Sharvani Manjarekr
“I’m an artist and a tech enthusiast. I’m a Data Science major at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Currently, I make 3D sculptures of extraterrestrial beings and psychedelic art. I inhabit cyberspaces where I use alternative art to express myself. I’ve been making art for less than a year and I’m only just getting started.”
Digital art is becoming increasingly popular in the modern art world, yet it remains a controversial topic. For some, digital art is seen as not real art since it does not involve the physical act of painting or drawing; others argue that creating digital art is just as creative and should be considered in the same realm as traditional artistic techniques. The advancement of technology has made creating digital artwork easier than ever before. This has opened up new opportunities for those who may not have had access to traditional tools or materials, such as those with disabilities or financial constraints. It also allows aspiring artists to explore their creativity without having to invest large amounts of money into costly supplies and materials - something that many more established artists may not have had access to when they were starting out.
Some digital art enthusiasts argue that digital art can be appreciated in its own unique way, pointing to the potential for detail and vibrancy of color within digital pieces - something which may not be achievable with traditional media. Moreover, many argue that digital artwork should be judged on its own merits - taking into consideration the skill level of the artist who created it and the content they have chosen to convey. It’s this challenge to the definition of “real” art that makes digital art so controversial; some are still hesitant to accept a form of artwork that does not involve physical materials or tangible brushes and canvases. Yet others see it as an important new medium in the world of visual expression and creativity. Ultimately, the debate over digital art is likely to continue for years to come. Regardless of which side of the argument you take, it’s clear that digital art has established itself as an important part of contemporary culture - and one that will only become more relevant as technology continues to evolve.
Can you give me a brief explanation of how you create your art?
“While my creations include multiple elements, they always start out as experimental individual sculptures of alternative objects that fascinate me. Some of these sub-sculptures have hidden intrinsic messages. On a lucky day, I figure out how to tie all these pieces of sculpture to make a single sculpture. I use common 3D softwares like Blender and Nomad Sculpt to render these sculptures.”
Can you explain the idea you had behind the two pieces you submitted?
“My first sculpture was completely message-less. I created a tasteless self-render that I would upload into my cyber world. The latest sculpture is simply called Alternative Tatted Alien. This one was inspired by many artists I love such as singer Bjork and graphic designer Suzy chan. Elements of the alien’s headpiece are inspired by masks that I’ve seen Bjork don. Her concept albums rely on cosmic symbolism, inspired by geometry and symmetry as seen in plants, and nature - a look that almost looks mutant-like. Such a mutant is what I derived from her works and aesthetics. Suzy Chan’s works like The Haribo Cult is what inspired me to use maximalism in my designs to draft an ‘omnipotent’ or god-like figure. On the marriage of the two, we get a weird metaphysical and intriguing Alien mutant goddess of my alternative cyber world.”
How did you learn to do rendering like this?
“I’ve learned everything I use in my sculptures through the internet and from reading books on sculpturing.”
What do you hope to convey with your art?
“I just want to create a visual world of ironical spirituality to free my mind that hopefully, people will want to consume. I want to reflect the radical beauty of the real world that I experience through psychedelics in my works.”