Art, as a positive influence, plays a significant role in cultural tolerance, civic engagement or political movements. It boosts the local economy of communities, connects the newcomers, develops the critical thinking and problem solving or impels corporations to support the collective through investment.
Since Web 1.0, fostering stronger economy, cultural inclusions and reinforcing the understanding among diverse ethnicities and identities have been transformed beyond physical or geographical borders. Fast forward to this day, removal of the global boundaries through blockchain technology has morphed into trusting the strangers by generating and validating smart contracts. A technology that is rooted in transparency and unconstrained collaboration.
By embracing the vast potential of the blockchain technology, DADA.nyc encourages artistic aspirations, enables the artists to sell their digital artworks and be compensated in real time. The underpinning inclination of this social network is not only to create a collaborative platform for anyone to express their ideas through art but also to generate financial value for the artist. DADA.nyc’s marketplace is about honouring the creativity and establishing the element of scarcity to appreciate the artistic works.
DADA.nyc offers simple tools to push your imagination, ignite your inner passion, initiate partnerships with the artists or the audience and create MAGIC. The application reveals the provenance of the art and it’s cooperative ecosystem bypasses “gatekeepers” & champions fair financial reward for the artist.
Here is my exclusive interview with Beatriz Ramos, an artist, entrepreneur, film director, producer, illustrator & founder of DADA.nyc. I would like to thank Judy Mam, Cofounder and CMO of DADA.nyc and Beatriz Ramos for their time and friendly cooperation for this interview.
Jupilings: Tell us about yourself and how you got into art:
Beatriz Ramos: I was an introverted child and spent a good part of my childhood drawing by myself. I didn’t get into art; I was an artist, and I was lucky that my parents encouraged me to be just that.
Jupilings: What is the outside force that compels you to create leading to a novel idea?
Beatriz Ramos: It’s actually an inside force, a combination of two things: First, I get bored with trends, anything done too many times becomes derivative and uninteresting. I’m not great with conformity either. I look for what’s unique and personal. Second, in that quest for my own personal voice, I always approach everything I do from the inside out. I try to understand and articulate my motivations, my needs, my values, my concerns, my skills, what makes me tick. What are the life experiences that inform my point of view about the world. I take the same approach whether is for a project, a team or an organization. Those insights are the base for all the creative decisions I make.
Jupilings: Do you have creative pattern, routines or rituals?
Beatriz Ramos: I enjoy the process regardless of the outcome. I trust that if I had fun and loved the experience, it’ll translate into results.I get bored if I repeat myself so I push myself out of my confort zone. I put myself in a place where I have no control. Figuring out how to get out of it is exciting and the new things I discover are rewarding. Melancholy is the mood where I feel more creative, so I listen to very sad music and drink coffee by the window. I love rainy and snowy days. I collect objects that I find beautiful or interesting: rocks, rusty nails, vintage toys, bones, wood printing press letters, instruments, old keys, etc. They inspire me and I use them in my work. I embrace limitations, mistakes, imperfection and happy accidents. Ultimately, being creative is part of who we are. I exercise creativity constantly in everything I do.
Jupilings: What’s the best advice you ever had about how to be more creative?
Beatriz Ramos: I can’t think of anything that stuck with me.
Jupilings: What is DADA about?
Beatriz Ramos: Dada.nyc is a platform where people speak to each other through drawings and create collaborative art. Anyone can join. For us, anyone can be an artist; there is no good or bad art, it’s all about self-expression and collaboration.
Jupilings: How can an artist make money on DADA?
Beatriz Ramos: We are using blockchain technology to create an economy within our community. Right now we are selling limited edition “Rare Digital Art” created on Dada with IP protection and proof of ownership. Soon we will issue our own currency and creators will be able to earn Dada tokens for drawing, curating and contributing value to the community.
Jupilings: The blockchain technology provides incentive for the artist to be in charge and gain from their artwork. What about the investors or patrons of the art, what is the incentive for them?
Beatriz Ramos: Value is subjective. We are looking for new ways for people to receive value from our community beyond the price they pay for an artwork. For some collectors it may be being part of the creative process, or connect in meaningful ways with artists they like, for other people it may be that they are supporting a community with values they share, or simply that when their drawing made them smile when they were having a bad day. We are creating a system of incentives that has more to do with receiving a valuable experience than just capital.
Jupilings: How have you decided the commercial value of the artwork in the secondary market when it is resold by the first owner?
Beatriz Ramos: We don’t. The seller and buyer decide that. In fact, we don’t think the value of the artwork is equal to the price someone pays for it. There may be an incredible piece of art that nobody wants to buy or that can’t be bought. What we did using blockchain is to make sure that every time a particular artwork is sold, a percentage of that profit automatically goes to the artist. Our smart contract can track and verify every transaction and send the money to the artist in real time, without intermediaries.
Jupilings: What role does an artist have in society?
Beatriz Ramos: Creativity is part of human nature, but societies have evolved in a way where only a few can experience the joy and marvel of creation, like artists do. As a result, artists are the ones that don’t conform, we think outside of the box, we create beauty, we inspire people, we speak truth to power, we challenge the status quo. At Dada, we believe it is important for anyone to exercise creative self expression so our society becomes more diverse, inclusive and just.
Jupilings: What are your tips about building a brand name as an artist?
Beatriz Ramos: I think the concept of a brand name is toxic. My tip is to avoid falling on that trap at all costs. I believe artists should spend their time experimenting, honing their skills, playing, creating and figuring out the most difficult thing to achieve as an artist: finding your own voice.
Jupilings: Who are your biggest influences?
Beatriz Ramos: So many influences and very diverse. A few I can still find in the DNA of my work are Van Gogh, the Brothers Quay, Abbas Kiarostami.
Jupilings: What does women empowerment mean to you?
Beatriz Ramos: A reminder that on this day and age, we still have to reclaim the fundamental intrinsic right women have to be free and independent.
Jupilings: What do you do to conquer fear or self doubt:
Beatriz Ramos: I rarely feel fear or self-doubt. Perhaps is about the joy of living and experiencing new things, trusting that the more we do, the more we grow. Embracing failure is part of the process.
Jupilings: What is your life motto?
Beatriz Ramos: To experience life to its fullest.
