EXPLORING THE AESTHETICS OF SOUND & MOTION
“I admire everyone with the curiosity to explore and the courage to share their unique creations; the world is better because of it.”
DEAFBEEF is an artist and engineer based in Toronto, Canada, who has been exploring the intersections of art and technology for over 20 years. With a background in music and sound technology, DEAFBEEF uniquely combines his interests by using low-level computer code and minimal tools (laptop and C compiler) to craft raw information into audiovisual artworks.
“I admire everyone with the curiosity to explore and the courage to share their unique creations; the world is better because of it,” DEAFBEEF believes.
DEAFBEEF first gained interest in the NFT space in 2020 when he began posting his generative audiovisual work on Instagram. Viewers recommended he look into NFTs, and it all clicked for him after discovering the Artblocks discord channel in February 2021.
“I was immediately drawn to the possibilities of self-sovereignty and direct connection with an audience,” DEAFBEEF says. “The capacity for artists to experiment with new social and economic models is what I love most about NFT art.”
DEAFBEEF’s defining project in the NFT space is his six series of on-chain generative audiovisual works, released between March and June 2021: Synth Poems, Angular, Transmission, Entropy, Glitchbox, and Advection.
“My process begins with exploring a specific aesthetic or algorithm,” DEAFBEEF explains. “I use a minimal toolset – just a laptop and C compiler – to create systems for the aesthetic exploration of sound and motion.”
When asked about other artists in the web3 space that he admires, DEAFBEEF has nothing but praise. “I admire everyone with the curiosity to explore and the courage to share their unique creations,” he says. “The world is better because of it.”
DEAFBEEF’s experience with collectors in the web3 space has been overwhelmingly positive: “I’ve been fortunate to have overall very positive experiences with collectors.”
He believes it is essential to remember artists’ power. “Self-sovereignty of artists is sacred,” he says. “The cultural contribution you make as an artist is what brings value. Do not allow it to be diluted or compromised for short-term attention or gain. Do not chase trends. Work intentionally toward long-term development of your unique art practice.”