Kevin interviews Justin Aversano, artist advocate and creator of the Twin Flames photography NFT series.

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Kevin interviews Justin Aversano, artist advocate and creator of the Twin Flames photography NFT series, created as his healing project as his twin died in-utero. They discuss how Justin has built one of the most influential Discord groups in the NFT space, and his invite process to connect personally with everyone involved. In addition, his Brooklyn, NY-based SaveArtSpace nonprofit turns commercial billboards into community art space.

BIO

Justin Aversano is an artist and curator who has organized a number of shows in New York City and Los Angeles, as well as public art exhibitions around the country. Justin is the co-founder and creative director of SaveArtSpace, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing community art to public spaces, and the creator of the Twin Flames photography NFT series.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE
SHOW NOTES
  • Who is Justin Aversano and what inspired his Twin Flames photographic NFT series? [00:24]
  • With an education and background in the arts, how did Justin get involved in the world of crypto and NFTs? [02:05]
  • How does SaveArtSpace afford to rent billboards for the use of art rather than advertisement? [07:07]
  • How do artists get featured on these billboards, who does SaveArtSpace partner with, and what causes are championed by this work? [08:49]
  • How does SaveArtSpace compensate artists? [12:03]
  • How did Justin go from getting burned trying to mint his first NFT to embracing the format? [12:43]
  • Justin explains how Twin Flames was created and what inspired it. [15:34]
  • Where did Justin find the 100 sets of twins featured in the project, and how does he choose the locations where they're photographed? [16:52]
  • What did it take to convert this series to NFTs? [18:55]
  • Does Justin see a future where artists will sell their NFTs directly instead of marketing them on a collective platform? [20:42]
  • How Twin Flames went from a book to an NFT series. [22:04]
  • Why Justin considers NFTs to be a much-overdue paradigm shift for artists. [23:59]
  • How quickly did it take for the Twin Flames NFTs to sell out once they were offered, and what especially surprised and delighted Justin about the people who were collecting them? [26:53]
  • How did Justin go from being a relative unknown to a networking machine in the NFT community? [29:14]
  • Tips for other photographers looking to get involved in the NFT space. [33:47]
  • Justin shares an important announcement about an upcoming Christie's auction. [36:19]
  • Artists and projects Justin is currently keeping an eye on. [38:30]
  • How can someone get an invite to Justin's Discord server? [40:11]
  • What it's all about: building communities and admiring art. [40:52]
  • As a collector, what catches Kevin's eye in a photography NFT project, and what does he see for the future of NFT art collectibles? [43:01]
  • What are Justin's plans for future projects? [48:50]
  • Parting thoughts. [49:39]
PEOPLE MENTIONED