Rarebandy Visits DSNBYPS
RAREBANDY AT WORK
In our second venture with collaborating with visual artists, we linked up with RAREBANDY to hear his story and inspiration behind his art. We followed this up with an exclusive collaboration on an NFT that combines both of our creative worlds. Read the interview below, and be sure to check out the NFT at the end of the article.
Since this is your first time linking with us, what is your name/brand name & where are you based?
RAREBANDY: What’s going on everybody! Thanks for tuning in, special shout out to all my the family in Bandyland and our Rare Panther holders. If you’re new to the wave, I’m Bandy, originally from Inkster, MI but currently based out of Southern California. I’m an Artist, Proud Father, Designer, and Active Duty Service Member currently serving in the United States Navy.
Please provide us with any details about your background and what got you into art:
RB: I’ve always been extremely creative, even as a child, in elementary school I’d draw DBZ characters for the homies and they’d give me money, snacks, whatever just out of love. I stopped drawing for a long time because I wasn’t content with the fact that intricate works weren’t my niche. I didn’t pick up on things like portraits or buildings, cars etc., my thing was cartoons and doodling. Fast forward to 2011, I begin my journey once again but in the streetwear industry, where the only time I drew was reference sketches for designers. I also tried my hand at dealing pop art and hosting my own Art Show in Detroit in 2013, with the homie Jimbo. It’s funny because all of the IRL events that go on now are very similar so it’s a bit nostalgic to watch the NFT NYC and Art Basel link ups. Most recently, (Fall 2020) I got back on Twitter and discovered the realm of Art Twitter in March 2021. From there I decided to buy an iPad around April 2021 and do my own designing. Art is kind of just a part of me and I’m grateful I found my way back. It’s like that saying about true love.
I love the characters you bring to life in your brand, what is the story behind their creation?
RB: Thanks, I currently have two original characters, Rarie Panther and Saki Love Blossom. Both took me about 5 months to develop and showcase but throughout those 5 months I was able to give them more meaning. I actually created Saki first, because well… flowers seem to always be one of the easiest things to draw right? I began drafting sketches of her and trying to figure out the centerpiece. Saki Love Blossom represents embracing life and death, growing together, and individuality as learn, adapt, and grow daily. Inspired by Bandy’s time in Japan and the Japanese Cherry Blossom, Saki easily wins over everyone with her inviting-colored petals and cute skull pistil. In Japan, cherry blossoms are called sakura, a special flower for the people and the country. Cherry blossoms are a symbolic flower of the spring, a time of renewal, and the fleeting nature of life. Although their life span is very short, they bring great joy to the lives of everyone that encounters them and that’s exactly what we want to accomplish with the movement. Good Vibes Only!
The current star of the show is Rarie Panther, a Black Panther discovered by me, in Bandyland. He wears a skull mask gifted to him by Saki Love Blossom, who grows skulls within its pistil. I decided on a panther because it’s kind of an outcast with some dope symbolism throughout history. The Black Panther is a part of the animal class Panthera and symbolism dates back to both ancient Africa, Greece and more. The Greek word for panther translated to “all-beast” and referred to as “The All.” That is exactly what I intended Rarie to represent, EVERYONE! The Black Panther is said to be a natural born leader, known and loved by all animals. In Africa, the panther is known to represent royalty and power. It is also RARE… an endangered species, protected by the civilization and thought of as a guardian angel. In most recent times the Black Panther is known to aid in revolution, bring change and renew old systems. This is exactly what the Rare Panther Party will do in the current space. Rarie is the brand mascot and will be one of the most recognizable fictional characters internationally.
We’ve also got Boo Faces but you’ll have to interview Hard @HardArchitect for that alpha.
When & how did you get into NFT’s?
RB: I got into NFTs back in April 2021, when I stumbled upon the Art Blocks being sold for some wild prices! I didn’t fully understand it, but I knew I had it in me to create a wave of some form. I just had to do the groundwork. My first NFT is still there on Rarible! So, if you’re reading this and you support Bandy at all cost, go grab that MJ Rookie Card. My initial idea was some Rare Sports Trading Cards, and after I minted and flopped, I went back to the drawing board and decided to just spend some time collecting and networking before I hopped back on the market. I’ve met so many talented artist and creatives that had work that I actually liked so it was a no brainer. I got into a few good group chats and some not so good ones, but I made genuine connections and never tried to force any vibes. I definitely wasn’t spending any money, let alone gas fees on art I didn’t like or artist that I didn’t believe in. I believe it was August when I collected my first piece, a Eyeless Peep from Thailand Artist Tvzsu. The homie Anubis @MoneyOverseas dropped it in the group chat and the art just spoke for itself. I took some time trying to build that community and watching Eyeless Peeps grow before I decided I was ready to bet on myself again.
I spent a few days working on my skeleton and I didn’t really have a plan or number in mind, just wanted to see how it looked and how the people liked it. I teased a few and the reaction was dope; everyone told me to drop them. This was October too, so all of the blue chips were getting ready for Halloween, Meka was dropping, and here I was… barely getting retweets on anything and still experiencing some gate keeping. But with the encouragement of my lady and some twitter fam, I dropped! . . . AND IT SOLD OUT! Almost instantly! I believe it sold out in 30 minutes. I repeated it again same time next week and BOOM! Sold out in 15 minutes! From there I just met some amazing people and began building something bigger than me and here we are 6 months later!
Who are some of your favorite NFT artists?
RB: So many! So many! Uhmmm, I’ll just skip this one. It’s too many and I don’t want to leave any out. But everyone knows how I feel about them and their work, I try to give roses daily and not even just to artist with NFTs. I love a bunch of artists that have yet to drop an NFT. I don’t even consider myself a NFT Artist, more so an Artist exploring a medium.
Do you make other forms of art?
RB: Definitely, although NFTs are a very important aspect of what I’m building, my love is with physical mediums. I’m kind of a hoarder so, naturally I like to create tangible things to touch and look at. I still enjoy creating clothing and I’m dabbling into a few mediums as well. I want my name and brand to be a household name so that’s the work you can expect from me.
What is coming for the near future with your art/brand?
RB: Big things! I hear they’re calling us the next Disney so, I definitely want to explore that but for now we’ll drop our 10k Generative Project on December 26th and then our 3D project, Boo Faces shortly after and a lot in between. I’d love to tell all and then circle back to show we did everything we said we were going to do but I’ll just say enjoy the show and participate if you can.
Where can collectors find your work?
Special thanks again to RAREBANDY. I hope this interview gave you some perspective on the NFT World, BANDY himself, and some great lessons on pivoting with your art to create something new and innovative. I learned a lot, but a core message I caught was the importance of networking, not just for personal gains, but to embrace and be apart of a community that is no doubt larger than you. Much respect, and I wish him and you all the success on your creative journey. Here you can follow the artist below, while also checking out our exclusive NFT COLLABORATION.
Twitter and IG: @RareBandy
Twitter: @RarePanthers
Twitter: @BooFacesNFT
RARESKELLY, this character is a combination of Rarebandy’s Rarie Panther, and Designed By Pauly Steez’s Skelly. Combining both worlds, this is as rare as it gets.