Justin Aversano's work brings profound human concern to the NFT field, reimagining how photography connects communities through projects like 'Twin Flames' and 'Unknown Moments', merging analog craftsmanship with the permanence of blockchain.
From photographing twins across three continents to co-founding Quantum Art, Aversano constantly pushes the boundaries of photography creation, sharing, and collecting. His work blends mysticism, ritual, and interpersonal relationships, offering a unique personal perspective to blockchain.
In this conversation, Justin Aversano reviewed his journey from traditional art photography to avant-garde NFT collections, the role of community and curation, and how web3 has changed his career and the future of media.
OpenSea: Can you tell us what initially attracted you to the NFT space?
Justin Aversano: What initially attracted me to the NFT space was the opportunity to use technology to present my photography in innovative ways. It felt like a step further than just sharing it on social media, allowing me to create verifiable archives and ownership by minting my work.
During the epidemic, everyone was online, and I learned about these new technologies through platforms such as Clubhouse, where technology and art communities gathered. Through these exchanges, I was inspired to start creating NFTs in 2021.
OpenSea: Before entering Web3, you were already an excellent photographer. Has the NFT world reshaped your understanding of artists?
Justin Aversano: Before the emergence of NFTs, my photography practice typically involved creating multiple prints, similar to the model of traditional galleries producing multiple copies. After entering the world of NFTs, I re-examined my perspective on photography and attached greater importance to the value of unique artworks. This allows me to regard my photographs as unique paintings, each one is unique and rare.
For example, in my Twin Flames series, I used the concept of one-of-a-kind prints to make each piece feel more sacred and unique. Essentially, NFTs reinforce the importance of scarcity and shift my creative thinking towards creating truly unique pieces.
OpenSea: What were your initial thoughts on tokenizing art on the blockchain? Did it feel intuitive, or did it take time to see its value?
Justin Aversano: Initially, the only cryptocurrency that really made sense to me was Bitcoin, but discovering the potential of Ethereum in the art world was an eye-opener for me. At first, when I tried to mint my pieces, things didn’t go exactly as planned. I felt a little lost and unsure about the process. It was definitely a learning curve, but with the help of people like GMoney and Alex Masmej, I was able to navigate the process and successfully mint my first batch of pieces.
Over time, I began to realize the significance of art tokenization and how it could connect my work to new audiences in the digital realm. Looking back, my initial foray into the NFT space felt intuitive as the next step in promoting and sharing my work. Eventually, as collectors discovered and supported my art, I began to see its true value.
OpenSea: Your work combines themes such as mysticism and ritual with visual narratives. How do you balance these very down-to-earth and simulated themes with the technical aspects of blockchain?
Justin Aversano: Whether exploring different communities, mysticism, or themes of healing and the hero's journey, philosophy always begins with ideas rooted in the human condition. For me, making art is a spiritual ritual, a daily practice of creation and self-improvement.
Visual narratives naturally emerged from this journey. By utilizing analog techniques such as film photography and alternative printing, I intertwine the tactile, human elements of the past with the digital possibilities of the future. In this sense, the technical aspect of blockchain becomes a bridge, combining analog and digital technologies, giving these timeless themes new life and permanence.
OpenSea: Was there a moment when you realized that NFTs could not only expand the scope of your work but also change your career?
Justin Aversano: The moment that truly changed my career was the day I minted my first batch of NFTs, and incredibly, all of them sold out almost overnight. I had been trying to connect these works to the right audience for years, and suddenly, they were in the collection of well-known collectors and fellow artists.
It was a huge, almost instantaneous shift that truly validated me on the right track to sharing art in this new and innovative way.
OpenSea: Twin Flames has become one of the most iconic photography projects in our field. What was the original inspiration for it? Looking back, why do you think it resonated so strongly with the community?
Justin Aversano: Twin Flames was initially inspired by healing. After losing my own twin, I wanted to connect with twin communities across three continents to understand and process my loss and grief. This project helped me move from a feeling of incompleteness to a feeling of wholeness, especially after creating the book and organizing an exhibition to bring closure to this chapter of my life.
When the project transitioned into the NFT space, it took on new life and allowed me to connect with other people who resonated with the work. I think the reason this project resonated so strongly was because it brought a human element to blockchain, and at the time, there wasn't a lot of portrait photography in the blockchain space. Seeing real people, not just pixels, created a unique and powerful human connection.
OpenSea: You released the Twin Flames series in 2021, which was obviously a key moment for NFTs. How did that feel?
Justin Aversano: It felt very natural and relevant, and looking back, I’m so grateful for the guidance and support from people who truly cared about me and my work. Their support allowed me to thrive and made that pivotal moment for NFTs even more meaningful.
OpenSea: You co-founded Quantum Art, one of the first on-chain photography platforms. What gap were you trying to fill at the time?
Justin Aversano: Essentially, we wanted to create a space where people could easily find and discover great photography, while also supporting artists from the traditional art world who were now emerging in the digital art world.
OpenSea: You talk a lot about community and curation. How do you strike a balance between maintaining a decentralized ethos and your artistic vision?
Justin Aversano: Community is deeply ingrained and a core element of the digital art space, and I maintain that balance by curating work and supporting the people who surround and support me. It’s all about sharing a vision and connecting with others who have similar artistic goals for the future.
OpenSea: Tell us about Unknown Moments. What inspired the project and how has it evolved since its launch?
Justin Aversano: Unknown Moments is a 366-day Super 8-inch portrait series in which I traveled across all seven continents, photographing 10-second portraits of people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. I was inspired to create a film that celebrates human unity and diversity, especially in the post-pandemic world where the future is so uncertain.
This project evolved organically, driven by intuition and presence rather than planning every detail in advance. It became a journey where I trusted the process, met wonderful people, and ultimately created a film about the essence of humanity.
OpenSea: What is your creative process like now compared to when you first started taking photos for a physical exhibition?
Justin Aversano: My creative process has always remained true to its roots, but given the blockchain and the permanence of the work, I am now more focused on the creative intent. In the past, I focused on providing physical versions for galleries, but now I think about digital archiving and the permanence it brings.
For example, in my mixed media collage series “Cognition,” I realized that physical artworks break down over time, while their digital versions remain intact. Similarly, in the “Smoke and Mirrors” series, I started with silkscreens and then digitized them into non-fungible tokens (NFTs), creating a hybrid process that both respects the original material and looks to the future of digital permanence. This fascinating juxtaposition really changes the way we think about art and time.
OpenSea: How do you see photography developing on-chain in the coming years?
Justin Aversano: I think we'll see more photographers embracing NFTs, just as we saw in 2021. Even now, there's a lot of untapped potential for on-chain photography, and as AI and AI-generated imagery become more common, I believe there will be a resurgence of interest in authentic photography.
People will crave the realism and authenticity that traditional photography offers, and we may even see new ways to verify what is real and what is AI-generated, which could give people a whole new perspective on photography in the pre-AI era and drive innovation in the way images are captured and verified in the future.
OpenSea: Finally, what makes you most hopeful (or hesitant) about the future of web3 and NFTs overall?
Justin Aversano: It’s hard not to feel hopeful after receiving so much support in the digital space. In the traditional art world, galleries and exhibitions don’t always provide such a high level of connection and feedback. With Web3 and NFTs, there is huge potential for archiving, distribution, and building new connections with a global audience.
Now, you are no longer limited to communicating with collectors face-to-face in galleries. With just a click of the mouse, you can connect with people who love your work, no matter where they are. This ability to build local and global networks is unprecedented in the art world, and it makes me full of confidence and expectations for the future of digital art.
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