KWAME "DARKMYTHST" BRAKO
Embrace
The Founder of Inftspaces (pronounced infinite spaces) Sergio-Miguel Cuculiza interviewed Web3 artist and Afrofuturist Kwame Brako, AKA DarkMythst, about the future.
SERGIO MIGUEL CUCULIZA Tell us about your childhood.
KWAME BRAKO I was born in Accra, Ghana and moved to Nairobi, Kenya, just before I turned one year old. I migrated to the US with my parents around elementary school age, living in the south, Louisiana and Alabama.
I was generally a happy, imaginative, and creative child. Being from Africa, and at that young age, I was teased a lot for my accent and very dark skin complexion. I believe that forced me to be a loner and keep more to myself. But on the bright side, I enjoyed that quiet time creating anything from visual arts to music.
I got into a lot of trouble in my teens as one who just didn't fit in; I ended up leaving home at 17 years old, later getting into more trouble, which in each case seemed to force me into a place of solitude and personal growth through thinking and creativity. By 18, I knew that the only thing I wanted to do in life and the only thing I'd be good at was anything in the creative field. And so, I successfully pursued it.
SMC What was your first job? What was your first artistic job/creation?
KB My first 'real' job started as a dental hygienist in the military. I learned about dental prosthetics, a job where one sculpts teeth and dentures. I transitioned into the role and really enjoyed being paid to sculpt. It was quite soothing and relaxing.
After the military, I worked for an industrial company as a video producer, where I built and led the studio team for several years. But I yearned to fulfil my dream of utilising my skills in the Hollywood industry. I landed my first visual effects and 3D stereographic role in Los Angeles, CA, working on The Avengers as my first film, and later 18 more blockbusters, including other Marvel and DC films.
SMC What was your first digital art inspiration?
BK Watching the movie, The Matrix. The scene with Neo dodging the bullets is what inspired me to pursue digital motion art.
SMC How did you become an artist? Can you talk about your creative process, a day in your life?
KB I can remember that as early as five years old, doing something creative was where I had the most focus. In kindergarten, I won my first art contest. Then in 8th grade, I made history by being the first resident of Minnesota to win a regional art contest. All I'd do was draw all day to the point I'd constantly get my notebooks confiscated by my teachers.
I start my day scouting references and inspiration. I like to get my blood flowing, look at great work and think about how I could match it or do better. Depending on the medium of work I'm working on, getting the juices flowing with as much inspiration as possible is important. I'm also a big fan of YouTube tutorial videos. I am always learning tricks to incorporate them into my work and expand my knowledge.
I'm a 3D sculptor, environment and visual effects artist. Though I can do each medium physically, I grew to love the digital aspect of it. I do not use AI in any of my art (I'm asked that frequently these days).
Tud
SMC What are some of the biggest challenges living in a creative field (outside of the financial ones)?
KB I'd have to say getting access to professional resources and exposure. Most artists, without agents, tend to be their own marketers and business agents. As an artist, as much as I'd like to focus my time on being creative, a lot of it is spent searching for opportunities, updating social media and websites, fulfilling orders, and continuing to look for ways to get exposure doing more work.
SMC What or who is your greatest inspiration?
KB My greatest inspiration are the underdogs. Anybody's story where they came from nearly nothing and succeeded (but with a big heart), is always my inspiration. Also, those who help others without expecting anything in return, for instance, the community of artists that share free knowledge and tools.
NanaBarima
SMC What excites you about the future of art and technology and its impact on our creativity?
KB The idea of artists having more control over their creativity and the ability to get themselves global recognition. There is enough software and information out there to help artists gain knowledge to create their own projects. One artist can serve ten roles in a full-length animation or game development if they dedicate themselves to it. We can also share our knowledge and teach our peers of any age how to do what we do. Technology is helping to bring many projects and their ideas to reality and be self-sufficient.
SMC What technology are you most interested in and what technology are you most afraid of impacting the arts?
KB I'm most interested in immersive AR/VR technology and how to have compelling experiences with the visuals an artist can create.
I'm not scared of technology, but I'm cautious of what AI could do. In great hands and as a supportive tool, an artist can expand their creativity. In the wrong hands, it leads to thievery and destruction and de-sensitises the eyes to hand-crafted art versus virtually created art. But I am at the center of the idea. Like everything, balance is imperative; there are the pros and cons.
SMC If you could build a future society, what would it look like?
KB It would be a collective of creatives, thinkers, doers and positive individuals—a community serving the common goal of attaining or maintaining happiness and peace. We'd utilise the earth's resources properly and be a society that watches out for one another.
SMC What's the best advice you've been given and the worst?
KB Best advice: It's better to be prepared with no opportunities than not to be prepared with opportunities presented.
Worst advice: Chase your dreams 'after' you've secured your other life career goals.
SMC What motto do you live by?
KB If you believe yourself to be it, you'll be it.
Moonlight Senorita
READ MORE ABOUT DARK MYTHST
IN THE FUTURO VOL 2 EDITION.
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