You have a signature 3D aesthetic. How would you describe your style to someone who can’t see?
Everything I do is visual, which makes it hard to translate into words, but I can say that what I do is self portrait in a hybrid technique using photography and 3D to manipulate the reality that the original image is presenting. I put a big emphasis on fashion but always try to show unconventional looks and sometimes pieces that wouldn’t be wearable in real life; playing with body distortions or changing the environment around me. Some of my creations are 100% 3D and others are photography with some editing on them.
In your Clash universe the 3D character Itar Pas was born. Itar Pas goes through a journey of discovering humanity with the help of five characters from the real world. What has your character learned so far?
Itar Pas is constantly learning about humanity, they want to know how they interact, why they do what they do, what makes them special. In the first edition of CLASH, Itar Pas learned about nature, about communication, about contamination, and more. But the most important thing I think is that humanity is really complex and not easy to understand. This creates more curiosity and makes them want to invite more people and discover new aspects of this strange world we live in. We are currently working on a new edition of CLASH with five new characters that will bring a piece of their world to Itar Pas’s world. This new edition will be shown in the coming year.
Is the virtual world a way to learn about yourself?
Definitely. I, as a very introverted person, created Itar Pas as a way to express myself through someone else, to explore a different side of myself and a different way to connect with other people. CLASH is actually my own story being a person who struggles to make personal connections and who lives sometimes isolated in my own world. For me, CLASH is a way to connect with people through art and tell my story as if it was someone else’s story in a different world.
I’ve learned a lot about myself with this project, I’ve learned about my gender identity, I’ve learned my limitations and skills. And I’m still learning. But I like to see it as something that I can’t control. This world was my creation but every time I invite someone to get into it and participate in CLASH, this world becomes more and more independent and even unknown to me.
What can virtual worlds offer to artists who use them for artistic expression?
“The virtual world” is a wide concept that can refer to many things. Itar Pas’s world is a space where artists can explore a different reality where their art can be shown in a different way than it is usually shown and is not attached to real limitations which opens the creativity to go beyond the usual techniques, sizes or materials. Initially, it was a queer-safe space where only Itar Pas was living, but as it grows and expands, everything can happen, it doesn’t have to be a safe place forever, it could become something violent and dark, or maybe a beautiful utopia where everyone lives happily. I like working with this concept of a world made of small pieces that different people bring and after some time see what we were able to build together, and how similar it becomes to the real world.
Are there any limitations to artistic freedom and creativity in a virtual world?
The minds that create are human ones, which by default is a limit I guess, because of creativity and technical skills. However, the limitations from the real world related to gravity, budget, size, transportation, etc. are not a problem there. I act as a curator in this world, I choose the artists that become part of it, but once they accept, I like giving them the freedom to project their art in this limitless world and let them imagine how their creations could be made in this different medium.
