Clara Luzian (Renderfruit)

Hi Clara! We absolutely love your work at Atomic Form, “Embrace” and “Lift” are actually in our permanent collection! We're excited to learn more about you, and your journey as an artist. 

Where did the name “Renderfruit” come from?

So the fact that I am vegan makes my renders be mostly fueled by fruits and vegetables :)

Can you tell us about your personal upbringing and background?

I studied graphic design at the University, but there was some point in my career where I literally started seeing things naturally moving on the screen, like a kind of optic illusion, so I decided I wanted to learn to animate them. At that time there were no schools of motion graphics around my city, so I started self teaching myself, and have been doing that since then. 

How does your identity as a Latina woman play into your process? Is there a larger community of Latina/Latinx artists that speak to the same cultural influence(s)?

Honestly I always felt I was working “inside the internet” and so I feel I have pretty worldwide identity. But in terms of being latin I also feel grateful to be available to make a living from what I’m passionate about. Economy in latin countries is hard to explain, everything is so unstable so I guess I had to learn how to surf the waves at the same time. And about being a womxn, aware of what it means in society, I feel the necessity to share and include more womxn and non binary people into my projects in forms of collabs. I think this is the year for that for me, and I am already working on some awesome projects.

The non-fungible token (NFT) standard is not a new product on Ethereum. CryptoKitties and Crypto Punks have existed for years and are spiritual predecessors to the work we see now. A lot of people sort of refer to people using this medium as “digital artists” or “NFT artists”. Do you think there is an appropriate term for people experimenting in this medium? How does it complement or augment your existing visions?

This is just the beginning so it is hard to make definitions. I’m still trying to get how it tastes to me. But on the other side, I’ve been a digital artist forever, so it comes natural for me to identify with the term. Cryptoart movement is quite new, but the term NFT artist is pretty straight and self explanatory, because all NFT artists are digital artists for now. So it comes handy depending the context. I just keep using digital artist for now, because NFT is just one of the places I drop my art.

How did you find the NFT world? Was it a natural progression from other 3D art you were doing? Were you in digital assets beforehand?

I got contacted by the two major platforms in November when everything was more quiet than now, so I guess I was lucky! I didn’t understand quite much at the beginning. I am still learning each platform's behaviors. Also, as many artists, my twitter account has risen from years of death.

 You say in most of your work that you’re inspired by, “Eerie thoughts, glitchy neon dreams, and mood swings.” What piece best exemplifies this and why?

My mind is a bit eerie. I mean, sometimes I find it difficult to articulate thoughts, mental visions and feelings with reality as many things are happening together inside my head, writing and making music helps.

Many pieces are example of this feelings I guess but these are some of them I think it becomes more clear. See: here, here, here, here, and here.

 

You’ve worked as a visualizer for some of the biggest names in music, like Young Thug and Kodak Black, as well as a production collaborator for Kanye West and The Weeknd. Can you tell us about that work and how it challenges or inspires you as a creator? How did you enter that space? What are the pros and cons of that space versus the current movement in the purely digital space?

Client work is always challenging. Mostly because the deadlines are crazy. You have like 2 weeks to do 150 loops. Is rewarding but also draining. I take every client the same, whether it is Young Thug or a more indie singer-songwriter like Malvina Meinier. I really enjoy my work and I’m always driven by that feeling.

The way I entered that space is I’ve been contacted by DMs or emails by their managers or even the musicians themselves, like the case of Oliver Skies, from Bring Me The Horizon, he is amazingly cool and easy to work with.

Your work also occasionally integrates surreal, electronic music that slowly envelopes the viewer. Are you also a music producer and what guides your choice of audio in your work?

I produce my own music, yes. Most of the time I “hear” the music inside my head while I’m making the visuals and then once is finished I go and compose it. 

Your art prominently features women, and your series “La mirada del otro,” as explained by the Museum of Contemporary Digital Art, “is inspired by the emotions we feel when we are observed.” Your work even beyond this series seems to thematically address a relationship the viewer has to your subjects. Would you say that your work functions as a way to confront the viewer, or build a different kind of relationship?

I love when someone makes me question things, thank you for that. 

It’s always been difficult for me to embrace the fact that I cannot drive the other’s look, that is totally random. It feels like a piece of cloth slowly posing over me and sometimes I feel suffocated and blind. It is a long long process I’ve been making in my life to (kind of) deal with that anxiety. Art helps a lot. It may be because I am a perfectionist or simply shy I guess.

Given your experience working with producers, brands, and legacy venues, how has the ability to sell work P2P changed your direction? Are you free of gatekeepers?

It certainly feels nice to make whatever idea you come up with, when you want to do it and without any restriction. But I also have to say I’ve had that creative freedom in client work in many many cases. So in terms of creativity it didn’t change so much. But I feel the anxiety of deadlines drifted into the anxiety of understanding this new world haha. I’m really optimistic and have an overall great feeling that this is the way for artists' work validation and this is going to stay.

What’s the piece of work that you’re most proud of?

I am proud of any piece involving water.

What’s next for you and when can we expect to see more works?

I have another Nifty drop coming up soon so I’m working almost exclusively on it. I think it's gonna be awesome!

Also, I have some collabs going. I’ve contacted some artists I’ve been admiring forever to work together and have fun.

Who are some other artists in the NFT world that you’re drawn to?

Kidmograph, Esteban Diacono, Nicole Ruggiero, Pastelae, Nikita Replyansky, Frenetik Void, Victor Mosquera, Plantdadii, Xsullo, Blake Kathryn, Zolloc, Zach Lieberman, and Wonderkatzi to name a few! I’m sure I’m leaving some awesome talents I admire behind!

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.