“I started drawing things I loved doing and things I found pleasure drawing. They include people I bonded with, elemental bright colors and mythological figures.” -Vulcan
Travel with me to Nigeria, and let’s meet a 22-year old mixed media architect and artist from Nigeria. He likes to be known as unorthodox and is exploring multiple forms of art in the NFT space.
His nation is the most populous in Africa and the 6th most populated in the world, with 218 million inhabitants. Its economy is the largest on the continent and among the top 30 economies in the world. Nigeria is also a growing hub for cryptocurrency and its blockchain cousin, the NFT.
Who is Vulcan?
“The artist I wish I could speak to for an hour would be Leonardo Da Vinci. He was also a southpaw and the person that inspired me to study architecture and his art was always a mystery which I liked.” -Vulcan
Location: Nigeria
1. How and when did you get into art?
I’ve been into drawing art since when I learned to use a pen in nursery school. It started from drawing stick figures, to drawing shapes and more. Being a southpaw in Nigeria wasn’t really something to be proud of because people had superstitious beliefs of what a southpaw could do. I tried to fit in with my classmates which affected my progress for a while until my parents told me it was okay to be different.
2. What makes you excited to create?
I’ve always been this shy and quiet introvert who didn’t know how to relate with people physically so I found amusement from observing people, my environment and reading illustrated books and novels. It was one of the ways I normally spent my vacation.
I started drawing things I loved doing and things I found pleasure drawing. They include people I bonded with , elemental bright colors and mythological figures.
3. What is the biggest barrier you face as an artist?
The biggest barrier every artist faces, me included, is the feeling of self doubt. The fact that art is subjective, there would always be people that have a different opinion about your art and some can be hurtful. Sometimes we start questioning our skills, comparing ourselves with our colleagues and self sabotaging our creation.
At this point in time the only person that can save you is yourself, the people that really connect with your art and lastly your loved ones. I was in this dark place where I wasn’t proud of what I was creating so I took some time off and went back to where it all started. The things that made me start creating in the first instance. I’m still on the quest to create something that only I can be identified with.
4. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as an artist?
My greatest achievement as an artist would be finding people that actually relate with my style of art and consider it an asset, giving the art value. It’s a never ending achievement because I always find people that connect with my art.
5. Who is one person living or dead you wish you could have lunch with?
The artist I wish I could speak to for an hour would be Leonardo Da Vinci. He was also a southpaw and the person that inspired me to study architecture and his art was always a mystery which I liked.
If there was a question I could ask him, it would be to ask him what inspired him and if he felt happy creating art, whether his achievements came at a price.
6. What is your favorite color and why?
My favorite color would be black. I know that it’s a neutral but every creation started with darkness before light came in. You can just create anything with bright and sweet colors when you have a black empty canvas.
7. What is your favorite movie?
I don’t really have a favorite movie, but I do have favorites. I love sitcoms because they make me so happy even when things are not looking good in the real world. I’m like in a completely different world filled with love when I’m watching my favorite Sitcoms.
8. If you could move to one place in the world, where would that be?
New York City, from the synopsis of the 2007 Gossip Girls I’ve always been interested in that city.
9. What do you think about crypto? Which one is your favorite?
As an artist, crypto currency is just a medium through which artist could get paid for their creation so I really do not have a favorite crypto currency I’m bullish for as long as the blockchain currency does what it was designed to do. Making foreign exchanges in a decentralized world.
10. What new things have you been able to do since working with NFTs?
I’ve been able to connect with new people and meet new people everyday since I got into NFT so it’s a new and wonderful experience and it’s helping me on my art journey to reach perfection.
11. How do you feel NFTs will change the financial condition or artists and other creators over the next 10 years?
NFT have been favorable to artists since it’s invention. It has a great way of rewarding artists for our creation unlike in the real world where it takes a long time and chance to get known and get good commissions on our work. It is a lovely way get exposure as an artist and it’s been going great for months now. I’m looking forward to Learning more because we are still early now from what’s to come in the next few years.
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