seen: meet the artists

seen is primitives’ first live exhibit featuring the works of five nyc-based artists within our community. in addition to highlighting the innovative and valuable digital experience primitives is building, our primary focus is celebrating creativity, community, and emerging technology among our creators and collectors.

seen speaks to and shows us how artists are uniquely adapting to web3 tech and using its tools to better claim ownership of their work online. each artist featured carries their own experience of being a creator in an increasingly online world — their individual practice and styles are connected by their interest in and exploration of blurring boundaries between physical and digital art. overall, the works featured span across fine art, illustration, graphic design, and photography.

this event also marks the launch of an accompanying digital exhibit on primitives — artwork featured will live on the page for one week following the event. as a platform, primitives’ goal is to to create a clear and unbiased way for creatives to own and profit from their work, as well as provide new opportunities for exposure and audience engagement. we empower everyone to produce and share their content using free and accessible tools allowing them to thrive creatively and financially without intermediaries.

for one night only, seen is showcasing the works of primitives’ creators’ with many pieces on view for the first time.

featured artists

alex is a native new yorker, whose work is influenced by the pop, contemporary, and street art found across the city that she grew up around. her goal as an artist is singular: to elicit joy through visuals of her vivid imagination.

alex’s body of work is combines unique textures and vibrant colors. her featured pieces represent playfulness and curiosity through her subject matter and materials used. each of her  pieces on display should be interpreted by the viewer in their most imaginative state.

billie is an nyc-born purveyor of bullshit and an amateur “pataphysician” — in practical terms, a graphic designer. as a self-taught artist, billie’s work spans across visual artwork, merchandise, and brand & product design.

billie’s artwork light-heartedly combines her satirical commentary with vivid colors and textures. throughout her portfolio she comically sheds light on pains of the human condition through subjects like mental health, writers’ block, and simply existing in new york city. while much of her art materializes as well-witted cultural critiques paired with colorful graphics, she also holds space for experimental pieces created just for fun.

luca goly (aka Lv<^) is a self-taught painter, illustrator, and digital artist. the native new yorker aims to embed and speak to elements of his life’s experience by utilizing vivid imagery, colors, and brushstrokes throughout his work. Lv<^’s style is largely influenced by Pablo Picasso and Jean-Michel Basquiat as he describes his art as merging cubism, surrealism, and expressionism.

Lv<^’s artwork is a manifestation of his conversations, thoughts, and feelings that leave its viewers both excited and contemplative. his intimately drawn subjects roots a comforting familiarity within a structured illustration style. his most recent work strips color and focuses primarily on finite shapes and shading. Lv<^’s paintings are a testament to the complexity of the human experience, each fragmented shape representing a facet of his existence.

yekaterina gyadu (yeka) is a digital and analog photographer living in brooklyn, ny. primarily focused on portraiture and documentary photography, yeka seeks create a space that is diverse, inclusive, and artistic through her images.

yeka’s featured collection, "Black is Golden," is a fashion photo series exploring and showcasing the shades of melanin skin and their beauty. Creative direction and styling by Arielle Dyers, the goal was to offer a safe space for Black artists in the community to express themselves through their creative talents. As an all-Black team, we were able to connect culturally and experience the love of creating a moment. No matter which skin tone, we are all beautiful. "Black is Golden" portrays this using fashion, set design, and portraiture.

zachary s. laine is an artist who draws inspiration from the vibrant metropolis of the city. having spent his childhood close to both music and art industries, zachary has been cultivating his style throughout his life. his work is holistically considered as he examines structure and fabrication alongside color and composition in every piece.

zachary's latest work focuses on the composition of colors and pays homage to forgotten taggers who shaped modern grafitti styles. his paint strokes loop and overlay multiple colors creating beautiful contrasts of muted earth tones with deep and vibrant accents. his split page designs lend breath to the canvas with one side valuing stillness and the other life’s inescapable entropy.

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event details:

rsvp + collect our invite as a moment for entry

• what: seen
• where: antidote soho, 425 w broadway, new york, ny
• when: thursday, may 4 - 6-9pm

primitives is building an online space for creatives. we empower anyone to discover new creators, mint and share work, build collections, and join communities. keep up with us on twitter, instagram, tiktok, and at primitives.xyz