Cover Story - Szabotage

SZABOTAGE is a highly recognized, prolific, street and contemporary artist. He relocated to Hong Kong and found fame in the local and international art world. Since then, he has exhibited internationally in sold-out solo shows, and worked on numerous collaborative, commercial, and private projects. SZABOTAGE is distinguished as the first street artist in Hong Kong to list NFTs.

SZABOTAGE is best recognised by his signature Koi fish - an iconic symbol of strength, adversity and good fortune which features frequently throughout his work. SZABOTAGE has painted for the HK Walls Street Art Festival, was a finalist in the global phenomenon Secret Walls, and has given a TED X talk ‘Resilience is the Ultimate High’. Commissioned clients include Louis Vuitton, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Deutsche Bank, Evisu, Prada, and The Ritz Carlton.

NFT as a form of expression: A Szabotage's Vision

“It’s my expression: it’s my social commentary, it’s my wordplay, it’s my visual language but it also offers another dimension that continues beyond the physical realms.”

What was the journey like when transforming from street art to NFT and digital art?

I started my career as an architect, I specialised in 3D design for buildings before becoming a full-time street artist. Creating art digitally was always part of my creative process before producing the finished piece on a wall or canvas so moving into the NFT space felt like a natural transition for me.

My first NFT collection was photographs of my physical street art murals. This allowed my art to live on in the metaverse forever when they may have been painted over in the real world. In my second NFT collection, I really wanted to connect my art studio practice with my digital creations. I created a unique collection of combined digital and physical art together. Upon purchasing the NFT the buyer also received the physical artwork.

Since immersing myself in the digital art space, I have been able to revisit and refine my digital skills; playing in a space that enables me to indulge my digital creativity. This transition continues and my latest collection is purely digital which will be launching this summer.

What are the rationales for making NFTs with your art?

It started with one of my collectors telling me all about it back in 2020 and my mind exploded, I was intrigued and up for trying something new. As my digital journey began so did the possibilities, the technologies, platforms and opportunities. I believe that NFTs are another way to share my creative expression, without limits. It’s a great way to connect and collaborate in an innovative environment.

My methodology for creating NFTs follows similar thinking for many of my physical pieces. It’s my expression: it’s my social commentary, it’s my wordplay, it’s my visual language but it also offers another dimension that continues beyond the physical realms.

What effects do NFTs have on your career?

NFTs have given me unexpected opportunities and exposure. I am working with Yat Siu, Animoca, Quidd and REVV Racing, who have given me time to focus on my creative visual language and more freedom to create art for art’s sake. It’s given me space to develop my style and brings me closer to creating my vision.

I still create murals and physical art alongside my NFTs, having such a mix of formats enables me to use all of my different skills whether that is on top of scaffolding painting a wall in the hot summer sun, or creating at my desk in my office. It’s nice being able to bounce between them.

What kind of experience do you wish to deliver with NFT arts that are different from other forms of art?

Digital art allows me to do more, share more and say more with my art. I am able to deliver more interactivity by adding movement and sounds and creating a 4D experience. It’s so exciting!

NFT also allows me to stay in touch with my creations. Once I release a collection I will always be able to follow its journey on the blockchain, creating provenance which is so easily lost in the physical art world.

Szabotage, painting a mural in awfully hot outdoors

How does the NFT trend influence the process of art creation and distribution?

I am quite a purist, I can only create what is true to my creative language, something I have been developing throughout my art career. I like to set my own trends not follow existing ones.

The blockchain presents so many options for distribution. There is so much clever technology that can play a part and one we will experiment with for the next drop, with Quidd.

What are the implications of the current seemingly saturated NFT markets and overhype?

On first impressions, it makes me anxious. It’s like that feeling when you come back from a nice holiday, you’ve just had a strong coffee and try to start work but everyone else is ahead and getting on with it! I am reassured though because art is my passion and my life. I am in it for the long game and I will always innovate and explore both digital and physical art. Neither market is going away, so I will continue to share on both. The hype has been prevalent in the real world for ages, and it is the same in the digital world. The audience will decide.

The Future Is Bright, SZABOTAGE

What is the role of NFT in different art and creative industries?

It is definitely pushing the boundaries of art and music and opening up the playing field for creatives. NFTs allow people to buy from and support creatives giving the buyer direct investment opportunities that are accessible globally.

How does the market compare between arts published with NFT and without? And what are the implications of the difference?

Comparing the market from my personal experience I have seen a great response for both. I see both markets as different yet interconnected. There is a great new market and a whole new audience which is enticing new collectors marking a new history in art collecting. One that is very traceable for the future. Its fast-moving pace and use of technology make it exciting and impactful.

BITCOIN BANDIT, SZABOTAGE

My forthcoming collection will be my most digital expression and will test how digital art can be published alone and it will tell me more about the differences between the two markets.

The concept pushes my iconic stencil language firmly into the metaverse and aims to entice the audience to speak their own narrative. The style started in my physical practice but since creating it in the purely digital format, it has taken it to new levels. It’s called Stencil Tongue, Do You Speak Szabotage?

But for a true answer, I will have to tell you once it launches.

Vocal, Do You Speak Szabotage, 2022, NFT, Digital

Image courtesy of @simonjnicol @chris_ls_foto @szabotage.me