PROXY is a series of 639 portraits– but not the kind you’d expect. The collection begins with the ‘Similar Tones’ section of the UN Portrait Library — an almost inexplicable accompaniment to the portraits of world leaders. Prompting us to consider relationships and dynamics of power and image, Figure transforms each piece through a series of generative & handmade processes. The resulting works are breathtaking baths of color, each pixel carefully constructed.
PROXY, Figure31's latest work, is a large collection of portraits-- but not the kind you'd expect. Comprised of artworks using a mix of generative, automated & manual processes, the collection seeks to find a universal source material. In his process, Figure31 uses existing digital materials to compose his conceptual pieces, using computational processes to transform them. Often, color palettes generated from some kind of abstracted data source form the foundation of the resulting pieces.
For PROXY, Figure31 looked towards the .jpeg portraits found in the United Nation Portraits library. Oddly enough, this collection contains a 'Similar Tones' section created for each and every portrait of the government officials pictured. Taking these palettes as his raw material, Figure31 transforms them into newly abstracted gradient images that totally obscure their original content. The final works, presented in a dramatic, ethereal installation, starkly juxtapose their powerful, charged source images. Intrigued by the systemic power structure of the UN, the collection abstracts the polarization of these personas, producing new creations that are ultimately colorful, impactful abstractions -- unrecognizable next to their sources.
Collectors of the digital works will also have the opportunity to purchase a printed version of their piece through Figure31. More details to come.
Figure31
Figure31 is a Montreal-based artist with a practice centered around digital photography. He’s inspired by the open-source ethos of web3 and interested in how technology shapes an understanding of reality. Having released 13 projects, notably including SALT, Figure31, 27, is a force in the digital art world, creating breathtaking works & building truly crypto-native community.
As part of his full PROXY collection, a limited set of unique 1 of 1s will be available. The first 5 of the 639-piece digital series, these unique pieces represent the most complex assets, pushing boundaries of both the technological medium & of the physical and digital tools used to create the pieces. The works are both digital & physical, the physical prints being hand-printed large-scale works by the artist himself.
To inquire about availability, pricing, and for more information, please reach out to hello@wild.xyz.
