Mido (M), Strider (S)

S: Hi Mido, can you tell us how you first learned about Tezos?

M: I heard about Tezos on a podcast hosted by daab, where he mentioned a eco-friendly blockchain called Tezos and a platform called akaSwap, which was created by Taiwanese and many artists were minting their work on it. So I went to check it out, and that was how I got involved with Tezos.

S: Could you introduce the artwork that you often use as your avatar? What is the imagery or meaning behind it?

M: The artwork that looks like a thumbtack is a piece I made while practicing with p5.js early on. I really like the color and balanced shape, so I use it as my avatar ever since. I think the shape of this artwork is quite interesting, as it is both conflicting and harmonious, with a smooth side and a sharp end. It's like when we use a thumbtack, both sides of the tack are under force, but one side needs to pierce the wall while the other side needs to avoid piercing the finger.

S: Your works were initially minted on akaSwap known as “Yellow Moon”, then you released “Moonlight Impression”, “Moonlit Sea” and “Mountains in Mind” on fx(hash) and “Mountain Sketch” on objkt. You also have a photography collection called “nature(what you see)”. How do you view the ecologies of these platforms? How do different forms of your work affect your decision to mint on which platform?

M: I've thought about this question myself, my metaphor is: “akaSwap is like a driving school that teaches you various knowledge about driving and provides a place for you to practice; objkt is like a general roadway where you might need to get on the road yourself and encounter various vehicles and road conditions. At this point, you will know whether your driving skills are good or not; finally, fx(hash) is like a highway. You may be nervous when getting your wheels on it for the first time as it is more difficult, but you can experience the thrill of high-speed driving (please drive safely).”

M: My own process is like this as well. Early collections like “Random” and “Yellow Moon” were minted on akaSwap, not only for practicing but also meeting many good friends in the community. I also participated in the Chair Action. In order to reach more collectors later on, I started taking some of my works minted on akaSwap to list on objkt with a few editions. With the support from the akaSwap community, my works already have a basic sales volume, but nobody knows me on objkt, so the sales volume completely depends on whether my works are favoured by the collectors. So I would say that objkt is a place where you can observe and adjust your creative direction. Another advantage of objkt is that it can create “collections”, so works can be sorted into different series, which is why I later released “Mountain Sketch” and “nature(what you see)” on objkt. fx(hash) is my ultimate goal, as the works can receive the most attention there, so when the works develop enough diversity, I will consider launching there.

S: In your work descriptions, you mention about your feelings towards the nature and different landscapes in Taiwan. Can you share with us how your works are inspired and reflected in different elements (such as composition and color palette)? What kind of subject interested you most to challenge right now?

M: Although I wouldn't call myself a photographer, I am definitely someone who loves taking photos, so my works often carries a perspective or viewpoint. For example, if the proportion of the sky is higher, it may be a view of looking at the mountaintop and moon in the sky from a distance; if the proportion of the mountain is higher and the brush strokes below gradually become larger, it is a view of looking up at the mountaintop and sky from a mid-level position of the mountain. There is more room for imagination in selecting the color palettes and not necessarily be realistic. Take “Moonlit Sea” for instance, the moon may be white, but the reflection on the sea is yellow. I try to apply some of the color combinations collected in my daily life to my works and see if there is any interesting effects.

S: FAB DAO (Formosa Art Bank DAO) invited you to create a commemorative work for Project Percentage in Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) 2022. If you had to choose a favorite work created by the five artists of Project Percentage, which one would you choose? Why?

M: If I had to choose, I would choose Yi-Wen LIN's works for several reasons: (1) Because I love the moon, LIN's works features a huge moon; (2) The flowing light in the lower part of the work is sheer beautiful, and I feel not only the spatial flow but also the sense of time flow; (3) the perspective of this work is quite special, not a common perspective, it feels like an aerial view in the sky, giving me an unusual visual experience away from daily life.

#5TezCollection of Generative Art by Mido