Curated Conversations: POST WOOK

Natasha Chomko (b. 1995), aka POST WOOK, is among the many most acknowledged NFT collage artists of at the moment. Born in 1995 and at the moment based mostly in Los Angeles, she has been creating her distinctive and mesmerizing collages full-time for the previous 3 years.

Combining parts from images of spectacular landscapes,  area, and generally geometric compositions, the artist hopes to create narratives by way of delicate symbolism. Her work pays tribute to Surrealist obscurity while hanging a melancholic tone, wrapped with a psychedelic flare. Upon seeing her work, one usually questions what’s actual, imaginary, or a mix of each.

SuperRare Labs digital editor Shutong Liu asks Natasha about her inventive course of, symbolism in her work, and the way forward for POST WOOK.

Shutong Liu: Did you at all times create collages digitally? How did you make that transition?

POST WOOK: I began making analogue collages once I was about 12–I used to be initially impressed by my childhood pal’s older sister and, satirically sufficient, the Burn Ebook from the film Imply Women. I began by getting magazines on the grocery retailer and slicing up all the pieces and something I might use in them to make artwork. Finally I received extra concerned in my life, then school, and by no means actually thought of myself an artist. I did inventive issues however didn’t think about myself inventive sufficient to be an artist–I believed artists needed to look a sure approach and have the ability to draw. I used to be so mistaken. I made the transition from analogue to digital in 2018, once I wanted a inventive outlet however didn’t know what to do. I didn’t have sufficient area, time, or cash to take up the opposite inventive mediums I’ve executed, like set design, costume design, ceramics, or printmaking, so I turned to digital work as a result of it was free and match proper in my pocket on the time: on my telephone. 

SL: You’re a self-taught artist, and studied Political Science in school. Did your research impression your artwork in any approach?

PW: I realized write, communicate, and analysis at school. Political Science is extra about understanding the historical past of insurance policies and the cyclical nature of people than present occasions, so I realized lots in regards to the previous and talk previous concepts into the longer term. I believe my course of is comparable in that facet however totally different all over the place else. I’ve completely no points researching one thing til I cross out or writing lengthy and emotional descriptions for my items although, I positively assume faculty helped with that. 

SL: Are you able to stroll us by way of your inventive process-from a clean canvas to the completed product? 

PW: I work in a couple of totally different segments to create a bit of artwork, and whereas meeting would possibly really feel like the one half that counts, it isn’t in my e-book. 

Earlier than even attending to a clean canvas, I would like photographs to work with. I’ve a big library of belongings at this level, however I both want to seek out new photographs or take them myself for brand spanking new materials, edit and lower these out, and save them accordingly. Typically the method of discovering new materials leads me to inspiration, but when it doesn’t, I would like to seek out ideas and dig internally for emotions to make work about. Paradoxically sufficient, generally the method of discovering inspiration takes me away from my studio and into the actual world.

I’m an enormous believer in mindfulness and discover numerous my inspiration by way of the world round me. Being outdoors, in a museum, and even driving dwelling with out music enjoying can encourage me and provides me an thought for a brand new piece. The smallest issues can result in inspiration in my eyes. I discover that the very best inspiration comes once I least count on it, so I’ve to maintain myself primed and alert to these little moments in life to seek out it. In any other case it might really feel pointless. 

As soon as there’s an thought, I must assemble the items that swim round in my head to make the artwork. Often I begin with one particular layer that impressed the piece and work from there. Typically that preliminary layer doesn’t even make it to the ultimate and that’s okay. From there, I assemble the scene that I need to convey, ensure that the composition is precisely what I need after which I shade edit. 

I did JUST get an iPad although, so I’m excited to see the place I can increase my course of to incorporate issues made with a pill. Up to now, I actually find it irresistible and might’t wait to see the place it takes me!

SL: Speak to us about topics that continuously seem in your works: stars, moon, nature, wild landscapes, and geometric shapes. Is there symbolism behind them?

PW: There completely is symbolism in all of my work, whether or not I outwardly speak about it or not. Typically the piece comes collectively in a approach I completely wanted with out even realizing it till after the actual fact. My unconscious want to create is so sturdy it generally scares me. 

The solar represents the supply–of all life and lightweight–of all the pieces. With out the solar nothing else would exist as we all know it. 

The moon represents perspective–with out the solar (the supply) the moon wouldn’t be illuminated on earth. However we see the moon in another way day by day, month, and based mostly on the place we’re, like our perspective on conditions, folks, and occasions. Our views are ever altering and I believe the moon is the very best sign for this dynamic power in my work. 

Mountains characterize time–just like the time wanted to create and destroy mountains, all the pieces we do requires time as effectively. The Rocky Mountain vary was not created in a single day, how can we count on our lives to go any in another way? 

Above land photographs of oceans and water characterize persistence, stillness, or calm–I grew up on a lake and located numerous solace there. I additionally crave massive our bodies of water in moments of calamity, and discover that water seems in numerous my work once I’m feeling unsettled about one thing. It’s like a message from my unconscious to relax.

Underwater scenes characterize our must get out of our personal approach–I usually like to consider how the ocean exists solely with out us–fish swim, micro organism grows, sponges defend life, coral sustains it. The entire system works with or with out me, and if I need to observe it in its rawest type I’ve to get out of the way in which. Life is like that, too. If I need to get pleasure from life, I can’t meddle with it. It simply has to unfold naturally.

Outer area and particularly stars characterize time, similar to mountains do, however extra like misplaced time. Each star we will see has already burned out, but we nonetheless rejoice stars and their magnificence. There’s nothing mistaken with celebrating life because it was, pondering again on it fondly, and letting it go. Stars are sometimes one of many final parts I add to my work for that reason. 

Deserts characterize solitude and the necessity for independence. After I was 13, I discovered myself in the course of a rim-to-rim hike of the Grand Canyon exhausted, bored, and longing to go dwelling. However the one approach I might go dwelling was by getting out of the canyon, and nobody was coming to avoid wasting me. At that second I knew I needed to preserve going. I’ve revisited that second in my head many occasions over since then, and mirror it in my work usually as a reminder that regardless of all odds–geologically talking with deserts–you possibly can survive and you should preserve shifting ahead. 

There are particular locations that I revisit continuously in my work as effectively, like Arizona, the Badlands, and the final American southwest–they draw me in. There’s one thing magical about Arizona and I hope my work displays that. 

I like circles due to what they characterize energetically. Usually a circle is seen because the image for female power, the start and finish of one thing that actually has no markers. I like to make use of circles in my work as a reminder that issues can and can proceed to occur and it’s not the “finish” of something. 

Lastly, I exploit shade in my work to depict feelings. In my thoughts each shade has a subsequent emotion behind it. The extra vibrant and multicolored the piece, the extra feelings had been felt. 

SL: What do you hope the viewers really feel or assume after they see your work, or are you content to open it to interpretation?

PW: I hope folks simply really feel or assume after they see my work. In my eyes if artwork makes you’re feeling one thing, it did its job. I don’t actually thoughts if folks interpret my work in another way than how I see it, I need folks to see my work in a approach that works for them. That is a lot greater than me at this level and there’s a lot that may be mentioned about creating artwork within the first place, so I’m simply pleased if I can impression somebody on any stage at the moment. 

SL: What’s the future for POST WOOK?

PW: At the beginning, I need POST WOOK to be a family identify. I need my work to proceed resonating with folks all around the world and really feel linked to themselves, their pasts, and their feelings in a brand new approach after they have a look at my work. Folks usually inform me my work seems to be like their goals, or a spot they’ve been however can’t bear in mind and I believe that’s the best praise of all. I need to proceed making artwork that evokes folks to really feel that approach. 

I need to push my boundaries for what I believe is appropriate for me to create and let my creativeness run wild. I’m very drawn to the colour crimson proper now, and can proceed to discover crimson work till it not feels proper to take action. I can even preserve wanting inward to seek out the darkest corners of myself and make artwork about them so I can launch the previous emotions and let gentle flood in. I need to get extra weak, uncooked, and trustworthy with myself with a view to create even higher work.

I’m all in favour of getting again into the world of bodily artwork and have concepts on how to try this, in addition to increasing how and the place I create my artwork digitally. It’s essential for me as an artist to maintain creating and discovering new heights. 

Objectively talking, I’m very centered on creating my greatest work as an alternative of probably the most work at the moment. I’m making work based mostly on collections and never simply stand alone items, and I’m focusing extra on introspection to make the very best artwork I presumably can. 

If you wish to hear about mechanics, you’ll need to observe alongside. 

SL: Speak to us in regards to the works you might be dropping with SuperRare this time?

PW: I’m dropping two new items into my Pink Season sequence. I like this sequence as a result of it was impressed by curiosity, and the deeper I get into it the extra significance is revealed to me. 

The primary piece is known as Pink Desert, 2023 and depicts one of many incredible crimson rocks in Sedona, AZ. I’m so extremely drawn to Sedona, and bringing it’s otherworldly affect into my Pink Season sequence feels very becoming. This piece lends extra to the aesthetics aspect of the aim behind Pink Season. 

The second piece is known as La Luna, 2023 and is supposed to characterize my interpretation of how my associate sees me. La Luna is his nickname for me, so I needed to make a bit that basically displays how I interpret his love. This piece lends itself to the emotional aspect of Pink Season, however is among the first items I’ve made about love in an endearing approach. Name that therapeutic!