Visual artist Carlos brings his works to life through NFTs
By John Legaspi
At 72, Carlos may be one of, if not the oldest NFT artists to date
The metaverse upon us, and to many, their first introduction to it is through non-fungible tokens or NFTs. If you are still in the dark about it, an NFT, as defined by Collins Dictionary, is “a unique digital certificate, registered in a blockchain, that is used to record ownership of an asset such as an artwork or a collectible.”
The latest to enter this world of digital art is painter and sculptor Carlos. To mark his 72nd birthday, the artist is doing an exhibition, both physical and online, presenting his famed works on canvas and as NFTs. Dubbed “Into the World of Carlos,” the exhibit is set to open on Feb. 28 and is made possible with First Mint Fund and in collaboration with animator IJ Cacnio.
“While NFTs are a new medium for me, it seems like an exciting and organic progression for my work,” says Carlos. “It’s quite the adventure: one that transcends physical and temporal limitations and holds so many possibilities.”
Painting for Carlos has always been about creating a scene that would come alive in his viewers’ minds. With the help of Cacnio, that goal can now be visually achieved. And taking it to the next level is the inclusion of music, the animator's personal touch on the NFTs.
“Executing the vision that Carlos had and adding my own spin to it was a fun experience. For me, his work is timeless and relatable,” says Cacnio, who has experience as tech lead in immersive international art exhibitions in the country. “It was a tedious but rewarding process because I would discover meaningful details that I didn’t notice before editing it.”
At 72, Carlos may be one of, if not the oldest NFT artists to date. “I really respect Carlos for trying out new things with his art,” says Cacnio, himself a creator and collector of NFTs. Carlos’ career has included various on-site exhibitions here and abroad, and with this latest exhibit, on the metaverse as well.
“The plan is to continue creating NFTs, collaborating, continuing to build this world into a coherent space on the metaverse. It is exciting to see how our team will build it, and especially how other artists might do their own takes on it,” Carlos ends.
“Into the World of Carlos” will be launched at artbycarlos.com and foundation.app/@artbycarlos. | Twitter and Instagram: @artbycarlosph
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