UNDRGRND DIGS 011
FEBRUARY 7TH, 2022
5 Artists From the UNDRGRND Collection
UNDRGRND DIGS is a periodical feature showcasing artists that the UNDRGRND curators dig. We sift through the social media and NFT platforms to find the best artists waiting to be discovered. UNDRGRND believes in the artists we feature and we will purchase NFTs from each artist featured. Purchases will be airdropped to reward UNDRGRND community members.
Semproel is an Indonesian illustrator and graffiti artist from Bandung who creates mythical beasts and punk hybrid creatures. From brightly colored parrots to frogs, pigs, and bunnies, all hailing from different districts, each artwork represents a different gang. Together the birds, mammals, amphibians, and insects make up the zoological MythicPunk Gangs. These creatures are not cuddly. Sporting Mohican hairstyles, leather jackets, and studded collars, each one is uniquely cool and striking, demanding a second look. Gang leaders strutting their finest conjures up images reminiscent of West Side Story rivals squaring up to each other in a deserted backstreet, ready to fight for their territory. Tentacle RoAr depicts a hybrid creature somewhere between a lion and an octopus. This work is a reflection of screaming while tied down. Like the frustration of wanting to try new things but being bound by noisy ignorance. Quirky details are sprinkled throughout, like spray paint cans. Oray Centipedes, an animated work featuring a creature half snake, half centipede symbolizes the poison spreader with many followers.
Danda Odara is a Brazilian painter, illustrator and photographer who believes in art as a path to freedom and love and uses her art as a source of healing. There’s a raw honesty to her work with its naturally earthy tones and shadows. Many scenes are atmospherically lit by animated flickering candlelight. In A benção the description reads ‘our faith protects us.’ Facing shadow highlights the dangers of animals in the wild and demonstrates the power of illuminating and facing our shadows, embracing their beauty, and accepting their existence within us. The candidness of her subjects adds to the authenticity of her work. As if they are unaware that their daily routine is being captured for posterity. Shown as the bond between a boy crouching in the woods with his companion goat in true love, a touching and intimate scene as part of the candle series. In contrast to the warm and comforting scenes, in Blindfolded a man remains motionless and vulnerable, a symbol of life without faith or light to guide our journey.
Elif Demir is an Istanbul-based illustrator who loves to draw. Her art is fun and appreciated by children and adults alike. But behind her quirky animations lies a certain sadness. Like in oh no, an animated reflection of a swing sitting in a puddle captures the tragedy of a play park, unusable after the rain. First Date shows the anticipation of romance in the air, but the toe-tapping signals impatience on the part of one party to move the conversation to the next level. Magrite feelings gives us a glimpse of what it is like when you can’t bear to see yourself in the mirror. Whether it be through shame, embarrassment, some other lack of confidence or self-worth. In On hold, the turntable of a retro record player spins offering nostalgic entertainment. But the figure on top running endlessly as though on a treadmill demonstrates the pointlessness of activities that lead nowhere. In contrast to the animated artworks, Red socks reminds us that whilst it's tempting to be at one with nature, if we stay still too long, the grass will grow over us.
Mysekf Kkahlo is a photographer and artist who goes by many names including Dr. Psycho Joker and THE SKETCHMAN (GLITZZ). His works in abstract and traditional art, experiment with colors and emotions with tweaks of animation. There is a theory that long ago, aliens created us and we called them creators... COSMIC APE THE CREATOR celebrates this theory in the artist’s representation which includes animation against the ominous sounds of a sci-fi movie. Ventricles presents an artistic reflection of the chamber-like structures in our brain which facilitate the flow of cerebrospinal fluid between the brain and spinal cord. Cool colors, animation, and ethereal music add to the tantric flow of the art. His soul searching color animations such as Abstract Fall with its gentle waterfall sounds and tumbling of pretty shades is an artistic visualization of falling. Random People is a vibrant abstract of a gathering. Scattered with a diverse crowd. Each with their eyes wide with hope and the anticipation that comes with real-life interaction.
COMMUNITY DIGS: Yenti Amelia
UNDRGRND community members nominate their favorite undiscovered artists to be featured in weekly DIGS. UNDRGRND empowers its community to dig for bold, innovative, under valued NFT artists.
I have recently been expanding my artwork tastes into more mediums and came across the Fine Art, watercolor artist, Yenti Amelia. An Indonesian artist with an amazing set of skills with watercolor. Her recent piece titled A Place I Call Home is an artwork that does as the title implies. A warm evening sky, with a gentle walk through the vast, luscious fields of grass. This artwork brings an inspiring feeling of Autumn to me. With a mix between a fine art watercolor and a grungy canvas, this is an artwork that has life and feeling mixed together beautifully. - tommybob
