The rise of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has given artists and musicians a new platform to sell their art digitally to global buyers – and one young Aussie is making a small fortune.
Digital artist Serwah Attafuah, from Sydney’s west, caught the attention of the likes of Paris Hilton and singer Charlie XCX by selling her ‘afro-futuristic’ art as NFTs – unique digital items that use blockchain technology to give buyers secure ownership of what they’ve purchased.
At a digital showcase in 2021, her first ever NFT sold for $30,000 and her second brought in $70,000.
The buyers paid for the artworks with Ethereum cryptocurrency.
Ms Attafuah, 23, started her creative career as a musician in her teenage years before transitioning to oil painting, but found it to be limiting and switched to digital artworks four years ago.
‘I didn’t have a space where I could paint so I needed something that was portable and easy to access; 3D and digital art is perfect because I can create it anywhere,’ she explained.
Digital artist Serwah Attafuah, from Sydney’s west, (pictured) has caught the attention of the likes of entrepreneur Paris Hilton and singer Charli XCX by selling her works as NFTs
![The 23-year-old started her creative career as a musician in her teenage years before transitioning to oil painting, but found it to be limiting](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/23/01/53146561-10420965-The_23_year_old_started_her_creative_career_as_a_musician_in_her-a-30_1642900836688.jpg)
The 23-year-old started her creative career as a musician in her teenage years before transitioning to oil painting, but found it to be limiting
![At a digital showcase in 2021, her first ever NFT sold for $30,000 and her second NFT sold for $70,000 (pictured, one of Attafuah's artworks)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/23/01/53146563-10420965-At_a_digital_showcase_in_2021_her_first_ever_NFT_sold_for_30_000-a-31_1642900837039.jpg)
At a digital showcase in 2021, her first ever NFT sold for $30,000 and her second NFT sold for $70,000 (pictured, one of Attafuah’s artworks)
According to OpenSea, NFTs are an asset in the form of a unique digital item that uses ‘blockchain-managed ownership’.
Unlike cash or gold, both fungible objects that can be easily exchanged for another object or money at the same value, an NFT is non-fungible and can’t be exchanged in the same way.
For example, other unique artworks such as the Mona Lisa are also considered non-fungible.
NFTs can only be purchased via specific platforms, such as OpenSea and Foundation, and are to be purchased using cryptocurrency.
The two biggest and most popular cryptocurrencies are Bitcoin and Ethereum, but there are more than 5,000 different varieties in circulation.
Before focusing on her art, Serwah recalls making ends meet by working at McDonald’s and tech companies.
And the hard work paid off in August 2021 when Serwah woke up to an Instagram message from Paris Hilton asking for a commissioned piece.
‘I was freaking out – it doesn’t make any sense but it was so random and cool,’ she recalled.
‘She DM’ed me saying she loves my work and was after a commissioned piece to be part of the London Frieze Art Fair and was sold at a Sotheby’s digital auction.’
![In August 2021 Serwah woke up to an Instagram message from Paris Hilton herself asking for a commissioned piece. 'I was freaking out - it doesn't make any sense but it was so random and cool,' she recalled](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/23/01/53146559-10420965-In_August_2021_Serwah_woke_up_to_an_Instagram_message_from_Paris-a-27_1642900836063.jpg)
In August 2021 Serwah woke up to an Instagram message from Paris Hilton herself asking for a commissioned piece. ‘I was freaking out – it doesn’t make any sense but it was so random and cool,’ she recalled
![When Serwah starts a new piece of art, she never begins with an idea in mind but instead focuses on the emotion she wants to portray](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/23/01/53146577-10420965-When_Serwah_starts_a_new_piece_of_art_she_never_begins_with_an_i-a-28_1642900836686.jpg)
When Serwah starts a new piece of art, she never begins with an idea in mind but instead focuses on the emotion she wants to portray
!['She [Paris Hilton] gave me full control over what I wanted to create and how I wanted it to look,' Serwah said. The end result titled 'Aether: Galaxy Goddess' depicts a woman controlling five planets as she sits perched on an Ancient Greek-style column (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/23/01/53146571-10420965-_She_Paris_Hilton_gave_me_full_control_over_what_I_wanted_to_cre-a-33_1642900837042.jpg)
‘She [Paris Hilton] gave me full control over what I wanted to create and how I wanted it to look,’ Serwah said. The end result titled ‘Aether: Galaxy Goddess’ depicts a woman controlling five planets as she sits perched on an Ancient Greek-style column (pictured)
The brief was to create a piece that encompassed femininity, strength and empowerment, and Serwah was given 10 days to create the artwork.
‘She [Paris Hilton] pretty much gave me full control over what I wanted to create and how I wanted the piece to look,’ Serwah said.
The end result – titled ‘Aether: Galaxy Goddess’ – depicts a woman controlling five planets as she sits perched on an Ancient Greek column.
The piece’s catalogue notes: ‘It explores themes of world building and personal empowerment as Serwah’s digital “reflection of self” embodies the Greek God Aether who was thought to be the god of the “upper sky”. She lifts up planetary bodies amongst glittering golden structures.
‘The purpose behind the piece is to show more of a personal connection to a metaverse/universe and how one can be empowered to take on the world, as it is always in one’s reach.’
The piece ultimately combines the connection between women and the universe, in that the ‘universe is divine and that the feminine spirit is sacred’.
!['NFTs are definitely the future for artists and I wish I got into it sooner when I heard about crypto art in 2017,' the Sydneysider said](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/23/01/53146565-10420965-_NFTs_are_definitely_the_future_for_artists_and_I_wish_I_got_int-a-32_1642900837042.jpg)
‘NFTs are definitely the future for artists and I wish I got into it sooner when I heard about crypto art in 2017,’ the Sydneysider said
When Serwah starts a new piece of art, she never begins with an idea in mind but instead focuses on the emotion she wants to portray.
‘It could take me months to develop an idea; I try not to use mood boards for inspiration, I focus on dreams, the character or figure and feeling,’ she said.
Serwah explained she often creates art while on ‘auto-pilot’ to focus on incorporating her own emotions into the piece and would describe her work as ‘afro-futuristic’, surreal and dream-like combined with renaissance.
‘NFTs are definitely the future for artists and I wish I got into it sooner when I heard about crypto art in 2017,’ she said.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk