10 Questions with Broksh
His name is Broksh, a.k.a. SOLO, born in Moscow. Broksh is a director, and his hobby is digital art (NFT). He's been awarded by the 'Moscow short film festival' in 2021. Previously he was a blogger, reaching 120.000 followers and getting a 'Silver Button' from YouTube.
Besides, he helped many bloggers grow up on Instagram, making them among Russia's most successful and influential famous people.
He has been in the NFT world since 2020, conquering the digital world with the 'SOLO' collection, focusing on women's aesthetics.
Within 'SOLO', people can appreciate different styles of art, for instance, 2D, 3D, or Realistic rendering and animation. He has worked with many international artists. He dreams of working with big fashion brands like Nike, Adidas, Balmain, etc.
For two years, he faced difficulties constantly because some platforms blocked his art and marked it as NSFW content. And it took him a lot of time to prove the opposite since his work is about aesthetics, not porn and open eroticism.
INTERVIEW
Please, tell us a little bit about your background. How did you start making art? And are you still following the same aspiration?
CG has always caused me a sense of admiration, and I started with VFX for small videos, video clips, etc. But I wanted to create something of my own, something unusual, you know, like my own little shop. And one night, I just had a dream about a girl in a glass cube; I woke up and immediately started creating her. And after a couple of days, the correct light settings, and the development of the color scheme, I just got what is now called SOLO.
You are also a blogger and YouTuber. How does it influence your work as an artist?
Unfortunately, I finished blogging a long time ago, but I can say that I miss it very much and will most likely return to YouTube for the second silver button. The only thing that experience helps with is the management of social networks.
What is your aim as an artist?
My collection is almost three years old, and I have fully formed it as a brand. My goal as an artist is to become a global digital artist and open my store with worldwide delivery. I am currently working on bringing SOLO offline, so that you can not only see these models on your monitor but also put it on your desk and look at it from all sides.
You primarily work with digital technologies and 3D rendering. How did you develop this style?
Yes, I work both in 3D and in 2D, I recently tried to draw on an iPad, but it's not really working out yet. I do not know where I got my style; I just do as I see fit. Sometimes I pick up colors and environments for weeks until I say to myself, "Yes, that's cool! You can release it." Probably it's called talent - I do not know.
Where do you find inspiration for your work, and what is your creative process like?
I try not to look at the works of other artists so as not to allow "inspiration accidentally". I usually take the style and theme for my works from my dreams, thoughts, and fantasies. And my process is 50% pain, because every time I try to add something new for myself. And 50% of the pleasure, when you start to see the almost finished result, it can not but rejoice.
Your work depicts female bodies; in the past, you had to face difficulties because it was deemed too erotic. What messages do you want to convey with your work? And how would you explain your concept to the public?
Inside some platforms/marketplace, I had problems with the NSFW tag being added to my work. But after a lot of arguments, I proved that my work has nothing to do with pornography and other things. Most of my models are dressed, and all intimate places are covered. And first of all, this is art, and how can art be censored? No way. The SOLO concept is the world of one girl, her reflections, and her sense of the world around her. This is especially evident in the SOLO | CUBE collection. Each cube is a world in which only she exists. There are other lines that are simply inspired by the beautiful female body, aesthetics, and harmony.
You also work with NFTs. What do you think of the fluctuations in the Crypto market? Are you afraid of the speculative bubble?
The world of NFT is cyclical, like everything else in this world. NFT technology itself gives artists incredible opportunities to prove the originality and exclusivity of their art and the right to own it. So no, I'm not afraid of the speculative bubble. And I expect the second wave of hype in NFT at the end of 2023.
Did you have any success in promoting your NFTs, and what was the reaction of the public and collectors?
Yes, my work has been at many exhibitions around the world. I hope, by the way, my works will also get into your magazine, it's a pity that it won't be possible to make animation on paper. I have a lot of popular collectors in the NFT environment. But my special pride is the respect that Snoop Dogg gave me and my personal drop for TYGA.
Is there anything else you would like to experiment with or any project you would like to work on in the future?
I dream of doing a collaboration with some global brands (LV, Balmain, Nike, Adidas). I'm trying to do everything right now to be noticed.
Finally, what are your plans for the future? What do you think (and wish) the future holds for us?
I hope to get into your magazine and get a physical copy of it. Open my offline SOLO store with worldwide delivery. Become a famous world artist. Make a collaboration with a global fashion brand. And, of course, to capture the digital world.