Baltimore-based artist, Vinnie Hager, celebrated for his unmistakable bold lines, shapes, and patterns, is ready to push the boundaries of storytelling with his new collection. This pioneering venture will blend the realms of physical and digital art, aspiring to be one of the year's most inclusive art projects. Titled "Diary," the collection aims to reach both traditional art enthusiasts and digital art collectors alike, tracing Hager’s career from his early exploration in drawing from 2016, until now.
Hager, an artist known for his iconography-centric art style showcased in "Letters," a 2021 digital art project, will unveil his latest venture centered on a collection of open edition digital artworks that will be available via OpenSea. Every digital artwork purchased will stand distinct, drawing from 12 diverse aesthetic categories and multiple colorways, tracking the evolution of Hager's stylistic artistry over the course of his career. Striving for universal accessibility in the art market, each piece in the open edition is priced at 0.049 ETH and owners of these digital artworks can further claim a physical print of their purchase at a later date.
This first-of-its-kind collection is paired with a physical claim aspect, where Hager will distribute 100 significant drawings - created between 2016 and 2023 - to the respective digital artwork holders. These 100 unique physical artworks - the basis of the digital artwork collection - chronicle Hager’s transformative seven-year journey, a period marred by personal losses including the passing of both his parents and his half-brother. This poignant collection stands as a testament to Hager's enduring spirit and acts as a visual diary, chronicling his emotional evolution. By sharing his story through these compelling artworks, Vinnie aims to convey how his artistic practice and therapeutic drawing process became his "saving grace," enabling him to overcome hardships and find new avenues for success, connections, and self-expression.
Photo by Ed Cooke