Connie Bakshi
A studio visit with the self-described "digital shaman," who uses AI to explore ancient culture and the human psyche
In this video Outland is joined by artist and “reality hacker” David Henry Brown Jr.—better known in the NFT world as his online alter ego, David Henry Nobody Jr.—for a virtual studio visit conducted by Wade Wallerstein. Streaming live from his garage studio in Brooklyn, Brown Jr. recounts the evolution of his career, from his immersion in the underground performance art scene of 1990s New York through to his discovery of social media, and more recently NFTs, as both platform and subject. He discusses the ideas and processes that shape his ongoing series of “Resemblagés”: elaborately staged video or photographic self-portraits replete with outlandish costumes and props, intended to reflect the absurdity of contemporary reality both online and off. “I can’t tell what’s real and what’s not anymore, so I try to make everything look intentionally CGI,” he comments. (Watch the video for glimpses of the many weird and wonderful objects that appear in these works.) The artist also shares his perspective on how to navigate the current crypto and NFT market, emphasizing the importance of community-building as well as an open and flexible mindset.