Spotlight: Multimedia Artist Skygolpe Collapses the Boundaries Between Digital and Physical Art in a New Solo Show

Skygolpe's recent work goes on view in Dubai this month.

Skygolpe, PX8371S (Paint On Pixel) (2023). Courtesy of the artist.

What You Need to Know: Opening November 15, 2023, multimedia artist Skygolpe will be the subject of a solo exhibition at Foundry in Dubai, titled “Third Dimension.” Produced by Valuart and curated by Giuseppe Moscatello, the show will be on view through January 7, 2024, and will feature a range of recent work from his debut series of physical canvases, “Paint on Pixel,” which first premiered at Christie’s New York, alongside a new A.I. photographic series and other digital works from the artist’s oeuvre.

The artist’s “silhouettes depict a deconstructed perspective of identity, expressed through a contemporary interpretation of pop art,” said Moscatello, adding “His method of intersecting the digital and physical realms reflects a balanced approach to the ever-evolving state of the arts.”

About the Artist: An early leader within the NFT and digital art spheres, Skygolpe is a self-taught artist who began on the street art scene and now works across a variety of mediums, including photography, painting, installation, and digital art, consistently engaging with the idea that genres and boundaries in art are permeable rather than sealed. The “Paint On Pixel” series is a testament to Skygolpe’s multimedia approach. “Every brushstroke on canvas mingles with pixels, reflecting a world where the physical and digital coexist. Painting is not defined by the technology with which it is created, but by the vision with which it is made.” Leveraging tech, traditional media, and elements of philosophy, Skygolpe continues to expand on the ideas and potential of art making in the 21st century.

Why We Like It: The “Paint On Pixel” series marked a radical evolution in the artist’s practice, as it was a departure from the digital world of NFTs he first garnered wide-spread attention from, and juxtaposed with other recent creative lines of inquiry in Skygolpe’s work, the show will illustrate the experimental and boundary-pushing nature of his practice. In conjunction with his new A.I. photographic works, regardless of whether a viewer hails predominantly from the world of digital art or traditional art, within the show one can trace both Skygolpe’s creative line of inquiry, and understand how they can—and perhaps should—be seen as complimentary rather than antagonistic as many have deemed them to be. Arranged with the discerning eye of Moscatello, “Third Dimension” promises to be a significant moment in the artist’s career.

See featured works below.

Skygolpe, PX3368S (Paint On Pixel) (2023). Courtesy of the artist.

Skygolpe, PX9D3H0 (Paint On Pixel) (2023). Courtesy of the artist.

Skygolpe, 1_4fbb0b86-4d31-4248-b106-af82e20f17ba (2023). Courtesy of the artist.

Skygolpe, 5_aced0df5-f756-4c3e-ab91-804b214d4ca7 (2023). Courtesy of the artist.

Skygolpe, PX7661E (2022). Courtes of private collection, Lugano, Switzerland.

“Skygolpe: Third Dimension” will be on view at Foundry, Dubai, November 15–January 7, 2024. For more information, email [email protected].