Camila Fierro, known in the NFT industry as SoyFira, is one of the most influential crypto artists in Latin America and the world. The Colombian has passed through NFTexpress inaugurating our new interview section that seeks to meet the most recognized people in the ecosystem.
Can you tell us about your background and the path you had to become an artist until experimenting with NFTs?
“I started painting in museums and painted works by great masters. There I began to develop a technique called “one stroke”. Later, I turned to painting faces and the idea of finding my manifesto, that is, what to talk about, who I was, and capturing it in my art.
NFTs came in pandemic times by COVID-19, since, I didn’t want to print my work and it was really impossible and expensive to send it. That’s when I learned about blockchain technology that authenticated my work in digital format and so I became a crypto-artist.”
When did you coin your first NFT? Which platform did you choose and why?
“I became the first Colombian crypto-artist on March 15, 2021 at 22:00 PM Colombian time and I chose the OpenSea and Rarible platforms. However, I find OpenSea much nicer and friendlier to the human eye that’s why I kept choosing it until today.”
What is your position/thought regarding web3, NFT and blockchain. What does this technology have to offer that makes it so interesting?
“I love, love, love Blockchain technology! It’s the behind-the-scenes of digital artists. I always mention the three T’s, traceability, value transfer and transparency. Also, for me the artist who is purely digital has to use this technology, otherwise it’s like their work is taken half-heartedly. However, traditional artists can also use it, because it can help as a certificate of authenticity, which is very important in this industry.”
Regarding traditional art, who is your favorite artist/s? What is it about their style that catches your attention?
“I love Jeff KoonsI love Jeff Koons, mostly because of the incredible mindset he maintains. Koons says that art is a business like any other. Before artists were embarrassed to sell their art, to do marketing with it, but just as people live by selling candy, empanadas, arepas or in Argentina, selling soccer jerseys haha, an artist can live by selling his art that before was frowned upon and Jeff Koons breaks with those paradigms.”
“On an artistic level, I love PicassoHe is super disruptive and was always ahead of the curve, like when he painted the iconic work ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon’ which when he did it was five Barcelona prostitutes from the street called Avinyó, a street that was full of brothels in Barcelona and it was like: what are you doing painting that! and after ten years they became a hit, that’s why I love breaking paradigms.”
What about your favorite NFT artist? What appeals to you or do you identify with?
“My favorite NFT artist is. Fewocious. He’s too authentic, has super colorful art and it vibrates with my essence. I feel like he reflects his identity in the art he makes, I love that. He must be about 18 years old and he started like me, the community supported him and now he is already participating with the big auction houses. I like an artist when you don’t need to see the signature and you already realize who the work is from.”
Is there a piece of NFT art you wish you had bought but missed out on?
“If obvious, any (or all) Blue-Chip when they cost nothing or having acquired a CryptoPunks when they were giving it away hahaha”
What are your other passions besides art? Why?
“I love connecting people, literally it’s my passion, since with my art I can do it. Also, I’m learning about wine, I think through good wine and good food it’s also super nice for people to connect.
I do exercises, I am constant and too curious, so I love researching and meeting people who are experts in different subjects and exchanging knowledge.
Do you do other forms of art?
“Besides my NFTs, I feel that connecting people is another type of art that I do. Regarding sculptures and that kind of art I haven’t done yet, but I’m not closing the doors to it. Let’s see what happens!”.
What do you plan to do in the near future in reference to your profession and knowing that you are a reference in the NFT ecosystem?
“I am currently in New York, but these days I am going to London and Paris to look for Universities. My idea is to start studying next year and I’m looking at what, where and how to start.”
If you could collaborate with an artist, traditional or NFTs, who would it be?
“Whew! I think it would be the artists I was mentioning earlier: in traditional art I would collaborate together with Jeff Koons. While the NFT artist would be together with Fewocious.”
How did you feel when you had the opportunity to present iNNNpulsa10Years with the former President of Colombia, Iván Duque Márquez?
“I swear I never get nervous, but that day was the biggest nerves of my life. Because I only had 5 minutes to speak and I couldn’t read anything. Also, it was very demanding because there were a lot of important people and I had to be up to the task. Luckily everything went well and I could breathe at the end hahaha.”
What about having your artwork on the screens of Times Square in New York?
“That day I cried with emotion. I remember when I started with selling works at $15 and thinking if it had been right to leave my civil engineering career which was not my true passion. But seeing myself on the most important screen in the world gave me strength to believe that anything can be done!”
I did a piece in NFTexpress when you presented the Awards at the Copa America Femenina in NFT format to the best players of the matches. What was it like to be a pioneer in merging the digital world with the real world?
“It was super nice to share my NFT art in the form of awards to the best players of the Copa America Femenina, they were handed out at every match that was played and it made me super happy to explain to each person what is going on with the NFTs through action.”
Do you have any upcoming releases/presentations and what are you currently working on?
“I was exhibiting at Christie’s my work ‘A Letter For The World,’ the world’s leading auction house. And I’m going to London because I’m going to be a speaker at NFT London 2022.
Also, I’m working on understanding quantum energy and behind the camera, where my authenticity and energy comes from, as a lot of people ask me that and I want to learn the basics of that to capture it in my art.”
Where can collectors find your works?
“My works can be found at OpenSeaand the news of everything I’m doing can be found on my social networks: Instagram, Twitter y LinkedIn.”
Any reflections you would like to make for people who are just starting to learn about this technology and new way of making art?
“If you are interested, sit down for a day or even a weekend to understand this new industry. Nowadays you can find a lot of information in Spanish that was not available before. When I started there was not much information, but now those who do not study it is because they literally do not want to learn it. I invite you to sit down with a glass of wine and study all this that is happening because it is incredible.”
Written by Rodrigo Catalan (TW: @RodrigoCatalanB) for NFT Express.