FUTURO X DANKO - NFT Revealed
Breakfast All Day, 2023 by DANKO
The final reveal of the three NFT artworks in FUTURO
DANKO’S NFT artwork published in FUTURO (Breakfast All Day could be yours!)
In partnership with INFTSPACES
& to the best of our knowledge, THE LAB MAG is proud to be the first ever printed publication to offer free fine art NFTs when you purchase a copy.
MEET DANKO
Endless Summer by DANKO
Tell us, how did you become an artist?
It all started when I was 5 with a gallon ice cream bucket full of crayons with which I’d fill endless makeshift sketch pads and colouring books. These were my refuge and the outlet for my wandering imagination. Creating art was an integral part of my youth, despite my focus shifting towards athletic endeavours, especially basketball. While pursuing my BFA in college, I discovered my love for painting. I distinctly remember working on my first ever canvas, which I hand-stretched, and thinking, “This is what I’m supposed to be doing.” The entire process surprisingly made sense to me, and I found that I could innately do it. Rather than thinking about the nuances of form, my mind instinctively led me to put colour next to colour next to colour – and from there, my canvas came to life. From that point on, painting has been a passion that I have relentlessly pursued.
Calmer Than You Are by DANKO
Can you talk about your process, a day in your life?
I’m an early riser. My day usually starts before sunrise – first with meditation, and then immediately followed by an early morning walk or Jiu-jitsu class. This first part is where I set my vision of what I want to accomplish and how I get my body and mind moving. From there, I’m off to the studio. My most creative time by far is in the morning hours. This is when I prefer to develop new work at the drawing table or computer. If I already have paintings in the works, I’ll go straight to my easel, put on podcasts or music, and get to work. Most days, I’ll take a mid-afternoon break and bike to the gym to get some more movement in. This routine has been an awesome way for me to hit the reset button at midday and gives my mind a chance to clear. Afterwards, I’m back at it in the studio, refreshed and ready to crush another few hours of work.
Sprung (Red) by DANKO
What fires your passion for NFTs?
It isn’t a passion for NFTs as much as it is a passion for emerging technology and the ability to harness these new tools to create and propagate art in new ways. I grew up in the 80s and was able to experience the transition from an analog to a digital world. VCRs and video games kicked it off when I was a kid, and it’s been a steady progression for creators to share their work with the world at scale ever since. It’s this continuing unfolding of technology that keeps me intrigued and inspires me not just to look forward but also to look back at the context of my references and how these artifacts inform the physical and analogue world.
Frosted Free-For-All by DANKO
What excites you about the future?
We live in a world where the visions in my head are becoming easier and easier to make reality, thanks to tools like 3D printers and software like Procreate becoming more accessible to the average person. At the same time, as these tools advance, the hand of the artist becomes much more important. In a world where anyone can input AI prompts and create something visually interesting, the act of physically putting paint on a canvas becomes that much more special and rare.
We'll Find Out by DANKO
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? And the worst?
Perhaps the best advice I was ever given came from my Dad. He didn’t let me use the word “can’t” when aimed at myself. There was no “I can’t dunk basketball” or “I can’t paint a self-portrait”. With that word removed from my lexicon, anything became possible.
The worst advice was, “You can’t make a living as an artist, get a ‘real’ job”.
I See You by DANKO
What motto do you live by?
I have so many mottos and anthems that are displayed throughout my studio. I’m a curious person by nature and love to get input from a wide array of sources like podcasts, movies and literature. When something stands out to me, I often write it on a card and mount it somewhere to see while working.
Some tried, and true favourites are: “Grace amongst chaos” and “Momentum = Truth.” With art or any endeavour, any progress I’ve made or success I’ve had, has always been in direct correlation to the effort and discipline I apply to the pursuit of that goal. I find that if I consistently put in the hours, good things will come. The only addendum I would add to that is to try to find opportunities to laugh as much as possible along the way because it makes any challenge more enjoyable and easier to conquer; after all we only get one shot at this weird, crazy life.
Do You Copy by DANKO
Question: When you purchase FUTURO are you getting a complimentary NFT artwork?
OR
When you purchase an NFT artwork by DANKO are you getting a complimentary magazine?
Answer: Both
very laboratory