IT'S A JOURNEY by INA VARE

i'ts a journey

UNITY, Video '0''15, 2024

This is a visual, performative and exploratory journey.

This is about exploring and celebrating valor, axes, and circumstances. This is about starting somewhere and seeking where it takes us. This is about performance, glitch and bias.

Artworks are created on the go, spontaneously yet purposefully. They may be presented at various events, minted on different blockchains, and performed live.

prologue

It all started as a joke. INA VARE began posting images on social media of herself holding an axe to entertain fellow artist Empress Trash, who was obsessed with female wood chopping videos. This began in early 2023, and over time, INA and the axe became a meme within her community.

During the winter of 2023, INA VARE created a conceptual video artwork titled 'BEAR SERENITY', featuring her first appearance with an axe. The artwork was created for 'BITCHES, BUTCHES AND BEARS' curated by OONA and SamJ.

In December 2023, using bits of the same footage, INA VARE created a meme artwork related to the #TEZPOLE trend and minted it on the Tezos blockchain.

Later INA minted ''WEN AXE?' as a replay to Lorna Mills asking the same question.

WEN AXE?, GIF, 2024

BEAR SERENITY, Video, 0' 32'', 2023

#TEZPOLE, GIF, 2023

MOTIVATIONAL SPEECH, GIF, 2024

PART 1 - TIDES

THE TIDE IS COMING, GIF, 2024

In the summer of 2024, INA VARE decided to elevate her axe performance with Part 1 - 'TIDES,' the opening chapter of the 'IT'S A JOURNEY' series.

These artworks depict the arrival of the main characters at the sea. INA describes it as a sea of opportunity that is cold and salty. There's not much to do here, so it's a good idea to practice some axe moves in the calm and chilly air.

As this project intended to be cross-chain, the first mint, titled 'THE TIDE IS COMING,' occurred on the Tezos blockchain on June 7, 2024, and was auctioned as a single-edition NFT, but later pieces from Part 1 got minted on Base and Zora networks.

Part 1 of the Journey also ventured into Superchief Gallery's 'Remote Control' competition, and 'IT'S A SHADOW' was curated for screenings in Times Square for one week at the end of July 2024.

Drop on Foundation

INA brought the saga to the Foundation/Base on June 13, 2024, presenting 3 new artworks in continuity with the previous one.

Exhibition page

THE TIDE IS CALM, GIF, 2024 / Base

THE TIDE IS RISING, GIF, 2024 / Base

THE TIDE IS MOVING ON, GIF, 2024 / Base

Drop on Remote Control / Superchief

The Journey continues with INA participating in 'Remote Control' - a contest offering creators the chance to showcase their artwork on a Times Square billboard in NYC. Creators submit artwork, and collectors vote by claiming free mints on Zora network.

Exhibition page

IT’S A SHADOW, Video '0''12, 2024 / Zora

AMIDST THE TIDES, GIF, 2024 / Zora

BEAUTIFUL HAZE, GIF, 2024 / Zora

'IT'S A SHADOW' screening on Timesquare, August 1, 2024.

'IT'S A SHADOW' was selected for screening on a Times Square billboard but faced unexpected censorship when the company deemed the artwork to involve "weapons." To avoid directly labeling it as "censored," they used the confusing term "private," overlaying it on an axe depicted in the piece.

This alteration was made without the artist's consent. Superchief Gallery later issued a public apology for the unauthorized "remix," but the term "private axe" sparked widespread discussion within the community.

PART 2 - Echoes

RUNION, Video '0''15, 2024 / Base

Part 2 - 'ECHOES' follows INA's journey into her childhood.

In these audiovisual artworks, INA explores her childhood cabin, finds the axe she learned to chop wood with, and reunites with the place and things that were so dear to her.

The first piece 'REUNION' was minted on Base and included on 'INFANTILISM 3.0' curation and exhibition by Computer Art Auction House ACCOMPART'S. Following artworks 'UNITY' and 'MERCY' was minted on objkt.com in July 2024.

UNITY, Video '0''15, 2024 / Tezos

MERCY, Video '0''15, 2024 / Tezos