Earlier this year, OpenSea and Art Blocks launched a new artist residency program in Marfa, Texas, where the first artist, jiwa, observed the rhythms of West Texas: its community, its dust, and the tension between minimalism and maximalism.
The end product is DDUST, a generative series that explores how small things - whether dust or pixels - accumulate into something greater, inspired by the Marfa desert landscape and minimalist heritage. jiwa integrates personal experiences into a piece, merging on-chain animation with real-time activities on Ethereum.
We talked to him about his life in Marfa, how he tells stories through code, and how DDUST reimagines the essence of digital art media and memory.
Note: This record has been edited for brevity and clarity.
OpenSea: DDUST originated from the Art Blocks × OpenSea residency project located in the desert of West Texas; which local landscapes or cultures had the most significant influence on your work?
jiwa: Marfa is truly a unique place; it’s located in a remote part of Texas and is a progressive arts town. The people who move here are a bit different, and they understand that. Marfa has about 2000 residents from diverse backgrounds, cleverly blending Mexican culture, rancher culture, art culture, and quirky alien elements.
The residents really come together, full of energy; there are gallery openings, film screenings, band performances, and various gatherings almost every week night. Most people living in Marfa mention how special this community is; I experienced it firsthand. It's a small town made up of outsiders, passersby, and artists, but when they come to Marfa, there is a common ground that builds a bridge.
In the desert, the terrain indeed influences and governs people's lives, so I found some places that I could really get involved with between the land and the community.
OpenSea: I went to the Art Blocks weekend event in Marfa last year, and I completely fell in love with it - it was a very cool experience, and I can't wait to go again. When I went, because of the art district weekend event, it was crowded, so it was interesting to learn about the community atmosphere outside of large events.
jiwa: Before my residency, I had been to Marfa three times, each time a busy three-day experience, so going back to feel the open vistas was really great; we made new friends and were invited to various events - we attended a gallery's tenth anniversary celebration, and everyone in town showed up; we met everyone in one night, and afterward, in different places around town, we met baristas, waitstaff, gallery owners, shopkeepers, and so on - it was a very special experience - completely different from living in a city like Berlin.
OpenSea: I'm from a small town in Illinois, so for me, it feels like coming home - I really love that you mentioned some of the events you attended in Marfa, was there a specific moment that shaped the conceptual development of DDUST?
jiwa: Not entirely; DDUST is a collage of experiences. I didn't want a predefined concept; the goal was to get there, experience the place, meet the locals, experience what’s there, and let these shape my project. So I started collecting memories - gathering little details, weaving them together, and striving to create a sense of place.
This concept gradually emerged as the residency project was coming to an end: small things contribute to the extraordinary; every grain of dust accumulates into a desert, and every person gathers into a community. All my seemingly insignificant experiences and perspectives became a piece of art.
OpenSea: How has integrating into the Marfa art community affected your attitude towards generative art?
jiwa: Marfa is known for its minimalism; Donald Judd founded the Chinati Foundation, which really put Marfa on the map. Interestingly, I actually lean more towards maximalism, so I do embody the idea that 'minimalism inspires maximalism.' Judd's sculptures and paintings inspired me, and I visited galleries that showcase minimalist works, but I want to incorporate those elements into maximalism.
Yes, minimalism inspires the energy of maximalism, and I think I achieved that.
OpenSea: You described DDUST as 'dust-like pixels'; can you elaborate on how this metaphor reflects the broader themes of minimalism and maximalism in the project?
jiwa: My work often involves pixelated aesthetics; pixels are the smallest atomic units in digital art, and a grain of dust is the smallest unit of the West Texas desert. West Texas isn’t just sand; it’s dust, dirt, hard land, rocks; dust makes up the desert, so this metaphor is very natural for digital artists.
OpenSea: Did you choose to use dust as a metaphor because it's the smallest unit, or is it because that idea is more intuitive?
jiwa: This is a typical West Texas experience; I found a quote from 1858 about Texas dust, saying dust is everywhere, and this notion is reflected in this project.
You are walking down a sunny street in Marfa when suddenly a huge brown cloud rolls in, and you ask the locals, 'Is the cloud passing?' They say, 'Wait five minutes.' That's Texas - the weather changes in an instant.
If you live there, you’ve definitely experienced dust; creating with pixel animation, everything just fell into place, so dust became the main force of the work.
OpenSea: Returning to the idea that 'minimalism inspires maximalism,' this is indeed at the core of DDUST. Can you talk about how this paradox is reflected in your work? I find this very interesting.
jiwa: I think juxtaposing two entirely different things is a powerful way to create meaning and present art; our lives are filled with contrasts and irony, and we usually don’t think of things in those terms because it’s too fluid, but I can't make minimalist works - it doesn't align with my inner thoughts, right?
But I also want to respect minimalism and observe what it can bring to the work, I want to try it and see how it turns out, the power of minimalism is very strong, if you can apply those qualities to more engaging works - especially today when our attention spans are so short - it really can work, minimalist works are not always as striking as they were when they first emerged in the 50s and 60s.
I love animated works; I enjoy captivating images. Therefore, creating extreme minimalism and animated works inspired by minimalism, I think it will be a worthwhile special challenge during the residency.
OpenSea: One element I really like is how the ant symbolizes community; what inspired me to create this imagery?
jiwa: My wife and two-year-old daughter accompanied me to Marfa; we went to many places together - attending meetings and various events. Before the residency, they had already been to Marfa twice.
I love seeing the world through my daughter's eyes; she's close to the ground, and there are huge ant holes in Marfa, with ants scattered on the sidewalks. It's hard not to stop and watch; discovering them has become an interesting ritual for us.
For me, community has long been a core theme; the ant strives to transcend itself, serving the colony. This feels like an apt metaphor for community - people come together, participate, and support each other; this is not a 'me first' town.
The ant completed the work; I already have the structure, but I'm missing a 'finishing touch.' Once I add the ants - they walk in dynamic forms like little paths, exploring around - it will be complete; it reflects how people discover Marfa, often while looking for something.
OpenSea: You mentioned that 'blurred and beautified windows' metaphorically represent how individual perception shapes collective memory; how has this understanding influenced the visual or conceptual layers in DDUST?
jiwa: I spent a lot of time trying to observe carefully - trying to create a piece about sense of place.
These are the real windows of Marfa Spirit Co bar; I noticed they obscure the images behind them while enhancing the beauty and atmosphere of the space they are in, which reminds me of how place perception operates. We can only observe from our perspectives, yet we may not fully present objective reality; however, our experiences and perspectives constitute a collective memory and perceived reality of a place.
So I strive to recreate the effect that window presents in my work; it obscures the desert behind it but also adds color to the piece. It has a dynamism - like clouds slowly drifting across the sky, creating a sense of continuity. I tried to weave a specific memory into the work, but the final effect was more striking than I initially envisioned.
OpenSea: DDUST can trigger dust storms in real-time on Ethereum, controlled by blockchain activity. How did this idea come about? What technical challenges did you encounter while trying to implement it?
jiwa: I’m very excited about this; I often talk about 'the many facets of new media,' art creations that run live in the browser and exist on the blockchain - this is indeed a new medium, and I'm not the only one who thinks so. There’s a community that truly feels new things can be achieved here, and they are being realized.
I happened to chat with Ryley, an engineer from Art Blocks, for a while about a previous project, so before the residency, I messaged him asking, 'Hey, is there a way to bring on-chain data into the work?' He replied, 'I'm so happy you asked that - because we’ve been working on some things but haven’t told anyone yet.'
I was thinking about how to utilize this new feature most effectively when entering the residency project, importing blockchain data into the art network, connecting artworks together. The key is - because you’re creating art on a decentralized network, you can communicate and coordinate, which is really exciting.
So, the way DDUST works is that an eternal dust storm sweeps through the entire series, with each piece itself carrying dust, blowing at a specific speed in a specific direction; but when the dust storm hits - passing through each marker in the allotted time - the wind speed becomes faster and more unstable, creating more vibrant works and compositions.
Due to the interconnected works, the storm can cover multiple pieces at once; as an artist, I can control the size of the storm and how long it lingers on each piece. Conceptually, using blockchain data to drive the storm across the entire series feels like the right application of this new medium, and I'm very excited about it.
By the way, I also have a couple of little secrets tucked away; hint: another cool thing is that people will be able to update their palettes on-chain.
OpenSea: Yes! This was achieved using Art Blocks' PostParams, right?
jiwa: Yes, all news will be announced this week; no one really knows yet. I’m honored to be one of the first to launch these on-chain features that Art Blocks has carefully crafted.
OpenSea: With PostParams, collectors can permanently modify the colors of their collections, right? How do you think this feature enhances their experience? What possibilities can it bring?
jiwa: Exactly, these colors all come from photos I took around town. Many people in the Art Blocks ecosystem have been to Marfa and have fond memories there, so I created a website for collectors to see the photos side by side with the corresponding works. Whether you've been to Marfa or not, maybe you have some association with one of the photos and want your work to match it, or perhaps you simply like these colors - that’s okay too, or you can let the palette choose you.
I'm curious to see the distribution of palettes later - people resonate with this - and I want to know if it’s driven by memory or aesthetic preference.
I still prefer that artists retain their creative rights - if you give up too much control, you lose something - but color itself is very subjective; you might like a color that I don't, and giving people that choice allows them to resonate more with the works they create.
OpenSea: I really like this archive - collectors can see the photos you take and the corresponding artworks, you added this archive because you think it's an important experience for collectors, especially those who have attended the Marfa Art District weekend events?
jiwa: Of course, I think it's important because otherwise, you would only choose based on color, which adds depth to the selection, creating a new layer of exploration. Perhaps they have an emotional connection to one of the photos, or maybe they remember being in that place.
For me, this is also an opportunity to share my experiences through photos; whenever I look back at the photos, I remember what I was doing at that time. It brings back lovely moments I had with family during the residency; it’s a fantastic opportunity to share these experiences with everyone.
OpenSea: Speaking of these palettes, I know they are rooted in your personal memories; can you introduce us to these palettes? What do they bring you? Or how did they integrate into this project?
jiwa: Of course, the photo of my daughter wearing a cowboy hat at the library makes it hard not to think of her.
Again, Marfa is a small town - there isn't much for kids to do inside; the library is priceless. It has a fantastic children's area - much better than many large libraries, and the librarian is very patient, not worried about the kids making noise; they even provided snacks and juice boxes. The library indeed provides essential services for the children of Marfa, and I will always be grateful. The 'blue library' just happens to be one of my favorite palettes; it represents the joy of childhood for me.
Then, to the left is a natural photo - I call it 'Midnight Moon'; actually, this photo wasn't taken during my residency but during the last weekend of the Art Blocks Marfa when I was walking home at midnight and looked up - the moon was right above me. This might be the best moon photo I've ever taken; you’re in the desert, in a vast space, walking home after interacting with those passionate about this niche town - generative art.
After taking photos, I just ran into collector Tony Herrera in a little alley; this photo brings back memories of that experience - strolling through that small town with artists and collectors, having a wonderful time.
OpenSea: It has indeed enriched our collection, and I think it was a good idea to include them. When someone encounters DDUST without any background, what do you hope their first reaction will be?
jiwa: I hope it captivates people, with colorful animated works - you just want to make people stop and say 'wow,' that moment when they just stand there quietly, watching the dust and pixels dance on the screen.
I hope it makes them want to see more; there are 32 palettes to choose from, and they are diverse. If they have been to Marfa, I hope it reminds them of that place and time.
OpenSea: I know you just finished this series, which is a big encouragement for you - but do you have any new plans to share?
jiwa: Yes, I'm very much looking forward to what new features the PostParams functionality from Art Blocks will bring. For DDUST, I tried to keep the use cases simple and understandable since this is the first project using these features; this was intentional - to help everyone understand.
But now, I have a very complex idea of how to use what they've built; my next project may utilize these on-chain functionalities in a more comprehensive and complex way - while also delving into humanistic topics related to the web.
OpenSea: Thank you, jiwa! That’s great.
jiwa: Thank you! I also want to add a big thank you to OpenSea and Art Blocks for this opportunity to be among the first artists and help shape this project, providing some small help for future artists; it’s incredibly meaningful.
Content you care about from OpenSea
Browse | Create | Buy | Sell | Auction
Follow OpenSea Binance Channel
Stay updated