UNDRGRND DIGS 009
JANUARY 24TH, 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.
Anna’s simple yet exuberant line drawings of the human form bring me pure joy. Despite their simplicity, I feel I could look at them for hours at a stretch. I am fascinated by her ability to capture so much movement, and to express such emotion, in just a few lines. It is magical. Perhaps my love of her work is based somewhat on envy. As an artist, I would give my left arm (there are limits to my sacrifice) to be able to perform that magic. As a collector, I just want to bask in it. Anna uses the words, love, joy, happiness, and gratitude in describing her work and the work leaves me in no doubt as to the genuineness of these descriptors.
David had me at the word, chemigram. That word is likely unfamiliar to most, but among the alternative photography crowd, it is well known and respected. I myself am a chemigramist and find the process, in my own work and in the work of others, endlessly fascinating. It involves making marks directly on a photosensitive substrate using light, resists, and chemicals. David goes on to describe the fact that his chemicals include homemade developer, and I am further hooked. Then, there is his reference to adding paints, inks, and varnishes to enhance the result, and I am head over heels. The patterns, forms, textures, and lush colors pull me in completely.
Samira Naddafi’s subdued, but colorful palette, matte textures, and whimsical forms drew me in immediately. The plants in her garden are often suspended in space, as if conjured from their atmospheric surroundings, and grow in unlikely forms. They leave us feeling a bit confounded and off center, and yet ready to accept them as celebratory despite the somewhat dark questions they hint of. Samira says of her work, “Life is magic, and a vase can be considered as a magical box.” Perhaps the vases and pots found in Samira’s garden are Pandora’s boxes, and the enticing plants that grow in them forbidden fruit - after all, magic is a thing unpredictable - but I am happy to take a walk among them.
Pigment’s acrylic and ink paintings offer the kind of focus on shape, color, contrast, and composition that never fail to evoke a deep response in me. The Suburbia series, in particular, drew my attention while browsing on Kalamint. The shapes are bold black, white, and grey, with just enough orange, red, or blue to startle one into looking deeper and more closely. The placement of geometric shapes reinforce the sense of suburban landscapes seen from above or sketched as a map. Pigment describes the pieces as “references to location and temporality in order to reframe divisions between the familiar and strange.” These map fragments anchor one in space and time and yet free the imagination to soar without restraint.
COMMUNITY DIGS: Quitters
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.
First, a conversation:
Someone in our community chose to feature your work in the community digs. So how do you want to be referred to in an article? - NFTjoe
They/them pronouns for the article would be ideal, though he/him isn't a problem. Generally I consider myself a maximalist, satirist, and wonky funky freaky fresh artist. - Quitters
Ok, I meant...like a name...like...Quitters? Or your actual name...? - NFTjoe
Quitters is good. - Quitters
Checking out some different artwork on Objkt.com, I came across some interesting art pieces created by Quitters. The artwork is chalked full of vibrant colors and mind-bending imagery. If you’re looking for more than simple still images, you will find numerous pieces here that fit the bill; the animations are beautiful and visually stimulating. Not only that, but there are a handful with audio as well. The images are very high quality and full of various textures and themes. Even the names of the pieces have thought put into them, from whimsical to thought provoking to symbolic… literally. One of my favorite pieces is: Kaiju Angel #2 – Tesseract Flame. This artist is a must check out, there is something here for everybody. - Dan McManus
