We recently connected with NFN Kalyan and have shared our conversation below.

NFN, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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.

Risk is an inherent part of the creative profession for someone that does not come from great wealth. Becoming an artist is an entry point into uncertainty. But that uncertainty is worth embracing. There comes a moment in both life and the creative process in which we do not know what direction to take. Those moments are our greatest opportunity because they present a space for true innovation. When confronted with a problem that we have never faced, we cannot fall back on easy methods that are tried an true. We must go forward. From that forward motion, our best work often arises. What I’m getting at is that if we aren’t afraid, the very nature of the artistic practice is set up for us to do great work. After that first step all that matters is what we have inside of us to express.

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?

I’m 41 years old now and I started as a professional fine artist at age 27. That’s somewhat of a late age and my lack of experience and connections have made art a difficult path. My first works were drawing but I quickly moved into sculptural pieces with materials that ranged from layered etched glass to cast iron and bronze to wood and granite. From there I transitioned to oil painting, making massive works that consisted of borrowing only from other artists. My compositions are filled with famous paintings, movies, memes, cartoons or whatever else I feel like.

In 2020 (prior to the boom) I started doing NFT work on Nifty Gateway, Makersplace and LiveArt platforms. I have continued with NFTs and while the market has fallen apart (due to it being built on a scaffold of nothing) I continue to sell well in that space because art collectors are interested in my work.

My sculptures only got me into group shows and fairs but since I began painting, I have had four solo shows, all in Los Angeles. My NFT work has also been in art fairs.

The work I make, despite being diverse in content and method, is very much rooted in an ongoing examination of our species. Each piece is meant to hold a mirror to the person looking at it. For example my most recent NFT drop was (digital) plastic action figures of serial killers. The point was not a celebration of the murderer but rather an examination of the viewer. We pour our time and dollars into reality murder shows and dramatized series of famous killers. Despite what we might say, it is truly what we enjoy as a culture. I simply provided a digital toy that everyone could own that represented what they really care about. My work is always a game of you.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

By nature I am a person that does hard pivots based entirely on instinct. I do that with my artistic output but also life in general. When I was 27 I was working at a jewelry design company in downtown Miami. One day I went to the bathroom and was washing my hands when I decided I would quit to become an artist. I had given it no prior thought. I had a son who was less than 6 months old and as I looked in the mirror I simply asked “Who is my son’s father going to be?” And with that question I knew that I could no longer work at a place that didn’t fulfill me. My son had to know that it was ok to take a chance whether you succeed or fail.

I do that in every aspect of my life. Two weeks ago, having never really rock climbed, I joined a rock climbing gym and now go three times a week. You have to keep yourself awake and fresh in life. I do so by following my nature (which is apparently to be spontaneous) and by making healthy decisions for myself and those around me. You only have one life to live.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is making the work. Once it is complete, I do not bask in it or think it’s wonderful. I simply move on to the next project. The work is what is rewarding. The work documents my maturity as a person. I get older and understand more about the world. The next project is always the most interesting because I get to explore ideas that I have not fully understood. These ideas can range from being about the nature of creativity to the nature of existence. I try not to be pretentious in my work. I hope the viewer can see that. I am just doing my best and hopefully that comes through. The work is like life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nfnkalyan.com
• Instagram: nfnkalyan
• Twitter: nfnkalyan
• Other: all my social media is just my name @nfnkalyan. Instagram is the best place to see my work because my website is so poorly updated.