Platform X Institut: Shir Pakman

Could you describe how you work? What hardware and software do you use?

I start with a reference, which I illustrate digitally. I like illustrating very simple and sketchy illustrations. They don’t feel like the final product, they’re without colour and very raw. This is what I take to 3D. I try to build the 3D illustration as close as possible to the raw sketch. I feel it gives it a bit more of a human quality, not losing the mistakes or the sense of it being something that can be done by hand and not in a program. 

The software I use is Procreate for my illustrations. I use Autodesk Maya for modelling. And I use Cinema 4D for the render with Octane Render. After I render the image I like to take it back to Procreate to go over it again to make it feel more painterly than just the render. 

How did you become an artist who works only in the digital? 

I studied 3D animation and I made a 3D animated film in my final year. And after that I worked mostly in branding, advertising and 3D design. So that was my focus. But I find it easier to work on one frame and not animate an entire scene. I was also always attracted to classical art and I painted a lot when I was younger. I didn’t find the time to do it as an adult with work and life in the way. So I tried to take that kind of artwork and that reference world into the 3D world, where I found I did stuff faster and was more efficient.

When it comes to your subject matter, which can feel traditional in aspects such as the iconography and the figures, what are your reference points and influences?

I am inspired by traditional paintings. I want to work with art that really changed the world and that everyone knows, the kind that you can’t see and think is something else. But I try to give it a more modern approach and also see it from a woman’s point of view. All of these traditional works are from a male gaze and reflect how a man sees a woman. These are all icons that we really know and so this is how we see the world. I wanted to try to give more power to the females in my works, they're a bit bigger and not traditionally beautiful.

My artistic influences come mainly from Classical figurative art (renaissance, Dutch, German, British, etc.). My favourite artist, who really got me creating and started my obsession for art, is Lucian Freud. I was always drawn to human figures and portraiture, and I was fascinated at how one can capture the soul of a person using brushstrokes. I use a very modern technique in my art but I feel that with the right intention and eye, it doesn’t matter what tools you use for creating. 

My idea is always to bring together older traditions and mix them with the new. The compositions, gestures and concepts have not changed much but the content, tools and point of view can be very different and relevant for today. I always try to push the boundaries of my medium and look for a common ground between different ways of creating visual art. 

Also seeing these kinds of works in 3D is something different. 3D is what you see in gaming and movies. It doesn’t really relate to traditional art, it's like the opposite. Finding a way to link to traditional art and making people see the work and say “Wow, I recognise this”. It gives something extra. You don’t see 3D things in traditional art. 

What are your honest feelings about NFTs? Is it liberating for artists, or overhyped?

I think it’s both. When I thought about going into NFTs I saw a lot of stuff and thought, that's not my kind of art and I don’t want to be a part of it. But over time, I saw that there's more and more varied art. If you take away the hype elements and take away the collectibles, which I’m not sure are art driven, then you find a lot of amazing artists. For me with NFTs, it’s a love-hate relationship. But it's still such an early world, it's still evolving so much, so over time the things that are more valuable will stay.

Can you speak a bit about the works you’re showing with Institut and Platform?

I’m a vegan! And so the figures with the vegetables, it’s a way for me to appreciate nature, food and everything that these give. I wanted to show these works because they’re nature driven and set in the outdoors which is a subject that I love. The others are earlier works. They show the bigger figures that take over the space with their body. 

The three pieces (Gently Peel the Skin to Reveal the Seeds Underneath, It’s Time to Harvest the Peas and My Little Baby) are about the intimate and close relationship between nature and woman (also man). The appreciation for nature when treated kindly. These works were done in a few different 3D programs and also with Photoshop.

Set within a theatrical composition, Scouters, shows two young women carrying a log against a natural backdrop. The flat background gives the feeling of a stage, making it feel like the women are posing on the stage. A classical portrait of people and nature, the roles are reversed here. Typically, men would “handle” nature and the hard surroundings, while the women would stay at home, or take care of the garden and farm. Scouters is done in 3D with a technique that imitates brushstrokes on a canvas. The brushstrokes were handmade then imported into the 3D program to give a more cohesive look.

Portrait of a Boy shows a boy hugging himself with big eyes looking blankly at us. He’s sitting in a  field daydreaming. There is not much giveaway as to where he is and why he’s there. He is vulnerable and alone. A storm is approaching, both a storm outside but also a storm from within. Similar to Scouters, this work has handmade brushstrokes which are then imported into the 3D program to give a more cohesive look.

What’s in store for you for 2022 and beyond?

One step at a time. What I like about NFTs is you don't really need a plan. You just create and upload and for me it's a good excuse to keep creating. I’d do it anyway without NFTs but I do need a solid foundation, like a real job to balance things. I had a few months of doing only NFTs and it kind of messed with my head because I was only trying to create and sell, and it's a bit of a gamble sometimes. I won’t create tons of stuff and upload it, but rather whenever I feel I want to create something I'll do it and see how it goes. I’ll continue to base myself in the NFT community. I have many friends here and have met many talented people, so overall it's very exciting.

Pakman attended the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, majoring in Screen Based Arts, with her graduation film screened in numerous international film festivals. Several years prior she started painting and studying art history, while also working as a private painting tutor. After a professional career in the world of advertising, Pakman began her NFT journey in September 2021. She has since dropped NFTs on Foundation, SuperRare and Dissrup, building a committed collector base who value her thoughtful and innovative digital artworks.

Chosen Charity: The Vegan Society