Next Up: King Xerox, From Comic Books to Glitch Art’s Digital Maverick

From the architectural blueprints of his academic background to the vibrant panels of comic books for international publishers, King Xerox has proven that his artistic journey is anything but linear. As an architect, he built on foundations; as an artist, he’s tearing down boundaries.

Every week, nft now’s Next Up unveils a new artist from our curated list of ascendant talents who have been making significant waves throughout Web3. This week, we’re excited to feature King Xerox.

King Xerox

King Xerox’s artistry blossomed first in the world of traditional mediums. With over two decades dedicated to the comic book industry, his illustrations have spanned pages and continents, collaborating with prominent publishers in the USA and Europe. The striking visuals of his acrylic paintings, which he showcased in three solo exhibitions, have been lauded for their unique style and expressive use of color.

Yet, it was a conversation about the burgeoning world of NFTs with a crypto-savvy friend that pivoted his trajectory toward the digital realm. Initially intrigued by the prospect of reaching collectors directly and the revolutionary concept of digital identity verification for artworks, he soon found himself minting on platforms like Tezos and objkt.com.

This transition wasn’t just about adapting to a new medium; it was about evolution. His early NFTs, rooted in his comic book tradition, carried narratives, albeit in glitch art’s fresh, experimental style. King Xerox describes his pieces as paused frames of a VHS cassette, capturing the essence of the Web3 era through deliberate noise and glitches.

For him, the idea is paramount, and translating it into art becomes an intense quest for simplicity and clarity. Finding inspiration in the most unexpected moments – a movie, a book, or even an anecdote from his son – his creative process is deeply introspective yet always receptive to the external world.

King Xerox’s move to the Ethereum blockchain expanded his horizons and garnered the attention of notable collectors like Cozomo de Medici, GVG, and Bitcoinprophet. His artistry now grapples with web3 culture and the crypto zeitgeist and documents it. As he puts it, his works are entries in a “web3 journal,” presenting an evolving story of this new digital frontier.

From the tangible touch of paper to the ethereal pixels of the digital realm, King Xerox’s artistic odyssey is a testament to the timeless nature of storytelling, proving that narratives, regardless of their medium, will always find their audience.

We had the opportunity to ask King Xerox a few questions about NFTs and his artistic journey.

nft now: How did you first become interested/involved in NFTs?

King Xerox: Though I have a bachelor’s degree in architecture, for many years, I had been producing comic books for American and European publishers. Additionally, I was also painting and had 2 solo shows. A friend of mine who is closely involved with the cryptocurrency market told me about NFTs and asked me to conduct some research on the topic. As I delved into the concept of NFTs, I became enchanted. The idea of reaching collectors without any intermediaries was wonderful.

“I realized that NFTs were not only about art but also a significant component of the new digital age culture. “

King Xerox

The concept of digital identity verification for artworks was revolutionary. As I continued my research, I realized that NFTs were not only about art but also a significant component of the new digital age culture. About 2.5 years ago, I started minting my first pieces on the Tezos platforms like hicetnunc and http://objkt.com. In fact, I didn’t have any expectations of them being sold, but I loved this new style of art that I discovered, and creating it made me feel good. My initial works on Tezos were more in the style of PFPS. Coming from a comic book tradition, I realized that just like in comics, I could tell stories through the glitch art I created. In the Web3 world, so many things were happening in such a short span of time that I can say I never had any trouble finding stories to tell.

nft now: How would you describe your art? 

King Xerox: The artworks I create are considered as part of the ‘glitch art’ genre.  In the works I create, the most important thing for me is the idea. Translating these ideas into art in the simplest and most understandable way is a separate stage. Sometimes, ideas that seem amazing in my mind can lose their impact after the work is completely finished. Especially in the works I create on the Ethereum blockchain, technically, I aimed to achieve visuals resembling a paused frame of a VHS cassette. I believe that the noise and glitches in these images better complement the Web3 narratives I’m conveying.

nft now: What’s your process like? And where do you usually find inspiration?

King Xerox: The largest portion of the production process is spent searching for the right idea. Sometimes, it can take days or even weeks for ideas that will satisfy me to come. I usually find ideas at unexpected moments. Reading a book, watching a movie, or even my son telling a funny story can suddenly spark an idea in my mind. Any movie scene or story I come across can suddenly inspire me to incorporate something about the web3 culture or recent cryptocurrency news into my art. Especially after discovering 2 or 3 ideas, I create sketches of them.

I share these sketches with friends and collectors I trust and get their thoughts. An artist might not be able to view their work objectively after investing a lot of effort into it, so having a second pair of eyes can reveal things I might have missed. I’m not using any software other than Photoshop and Procreate.

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