Interview by Chiara Bardelli-Nonino — Photo Editor @vogueitalia @luomovogue
Vini Naso’s aesthetic is not easily defined, in its alchemic mix of different worlds, cultures, epochs. Naso is a self taught digital artist that explores the themes of beauty and identity in our ever changing and increasingly incorporeal world. He manages to assemble together suggestions coming from a remote past with inventions and ideas from a distant imagined future, and the result is a sometimes unsettling, sometimes seductive — but always awe-inspiring — mosaic made by myriads of visual references. With their meticulous attention to detail and textures, Naso’s creations exude a sense of hyperreality, like something existing in a very vivid, uncanny dream.
How did you become an artist?
I’ve been working as an art director in the advertisement and entertainment industry for a long time. So the love for art has always been there. But I’ve always hesitated to call myself an artist for perhaps a fear that digital art is somehow less worthy. 2020 was the year I decided to invest more seriously on my personal work, refining my voice to find what truly inspires me. I’m incredibly thankful to the online community and most recently the cryptoart community of artists, collectors art lovers for creating such an encouraging and supportive space.
Can you walk me into your creative process?
For every collection I develop the process is quite different, but in general I usually start with a theme or a particular aesthetics that catches my attention. I mix influences from past mythology & folk art, modern fashion, sci-fi and futuristic cyberpunk to create something time-agnostic and perhaps a little uncomfortable. My process is almost like sculpting in a way: I start with a rough idea and keep refining and polishing it until I’m happy with the result.
What inspires you most of ancient folklore and mythology?
Growing up in Brazil exposed me to a huge variety of folklore which sparked my passion for the diversity of patterns, costumes and symbolisms. Myths are created to try to explain the universe and our place in it. This idea has always resonated with me and I’ve been drawn to folklore and myths as a study of ancient, exotic or even future cultures. I find it really fascinating to observe how aesthetics mix when there’s an encounter of cultures. That point of intersection is what inspires me the most.
You also talk about Jung’s archetypes. How do they influence your art?
Psychology is another lifelong passion that fuels my art, and I’ve always been very attracted to Jungian literature. He argues that you can observe a variety of universally defined archetypes (like the Sage, Innocent, Explorer, Hero, etc) in the human collective unconscious. This theory he created to understand the persona tends to be a helpful framework for me when I’m creating characters and creatures.
How do you merge this with a post-human aesthetics?
With globalization, there’s a certain homogenization of culture. Remote tribes and cultures are assimilating into modern society, cultures are appropriating , re-appropriating, mixing and influencing each other. In this series, I tried to imagine a post-human tribe that embraces this mosaic of aesthetics. I had to come up with something that looks strangely familiar with influences from past cultures, but also a bit alien and futuristic at the same time. Playing with that anachronism is fun for me, and I think this can be an interesting way to explore futuristic aesthetics.
What kind of reaction do you hope to elicit in the viewer?
I’d love people if people feel curious about my characters. They are an open invitation for others to co-create this imaginary world or myth. I do believe that art has the power to cultivate imagination. And in times like this it’s more than necessary to invite people to imagine better worlds.
How does something become art for you?
(emotion + form) thoughts = Art
The Masks We Wear Series will be tokenized on SuperRare starting December, 2020. Works will be released by announcement. Follow Vini Naso Website | Instagram | SuperRare
Chiara Nonino is a photo editor for @vogueitalia and @luomovogue
