In this interview, we get to know Richard Masa, a multimedia artist who creates abstract-surrealistic art using various mediums, including drawings, paintings, sculptures, and 3D animations. He shares his experience of being inspired by HR. Giger’s dark biomechanical world and how he found his artistic home in the dark art genre. Richard also talks about his journey into the world of NFTs, how he minted his first NFT, and his reasons for pursuing NFT art. He shares his artistic style, which is all about movement and gesture, and how his Process Sculptures have evolved rapidly in the past two years. Richard also discusses his upcoming drops, including his 10-piece Rorschach Sculpt collection for Superrare, and his plans to start a secret NFT-based project. Finally, he shares his other passions, such as martial arts and movies, and how he draws inspiration from them.
Can you share a bit about your background?
In 1991 from Yugoslavia I went to Germany because of the Balkan war, where I found Giger’s art books which gave me the answer to all my questions about the creature. This opened a new world of Dark Art where I found myself home. Later at the academy I learned abstract Art from Master Sandor Molnar, a brilliant mind who invented and created a new approach to spiritual growth for artists, called Painter Yoga. It’s a unique implementation of ancient Occult teachings into a modern life of an artist.
After graduating at the academy in 2000 I started to work in the Game industry. It was an exciting new world where I could learn and express my visions in a 3D virtual world.
My art was always about movement. From the gesture of the brush when painting or my body making a performance sculpture. I am constantly moving from land to land, my mind is never resting and moving from idea to idea. I am moving and evolving with the creations I make. When my drawings and paintings are not enough, I want to break into 3Dimensional sculptures, when that is not enough I make them alive, sometimes as a huge kinetic sculpture but mostly as digital animations.
At the moment I’m an animation director and a creature designer on an Alien franchise game which was one of my big dreams.
Process Sculpture
Beginning of 2018 I have developed a technique called Process Sculptures that are recorded with my own body movements in a motion capture studio. At the beginning I did not know what to start with these video artworks but then in 2021 I jumped in the NFT world and all was clear to me.
When did you mint your first NFT? What platform did you choose and why?
My first NFT was minted in 2021 May on Mintable.com (because it was free) that was an experimentation.
Can you tell us one thing you cannot live without? (and why)
Well that is certain that making Art is one of the most important things in my life after my family.
Who is your favorite artist(s) (Non NFT)? What about their style resonates with you
My favorite artist is HR. Giger. His dark biomechanical world is the biggest inspiration for me. The surreal polysemantic forms are filled with sexual energy and beauty. I see Art Deco and Ancient Egyptian art combined in his work set in a dark monochromatic universe.
Who is your favourite NFT artist? What makes this artist unique?
My favorite NFT Artist is Peter Gric who was the one who got me in the NFTs. His art is very detailed and technically advanced in a way that it stays artistically traditional. His themes, lines and forms are coming from the same principles as Giger, and Beksinski, filled with actuality consciously and unconsciously.
What made you pursue NFT art?
1. The opportunity to finally monetize my Process Sculpture animations and oil paintings
2. To find my community
3. To find a channel where I can showcase my artistic life-plan
4. The possibility to be a full time independent artist
What is the one NFT you wish you had purchased but missed out on
Asymmetry – The Root from @The_Kid_Icarus
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go? Why this location?
Indonesia Bali. Get inspired by the traditional sculptures.
What are your other passions besides art? Why?
Martial arts, Movies. I draw inspiration from Movies, sometimes I cannot watch a movie till the end because I have an idea and need to write it down… And Martial art is coming from the family, my father and oncle were big Fencing champions back in the 70-80-s so I have continued this passion and learned other more martial art then sports like Kung fu, Aikudo, Kickbox. I am also a fight choreographer fro motion capture recordings for movies and video games.
Do you make other forms of art?
Yes I am a Mulimedia artist, I make Drawings, Paintings, Sculptures, 3D Animations
Are you self taught or trained?
I have graduated at the Hungarian Art Academy in the year 2000
How did you come up with your specific style?
I am coming from a traditional art world and make Abstract-Surrealistic Art.
I am also an Animation Director on Video Games, and have developed a technique called Process-Sculptures that are made with my own body movements.
The movement recorded in the motion capture studio is implemented on a 3D Sculpted virtual character and I create an imprint of the body on every frame of the animation. It looks as if the ghosting film effect would take on a 3 dimensional form. The sculptures are usually printed out with a 3D printer and can be exhibited on site too.
The Process-Sculptures have philosophical meaning and provide subconscious revelations.
During this process the shapes are transforming into polysemantic abstract artwork.
A dynamic gesture is the start of a Painting, a Sculpture or a Performance. All this is connected in an organic visual language. The forms are not concrete but Polysemantic and can provide subconscious revelations.
With my Process-Sculptures I am exploring the “we are all one” spiritual concept through the ideas of the Process philosophy. Being is becoming as Process philosophy says. Reality is a process and only the mind labels some objects and tries to give them names, isolating them, abstracting them from reality.
My art tries to put back the individual human body into the process. If I would compress many moments in time we would recognise the process and not the single body.
All this in order to free our minds from suffering.
How has your style evolved over the years?
Well in my childhood I wanted to create so I started drawing, after that I wanted that the entities I draw come out in 3D so I have learned to sculpt, it was not enough I wanted them to move I learned the basics of animation and started to work as an animator in videogames.
In between I have met my master at the academy and learned allot about spirituality in the art.
My style at the moment is about movement and gesture. All my paintings, sculptures and animations are movements in time. I have 5 stages in my artistic life plan and I am at the stage 2. My style will not change through time only the temes. My Process Sculptures have ben evolved rapidly in the past 2 years because of the NFT world. I got inspiration, help to get the quality of my renders higher.
What is coming in the near future?
Near future is the year 2023. I am founding a Digital Art Organization, working on my 10 piece Rorschach Sculpt collection for Superrare, and working on some other platforms too. From March I will be a full time artist and start a secret NFT based project.
If you could collaborate with one artist who would it be? (and why)
I am onboarding few fried artists that are a secret for now and I am planning a colab with them, but at the moment I think I would like a Collab NFT with Peter Gric to learn from him and make and artwork more dynamic with his details and message.
What was your greatest failure and what did you learn from that?
I dont really consider anything in my life as a big failure, I only regret that I have not heard from NFTs sooner. At least 1 year earlier 😉
What is your biggest piece sold
Rorschach Sculpt #1 on Superrare for 0.870 $ETH
Link to Website
https://www.richardmasa.com/
Social links and NFT marketplace links
https://superrare.com/richardmasaart
https://foundation.app/0xDE545ea984C2fC30e2B558e1C6233105e3ABadEE
https://objkt.com/profile/richardmasaart/created
https://async.market/u/richardmasaart/collection
https://twitter.com/RichardMasaArt
https://www.instagram.com/richardmasaart/