This edition is a continuation of last week’s edition - read it here.
Last week, I went through nine Latin American and Hispanic artists shaping categories like colorful art, abstract, 3D, and photographs. Today, I’m excited to introduce the ones leading the way in styles like dark art, collectibles, protest art, hyperrealism, and digital collages.
Before cutting to the chase, I’d like to mention the selection criteria once again. I' was looking for unique styles, community support, and whatever made me feel something at first glance. Unique style means the artist’s art or a particular NFT shapes a category and inspires newcomers. Community support means the artist is followed and respected by other artists, and/or established collectors have collected his work. The last criteria bullet - whatever made me feel something at first glance - is self-explanatory.
Nightmare Art
The following pieces made me feel goosebumps. Standing out in this category is very hard because the competition and options are numerous. Be advised; the following NFTs might give you nightmares.
The Real Portrait of Juliet & Pauline by @ojovivoMotion video
Inspired by a real-life assassination story, Juan José López, aka “ojovivoMotion” on Twitter, created a mesmerizing composition. The Argentinian, who lives in the Tucuman region, is building a reputation for his phantasmagorical portraits.
This collage is about Pauline Parker and Pauline's best friend Juliet Hulme. In the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, on 22 June 1954, Honorah Rieper (also known as Honorah Parker, her legal name) was killed by her teenage daughter, Pauline Parker, and Pauline's close friend, Juliet Hulme (later known as Anne Perry) an English bestseller writer of historical detective fiction. Parker was 16 at the time, while Hulme was 15.
Samuel Araya, aka “Paintagram” on Twitter, is the first Paraguayan to join the list. With more than 10,000 followers, Paintagram is one of the more established artists on the whole list. He describes nightmares as his passion, clearly shown on “Occult Punk" #4” a wrecked werewolf. Be careful before you open his hic et nunc account, as all kinds of dark creatures will surround you.
There is one more widely respected artist I’d to introduce in this category. Multiple peers have spoken highly of “oddcr0w”. The Spanish (based in Seville) combines sculptures, textures, lights with the dark side. His pieces transmit more than just fear, as you can feel the pain the creatures he creates are going through.
The Collectibles
Who doesn’t love avatar collections these days? That seems to be the hottest trend right now, filling the pockets of many crypto artists. The same happens with one of the most popular collectibles in the Latinoamerican and Hispanic scene.
BabyCryptoLlamas by @psychdre_eth
The Baby Crypto Llamas are unique because they are among the few 3D avatars with an accessible price of 0.02 eth. Created by “psychdre_eth”, a Peruvian based in NY, the Baby Crypto LLamas were designed for a specific market and proved to be a success. This is how the creator describes his collection:
First large scale, non computer algorithm generated, 3D Animated, GIF collectables.
Only 10,000 Fluffy BabyCryptoLlamas will ever be created. Each one unique and mesmerizing.
The Thought-provokers
This group has a clear message they want to convey. It is undeniable because it is written in the piece and uses popular culture symbols.
Too niche, too you, overpriced, not commercial, no talent, your art won’t sell… Are some of the messages displayed on “The Art Critic” by “cryptoPOM”. The piece speaks for itself, as all of the Chilean-Scottish crypto artists’ creations. She has amazed over 18,000 followers on Twitter and is the most famous creator on the whole list.
My style is heavily influenced by graphic novel design and pop art, always revolving around portraiture-- I love creating narratives based around a character, and trying to explore either social and political themes using people as my focus.
Virgen MarĂa 1.0 by @criptocromo
Some might find this piece funny, while others will find it offensive. Both are positive outcomes from the creator’s perspective. With Virgen Maria 1.0, the Mexican artist brings one of the most iconic elements from Latinamerican and Hispanic culture into the metaverse. That is right, the mother of Jesus in pixel art!
More Than Real, Hyperreal
The artist in this category has a gift to bring characters from another world into ours.
Hyperrealism is how Sebastian Lillo Guzman names his style, and there isn’t a better name. In Leapoar’s Dream, a leopard poses with a scarf, perfect lightning, and stunning crystal blue eyes. I’ve got the feeling this particular NFT could be a staple in a nondistant future. One of those pieces that everyone has seen at some point in their life.
The Digital Collages
I love digital collages! And who doesn’t? That is why I’ve written about a couple of digital collage artists in the past, like City Scape by NobodyKnws.Me
Gabriel Mello, aka “_tmist”, is the first NFT creator who gets featured twice in my newsletter. Maybe I am biased? Probably, since my first collected NFT is Gabriel’s genesis. Read the story here. Nevertheless, more collectors have noticed the Brazilian's talent, and a couple of months after entering the crypto space, he has made some solid sales. That is the case for “The Traveller”, who sold a couple of days after being listed. The sun continues to be _tmist’s trademark signature, right at the center of “The Traveller”.
Not every octopus is a Kraken by @PXhita
We have come to the last piece. It is one of those you can stare at for a long time, trying to figure out what the heck is going on here. The Argentian known as Panter Xhita or “PXhita” creates fantastic collages that will open your mind. She aims to archive two things with her art, an identity and a story that combines all her creations. Her second aim makes “not every octopus is a Kraken” even more complex to decipher, as it is part of a bigger story.
Life seems immortal: it flourishes even if we spill it.
But not alive technology larks on the horizon, and beware, because life might be helpless.
Remember: not every octopus is a Kraken.
I had a blast discovering and exploring the new wave of Latinamerican and Hispanic crypto artists. I hope you enjoyed this list as much as I did research and writing about them. I admit that leaving gifted artists out was hard, and I look forward to including more of them in future editions.
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Shilling Section
Check out these cool drops from other crypto artists.
The Eye of Doom by @KlawMachineArt
Who is your favorite Latin American and Hispanic artist? I’d love to read your comments!
Until next week,
- Kaloh