SEIZE THE WORDS of Hafftka - The Legend, The Flow, and The Crypto Age

Celebrating an impressive five decades of artistic brilliance, Michael Hafftka stands as a titan in the art world. His works grace the permanent collections of prestigious museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York Museum of Modern Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and many others. Now, he's extending his iconic presence into the crypto space, solidifying his status as a living legend.

In the upcoming dialogue, we delve into a range of intriguing topics, including the dynamics of creative flow, the expansive horizons of digital art, the contagious appeal of memes, the transformative potential of blockchain for artists, and the vibrant landscape of the crypto community.

A: Gm and welcome to Seize The Words! I’m so excited and grateful that you accepted the invitation. I can’t think of a better way to start off the series than with you leading the way!

MH: GM GM I am so honored and grateful to share my thoughts with you and the whole community. LFG

A: Let's dive in! As an artist, freedom must hold significant meaning in your life. Was it this desire for freedom that initially drew you to the world of art?

MH: It is hard for me to say what drove me to art, except that very early on I was always attracted to art making whether it was making films, photography or poetry. The desire for freedom drove many of my actions, so it was completely integrated with any art I was making at any given time. Maybe I did sense that I had more freedom in creating art than in any other area of study or work.

A: You consider yourself a realist, laying inner realities on the canvas. Yet you don’t simply reproduce the reality, your artistic process involving intuitive exploration and letting inspiration guide your brushstrokes. How do the two reconcile, and where does inspiration come from?

MH: I don’t know where inspiration comes from, I know that I often feel it baking inside me until I get it out into a work of art. It does require of me being attentive to my insides and sometimes waiting and avoiding other distractions. I don’t see a contradiction or a separation between intuitive explorations and being guided by inspiration. These are two aspects of the process of creation and they complement each other.

A: For me, as a viewer, it’s as if you’re opening a door to a universal truth. Does it ever feel like unlocking a gateway during the flow of creation?

MH: That is a good description of it, although I do not want to presume my truth is everyone’s truth. But there is definitely a feeling of accessing something that is beyond myself. I often feel that I have to be careful not to interfere with the flow, as if any conscious planning or thinking might break it.

A: Subsequently, how do you determine when a piece is finished? Is it when the flow of inspiration ceases, or are there other factors that contribute to your decision?

MH: I have the same intuitive feeling when the work is done. Sometimes I am wrong and I end up going back to it and work on it more. But still the end is always a feeling. I am in a pretty confused state when I finish a work, high from it and at the same time very insecure and unsure of myself. I have to look at the work for a long while after I finish it to really know for sure it is finished.

A: This is an interesting glimpse into the emotional journey of an artist. How do you approach revisiting an artwork you initially thought was complete and make those final adjustments to breathe life into the piece?

MH: I simply have to be open minded. I look at the finished work for days and I get to feel whether it is perfect, or whether something is not just right. I can’t even say that I am making final adjustments, because when I return to work on a painting it is like starting all over again but instead of starting with a blank canvas it is starting with something already there. There are times when reworking a painting completely changes the outcome and you can’t even tell what it was before.

A: Have there been any specific artists or artistic movements that have influenced your style and artistic vision over the years?

MH: Yes, absolutely. At different times of my career I was influenced by different artists. There was a time I was infatuated with Marcel Duchamp and the DADA movement, Paul Klee, Jean Dubuffet, David Hockney and others. Francis Bacon was always a hero of mine. Goya and Rembrandt are forever favorites, and there are many more.

A: How did you first encounter blockchain technology, and what motivated you to become involved in the movement? Has it influenced your methods for creating and distributing art?

MH: The Covid pandemic shut down everything for me, no more shows, no more music performances, and even if I got business moving through Instagram or my website I couldn’t receive visitors so it seemed like one of those bear cycles for me. Then the rumors about the bull market for NFTs got me curious. I was interested in digital art when I first got a computer in 1994 but it didn’t go anywhere, there was no outlet for digital art. I tell more about this experience in my Mirror article https://mirror.xyz/hafftka.eth/eWtUm2_12DIJf0Icv0HDaJaDrYdUwPOYFEDxCaVO3Is. Realizing that now digital art has marketing options was the only push I needed to start figuring out the crypto world. Getting involved in the blockchain tech definitely opened up new distribution channels, I might say that is the main innovation here. In terms of affecting my creative methods, I can’t say it did, except that every medium has an effect and opens up new possibilities for expression. With digital the possibilities are endless because you can combine many things, AI, photography, physical paintings and digital paintings. It is a Pandora’s box of good things.

A: In your view, how is the intersection of traditional art and blockchain technology shaping the future of the art industry, and what opportunities do you believe it presents for artists?

MH: Art is art, whether it is physical or digital or anything else. When you are asking about intersection, or integration, you are actually talking about the business side. I think the business of art is in a turmoil. The galleries always struggled if they were not the most successful ones, because they had real estate, storage, and art fairs to worry about. The most successful ones service less than 1% or the richest collectors. Secondary market is a farce, because if you buy anything for less than 100k you can’t find a good auction house to take it. And in the mix of all this, most artists are completely at the mercy of the gallerists. Blockchain solved many of these issues. For one, artists are independent entities (or can be). There is no real estate involved, no shipping or storage. And the market is international and 24/7. Secondary sales are open to anyone. Of course, this is a cause for concern to most gallerists and so there is tremendous animosity. If I mention the word NFT to a gallerist I get the cold shoulder at best. But in the end, money always wins (not art unfortunately) and since the crypto world is here to stay and is very likely to get mass adaption within the next generation, the niche of art on the blockchain, whether it will be big or small, I think will always be there.

A: Given the choice, do you prefer the cleanliness and precision of digital art-making or the tactile experience of working with traditional mediums like paint?

MH: I like both. I never stopped making physicals when I started working with digital. I can’t even say that digital is clean and precise, not for me it is not. But yes, I yearn for the tactile experience if I don’t do it for a while.

A: The crypto art scene is known for its vibrant and diverse community. Could you share your experiences collaborating or interacting with fellow artists in this space? Feel free to shout out any favorite artists or platforms that support artists.

MH: I know many artists in the space and talk to them privately often. This is another experience I missed in the trad art world. When I was young, I did get to meet artists, like Willem de Kooning, Francis Bacon, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Norris Embry, George McNeil, Kieth Haring, John Bellany, Jack Levine, Leonard Baskin and many others, but over the years, the galleries took over in such a way that artists were no longer the creators or movements and movements were no longer artists centric. My most recent collaboration with artists I admire on the blockchain was on @0xDecaArt with @DianeeLindo, @DocT___, @DolcePaganne, @Elisprii, @Gavinmeeler, @kingxerox5, @MattScobel, @SkifeHam & @XkissEth. I presented a very serious 1/1 and the other artists responded with amazing posters. All throughout the collaboration we kept a GC going and it got us all that much closer to each other. Early on @JakNFT invited me to collab with him and we created BREAKTHROUGH, that was a great experience for me. I worked with @eferrariph as well. Recently I have started creating ordinals and @trygamma has been guiding me through I am so grateful for their support. Their platform is the only one I know that supports royalties, so I expect artists will flock to their platform.

A: Current Affairs – the incredible 1/1 piece you crafted for the Deca drop – transcends mere seriousness. It encapsulates “a story of human struggles and triumphs throughout the ages”, based on five important works in your artistic journey – The Selecting Hand, The Hill, Cripples, Extension, and Deposition – smoothly merged into one impactful piece to convey a profound message. A significant aspect contributing to its impact lies in the musical dimension, notably your collaboration with your wife, Yonat. Her theremin adds a layer of depth, perfectly complementing the visual narrative. Can you share more about this collaboration? Is it your first time collaborating on a piece?

MH: This is definitely not my first collaboration with Yonat. We create music together all the time, and publish on Youtube. We have several records out that you can find on Spotify or other streaming platforms. Before the pandemic we gigged around NYC. It was a natural development to incorporate our music into NFTs and we have done it many times, mostly for the long format NFTs.

A: Music seems to play a significant role in your artistic process. How does it influence your work, and do you find parallels between the creative processes of music and visual art?

MH: I started playing music years after I started painting. In the beginning I was completely focused on paintings and I don’t think I could have developed as much if I focused on both at the same time. When I started playing music I was lucky that some excellent musicians were willing to play with me because they appreciated me as an artist. I learned so much from playing with such accomplished musicians. Progress was slow in the beginning and I often compared it to my beginning with paintings. After years I recognize many similarities between my music and my paintings. This is not so much because paintings and music are similar, although you can see similarities, but mostly because of the way I approach it. I never formally learned how to paint, and I never formally learned how to play music (except for piano lessons when I was a kid, which is why I started playing guitar in which I had no training). Everything I learned was from following my instincts on what to read, which mentors to learn from, etc. Creating is a way of life for me, whether I create music or visuals. I like both and I enjoy splitting my time between them.

A: As an artist participating in the Memes by 6529 collection, what do you see as the project's significance within the broader landscape of contemporary art, particularly in terms of democratizing art creation and distribution?

MH: You can definitely say that the Memes by 6529 democratize both creation and distribution. No small part of it is the fact that it is focused on Memes. Memes are like slogans, they are catchy and easy to digest. It is a great introduction to a world that may baffle or mystify collectors. As collectors get more sophisticated, and more sure of their own judgement, they start venturing into the guideless world of blockchain art. Since there are no gallerists to assure you, or secure your investment, you either follow the lead of the whales, or you start following your own heart. I have been so lucky to find some of these wonderful collectors who follow their own heart and feel pretty sure of their own taste.

A: The theme of "Freedom to Transact" suggests a sense of autonomy and empowerment, extending beyond art into broader societal and economic contexts. How does this concept personally resonate with you?

MH: I will start by saying that I try to stay out of politics, not because I don’t have any opinions, but because I have no expertise in that area. I see many of the benefits of the centralized world, and many of the shortcomings. I see how the crypto world solves some of the issues, but it also comes with its own bag of troubles. I think everything develops and changes all the time so I am looking forward to some of the benefits of the decentralized world.

A: Your artwork "Voices" explores profound themes, including the idea that the voices in our heads are akin to deities or memes. Can you elaborate on how this concept relates to your own source of inspiration and perhaps to the collective human experience?

MH: I have explored the concept of “voices in your head are akin to deities” ever since reading The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes. I have created several works inspired by this book. When I created Voices, I can’t say what came first, I don’t exactly plan my work. When it was done, I knew it was right for the Memes by 6529. I would like to think that all my work is about the collective human experience, although in the end it is in the eye of the beholder to feel that way or not.

A: It absolutely is. To me, Voices encapsulates the essence of the human journey, portraying the multitude of internal forces that influence our paths in life. It's deeply relatable, simultaneously personal and universally resonant.

MH: Thank you very much, I appreciate your way of seeing it.

A: Are you a Mfer, a Punk or a Pepe? Which one is closer to your self?

MH: LOL, I am all of them. You can internalize any memetic figure, and each is both similar and different from the others. MFERs being stick figures often in common situations of sitting by the computer, listening to music, smoking, can be any one of us. Punks in their simplicity and high monetary value represents art as investment (where the art is not as important as its value). Pepe is a feel good guy anyone can relate to. When I create either of these characters I usually break all the agreed upon rules. None of my Pepe’s look like the original froggy person, none of my Mfer’s are as simple as the original @sartoshi_rip Mfer’s, my Punks I would think are so much more creative than the original ones. All my Mfer’s, Punk’s and Pepe’s are my artistic response to what I observe in the crypto universe.

A: Looking ahead, what do you envision as your artistic legacy, and what impact do you hope your work will have on future generations of artists and art enthusiasts?

MH: As any artist, I would like my art to live long after me. Since I am already 70 years old I get to see my influence on younger artists, I have a chance to mentor a few, and in general I only see my art being more and more appreciated. On several occasions students contacted me and told me they were studying my work in the art course in the University. My work is already in many museums so it is available to the public to see. I can only hope that familiarity with my work grows.

A: What is that particular question that you were never asked but wish you had the opportunity to answer?

MH: What made it possible for you to be an artist? My wife Yonat has always supported me through thick and thin and has always encouraged me to follow my heart.

A: Your wife's support and encouragement sound incredibly meaningful in your artistic journey. Having someone who believes in you and encourages you to follow your heart can make all the difference. Thank you for sharing this glimpse into the pivotal role she plays in your life and creative endeavors.

And thank you immensely for this enlightening conversation. It’s been an absolute pleasure and a revelation diving into your creative process and exploring your insights on inspiration, flow, art, music, memes, the blockchain and the crypto community.

MH: Thank you! It has been a pleasure for me too, and I appreciate the opportunity that our conversation has given me to clarify my own observations about my process.

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Seize The Words is a series of conversations with the incredible artists behind the Memes by 6529 collection. Their words will be seized on-chain forever to inspire future generations.