Artists - 1/x - Josh Pierce - What is originality in NFT art?

Floor is Rising

Episode interview with Josh Pierce, find his twitter, website, and SuperRare.

[0:51 - 2:46] Josh Pierce has been following Beeple's work since 2012 when he started to post everyday artwork. He has been longtime friends and fans since they work with the same software. In November of last year he was contacted by tommyk_eth from Nifty Gateway to post his own artwork. Josh started in December after other artists dropped art on SuperRare, he posted his piece Genesis.

[2:46 - 3:26] Kizu points out how trash art follows the development of a medium, but finds Josh and similar artists to be independent to historical trends. Kizu wonders if Josh sees a diverse audience and market among the scene for all different types of art.

[3:58 - 6:07 ] Josh explains how it was around ten years ago when social media was expanding quickly, that there was a movement of artists creating everydays. Joey Camacho from Raw and Rendered was a pioneer for this movement. The challenge and different technology then started to sculpt artists into different styles and categories. Josh joined in and has been creating art with his own themes and ideas. He believes that the fact that it’s digital lends itself to blockchain.

[6:08 - 11:30] Sabretooth asks Josh about the evolution of the technology that he uses, especially Cinema 4D. Sabretooth wonders with technology constantly being updated,will today’s art become ordinary in a few years. Josh has been using Cinema 4D since 2001. It wasn’t until the technology upgraded in 2015 with Octane that there was a shift in power. Josh states that this shift was monumental. It was this that allowed him to create art that he always dreamed about. Art that has significance is what people have never seen before. He believes it is that art, that will make history books and gives something significance.

[11:21 - 14:45] Kizu wonders what Josh considers originality in the NFT space or if it is even possible to achieve. While Josh believes it can be unfair for artists to not get the recognition they deserve, true artists know that it is between the artist, audience, and universe. It is ultimately a greater creative force that comes from a process and no one really understands it. He defines originality having to do with the process and how it can only really happen if it comes from the heart.

[15:00 - 17:33 ] Sabretooth asks about Josh’s balance between his NFT and working artist career. Josh is taking this season off from his six year career with the NFL, to continue with his art. He enjoys working with Nifty Gateway and SuperRare. He has a collector’s only drop happening. It will be called Transmutation and it is an evolution from his Portals Collection. Sabretooth asks for clarification of how this came about. Josh wanted to do reward pieces based on the previous drop. The idea was inspired by Bored Ape Yacht Club's MAYC drop. It is the evolution, and struggle of life and turning it into something joyful.

[16:40 - 19:04 ] Kizu asks Josh how important it is for him to know art history or to engage with his contemporaries in the NFT space. Josh explains how in the 20th century art went from purely being beautiful to being about emotions. One of his favorite artists, Francis Bacon, captured emotions in a raw way, influencing later artists like Basquiat and even X Copy. Josh wants to create beautiful landscapes with abstract energy and that is not done right now in the art world.

[19:08 - 23:11 ] Considering Josh is also a collector of NFTs, Sabretooth asks how he views what is currently going on with NFTs. Josh enjoys everything that is happening currently. From the financial and investment side, but also the friends that he has made with like artists. Sabretooth follows with what is next with Transmutations. Josh has been working exclusively on his art since February. His process of doing daily work and posting it to his Instagram has allowed him to continue with collaborations and drops on different platforms. He will have a piece up for NFT NYC.

[23:12 - 25:36 ] Sabretooth asks who is Josh’s favorite artist. Roger Dean had the most influence on Josh. He values Dean’s stance on art and how inspirational he is for himself, but also other artists.