TENMEN

Q: I'm curious about how you started with NFTs.

I have always wished to live as an artist for my entire life. Before starting NFTs, I was doing branding outsourcing for a blockchain company, so I was exposed to coins early on. However, I watched from the sidelines for a while. It was only after seeing the news of Beeple's consistent works being sold for an incredible amount as NFTs that I felt reassured. I wondered if it would be okay to dip my toes into the start of that wave, and I began learning step-by-step through YouTube, Google, and various communities.

Q: What kind of work did you do before starting NFTs?

I majored in Industrial Design at Hongik University, but I wandered a bit because I was interested in visual design and fine art. I was lucky enough to join Naver as a designer, where I designed blog, cafe, app, and video services reflecting UI/UX user experiences. I had a lot of interest in various art fields such as branding, characters, graphics, illustration, photography, and video. After leaving the company, I worked on personal illustrations and challenged myself as a YouTube creator for about two years across several channels—except for anything related to drawing. I think subconsciously I was afraid of how upset I would be if I failed at drawing. Because I tried everything I was interested in, I feel I was able to use my most important card in the NFT space without any regrets. Sinsaimdang once said that after trying various things for a year and a half, one channel finally took off. I'm actually grateful that my YouTube didn't take off back then, as it led me to enter the NFT space.

Q: I'm curious about the story of your first sale.

In September of last year, I minted my first three works on the OpenSea platform. I wondered, 'Will they actually sell? Who would buy them?' About a day or two passed. Then, an overseas collector purchased two works for 0.02 ETH simultaneously! They probably discovered me on Twitter. I was so surprised that I shed a few tears of emotion—not because it was an order from someone like an outsourcing job, but because they bought a drawing that I actually wanted to create. I think the moment your first painting is sold and that first 'Sold' email notification arrives from OpenSea is a miraculous moment everyone experiences once.

It's best to be happy. I drew this while asking myself, 'When am I happiest?' and 'When are you happy?' It’s a painting that says, 'Cheer Up! Hang in there today!' Looking at it sometimes makes me feel like I have a reliable supporter, giving me strength.

Q: I'm curious about the birth of the current TENMEN character.

Personally, I was gradually developing stylish illustration works, but I was close to being an unknown artist. I thought I needed to brand a clear character of my own to be remembered even in a passing moment among countless artworks. I truly respect the branded symbol images of artist KAWS and the musician Marshmello, the free-spirited doodles of Keith Haring and Mr. Doodle, the dreamlike worldview of James Jean, and the oriental feel of photographer Chen Man. While simulating by scribbling many symbols and names, the symbol that emerged was the number 10. I used '10' as a motif for the character's eyes, making them blink vertically, and envisioned a being where good things from the imagination come out through those holes. Thus, I named it TENMEN. Born from a combination of 1 and 0 in the 'Tentrix,' TENMEN can transform into various forms. I call it 'Lucky Tenmen' in the sense that it brings good luck!

Q: Which works are most memorable to you?

I would like to introduce the friends from the 'Lucky Tenz' collection. Tenmen finds daily life boring and summons the Tenz friends from the 'Tenverse.' The Tenverse is everywhere we can go through our imagination, and we share emotions through 'Metapathy' (Metaverse + Telepathy). It is not strange at all for things imagined to appear infinitely through the holes in their bodies. Initially, I planned and created a large-scale project of 10,000 items including games, toons, and the metaverse with a team. However, I decided that as an individual artist, I needed more free experimentation and growth, so I minted it as a personal collection limited to 100 pieces. There are many people who have loved and helped me, and I will never forget that gratitude and will repay them with good work.

Q: What do you value most while working on your projects?

I value the message and energy that the work conveys. An artist reads the times and materializes the imagination they want to convey. When I strike up a conversation with the world by expressing a certain message and energy, I like the fact that communication happens through empathy and various interpretations of that work. Currently, I am in the process of exploring images that people of all ages can enjoy.

Q: Where do you usually get your inspiration while working?

Images, music, text, videos, and fragments stay in my head, and if there is an image that repeatedly comes to mind one day, I materialize it. I like the creative wit and authenticity of other artists. I also think it's wonderful to see how the method of expression matures as an artist grows.

Q: What is NFT from your perspective?

The function of protecting the rights of creators and owners in the global art market is innovative. It is a truly grateful technology that proves the creator in the digital realm where duplication is easy. It would be quite good if technology and solutions to prevent scams in the development area advance further.

Q: As an artist, what is the future direction of the NFT market?

I believe it will become popularized as large capital and technologies from major corporations are integrated. As the barriers to entry lower and it becomes easier, I think it will naturally take its place by performing various desired functions in many fields.

Q: A word to the collectors, please.

I have been active as a designer, but for some time now, I have often felt moved by the fact that I have become a full-time artist creating something valuable. I am joyfully experimenting with materials for physical works as well as digital ones. My mission is to leave a legacy of works like Picasso, breathing through my art for my entire life. I would like to express my sincere gratitude once again to everyone who loves the TENMEN and Tenz characters. I hope that good luck follows everything our collectors do. Always stay healthy! Sincerely, Artist TENMEN.