artist talk: OSINACHI - EXISTENCE AS PROTEST - the journey through the mind of the artist

We are excited to release today a special video with our dear artist Osinachi about his creative journey, the process and philosophy behind the exclusive works produced and currently on display at his debut solo show ‘EXISTENCE AS PROTEST’ at Kate Vass Galerie!

“Developing the artworks in this exhibition was definitely what psychology refers to as ‘experience-dependent process’. The process demanded that I, as an artist, respond to events that have come to plaster themselves in my subconscious since I was a child. The entire exhibition is a manifestation of my response to issues like toxic masculinity, gender fluidity, homophobia, sexism, religiosity, climate change, all of which are entwined in the politics of individualism.

‘Existence as Protest’ is a first-time solo display of the figurative portraiture approach, which has become my signature style”. - Osinachi

Osinachi (born Prince Jacon Osinachi Igwe, 24 October 1991) is a self-taught digital artist whose work explores personal experiences within a technological environment. He grew up in Aba, Nigeria and he produces drawings using Microsoft Word, where he utilizes the basic limited design palette of the word processing software to create narrative illustrations.  Africa’s foremost cryptoartist, Osinachi‘s works are further registered on the blockchain and sold as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). In 2018, he became the first-ever Nigerian artist to showcase artworks at the Ethereal Summit, a conference in New York that seeks to bridge the gap between technology and art through blockchain.

Kate Vass Galerie is a pioneer gallery, whose mission is to link traditional and digital art: the gallery lies at the intersection of art and technology with the purpose to serve as a ‘portal’ between these two coexisting realities. Therefore, at the Osinachi solo show ‘Existence as Protest’ we are happy to offer to our collectors both: beautiful physical prints and crypto-works tokenized on the blockchain as NFTs. We do believe in the importance of the two mediums, digital and physical, even more when combined. Many digital artists leave their creations in the virtual form, making it difficult for some collectors to be able to enjoy the physical outcome. In the case of Osinachi, it’s a great opportunity -not to miss!- having the chance to acquire the works as NFTs and as prints.

We invite you to enjoy the video and browse Osinachi work online! All 10 cryptoworks which were created as NFTs for the show had been sold out on the blockchain during COVID -19 lockdown. As we open our doors for public again, don’t miss to have a look at the prints still available here. We strongly encourage the collectors who have already purchased NFTs to consider to acquire the corresponding prints to add value to your collection. 

Installation view of Osinachi, Nduka’s Wedding Day

Kate Vass Galerie is happy to share the experience of its own collection and give an example. Below you can see the stunning Nduka's Wedding Day by Osinachi as a NFT and as a print, signed by the artist. The provenance for both is unquestionable and we enjoy an animated version on the screen, as well as a calmer traditional framed canvas hanging in the gallery.

Cryptowork on SuperRare

Osinachi signing a print of Nduka's Wedding Day, 2019

The Foreword of the exhibition has been written by Artnome founder Jason Bailey, who also features Osinachi art in his 2020 Art Market Predictions and demonstrates a great standard of new type of collector, he has acquired both digital and print from Osinachi selection.

’Osinachi took Microsoft Word, a word processing tool with 1.2 billion users globally, and found a new way to use it as a tool for making digital art that none of us have seen before. Through sheer effort, imagination, and creativity, Osinachi brings virtuosity to what most people overlooked or cast aside as a crude tool for making basic shapes and patterns. Osinachi’s textures and color palettes sing out and demand attention. Inspired by the textiles found in Nigeria, they feel more like a rich collage of vibrant fabrics than a screen full of cold lifeless pixels. The fearless creative energy and positivity of Osinachi’s aesthetic extend seamlessly into the subject matter of his work.

Like all great artists, Osinachi is a mirror of his times, and the topics he addresses -- from environmentalism to racism and single parenthood -- resonate far outside the borders of Nigeria. He is a reminder of what art and artists can be for us all when they are performing at their best and fulfilling their most important function within our increasingly global culture.’