NIshant, it's so wonderful to speak with you about your work today. To begin, can you introduce yourself to our community? Your name, where you are from, and the mediums you work in?

My name is Nishant Malhotra, I’m from the Bay Area, east of San Francisco. My mediums are oil paint, acrylic, pastel, charcoal, as well as digital work via Procreate, Photoshop, and After Effects.

Where did the creative path begin for you? Was there a first moment or early inspiration? I’d love to learn more about where this all began for you.

So I’ve been painting and drawing as long as I can remember, it has always been an outlet for me, something I just naturally gravitated towards. I don’t have recollection to why or when (my mom has hundreds of paintings from me when I was 5 years old consistently until now lol)—- I have stayed consistent with it and nourished it my whole life.

I think an awakening moment I had was when I was 18 after a meditation retreat reflecting on what my natural state of being was. It is this deep ingrained inclination to create, specifically draw/paint/sculpt. It felt like I had awakened to realizing what I’ve been programmed to do, and it’s just draw, paint, make things.

As a kid it was cartoons, anime, and things around me I would paint. As I grew older I started gravitating towards more politically driven subject matter and things I had observed and felt inspired to talk about. Since art is my “programmed” method of articulation it’s been a vehicle for me to communicate.

In terms of those early influences, anything in particular? Curious to hear what visuals had your mind spinning in the early days.

So visually what’s really ringing in my head is the first time I found Dali’s work in high school I was 16 and it melted my brain, The Persistence of Memory and the egg piece (geopoliticus child watching the birth of the new man) blew me away.

The technical skill he displayed while making something with no references, creating a world that doesn’t exist but follows its own laws of physics fucked my head up and it felt like a whole movie inside of a painting.

My early inspirations at this time were Dali, MC Escher, Shepherd Fairey, and hella anime but I think anime didn’t inspire me stylistically as much as it inspired me in my life- the hero’s journey, being consistent, persistency, never giving up etc.

ENTER THE VOID for example- I saw it when I was 17 or 18 and it was huge for me too- the birds eye view perspective was something that’s still sticks with me and something I try to recreate in some of my work.

Oh fuck you got me digging deep in my mental-

HEAVY inspiration visually was going to Hindu temples and getting their books and there would be so much trippy art it in. In the temples there would be these massssive sculptural paintings of ancient Indian stories. Tbh this is probably the heaviest inspo that I still naturally reference to this day.

above, The Cycle of Life and Death by Syamarani Dasi

I can see the commonalities for sure - fascinating. Can you talk a bit about your process when you are making a new work? From idea, to execution- along the way, and also how you know something feels “done."

So my practice has evolved over the years- I initially used to really work from reference, be inspired by something I’d seen or a direct sentiment that I wanted to recreate — with my newest series of work, my practice is very different, I have been growing into a more intuitive style of workflow.

I allow the driving force of inspiration, true being, and presence to lay down the first few layers of the painting. This allows me to get out of my own way, which opens me up to an experience where it feels like there is something deeper that is driving my hand, not my mind, not my ego, just pure presence.

I then sit back look at the piece, creating a conversation with the painting, where I allow the work to tell me where it’s lacking and what it wants.

Sometimes it’s purely abstract elements and colors that it needs.
Usually, as I look at the formless strokes over time, forms begin to naturally emerge. It feels like it becomes my responsibility to outline and define them and uncover them. In deep states of workflow it will be like an archaeologist dusting dirt off of a skeleton- it feels like the work was there all along.

When I start a piece it’ll often feel like a scattered puzzle, when I’m finishing a piece I can really feel things falling into place. I have an internal intuitive guide that feels very fulfilled when a painting is finished. I allow myself to really lean into how my “gut feels” to guide me through the process of my work.

So beautifully described, thank you. I’d love to hear a little about your experience with art x blockchain- what has this technology unlocked for you as an artist?

The blockchain has allowed me to really stamp my work in history. The idea of stamping my work in the blockchain permanently feels like we’re making history. The ability to have work dated and stamped into a moment in time is super powerful. It feels like being a part of history in the making.

It’s allowed me to composite my releases into cohesive collections without needing a traditional gallery. I feel like it’s given me the ability of having exhibitions anywhere digitally, which is HUGE for me as an artist.

What advice would you give to an artist in any field who is a bit earlier in their creative path?

Put the blinders on, allow yourself to be driven by what you love, tap into your voice and what is most natural to you, that’s how you can really keep the pace up over time. It’s most definitely a marathon.

Nishant, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today. It has been a great joy to witness your work and to get to know you as a friend over the past year. I so look forward to continuing that journey and I know people will enjoy these insights and thoughts about why you do what you do. To the reader, connect with Nishant across platforms right here.