5 Digital Artists You Need To Know
Digital art is taking the world by storm and we're so here for it. In a world where people are often looking to escape from reality, digital art has become a popular form of expression. It can be edgy, provocative, raw, and sometimes even shocking but that's what makes it so intriguing. We all have an inner artist inside us waiting to come out and that's exactly what digital art does - it brings your imagination into existence in a way that feels almost tangible and if you're interested in this innovative medium, you have to check out these 5 established and emerging artists. They will blow your mind with their talent!
Léa Porré, I told you he was never really gone (2019), Credit: Léa Porré
Born in 1996, Lea Porré is a French-Belgian digital artist who currently resides in London. Specializing in 3D digital sculpting, video-editing, traditional sculpting and graphic design, Porré creates a narrative that immerses the viewer in alternative nostalgic worlds “that transcend historical boundaries, detached from the binary notion of fact and fiction” (Agora Digital Art). Her work is primarily inspired by digital technology such as video games, their integrated graphics and browser games popular during her childhood. Works such as “Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed”, demonstrate this interest. She is also equally influenced by alternative narratives of history nationalism such as in her series of prints including “Other King” in which she illustrates and speculates the return of the French monarchy as a failed wellness guru, a sacrificial vessel, a choose your own adventure character and an alchemical master. In 2021, she graduated from the Royal College of Art with an MA Contemporary Art Practice while also showcasing her work at numerous of her most recent solo and group exhibitions which include The Wrong TV - Eternal Returns (online) ; Off Site Project - Versaliae (online); WONDERLAND - Forever Too Much, Much Too Forever - curated by The Wrong (Paris, France); Mock Jungle - Creeper's Luncheon - curated by De: Formal and Cromwell Place - RCA2021 (London, UK).
Miao Ying, Blind Spot, 2007, photo by Alex Lau
2. Miao Ying
Contemporary Chinese digital artist, Miao Ying is no stranger to the digitally-inspired world. Ying’s fascination for the digital space and the Chinese web and their idiosyncratic internet culture greatly influences her works as seen in the Great Firewall, The Bling Spot and many others. Her work also addresses and highlights mankind’s relationship with the Internet while shedding light on realities of socio-technological censorship and digital surveillance. As relayed by Elephant.art, Ying’s work “strictly resides online and physical installations that she has started showing at museums and art fairs result from an outside demand to prompt the audience to go to the Internet to visit the work.” Ying explains that “the work always starts with a digital core, which relates to communist ideology of starting with an abstract vision and adding up to build an idea”. Currently residing in New York, Ying finds that her vision of China is ironically clearer there because in China, she experiences frustration even involved in simple tasks such as logging into her Gmail account in China due to the need of a VPN code. Yet, through her comical viewpoint portrayed in her art, Ying finds a means of liberation and of commenting on the shortcomings of the Chinese system.
Stepan Ryabechenko, Fiolent Crystal Baby, 2016, Digital print on aluminum under plexiglass, Credit: Stepan Ryabechenko
3. Stepan Ryabchenko
Stepan Ryabchenko is one of the artists at the forefront of Ukraine’s media art scene and chief curator of the creative association, Art Laboratory. His digital range include conceptual architecture, sculpture, light installations which all allow him to traverse the boundary between the virtual world and reality as well as the relationship between art and science. He gained notoriety through his monumental prints and video-art installations which represent non-existent digital entities such as computer viruses, electronic winds, virtual flowers, and more. His work truly is an investigation into he new as Ryabehenko prides research and analysis of the ever-evolving worlds of art, technology and science. His work has been extensively exhibited around the world including but not limited to the Ludwig Museum exhibition in Budapest, Saatchi Gallery in London, Krolikarnia in Warsaw, Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagred, Modern Art Research Institute. In an interview with Al-Tiba9 Contemporary Art, Ryabchenko explains that he was “immersed in a creative atmosphere” since childhood as he was born into a family of artists. He realized through his profession as an architect, he could fully express himself which led him to “develop sculptural compositions and begin to think about designing a virtual environment that would give [him] complete freedom” - the approach that gave rise to the merge of his talents (architecture, visual arts and sculpture). Ryabchenko further explains that through his work, he seeks to convey the images, feelings and emotions with what life and his art fills him and share his fantasy. His vibrant and diverse virtual world, full of natural elements and mythology, stems from his inspirations for life, nature, childhood memories, communication with loved ones, learning new information, and pondering on the riddles of the Universe which all culminate into contemporary genius.
El Carna, AQUARIUS Zodiac, credit: El Carna
4. El Carna
Elkanah Kwadwo Mpesum, more commonly known by her pseudo El Carna, is a Ghanaian illustrator whose work focuses on everyday representations of Black and African people and celebrating love and affection among them through vivid colour palettes and innovative digital technology. He highlights African identity and blackness in an unapologetic and powerful way which his art fans passionately admire. Electric Artefacts states that “[he] never had to wait to be awarded a prodigious artworld prize or get “discovered” at Art Basel … Thanks to the Internet, his works have proven hugely popular with art fans … without needing approval from institutional gatekeepers and middle-men.” His work plays a pivotal role in representing the black family structure that has often been criticized and plagued with stereotypes as well as renegotiating societal ideals of power, confidence and beauty.
Credit: Beeple/Christies (source: cnn.com)
5. Beeple (Mike Winkelmann)
Beeple (Mike Winkelmann) is a prominent figure in the digital art world. His digital artwork including short films, Creative Commons VJ loops, everdays and VR/AR work explores pop culture, technology, and postapocolyptic terror in order to examine the way that we live. Regardless of not having gallery representation, Beeple’s work has been showcased at two Super Bowl halftime shows as well as working on concert visuals for Justin Bieber concert, One Direction, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Eminem, Zedd and many more. Notably, this artist sold a virtual Non-Fungible Token (NFT) artwork at Christie’s, a major auction house, at $69,346,250 solidifying him as a digital artist at the forefront of NFTs. Post-War & Contemporary Art specialist, Noah Davis describes “acquiring Beeple’s work is a unique opportunity to own an entry in the blockchain itself created by one of the world’s leading digital artists” (Christies.com). Beeple pioneered his series “Everydays: The First 5000 Days”, combining colour schemes and recurring themes such as the obsession and fear of society with technology, America’s turbulent politcal landscape, and the desire and resentment for wealth in order to create and examine contemporary society and life as we know it.
Conclusion
In this post, we've highlighted 5 artists who are pushing the boundaries of digital art. We hope you enjoyed learning about them and their work. Have any other favourite digital artists? Share them with us in the comments below.