Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Edgar Fabián Frías. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Edgar Fabián, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I vividly recall the moment I fell in love with art at age fourteen during a school trip to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Standing before Edward Kienholz’s “Back Seat Dodge ’38,” I was engulfed in a trance-like state, forever changed by my first encounter with contemporary art.

Returning home, I immediately delved into books on art at the downtown Riverside library. Serendipitously, I stumbled upon a book on Andy Warhol left behind by another patron, sparking my lifelong passion for art and leading me down paths of philosophy, psychology, mysticism, and spirituality, ultimately shaping my current journey as an artist.

After earning my MFA in Art Practice from UC Berkeley, I found myself curated into the 2023 edition of The Mexicali Biennial at The Cheech Center for Chicano Art and Culture, housed in the former downtown Riverside library—a moment of full-circle significance.

During this time, I also received two invitations to showcase my work at LACMA. The first was to host a workshop titled “Standing on the Ground with Your Body in the Sky” for the “Another World: The Transcendental Painting Group, 1938–1945” exhibition, exploring art’s capacity to induce mindful, transcendent states.

Subsequently, I performed twice as part of “A Happening Inside An Empty Room,” an installation by Casey Reas for the “Coded: Art Enters the Computer Age, 1952-1982” exhibition, where I led meditation and divination rituals, offering tarot card readings inspired by Rachel Pollack and sharing personal anecdotes.

These invitations were more than just opportunities; they affirmed the transformative power of art and the importance of pursuing one’s dreams. Through my artistic, educational, and therapeutic practices, I aspire to guide others back to their intuition and inner wisdom, drawing inspiration from the miracles I’ve experienced in my own life.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a multidisciplinary artist whose practice transcends boundaries. I am frequently invited to exhibit my work in museums, galleries, universities, nonprofits, and businesses worldwide. As a visiting artist and educator, I share insights into my creative processes, fostering dialogue around my artistic vision. My dynamic portfolio encompasses installations, video art, performances, public art, and ceremonial works. I also engage with digital realms, sharing GIFs, videos, memes, and virtual workshops online. At the core of my practice lies an investigation into the intersections of Latinx art, internet subcultures, queer aesthetics, contemplative practices, generative art, glitch, and Indigenous Futurism.

Collaboration is integral to my highly multidisciplinary approach, blending elements from plants, crystals, animals, and the sacred guidance of my ancestors. My art invokes altered states, curiosity, confusion, and integration through digital mediums, sculpture, installations, and immersive experiences. I seamlessly integrate indigenous epistemologies, feminist perspectives, and queer aesthetics and am deeply influence by my many years as an underground and DIY community organizer.

I am a true renaissance person who embraces diverse roles and disciplines. In addition to my art practice, I also am the owner of a Holistic Somatic Psychotherapy practice named Therapy With Edgar for a little over two years. In this role, I specialize in working with highly sensitive and neurodiverse individuals, particularly those in creative fields like art, acting, music, and writing. Through telehealth, I provide individual therapy tailored to California residents, drawing from my profound understanding of the creative psyche. Excitingly, I will be launching a therapy group designed specifically for artists titled “Embodied Alchemy” which begins on March 21 and runs until the end of May.

My journey has been a transformative one, marked by perseverance through periods of isolation and rejection early in my career. I have courageously pushed against societal boundaries and rejected the notion of a singular “career,” instead embracing a multifaceted path that celebrates exploration and self-discovery. This unconventional approach sets me apart, allowing me to authentically express the many dimensions of my identity.

I take pride in inspiring others to follow their dreams, no matter how disparate or disconnected they may seem. My experiences have taught me the power of embracing curiosity, play, and the freedom to fail without fear. I encourage transmuting emotions like fear, isolation, and rage within the safe and secure sanctuary that can be found through artistic expression and mindfulness practices. And when faced with exclusion, I create my own inclusive spaces, uplifting my art and that of others, fostering a community of shared support and amplification.

Through my unwavering commitment to authenticity, multidisciplinary exploration, and community building, I have emerged as a beacon of inspiration, reminding others to embrace the richness of their unique paths and to fearlessly create the worlds they wish to inhabit.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Supporting a thriving creative ecosystem and empowering artists is a cause very close to my heart. As someone now sustaining myself through my art and therapy businesses, I’ve witnessed firsthand the lack of preparation many creatives receive for the business and financial aspects of our fields. To reach a place of confidence and security as a business owner of two businesses, I’ve had to invest significant money and time into educating myself.

I firmly believe we need better education around finances, marketing, boundary-setting, and protecting ourselves from exploitation. Too often, artists and therapists enter their professions without adequate training on the pragmatic skillsets required to build sustainable careers. This leaves many ill-equipped to navigate the realities of turning their passion into a viable livelihood.

Moreover, we desperately need increased government and community funding for creative opportunities. Having the time, space, and resources to focus on our craft and personal growth as artists is essential, yet frequently lacking. Without proper support, many talented individuals struggle to dedicate themselves fully to their creative pursuits.

Recently, I was honored to be awarded a place on the newly launched Public Artists in Development (PAiD) Artist Council here in Los Angeles County. This multi-year, $1.75 million initiative, funded by the Mellon Foundation, aims to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of public art while bolstering the sustainability of LA’s creative economy.

As part of the 8-member Artist Council, we will convene to discuss policies, practices, and historic barriers faced by underrepresented artists, including artists of color, those with disabilities, Indigenous artists, LGBTQIA artists, self-taught artists, and emerging talents. Our discussions will directly inform LA County’s approach to artist selection, outreach, engagement, and contracting.

Significantly, each council member will also receive a budget to develop a temporary public artwork. This hands-on component allows us to pilot new models of supporting artists through public commissions, providing invaluable practical experience.

I’m thrilled to bring my personal and professional perspectives to this role. By centering artists’ needs – from training to funding to inclusive practices – the PAiD program represents a vital step toward building the ecosystems creatives urgently require. It’s an incredible opportunity to contribute to real, systemic change in supporting and empowering artists in our community.

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

When I first heard about NFTs, the concept sounded very strange to me. However, I’m grateful I entered the space early by minting my first NFT, “Mutant Key To the Post Internet,” on the website Rarible in 2020. As an artist working with digitally native mediums, I’ve often faced challenges in the traditional art world when it comes to selling my work.

Galleries and collectors typically want a physical object – a special box or USB drive containing the digital artwork. This made it difficult to sell screen-based or digital pieces. The advent of NFTs has solved this issue, allowing me to edition and sell my digital artworks as unique, verifiable assets on the blockchain.

Over the past couple of years, I have made more money from the sale of NFTs than from selling physical art through my contemporary art practice. This has encouraged me to explore selling more of my physical work as well, something that previously didn’t feel like a realistic goal.

One truly revolutionary aspect of NFTs is that artists receive royalties on secondary market sales of their work’s editions. This does not exist in the traditional art world, meaning many artists never see the financial returns from years invested in their crafts and careers. The blockchain also provides a transparent public ledger, so I can always see who owns my art, who sold it, and for how much – a level of transparency often lacking in other creative spaces.

As an early adopter, I’ve greatly benefited from being part of the web3 community. I’ve made friends with artists from around the globe and have collected hundreds of artworks from peers I now call friends. My art exists in the collections of people worldwide, and this past year the NFT community helped me share my art in various spaces including at the Oculus Center in New York City and on a billboard in Brisbane, Australia.

The ability for artists to have true ownership over their work, earn royalties, and access a global community of collectors and fellow creators is game-changing. While NFTs seemed strange at first, they’ve opened new avenues for artistic sovereignty and sustained income that the traditional art world has lacked. This technological shift has empowered me and many other artists in unprecedented ways.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bio.site/edgarfabianfrias
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edgarfabianfrias/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edgarfabianfrias
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edgar-fabi%C3%A1n-fr%C3%ADas-ma-mft-mfa-2b325b11/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Edgar_Frias_
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBreA_KjlvTPX0P3u2Fxn3g?sub_confirmation=1

Image Credits
Dillon Howl, Cal Poly University Art Gallery, Gabriel Noguez, TW Fine Art, Edgar Fabián Frías