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Human Generated: VESA

This is Human Generated

 

This is an interpretation of VESA’s appearance on the Human Generated podcast by Omid Honari. The two met during a day of keynote speeches at the Mohammed Bin Rashid library, where as it turns out, both of their topics touched on not only art and its implications, but also spirituality.
It was no wonder that when VESA and Omid sat down to record this podcast, the deeper topics were soon elaborated on.

Watch the conversation on Youtube
Watch it on Spotify

Why read further ( or return)?
Breakdown, links and illustrations:

The conversation took place in late May when Dubai was plunging into the hot temperatures. Vesa told that as a 44-year-old, the elapsing winter was the first where he had enjoyed consistent warm weather, being natively from Finland and having lived in the UK for several years.
‘There’s a lot of cold trauma still to be purged’, he said.
Omid relayed a piece of advice he heard as a boy that coping with cold is much easier than coping with heat, since you always have the option of adding a layer of clothing, but there is only so much you can remove. This advice also speaks to how personal our relationship with the weather and our immediate surroundings is. We rationalize our emotions towards it via stories and these pieces of advice that we tell each other.

VESA and Omid met at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library in early 2023, where they both were speaking.

New Horizons

To delve right into the mouth of the beast, Omid poses an interesting proposition of the constellation of new technologies, NFTs, metaverse and the whole Web3 being at odds with the creative arts as we know it.
‘Most respectfully, I disagree with that, VESA starts.
VESA explains that one of the concepts that governs how he views art, and life itself, is Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory. This theory helps to see yourself, your contribution, philosophies, and beliefs as functional parts of the elaborate whole. This way of approaching art is not taught in colleges and universities, where most art history begins or at least emphasises the post-modern period without studying the roots of why humans began creating art in the first place, namely cave painting and body painting.
With a fractionalized outlook on art, new technologies can feel like a jarring, disjointed note in the melody of human creativity, whereas from the Integral point of view, these are tools that if utilized to their utmost potential, will remove the old gatekeeping systems for more creativity to blossom in society.
‘My LUXOR- inspired art gallery is a great example of this. It uses new technologies, it breaks barriers of entry and in substance, it studies the origins of art, VESA says.
‘It’ll take a little bit of time, and whether the traditional art institutions will adopt this remains to be seen, since their interest is so much in identity politics, but for people, this means total freedom’, he explains.

The Luxor Metaverse temple is live with Superworld

 

Possibilities or threats

Omid agrees that the limitation of the current arts education seems to be that it is taught from the perspective of the current ideological climate, and it must go along the epoch of our time and what that does is hides the vastness of possibility that is currently available.
Intrigued by VESA’s mention of primordial art, Omid asks next how does an artist with a capital A bridge together the gap of something so corporal, so essential as body paint with something as cerebral and intangible as the digital realm.
‘When I saw my first model with full body paint in my studio, I knew that this was it, it was like a superhero had appeared in front of me’, VESA says.
‘But when it comes to embarking on the digital journey, I had no other choice. My method dictated that my originals were digital ever since 2008, and this was a major issue for the art institutions before the advent of NFTs. They would ask for an oil original that I didn’t have’.

“Escapist” was the first bopypainting and photography based collage work VESA made in 2008.

‘The technology that facilitates Bitcoin is the turning point in digital scarcity and digital ownership, because it facilitates digital assets, like artworks, that are as rare as the physical Mona Lisa’.
Omid then points out that isn’t one of the most valuable digital artworks verified on the blockchain a picture of a monkey, homing in on his original point of new technologies diluting actual artistic endeavour.
‘There’s some genius marketing behind that project, and it gains its value also through being an access pass. What it’s not is art’, VESA explains.
‘How is the casual consumer going to gain an education about the difference between these two categories?’, Omid asks.
VESA explains that this is a deeper issue than what meets the eye, how in the words of the cultural critic Camille Paglia we are on the brink of another cultural Renaissance, should we take the steps to get there, but our institutions are not paving the way for our collective consciousness to get there. He also re-iterates the difference between the collectible digital art and the digitized fine art, where the only common factor is the underlying technology. Having said that, VESA expresses how positive it is that the gatekeeping of the old system is coming down due to technological advancements.
His native country Finland is a great example of this, where a lot of government grants are given only to art that perpetuates a certain narrative. This suffocates actual creativity and resembles more a high-school student, who studies what he knows the teacher cares the most about, not what is relevant.

The Camille Paglia lecture “Art belongs to everyone” has been one of the themes that have inspired this direction of thought.

The Origins

As VESA has mentioned Finland, and the general climate of art there, Omid is interested to know how art and VESA came to be.
‘What was the origin story?’, he asks.
‘It’s always been about connection, and the two points in time that come to mind are my connection to music, and especially African drums that lit something up inside me, and my connection to something spiritual that I experienced, when I very nearly drowned as a six-year-old.’, VESA says.
‘At its best, it doesn’t even feel like I am the one who is doing it. And skill comes into play so that it takes a form that others might enjoy as well, but it’s always about that connection that drives everything I do creatively’.

The Knight Rider theme was the first song to get VESA to play to be a rock star as his toy plastic axe as the guitar, sliding on his knees across the room as a 5 year old.

‘So where is the divine for you, then?’ Omid asks.
‘One of the books that talks about this is called Flower of Life, and it explains that this pattern at the very core of everything that comes into being is all coming through the One, but the multitude of expressions that the One takes, is our experience of the world’,

The ancient secret of the flower of life was a significant book to read while travelling shooting a documentary in Egypt and Mexico in 2012.


‘In terms of humans, I see the brain much more a receiver than a generator’, VESA says as he hints towards his understanding of the divine.
‘My traumatic experience of nearly drowning was so pivotal to my creative growth because it brought me violently close to that origin point, the point of ultimate connection to God. Maybe I remembered something, maybe I have been here before – it is a possibility’, VESA expands.
Omid illustrates our longing for our origins beautifully through a famous opening to a poem by Rumi, which describes the haunting sound of the reed pipe, longing to return to the whole it was cut from. Perhaps we are like the reed pipe, the divine breath moving through us, but always hankering to get back into unity with our origin.

The Pink Floyd “Back catalogue” poster on VESA’s wall as a teenager likely had a significant impact on his life choices later on.

Different bodies

Omid draws a parallel between VESA’s method of bodypainting and seeing inanimate objects as bodies, such as the body of a car that Omid had seen at an event recently. Does VESA see his Art Cars and other painted objects as a continuation of his bodypainting methodology?
‘In some sense, it is still human centric, because these different bodies are still painted for humans to admire’, VESA starts.

The Dr Marwan Tesla covered in art in Dubai also has a digital douible made by Zoan.

‘I also want to be incredibly respectful towards Islam, and not to portray a human as an idol, so I have a lot to study on how to bring to the front my goal of showcasing the divine spark in the human form, how He made us so magnificently’, VESA says.
‘In that spirit of further conversation and discussion, we could go on for so much longer, but I want to invite you to the possibility of having a second episode with you,
‘Inshallah’, VESA says.

Watch the conversation on Youtube
Watch it on Spotify

______

Until next time, 

VESA & Lotta
Crypto & NFT Artist
All links to physical, NFTs, and more below
http://linktr.ee/ArtByVesa

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VESA Podcast Ep.I – David Orban

Today we’re taking a look at an important first. It is the start of the VESA Podcast, and as the first guest, we meet David Orban, who was generous with his time to record this conversation. A previous iteration of a podcast was already started in 2017, with some notable guests like Charlie Lee, but now the time was right for a rebrand and a jump up to speed on connecting with people in the scene.

It was also a blessing in disguise that the zoom recording of this podcast was recorded on zoom, and VESA erroneously remembered that the recording quality is HD, which it wasn’t. Luckily the upscaling of the 360p video with AI came to make it a crisp 4K, even if the titles of the books are washed out.

New Podcast

David is an investor, entrepreneur, author, keynote speaker, and thought leader of the global technology landscape. His entrepreneurial accomplishments span several companies founded and grown over more than twenty years. VESA and David first met in Dubai during VESA’s exhibition at the Dubai Mall. Their initial conversation spanned over many in depth topics, touching on the ever changing technology space, entrepreneurship, AI and ethics, and what the future holds for the scene itself. This is an interpretative summary of David’s appearance on the VESA Podcast recently and what that conversation looked like.
To listen to the entire episode on the VESA Podcast on You Tube, click here:
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Youtube

David joins the podcast from his home in Northern Italy, where he feels comfortable surrounded by his impressive library of books and high quality Italian food.
As a starting point, VESA dove into David’s view on his inner science, as he knew based on their previous conversation that David had completed a Vipassana, or a silent retreat. Complete silence with no technology, or any kind of entertainment or study material might seem counterintuitive for a technologist, but David credited the retreat as hugely impactful and positive.

–       It is actually not easy, David says.

He describes the amount of discipline it requires to completely withdraw to a world without electronics, books, newspapers or even eye contact with other people. The discipline was self-administered, understanding the benefits of the practice.
He adds that the recommendation is to meditate one to two hours a day after completing the retreat, but that he hasn’t applied this yet to his daily routine.
The conversation then turns to the opposite end of the spectrum, a world of total electronic or machine integration. How far down the pike are we? Will we even realize, when the chip is installed, or has it indeed already been installed years ago due to our association with technology?


David offers that everything we experience can be dissected on the objective-subjective axis, and further by taking into consideration time and place. What is a subjective experience with little to no relevance to others, versus timeless truths will depend greatly on how the information is curated and presented. Technology as we know it is deeply entwined with the time and place aspect. Technology socializes us and points us in the direction of necessary skills and behaviours. This influence has to be modulated, he states.

MMA of Religion

VESA then wants to present an idea to David that he has been developing in his mind for a little while. The concept pertains to the evolution of religion and what the next step could look like in what could arguably be called a post-Christian world. He suggests that there could emerge an amalgam of religions that takes traditions from different faiths, an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) of religion, as he calls it.
–       I recommend people be immodest, but humble, David starts as he describes a person capable of connecting the dots across different fields and from various sources of authority.

–       Many are uncomfortable in accepting revealed religions as the answer to essential questions, but as I saw after the collapse of the Berlin wall, people have a need for religious experiences and I respect that, so I feel an evolution to bridge that gap might very well be underway.

 

In many ways you have to regress 200 years in order to resonate with the current church paradigm of wooden long benches and hymns.

VESA notes that a similar ‘religious’ belief surfacing from different fields is the idea that we live in a simulation. This, he says, brings about an attitude which paired with rapidly evolving AI might lead to a pathologically Godless society, lacking spiritual nourishment and transcendence.
The perplexing phenomenon of our time is that at the same time we have the most advanced non-biological technology and the demand to return to being the centre of the universe, so to speak.

Do we live in a simulation?

Inspired by his revelations with his new AI Series Juxtaposers, VESA presents an idea that in the current cultural context of left vs right, what seems to be missing is differentiation between establishment and anti-establishment, and how some times these labels can flip on their heads simply because of provoking thought, as in the case of Russel Brandt, who is now seen as a right-wing person simply because he has vocalized anti-establishment views. This axiom is at the heart of the Juxtaposers- series, which includes polarizing figures like Andrew Tate, Ben Shapiro, AOC and more.

–       If you think about it, the Amish are more anti-establishment than most, it’s just a low dopamine ride, he explains as to why he wanted to draw parallels between Andrew Tate as an Amish apple picker.

As a segway to another cultural context, VESA tells that he had mixed feelings about a video he viewed with Sam Altman and Android Jones discussing AI. To him, Android’s very name and his fervent opposition to AI was in stark contrast.
–       In times gone past, we used to organize ourselves in guilds as a way to control who has the right to express certain trades. Now, perhaps for the first time, we have the opportunity to open the arts for everyone, David says.

–       The current situation is a dam about to burst. The label ‘artist’ is open to everyone and we will devise new metrics of value as a result, he explains.

Listen on YoutubeVESA gives an example of him commissioning a rap song via AI that was purely produced as a soundtrack for him painting in his studio, and how not even the most indulgent king would have dreamed of doing something like that before.

Actioneer

Next, VESA wants to learn more about David’s company Actioneer. He offers himself up as an example of someone who is masterful at their craft and quite observant, but hesitates in fulfilling a role of a CEO or a COO in a company setting, which modern day artists need to consider. What can a company like Actioneer do for artists and others who find themselves in a similar position?
–       The world is so complex that we need all the help we can get. AI can help us decode our questions better  than ever before, as we look into a paradigm where the old system of educating, gaining a job, working and dying is being challenged, David says.
–       The spearhead of this are the founders of startups, and the entrepreneurial spirit is what Actioneer supports. To a select few this has been available for a while through incubators and mentorships, and Actioneer can democratize this help and make it very abundant, he explains.

–       We believe that the world will be as saturated with tools like Actioneer, as it is presently with access to the Internet, because they are such an integral part of our modern lives, he says.

VESA sums up the necessity of these tools by noting that if you don’t become an entrepreneur as an artist, you won’t be an artist for long.

To follow David Orban’s message, you can find him at:
David Orban Dot Com
All socials etc

______

Until next time, 

VESA & Lotta
Crypto & NFT Artist
All links to physical, NFTs, and more below
http://linktr.ee/ArtByVesa

 

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VESA at Cypher Capital

 

Hi fam,

Today we’re celebrating a union that took place recently when VESA travelled to Dubai for a month of meetings, partnership calls, keynotes, and conferences.

A juicy sized catalogue of VESA works moved into the Cypher Capital Hub in October and this time, we want to celebrate this incredible handshake and share the stories behind the artworks you can see on the walls.

In their own words, Cypher Capital is focused on investing in Web3 infrastructure and applications that will drive the digital economy in the future. The Cypher Capital Hub in Marina is shaping up to be one of the sleekest and most functional spots to work, meet and network.

The Hub has always been a place for art, most notably two works by Banksy in the main conference room – now featuring a VESA as well.

Let’s dive into the stories behind the pieces you can see on the walls of the Hub!

Next time you stop by the Hub, please snap a picture of yourself and your favourite VESA work and tag:

Cypher Capital Group / Vesa Kivinen // LinkedIn

Cypher.capital / artbyvesa // Instagram

https://www.newsbtc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Cypher-Capital-VESA-video.mp4

Refresh has an honorary place at the VIP room alongside two Banksy pieces.

https://www.newsbtc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/vip-room-Cypher-capital.mp4

 

Integration

First VESA piece you see on the wall as you walk into the space is Integration. The piece represents the dichotomy of worldviews present in our society in relationships between men and women. On the one hand women occupy positions of power like never before and work incredibly hard to pursue and execute those positions. On the other hand, there is a view that supports tearing down all structures of hierarchy in capitalism and science, as they are seen as an oppressive force, rather than a liberating one.

Integration was exhibited at Art Dubai 2022 via the Morrow Collective.

 

Million Dirham Hotel

Residing in the sleek meeting room, is the Million Dirham Hotel. The work is a part of the larger Mirrors- series, which explores value, experiences, and identity. Million Dirham Hotel evokes images of what a hotel with such a high-ticket price would look like. It is an invitation to a world that challenges the ownership vs access paradigm.

The Million Dirham Hotel, like all works in the Mirrors- series entices the viewer with its offering of leveraging IP unseen in the traditional art market. Download the Artivive app and experience the AR version, when you stop by.

 

Truth or Dare- the Currency of Ganesha

Next to The Million Dirham Hotel is Truth or Dare- The Currency of Ganesh, or Ganesh for short. This work belongs to the pantheon of VESA’s early crypto art, inspired by the thousands of years old Hindu tradition of faith and worldview.

Lord Ganesh is revered as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and a higher being of intellect and wisdom. In this piece, Lord Ganesh and his entourage have assimilated cryptocurrency symbols and blockchain code alongside traditional wealth displays. Gold, platinum, and diamonds hold a historical place in our minds as keepers of value, but as an example the smart contracts layered on top of Ethereum are building the wealth of today and tomorrow.

Ganesh is probably THE most complicated work VESA has ever made. It took over 2000 layers of photography of individual paintings and other images before Ganesh started taking shape.

 

Red Eye

Red Eye shows the reality of someone falling into the rabbit hole of crypto. The whirlwind seems endless, and the new information pouring into your consciousness sometimes claims your ability to sleep.

This piece is another one with stunning merits, as it was featured in Forbes in their first ever article on this new movement of art and money in January 2019.

Red Eye was also exhibited at the opening of the immersive Dubai gallery Art In Space. It launces into its AR version via the Artivive app to showcase motion and sound.

 

Compound Defiance

On the way to the VIP room, you can see Compound Defiance on the wall. This work is steeped in legendary moments and is a part of crypto art history. The fluid motion forming a solid symbolizes the decentralized financial system that has no point of central control and therefore free to define its own rules. This freedom has its positives and negatives, but more options mean a more expansive, rather than repressive experience. The jarring pattern blending endlessly might seem chaotic at first, before the beautiful pattern presents its holistic face.

Compound Defiance was the first artwork used on a street legal NFT VESA Art Car in Dubai and it has a VR version made by Zoan.

 

Refresh

Residing in the elegant VIP room, is a piece made in honour of the UAE, called Refresh. It was made in 2020 and it represents the forward-thinking, technologically competent, and culturally mesmerizing country in an artistic way.

The round planet in the centre of the piece is Mars, referencing the Emirati space program. Galloping alongside is a tokenized royal horse, modelled after a real-life specimen.

The two people featured are the CEO of the Dubai Blockchain Centre, Dr. Marwan Al Zarouni and his wife, Mariam Al Zarouni. In the artwork, the two are immersed in the Bitcoin genesis code, as they witness the evolution of their country.

Refresh comes alive with the Artivive app. It has an original soundtrack, and it has been exhibited on large stages in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as extensively in crypto media.

 

Team VESA wants to thank Cypher Capital for showcasing these works!

Until next time, 

VESA & Lotta
Crypto & NFT Artist
All links to physical, NFTs, and more below
http://linktr.ee/ArtByVesa