Digital Architecture and Imagined Worlds: Q&A with SuperRare artist Jarvinart

SuperRare artist Idil Dursun (a.k.a. Jarvinart), is an architect and CG artist based in Ankara, Turkey. She was interested in art from an early age and used to paint with acrylics on canvas. During her architectural studies, she developed an interest in concept art. She is mostly known for her dystopian cyberpunk scenes and huge cityscapes, as well as for building her own universe as a vision of future worlds.

Some of her works have been featured in US based science fiction magazine Dark Matter Magazine, displayed in US based The Crypt Gallery and Pellas Gallery, Italy based Dart Museum – Permanente di Milano and exhibited on “FUTR World Abu Dhabi 2021”. She is one of the TIMEPieces artists who contributed to the “Slices of TIME” collection in 2022. Most recently, her works have been displayed on Times Square billboards during NFT.NYC 2022.

Jarvinart’s piece “One Way Ticket” was displayed in the SuperRare NYC PopUp gallery’s debut show, “Visions From Remembered Futures”. This exhibition centered on themes of futurism, featuring works that reflected on the human condition and its ever-expanding relation to machinery.  SuperRare curator Mika Bar-On Nesher sat down with Jarvinart to learn more about the artist’s journey as a NFT artist and the evolution of her fantastical cyberpunk style.

MBON: How long have you been making art? What got you into the NFT space?

ID: I’ve made art since forever basically, since I was 4 years old or so. My parents sent me to art courses (only for a few months until I got bored of the classes lol) because I loved painting so much. After that, I continued trying out new techniques and mediums on my own and continued educating myself with some tutorials on acrylic painting. When I was in high school, I realized I was fascinated by environmental concepts that I saw while playing video games. In my 2nd-3rd year in college I was studying architecture,but I decided to be a concept artist and started working on my own environment concepts. 

My NFT journey started very soon after my graduation.  In March 2021, I was working as a CGI artist and one of my friends convinced me to give my personal works a shot. Of course I had no idea what it was all about back then. I can easily say it has been a life changing experience for me ever since.

MBON: You have an incredibly distinctive style, can you tell us a little bit about your development as an artist?

ID: I was always into the cyberpunk culture. There’s something about those enormous cityscapes with no visible beginning or end, and imagining what it would be like to live in one of those dystopian cities. I remember how mind-blown I was when I first came across Annibale Siconolfi’s and Dangiuz’s works, or when watching “Blade Runner”. After a point, being only an observer of this genre wasn’t enough for me. That was when my decision to be a CG artist happened. Since then I have spent lots of time on Artstation, following my favorite artists and trying to find my own unique style in this genre. I wanted to build massive cities with lots and lots of buildings that feel alive and reachable somehow, rather than clutters of little concrete blocks. My background as an architecture student helped me to develop a world builder’s vision while creating.

MBON: Do you work mostly at night or during the day?

ID:  I can’t possibly work during the day, at all! It’s a terrible habit I’ve had since my days as a student. I am only able to work during the night which f*cks up my sleep schedule. I hope to train myself otherwise in time, but it’s feeling hopeless at this point.

MBON: What advice do you have for young artists trying to break into the space?

ID: I think they should realize NFTs are not about making a quick buck. We all know there is an incredible hype since last year but all of my friends who have ‘made it’ dedicate an immense amount of time in order to interact with the community and appreciate the culture. This is one of the best parts of this space IMHO, if not the best. I got to meet some incredible artists and friends throughout, and it’s like meeting my own idols that I looked up to for many years.

The key is to genuinely be part of the community, and to not lose motivation when your sales lag from time to time. Simply enjoy your time here, meet with people, and keep creating, like we always did before NFTs. The community support motivates me even on my most desperate days, and I believe that’s the case for many people here.

MBON: Who are some of your favorite artists on SuperRare?

ID: There are so many! Annibale Siconolfi, Thomas Dubois, Paul Chadeisson, Madmaraca, Dangiuz, DeeKay, Reuben Wu, Raphael Lacoste, Donglu, NessGraphics and so many more. Can’t really choose between them.

MBON: Do you draw inspiration from books and movies? What are some of your favorites?

ID: I definitely do. Movies and TV shows like “Blade Runner”, “Dune” and “Arcane” inspire me a lot. I also look through concept art and shots from  movies I haven’t seen before for composition and color palette ideas. Additionally, one of the most inspirational works I’ve seen recently was an episode of LD+R “Jibaro” by Alberto Mielgo. A true masterpiece.

MBON: There is a dreamy element to your work, do you ever find yourself solving creative processes in dreams?

ID: I take this as a great compliment; thank you! It actually happens A LOT. Not necessarily during sleep, but after a long work day my brain doesn’t stop working. When I’m in bed and about to sleep – that’s when I figure out many ideas for the pieces of artwork I am working on. I usually make a quick note of them on my phone so I don’t forget when I wake up!

MBON: Do you work in any other artistic mediums?

ID: I do! I got an iPad last year to keep myself warmed up in my drawing; mostly female character concepts. I haven’t been able to work with acrylic paints for a long time but I plan to soon since it’s very soothing. Changing your medium from time to time is actually very refreshing and inspirational so I try to do it as much as I can!

MBON: Are there any exciting projects you’re working on now you’d like to share with us?

ID: Lately I’ve mostly been working on my upcoming Times Square billboard display! I’m very satisfied with the result and can’t wait to share it with everyone. I am planning to mint it on SuperRare which is super exciting because I couldn’t work on 1/1 artworks for quite some time. I want to make my return back to the platform with a piece of artwork that is special to me. There are some other exciting projects to come this year as well!! 

You can find Jarvinart’s collection of minted pieces on SuperRare here.