Over the past decade, there has been a growing consensus that automation, artificial intelligence, and other forms of digitalization will adversely alter the human aspects of daily life, setting the tone for a pessimistic outlook toward certain areas of disruptive technological development. However, as these innovations begin to change how we live, they are not perceived to be replacements. The intricate and complex intertwining of both physical and digital worlds outlines the contours of what will become a ‘phygital’ society, affording us new platforms for experiencing and expressing culture.
An essential aspect of the phygital process is how it employs the intersection of digital and real tools as a new medium for artistic innovation. Phygital items, collectibles, and experiences offer creatives the chance to take their work beyond conventional formats and add value in innovative ways while bringing fans, consumers, and collectors closer to the artists and their creations.
This is what Akobi, a phygital collection set underneath an ancient cultural backdrop, and created with a unique art form, stands for.
Creating the Akobis: The Delicate Art of Quilling
“The Akobis are made with a unique technique called quilling. It’s almost like a line, but on steroids. It rises from the surface just enough to play with light and shadow a bit. Minimizing digital intervention in the creative process was very important to me so that every single layer would be quilled. People thought I was taking on too much, but that needed to happen. The many decisions before you even touch a pencil or paper might be the part I enjoy the most,” says Ayobola Kekere-Ekun, the creator of Akobi.
Quilling is a centuries-old technique with origins in Ancient Egypt. The method typically involves sculpting, rolling, and placing thin paper or metal strips to create forms and delicate-looking patterns. In the hands of Ayobola, it becomes a nuanced artistic process that straddles the border between sculpting and painting. She further points out how the process has to be conceptualized and planned well before creation. “The nature of the technique leaves little room for error as every line and coil must be shaped individually and cannot be removed once placed.” She adds, “The commitment to every decision and the irreversible nature of the technique, entirely made by hand, makes the Akobis even more special.”
Although the quilling technique is centuries old, artists like Ayobola push this ancient art form to exciting, new heights. Thanks to NFTs, artists can now make their works—created via a range of contemporary art techniques, and rich in various cultural customs and heritages—available to new, vibrant, and young audiences.
Akobi NFTs: Making a splash
Similar to the Murakami.Flowers collection by renowned Japanese artist, Takashi Murakami, Akobi will showcase Ayobola Kekere-Ekun’s unique design technique. Akobi is set to launch as a collection of 10,000 NFTs on the Ethereum network. This will kickstart a chain of exclusive rewards and activities for its collectors, including:
- Strategic collaborations and partnerships with various brands, auction houses, and galleries;
- Selected Akobi holders to receive physical deliveries of 1/1, hand-made, “Celestial” Akobi pieces;
- Access to personalized framed print copies of unique Akobis signed by the artist; and much more.
Akobi’s web3 path remains fluid, albeit guided by an impressive roadmap that vividly charts the desired creative and commercial outcomes. The founding team remains intent on creative flexibility while maintaining the overarching goal of narrating an epic tale that creates long-lasting benefits for Akobi’s community of collectors.
Join the Akobi family on its Discord, Twitter, and Instagram communities to keep up to date with this exciting project as the team creates an exceptional collection. The first 500 members on Discord receive automatic access to the Tribe (Akobi Whitelist), so get in immediately!
