Dialogue #4 - Harto
APT.55 Pink and chips
Harto, induces us on a theatrical experience, where movement and colors define his characters with an exquisite sensuality. It seems like every being on the scene is provoking us to follow his delicate and almost imperceptible dynamism to a surrealistic and flameante dimension.
Geometrical shapes and pastel colors are the common scenarios for these majestic beings, in some cases like mythical deities in an inhabited world where they can interact and levitate due to their control to establish and transfigure all the rules. Immerse in an ethereal concentration, an intense observation of the cosmos, every character has a specific role, almost like maintaining a perfect balance in the composition of each element.
In contrast, Harto has also a dark side, a dark reality and even more realistic one, where through photographs he is able to use colors and lines to define the essence of a particular moment, implementing order and balance bounded by neon lights and saturation, between emptiness and human presence and also among shadows and brightness.
The inherent duality of Harto work makes it inevitable to be attracted and immerse in his reinterpretation of classical artistic currents. Now it’s the artist's turn to explain to us better how and why his work can produce this sensation in us.
Can you tell us more about you?
My name is Arturo, but my artistic name in recent years is Harto. I come from Spain, but currently, I live and work in Toulouse as a street theatre comedian and artist. Most of my works are for theatre companies and art projects. I studied design in Barcelona and my profile is a mixture of disciplines. Right now the projects that interest me the most are the study of movement and digital art, I always liked to draw and create all kinds of things.
How long have you been an artist and how did you get started?
My career started in 2016, I graduated with honors from the oldest art school in Barcelona, Escola Massana, thanks to a collaborative project with the french company Picto Facto and the designer Louise Blanchard. The project was funded by La Fête de Lumières of Lyon, the largest light art festival in the world and since then the show travels around the world. The project opened my way in my atypical career as a designer of light inflatable structures based on 3D models.
How do you choose the subject of your art?
It depends on many things, there is an infinity of worlds that I am passionate about and I try to mix a drop of each in the projects in which I participate. Photography and theater are part of my daily life and, I think it is incredibly useful to have multiple references and to be multidisciplinary.
In my early years, I used nature as an inspiration, now I still use the organic movements and the colors of nature to find new ways of creation. Last but not least I study color, I try to observe the colors that surround me and learn from the theories of color and how they influence us emotionally, it may come directly from the use of the tones used in product design and how everyday objects affect us. The interesting part about art and computer-created worlds is that we can use colors that we don't see much on a daily basis.
What is your creative process like?
I come from the world of design and the creative processes of my works have a great influence on the way a designer creates. Form and function followed by complementary colors. Also, I like to explore basic geometry and references from the past such as the Memphis collective of the 80s.
Drawing and sketching are fast techniques to find new ideas and organize my brain, but with the 3D software and new technologies, I can explore a lot more possibilities. I’m also learning animation and I want to create VR art in the near future.
Which tools or softwares do you usually use to do your work?
Depending on the project or the idea, I usually start with drawings in paper or directly in 3D software. I started with design software and prototyping ten years ago, and I tried a lot of different softwares, some of them are very expensive and I had the chance to use it as a student, but now I mainly use blender.
Technology advances so fast that every two or three years we are forced to change the software or the way of working, the last renderings that I’m experimenting are incredibly fast and the engines are very powerful, and it’s only the beginning.
How has your style changed over the years? (and if you have samples of your first art until today, to illustrate)
Nowadays we can do works that would be unimaginable 30 years ago, our little computers and telephones can do incredible things, and my style has evolved over the years thanks to that.
When I was a kid my tool was a paper and a pencil, now it is the computer. It is impossible to know in 10 years the art that we will be able to observe in museums and galleries, and that is why NFTs and virtual reality are very interesting.
What do you believe is the key element in creating good NFT art?
I think the most important thing is to do what makes you happy and what makes you passionate, explore various techniques, and have a good time. In the first weeks I created the NFTs in a hurry, now I take my time, I dedicate myself calmly to it and I seek to create things that I like and that show a consistent style.
Another tip that has worked well for me is to talk with other artists and designers, exchange ideas and creative processes, and if you get along, do collaborations or work together.
Which are your crypto artist favorites right now, which works make you mind-blowing and wanted to add to your personal collection?
It is very difficult to choose because there are a huge amount of creative people in the space. But I’m in love with the pieces of @reisingerandres, @NathanHeadPhoto, and @blacksneakers.
What do you think was the key factor to get to the point you are right now in the crypto community? And what could you recommend to new crypto artists?
As I said before, the important thing is to have fun and find your own style, if you work hard as in any job you will end up seeing results. I don't think there is a master key to success, it is true that apart from working you also have to have a bit of luck, but it is not the main thing, above all, we must not be afraid to talk to people and interact with the community.
The more connections you have with the people who follow you, the more people will end up knowing you, that is why social networks play an important role, the last few years I have been a bit in the shadows and now I try to be more active.
What’s next for you in the future?
I always try to find new creative techniques to interact with, I would like to explore new technological paths and mix physical art with the NFT space. At the moment I am developing my skills with 3D but I would like to do tests with sculpture and interactive installations.
Harto creates this artwork as a part of a collaboration with our collective APT. 55, so here you have “APT.55 Pink and chips”, limited edition of 25, be quick!
Founded in 2020, APT. 55 is a project created with the main purpose of supporting alternative and emerging crypto and digital artists. Devoting our efforts to provide an emergent space for artists and art precursors in which they can make public their work and also participate and create temporary exhibits and fairs, worldwide.
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