Coding the Future of Art
“Before NFTs, I was feeling hopeless and wondering how I could sell my digital work. So, it was a very natural fit. Everything worked together. I love working with code because there’s something poetic about it and the way it makes me feel closer to the machines.”
Based in Brazil, p1xelfool is a 34-year-old artist adding a computerized twist to the new age of digital art. His secret? Coding. His art is inspired by the analog displays and rawness of old devices. You can see these elements intertwined into each pixelated artwork – with a distinctly 21st-century touch.
Having studied graphic design, classic art, and advertising, it seems as if p1xelfool was destined to enter the freedom of the world of NFTs. However, he had to take risks before getting the recognition he deserved. He says: “I wanted to abandon graphic design, but it was difficult because I was in a good spot working for companies in Silicon Valley.” Another challenge he faced was Brazil’s lack of web3 adoption and infrastructure: “We didn’t have any institutions or galleries in Brazil dedicated to digital art. In my mind, being someone from Brazil to reach the north was out of the question.”
That’s not how the NFT space works. And he learned that quickly. NFTs would be his saving grace, and with prior knowledge of Bitcoin, advertising, coding, and art, it was a match made in heaven for p1xelfool’s artistic expression and creativity. “Before NFTs, I was feeling hopeless and wondering how I could sell my digital work. So, it was a very natural fit. Everything worked together.”
Although traditional art is sold and created all over the world, artists in the southern hemisphere feel limited by what they can achieve financially, believes p1xelfool. “Now you can see more people from countries in the southern hemisphere participating in the NFT ecosystem,” he shares. “Before, things would only be happening in the US or Europe. The world of NFTs is helping to change this narrative and give power back to the creatives across the world.”
With all systems in place, he entered the NFT space under his government name at the beginning of 2022. Months later, he decided to start from scratch under the artist’s name, p1xelfool. Fast-forward ten months later, and he has already accumulated over 27,000 followers and is an example of all that web3 opportunities can bring to those hungry for success.
