings are intentionally open to interpretation and rich in visceral sensation. They encourage experienced based conversations on the universe and mankind. They hover between mystical and scientific. The physicality of paint, intuition, memory, and exploration are crucial aspects of his practice. His last solo show in New York City in 2020 completely sold out, he has two murals on public display at World Trade Center 3, and he has had major signature product collaborations with TROJAN™ Condoms and Adidas.