In this week’s next article, we speak with an artist whose foray into the Web3 world is a natural evolution of their existing artistic expression, which is driven by their deep immersion in the art world as a digital artist, woman and advocate for creative freedom. .
During a candid conversation, shared in detail below, the artist expresses how the art landscape is dynamic and constantly evolving along with the advancement of technology and society. In doing so, he identifies NFTs as the gateway to a digital renaissance that is radical, unpredictable and relentlessly transformative for the art world as it stands today.
Each week, nft now’s Next Up reveals a new artist from our curated list of emerging talents who have made significant waves within Web3. This week we’re excited to show you fond nostalgia and her story.
sweet nostalgia
Adra Kandil, better known by her stage name sweet nostalgia, is a Lebanese-born multidisciplinary artist known for her hybrid worlds that boast alternate realities – achieved through the use of photography, collages, typography and digital montages. Her objective mix of modern truths with the romanticism of collective nostalgia.
In addition, fond nostalgia was recently selected as adidas’ second RESIDENCY artist, alongside MonkeeMoto, who was featured in the Next Up release last week.
To understand what brought her to the Web3 world, how she views her art, and the process behind the creation of these surreal alternate realities, we spoke directly with the new adidas artist in RESIDENCY, dear nostalgia.
nft now: How did you first become interested in/involved in NFTs?
Dear Nostalgia: My journey into the world of NFTs was a natural evolution, driven by my deep immersion in the
art world as a digital artist, woman and champion of creative freedom.
If we think about the concept of art, the typical image of a masterpiece of a famous renaissance artist
often comes to mind, gloriously hanging in a museum. While this representation is not inaccurate, it is essential to recognize that:
“The art landscape is dynamic and evolving along with the advancement of technology and society.”
sweet nostalgia
As I delved deeper into the art world, I found myself drawn to the vibrant pulse of innovation. The digital world provided a canvas unbounded by traditional constraints, allowing creators to harness the power of technology to express their impulses, instincts and authentic emotions. However, it was my encounter with NFTs and blockchain technology that really radically changed my perspective.
NFTs brought about a paradigm shift in the way we perceive and interact with art. They dismantle the traditional barriers and eliminate dictation, restrictions and censorship that often stand in the way of artistic expression. NFTs enable artists to create with uninhibited authenticity, driven by their deepest passions and feelings. This breakthrough has created an open avenue where art flourishes as a pure and unrestricted representation of creativity and authenticity.
To me, NFTs represent a digital renaissance: a radical, unpredictable and relentlessly transformative narrative. It is a revolutionary movement that has broken convention and provided a platform where each individual can bring their unique creative voice. This is a community of credibility, belonging and boundless freedom – a place where every artist aspires to be and to create.
nft nu: How would you describe your art?
sweet nostalgia: My art represents my voice and serves as a solace for dreams, tragedy, nostalgia and euphoria. It is my love letter, signed, sealed and delivered in the past, present and future, intricately fueled by emotions. A unique hybrid of retro and contemporary images. I cut and paste scenes from my dreams, constructing collages from collected archives and encompassing experiences.
A romance of lived and unlived memories. The result is an amalgamation of all-encompassing nostalgia, home, identity, women’s empowerment, culture, a desire for community, and culture over everyday influence.
A tribute to my alter ego, “sweet nostalgia” encapsulates precisely the sentiment and words I longed to hear as a woman growing up, as well as the intense emotions I must express in today’s world. I mix dreamy and cosmic imagery, with pastel hues, bold typography and culturally relevant cues, delving into controversial discussion through powerful imagery and thought-provoking media.
At first glance, my digital art exudes an ethereal reverie. However, upon deeper reflection, viewers discover its profound resonance and understand the message my work is trying to convey.
nft now: what does your process look like? And where do you usually find inspiration?
Dear Nostalgia: It’s strangely organic; it started when I lived in Barcelona and started collecting magazines and newspapers and cutting and pasting them on the floor of my living room. At the time I also wrote a lot of poetry and used analog cameras to record memories or things I liked. My creative process is anything but linear – I feel so much, so intensely. Jean-Luc Godard expressed something that perfectly captures my inspiration:
“It’s not about where you get things from, but where you take them.”
sweet NOSTALGIA
I draw inspiration from old movies, new movies, my obsession with indie music, as well as books, paintings, photos, poems, dreams, random conversations, heartbreak, romance – the list goes on. With old magazines and collected archives I use digital tools to explore my inner world through digital surrealism, creating a world of my own.