We were lucky to catch up with Anthony Denaro recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony , thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

I feel like my life as an artist is a continuous series of risks. I’ve embraced the idea of risk as a lifestyle so to speak. So I’d rather speak more generally here because I have too many stories of risks to tell. I choose risk mainly because of a fear of staying in the same place. I have wants, needs and desires as an artist. I always want to learn or to progress in some aspect in my life at all times. So I need to consistently break. Breaking allows the chance to build a new. It also says that I am not attached to this moment or these things, there’s always something greater to achieve. My risk is that whatever I gain I put back into itself, sort of like a gamble. Not knowing if this next venture or idea will even work out or become anything at all.. .but I do it anyway. It’s like playing poker, always betting high and always staying in. If you’re going to take a chance on anything you should take it on your SELF. Whether something becomes of it or not, there is a lesson learned. Maybe that’s what I’m after. You can win all the time or you can learn. Knowing what works all the time is too easy. That’s like being in the same place you were yesterday. So I’m still taking these risks, I’m still going. ..

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is YNOT. That’s TONY backwards. It’s a name, but also a philosophy of sorts. Why not? Or why can’t we? Can we? Sure, why not. It’s about exploring the possibilities. It’s a phrase used as a question and a statement at the same time. I started off as a kid born in Jersey moved by music and the art that was in the streets (what people call graffiti) of NY and Philadelphia. I traveled back and forth to both cities often, being from Jersey, they both had impacted me equally.

Sonically, I was particularly interested in Jazz and most attracted to the sound of the saxophone, which I found out later to be known as the Tenor saxophone. I didn’t get into dance until I was about 14 years old. I had to travel to the Bronx to be find more people who did the dance I took interest in, which was Breaking. The Point Community Development Center in Hunts Point is where I went. It was there I met Crazy Legs and other members of the Rock Steady Crew. To stop me from going too in detail about all of the things, I will generalize and say I spent a lot of time playing music, drawing and then later on dancing. I was always creating, every moment of the day. I still do that now. I haven’t really changed much in that regard.

At this point I have a long way to go still. I am aiming to bring all my interests together somehow. Dance plays an integral roll in how I understand the space, time and people around me. From that knowledge comes other artistic disciplines that I’ve researched (both in and out of school) and have done simultaneously during my dance journey, such as visual art, music and architecture. It’s customary in Hip Hop to be one who wears many hats. All of the things I do essentially come from the same place, but if I had to view it hierarchically, then I would have to say dance is at the head. To further describe this multi-hyphenate lens, it would be that I see the dance (or a dance), in all things. Theatre seems like one of the best possible options to host my ideas. It’s still a space I personally feel that hasn’t been explored enough through a Hip Hop lens.

Through my research, I recognize that the body is essentially the focus in the experience to what I am making, whether it be a soundscape, live performance or sculpture. What does the body feel? Where is the body in the space? Does the body influence the object being developed or vice versa? I am currently investigating how to bring all of these ideas together into one fully engaged and enveloped experience. I want to transform a physical space into an imaginative environment with my knowledge of computers and live arts know-how. A real time exploration of the senses to create an overall vibe. A way to interpret an emotion into an immersive experience for the physical body to encounter. The bodies make the music, the music creates the visuals and the audience interacts with it all.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I’ve been interested in digital art and computers since the mid 90’s. I am a part of a generation that went to school to pursue a career as a digital artist. Digital art slowly emerged in the late 1980s with the introduction of personal computers and ushered in kids like me that learned how to use technology to advance their creative prowess. I learned many things from computers that helped me create art, but I also learned how to create the artist that I wanted to be. I always knew being independent was important to me. I never wanted to create visions solely for others, I had my own to manifest. The hard part was trying to figure out how to be an independent artist successfully. Once social media came in, more specifically Instagram, I knew this was a pivotal moment. It was an opportunity to lay the path for what you wanted to do and how you wanted to be marketed. You now had direct access and visibility to a larger audience than ever before. Instagram’s platform was perfect for an artists like me. It was more based on a short video or photograph as the main attraction. You can then add a caption to help support the imagery, emojis or hashtags. I implemented all of my digital art design and animation skills into my posts, creating the way I saw myself. I didn’t want another artist to do that for me. During this time I learned how to create an artist and market them, basically using myself as practice. Now I use what I’ve learned as a service for other artists if they inquire.

I’ve built my following slowly. I’m in no rush to get people to see what I’m doing for a couple of reasons. I want genuine engagement and interest in what I do. I also view Instagram as an archive. Not be morbid, but I also get a weird feeling when someone passes and they have a personal IG page. It’s interesting to see the last thing that they post. It’s their last event, thought or image that went out to the public before their life is over. I just think it’s an interesting frozen moment. I am making a dance piece about this soon. On the other hand, all the other posts that are visible can be seen as an archive. There is something interesting about how you represent yourself on a platform like IG and how those things live on.

My advice to someone building their audience would be to do whatever it is you want to do. Those people who appreciate it are the ones you want to click that ‘follow’ button.

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

I view the NFT space as a way for digital artists to be able to participate in something similar to the visual art/gallery world. I haven’t fully delved into it yet, but I believe that is ultimately where I am going. I started doing graffiti digitally the moment I started to learn vector art (shout out to Adobe Illustrator). I was being told that what I was doing wasn’t art, nor was it graffiti. Good thing I don’t listen to people. I see the potential with technology and I try to learn it so that I can use it to go into uncharted territories. It opens up so many possibilities that previously existing ideas may be limited in. So you either discover something new or expand on what you already know.

I’m not saying this space is the perfect space for artists. It’s just promising. Web 3 will bring more direct to consumer relations and better ownership over sharing and use of your art. I’m sure there is something we are missing though. I’m optimistic, but I always try to keep an eye on everything. I’m sure there will be something that we are overlooking that takes away from the artist yet again. As artists, we need to pay attention. We have to stay on top of how these things operate. That way we can keep ownership of what we create, be prepared for anything and know when to pivot if needed.

I’ve sold a few so far. I just recently started a collection of Graffiti Letter works and my next drop will be a dance NFT. In the future I plan on sharing much more of my architectural designs. Essentially NFT’s are perfect for an artists like me. I have a lot to add to that space. I can make digital art, animate, 3d model and make music. I have a variety of ways to show up and I plan on doing it all. I already do these things, but now I can expose my work to people who are ready and willing to invest. That makes it exciting and worth exploring.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ynotism.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ynotism

Image Credits
Adam “Emajyn’ Adolphus