Kika Nicolela: from digital art to collectible cards

Leyla Fakhr speaks with Brazilian artist, filmmaker and curator Kika Nicolela about community, collecting and finding new audiences for digital art.
Kika discusses her work with Objkt, the culture around Tezos, and why physical exhibitions remain important for digital artists. They also talk about Kika’s recent exhibition in Shiraz and the role art can play in communities beyond the usual European and US centres.
The conversation then turns to Kento, a new collectible art card project connecting physical cards with digital artworks. Kika explains how the project works, why they chose Kickstarter, and how it has helped them reach collectors outside Web3.
They also discuss Instagram, onboarding new audiences, the relationship between physical and digital collecting, and what comes next for Kento.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction: Leyla Fakhr and Kika Nicolela
02:46 Being an artist and curator
05:12 Community, collecting and onboarding artists
08:52 Tezos and experimentation
12:06 Curating at Objkt and Objkt One
16:47 Why physical exhibitions matter for digital art
21:46 Presenting digital art in physical spaces
24:30 Shiraz and the Iranian art scene
28:37 Introducing Kento
30:43 Connecting physical cards with digital artworks
32:01 Rarity, editions and claiming the digital work
35:01 The 40 artists in Kento’s first season
37:00 Why Kento chose Kickstarter
42:45 Building an audience and raising $160,000
44:16 Finding new collectors through Instagram
49:45 Kento’s artists and the theme of web nostalgia
53:06 What comes next for Kento
55:58 Upcoming exhibitions and projects
57:53 Closing thoughts

kento.art
kikanicolela.art