This digital artist known as "Alpha Centauri Kid" (aka "ack") has been minting NFTs since March 2021. In most of his digital works, you can find various elements, from glitch art to skulls to pianos.
Some people might find these works seem out of place together, but as the artist explained in an interview, they are all closely connected to his source of inspiration - the Muse.
For ack, the "Muse" is his creative intuition, the beginning of each of his works, no matter how different the final product looks. He even created a physical image of the "Muse" and incorporated it into some of his works, such as his 2021 NFT "She Doesn't Need You", depicting a tall and beautiful woman standing in her living room, overlooking the iconic Eiffel Tower.
Since 2021, Alpha Centauri Kid's "Muse" has helped him start his career as a digital artist, quit his government job, and collaborate with some NFT heroes such as XCOPY.
Here are five things you need to know about Alpha Centauri Kid.
He was born in Texas and started painting at a very early age
Alpha Centauri Kid's artistic roots can be traced back to his birthplace - San Antonio, Texas, where he arrived in 1986. He developed an interest in art at an early age and plunged into the exploration of various media, starting with oil paintings on canvas in high school. These traditional techniques became the pillar of his creative expression and laid the foundation for every idea that followed.
When Alpha Centauri Kid started creating digital art, he relied on tools like Photoshop and Cinema for 3D and 4D modeling. He didn't think this would become a full-time job or allow him to collaborate with some of the most important sources of inspiration - but the opposite was true.
His collaboration with XCOPY turned him from a fan into a peer
In March 2021, ack discovered NFTs and observed how this technology redefined the connection between artists and audiences and the way stories are told. The NFT field ignited his enthusiasm, prompting him to create works that could talk to collectors and invite them to explore deeper artistic works.
The first work was a limited edition work he collaborated with digital artist XCOPY in July 2021. This single piece collection called “Last Orders!” showcases the two artists' preference for glitch art.
Next, ack released his genesis work “ctrl + alt + generate” in October 2021 and immediately caused a sensation. A collector named Punk 6529 purchased the work for 165 ETH. After working in the government for 14 years, ack was finally able to resign and devote himself to art creation. By the end of 2021, ack had become a full-time artist.
In an interview with the independent art newsletter (Monty Report), ack said:
For me, it was a wonderful, lucky and unforgettable experience. It was great to learn from him early in my career. I learned a lot and it was very beneficial to my long-term development... One thing that has helped me a lot in my creative process is that I dare to continue the story I and XCOPY collaborated on. I feel that there is still more to explore in this story, so I took the risk to further elaborate on this story and theme with another work.
His love for piano and broken keys predates his digital art creation
In an interview, Alpha Centauri Kid explained that even during his tenure at the Department of Homeland Security, his heart was always full of creativity. He started playing the piano at a very young age and fell in love with the instrument and how it connected him to creativity.
As an adult, the digital artist carved this instrument into many parts. In 2022, he designed a series of NFTs called "Broken Keys", mainly based on ivory and ebony.
This series of 48 NFT works are all 1/1 digital artworks built using Cinema 4D (Ack's preferred 3D modeling software). In the project description of the series, Ack shared that he started collecting these works in 2021 and it took about two years to integrate all 48 works together.
In one of the series (Vogue), you can see how Ack dares to challenge his creativity. Unlike other works, in (Vogue), the piano is easily discovered and often takes center stage.
However, in (Vogue), the piano is like an Easter egg, waiting for the viewer to discover it, just like the childhood puzzle game "Where's Waldo?". The piano is hidden in the picture until you look down to the right, only to find it on the woman's big toe.
He gives life to the “Muse” in the scene - although he considers her “art energy”
ack discussed his relationship with inspiration as if she were a Muse. He conceptualized her as “artistic energy floating in the universe” that people can communicate with.
He told The Monty Report: “I think if you're willing to accept these rumors, then you open a door of opportunity for yourself, which can be of great benefit to you as an artist.”
In 2022, he created a physical work depicting this muse: a four-panel screen print that sold for $107,100 at Christie's auction house, each panel named "Berry," "French Rose," "Royal," and "Magenta," reflecting the artist's understanding of creative intuition and inspiration.
He is committed to challenging himself and creating unprecedented art
Now that he is a full-time creative, Alpha Centauri Kid is taking the time to continue pushing boundaries, introducing new ideas, and further honing his relationship with the Muse.
On his social media platform, you will see ack constantly updating the dynamics of the life-size skull he is making. Out of context, the skull looks like an interesting piece of art or hobby, but in fact, it is a life-size physical replica of the piano in his work (Crazy Pianist).
ack is making this piano with his father-in-law, whom he calls a "master carpenter." After that, the piano and the accompanying NFT are expected to be auctioned by the art auction house Christie's.
The NFT utility attached to this piano will allow ack to control the music content and time it plays, which is something he has always looked forward to. As he joked in an interview: “If I want it to play Mozart at 4 am, it will play. If I have to get up to create artwork, then they have to get up and listen to the music I'm listening to.”
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