Gassan Aquel • Artist Spotlight

---

Gassan Aqel is a full time visual artist who is also involved in music.

What got you in to Crypto art?

I've been an artist since 2012, in 2017 I quit my full time job to become a full time artist. Digital art didn't sell well in the traditional methods so I was a bit disappointed but nevertheless I continued making art every single day (including weekends). I saw some news earlier this years about NFTs, then it struck me. It was the solution that I've been looking for. The revolution that I wanted to be part of. So I jumped in and it's been magical since then. I've connected so much with community and I managed to sell my work to very interesting collectors. Their messages about my art and how it made them feel brought me to tears.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I try to find my inspiration in everything that drives an emotion out of me. Negative or positive. I tend to create art based on emotion most of the time. Sometimes though I can get inspiration from a video game that I'm playing, a book that I'm reading or even an artwork. It's art creating art after all.

What do you think of traditional artwork?

Well, I've heard people say NFTs will replace traditional art. I don't think that's true. NFT's and traditional art will always have their markets and they will both sell, marketed and displayed in their own market and audience.

Do you think your art is fulfilling a purpose?

I've been told before that my art gives a very strong emotional resonance with people who have collected it or generally attended my exbihtions. Is it fulfilling a greater purpose like changing the world someday? I don't think so. If people get emotional when they see my work. that is enough purpose for me to keep creating it.

How did you start out as an artist?

I graduated from an animation major and I worked in the industry as a video game artist and a TV producer. I didn't feel that it was career fulfilling as I didn't really have a voice to express my thoughts and emotions in a corporate environment. I left it all behind in 2017 and I became a full time artist. Starting that was pretty hard and terrifying but it got easier with time and I started feeling more confident.

Who or what inspires your work?

It could be anything really, sometimes I sit down on a bench and just watch people walk, I observe their moment because you can tell a lot from somebody's body language. I look at what their wearing and how they're carrying themselves. By the time I reach home I would have so many topics to portray in my art. Other mediums of art also inspires me a lot like video games and movies. Those help with my escapism sessions but sometimes drives me to obsess about a certain topic that I feel the drive to create an artwork about it.

Which other artist(s) do you admire?

Definitely too many to list here but here's a selection Alterlier Xaviara Lopez Dan hilliar Amna al-nasiri Anstasia denilenko Takato yamamoto Jago Eli minya

Final question, what’s next for you as an artist?

I just hope to grow more in this NFT space, get some recognition and really all I want to do is create art everyday till the day I have to say goodbye to this earth.