Mauricio Yauri is an artist from Cuenca, Ecuador, whose journey into the world of art began in childhood, inspired by a friend’s unique painting style, which sparked a lifelong passion for art, revealing his natural talent for drawing and enrolling him in a fine arts school.
There, Yauri dabbled in oil painting and acrylics, but this was just the beginning of his artistic explorations, college led Yauri into the field of graphic design and closer to his roots, where he dabbled in what he calls his “real strengths” – digital animation and illustration.
Despite a “brief existential crisis and various work detours,” Yauri’s passion remained unfulfilled until NFTs skyrocketed in popularity in 2021, with his excitement initially ignited by Beeple’s viral success, a revelation that led him to try blindfolded painting, leading to a breakthrough in real creation.
Per Yauri, “My unique artwork has found a home in the world of NFTs, spawning two series: Grotesque Heads, and now Grotesque Heads Vol. 2 (currently being minted on OpenSea), and my journey from a curious child to a digital artist embracing the NFT wave embodies a relentless pursuit of authentic expression.”
OpenSea: Can you tell us how you got into web3 and started creating NFT art?
Mauricio Yauri: It all started in 2021 when an upload of an artist Beeple with 5,000 artworks went viral, seeing the news made me want to learn what NFTs are, at the time, I was creating digital art, proposing projects to companies and trying to exploit everything I created, but nothing worked.
So I tried NFTs by uploading my work to OpenSea but it was cost prohibitive due to fees and I looked for free platforms but found nothing so I put it aside until I learned more about the technology and was committed to continuing to explore what I could create.
I made “weird artwork” as an experiment because I had some really good ideas, and one day NFA Space came up with their 10k collection proposal, and I sent my artwork without knowing what would happen, but now I realize that it was the best step I took, and the trust in NFA Space made me more confident in NFTs, and now I see the results of what I have been working and learning about in this field.
OpenSea: Grotesque Heads seems to explore surrealism and abstraction, what prompted you to delve deeper into this specific theme for this NFT Drop?
Mauricio Yauri: My grotesque artworks were not created with NFTs in mind, they emerged from the question: “What can I create that will contribute to the art world and distinguish me from other visual artists?” That’s what popped into my head: not looking at the process of making a work of art until it’s finished.
The grotesque results depend on how much I remember and where my hand goes when I intuitively trace the lines, combined with the demons in my head attacking me at that moment and making it impossible to focus, haha. I never think about how it will turn out or what the result will be - I just do it and this is the result. I clearly emphasize the abstract nature of the strokes, it's a naturally occurring style.
NFA Space came at the right time because I saw a path to the destination I wanted in the beginning, but this time through them, I trusted their advice and submitted my work, and now I am educating myself in this field because I see a lot of potential for future generations.
OpenSea: Can you walk us through your artistic process for creating these pieces? How do you conceive and execute each piece?
Mauricio Yauri: It all started with curiosity, I didn't know I could do it until I did it, it's a challenge to make these artworks, each one is different and most of the time I get it right on the first try, my initial works are experiments - I wanted to see what results I would get if I didn't watch the process, so I did them blindfolded and only show the final piece no matter how long it takes.
When I created my first piece, Caramel Apple, I simply held a caramel apple in my hands and ate it, admiring it like a love affair, taking in all its colors, intensity of tone, shape and detail, and I stayed with this process from beginning to end, including the characters.
Another important step is to remember the placement of the pastels I will use, each separated by layers and colors. After preparing the materials and having a clear image in my mind, I block the eyes (and the whole head for now) and let the game begin. For the face, the skin is important from the beginning.
I work with base colors, blend them, then add shadows, then lights, and finally, I outline with black for the final lines, which gives the character its final shape. With each face I create, I gain more experience, so my skills improve. Now I use my hands to try to highlight the distinct features of the characters, and the color scheme of each face remains consistent from beginning to end.
The process is a game of emotions and demons in my head, and the end result is fascinating because there is something about it that draws me in – the incredible feeling of seeing something being created without looking at where the colors and brushstrokes fall, which I associate with Basquiat’s art because I love his raw brushstrokes.
OpenSea: How do you experiment while still maintaining a cohesive artistic identity?
Mauricio Yauri: It’s all about the process. In the beginning, I worked blindly, aiming to capture as close a resemblance as possible on the card stock, gradually correcting mistakes such as the color treatment. Now, I start with the base color of each object, fruit or face. Finally, the black gives the character its shape. The result of this technique is also related to my inner process, which influences my work.
When I can't see anything, my mind is fragmented, my hands continue to work but part of my brain recalls memories, good or bad, I have thoughts, I feel emotions, sometimes forget the colors I hold, but the important thing is that I learn to manage it, correct my course, the whole process is a journey with an unknown result, and when the journey ends, I can only laugh at the result - a weird face that looks like someone.
OpenSea: Your Twitter feed often features behind-the-scenes glimpses into your creative process, how do you use the social media platform to engage with your audience and share your journey as an NFT artist?
Mauricio Yauri: When I started using TikTok to document my process, I realized its wide reach, most of my blindfolded works are there, and I am using Twitter more effectively for NFTs, while using Instagram to share my digital art or works in progress.
I’m someone who loves to experiment with colors, shapes, subjects and backgrounds – you have to dare to try everything and now it will be a pleasure to spread the word about this technique through my network and share this knowledge and experience, who can reach more artists who can capitalize on these trends.
OpenSea: As the NFT landscape evolves, what do you see as the most significant challenges and opportunities for artists like you? How are you adapting to these changes?
Mauricio Yauri: Ever since I saw the rise of CryptoPunks, Beeple, Bored Ape Yacht Club and the boom that followed, I envisioned countless possibilities and I believe the challenge is not in doing this, but in failing to look to the future, to delve into, adapt and embrace new technologies.
I have always thought this might be an opportunity for other future collections and better proposals that are not just digital art but involve adapting real physical works, I love this way of dealing in art and now that I have seen the results of NFA Space, I can say that trying and reaching out to like-minded people can have significant benefits.
Hurry up! You can reach a vast market, many emerging artists of different nationalities can make a name for themselves and succeed, and finally, it’s about learning more about this technology and everything related to NFTs.
OpenSea: Can you tell us about your upcoming series or projects? What themes or concepts are you exploring and how do they differ from your previous work?
Mauricio Yauri: Currently, with Grotesque Faces, I am working on improving my blindfolded art making skills and creating as much as I can, again, my goal is to capture everything my eyes can see, my mind can remember, my imagination can come up with, experimenting with different formats and materials - there is still a lot to explore.
One subject that excites me is interactive three-dimensional digital worlds, it’s a fascinating area that I’m delving into, portraying and looking to stand out from the crowd so when I launch them they offer an unparalleled experience.
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