An interview with XCOPY by Jediwolf
This interview was posted on X on August 24 2023.
1/ There are some very special days that one will remember forever. Today is that day. Our special interview guest doesn't need an introduction. Ladies and gentlemen, the legend himself, @XCOPYART
2/ J: Do you believe we might be living in a simulation? I think you're the right person to ask this question :)1
X: It would explain the past few years for me... but would it matter? Probably not.
3/ J: Could you tell us more about yourself and your passion for GIFs? When did your artistic journey start? I'm guessing you're a full-time artist now :)
4/ X: I started using GIFs because they were compatible with Tumblr. Most content in my feed was static and GIFs had more energy. Back then, I worked for the corporates and made art at night. I work for the memes now!
5/ J: You were publishing on Tumblr for over 10 years. What motivated you to remain so active?
6/ Posting there gave me a sense of identity. Instead of being defined by my LinkedIn or Facebook profile, I enjoyed having a space devoted to my art. When somebody liked or shared my work, that motivated me. Creating and sharing art became a ritual.
7/ J: "The Doomed" and "Disintegration" had multiple "versions" visible on Tumblr before you put them on the blockchain. For example, "The Doomed" variations were published starting from 2013 until 2018. What compelled you to modify some of the pieces repeatedly?
8/X: I began by taking images from my feed, mashing them up, and reposting the result. My process became the concept — a visual excretion shared online without explanation. Many variants emerged from this workflow. When I started minting, I shifted towards character-based pieces.
9/ J: If you could create a collab with any artist from history, who would it be?
X: They're all in my DMs; you'll find out over the next few years!
10/ J: So, "Tech won't save us." How do you feel about AI? Will it empower art and humanity or instead accelerate our extinction?
11/ X: Why not both?! We're meddling with our DNA; Zuck and Elon may achieve immortality. Meanwhile, we're crafting more efficient weapons to obliterate each other. Will AI empower art? Absolutely. I use ChatGPT daily. Hopefully, you can't tell.
12/ J: If you could choose any three artworks in existence to display on the walls of your home, which ones would you select?
13/ X: They'd have to come from my NFT bags and be minimal:
Chromie Squiggle #6828 by
@ArtOnBlockchain
JPEG #225 by
@JanRobertLeegte
Cargo #435 by
@kimasendorf
14/ J: I know it's a difficult question, but… what are your favourite editions and 1/1s you've created?
15/ X: If I had to choose one, it'd be summer.jpeg. That piece broke a creative deadlock for me, and it was pure luck that I hadn't minted a jpeg before. But for the most part, I have mixed feelings about my work.
16/ J: How do you perceive the NFT space now compared to 2018-2020?
17/ X: For me, the space is defined by social media; that's how I engage with it. Between 2018 and 2020, my feed was mostly art and nerdy crypto alpha. I was learning a lot and connecting with interesting people…
18/ Now I'm mainly blocking ads while being bombarded with lizard-people content. It's a sh!t show. The space I loved has been dissolved.
Thanks for having me @randomcdog ! Appreciate your content.
19/ Waiting for the answers from X was thrilling, and I'm extremely grateful it finally happened! Huge thank you @XCOPYART for your time, inspiration, and wonderful art!
This time I'll share my collection dedicated to X, called _overeXposed_