INKY NFTS TALENT INTERVIEW WITH
NITYA
What made you step into the NFT poetry space?
I started my journey in the NFT space in March. I was introduced to this space by an IRL friend and when I asked myself how I could be involved in this space, I thought of my poetry. But I only saw that as something I needed to have a purpose with. The idea for my collection Vulnerability 1.0 came to me in 15 minutes as I integrated my love for poetry and expression of my vulnerability with my future career in Mental Health. I felt heard and seen when I shared my deep, dark thoughts.
You recently had a (deservedly) sold out collection? Is that a dream come true or do you see it as a springboard for greater things?
It was surreal! Absolutely amazing, if you will. I feel like it is both a dream come true and a springboard for greater things. I would not have imagined my collection selling out in less than 2 hours! It was absolutely surreal and wild! However, I am working on adding more pieces to this collection. I felt like this launch was to prove to myself that I can do it. It is truly rewarding to see my art come such a long way and be appreciated by people. I am looking forward to fulfilling my goal of supporting a few people in their mental health journey through monetary benefits.
Who are three poets who have influenced you the most?
I like to think no one "influenced" my poetry and that it is all my own. But I do love some poets who made a great name for themself and their poetry is truly stunning. One such poet is Sylvia Plath. She was an amazing poet. Her use of metaphors and other literary devices do not fail to wow me every time. She has a subtle way of calling out he society for being set in its ill, old-fashioned ways, while advocating for equal rights especially as a woman. Another poet who influenced me is Vanshika (@VanshikaNFT on twitter). We have been friends since 2016 and our friendship has only grown as we battled through our dark days together. In 2018, she left India and with me she left her green diary of poems and her raw thoughts. Those pieces in that book, truly inspired me to write the type of poetry that I write.
What attracts you to the poetic form?
Poetry to me is simple. The words flow together, weaving words that I never would have expected to come out from me. It helped me when I was battling through depression. Providing me a space where I can truly express my honest thoughts without any worry of judgement. It is mesmerizing to me unlike art that is only visually pleasing and that dictates to an extent how it should look. With poetry the images form inside our head and I like that more.
What themes are prevalent in your work?
The themes that are prevalent in my work are dark. They usually surround death, self-harm, suicide, pain, heartbreak and love.
Do you think literary NFTs will enjoy the same success as generative and digital art pieces?
I think literary NFTs will slowly catch up with generative and 1/1 projects. They are slowly but surely making themselves known and a lot more people have their eyes on it. One thing I feel would tip this over is the attention from collectors. If they can show their interest in these pieces I feel like they would really make literary art well-known.
Who is rocking it in the poetry NFT space at the moment?
I feel like Mel(@herbalteagyal on twitter) is doing really good right now. Her pieces are really good, profound and mind-bogglingly representative of expression and speech. Her collection, minted on Tezos comes in a PDF format. She regularly hosts poetry spaces as well that encourage poets to share their work in spoken word format.
Do you have any advice for aspiring NFT writers?
The only thing I can think of is to: "Remember why you started writing and use that to fuel your growth in web3"
Where can Collectors find your work to buy?
You can find my NFTs here on OpenSea: https://opensea.io/collections
in her own words
I am Nitya. I use she/her pronouns. I am a 20-year old brown woman, living in India, currently. I am also a university student pursuing my Bachelor's in Psychology, gearing up for my dream career as a clinical psychologist. NFTs to me represent a safe space where I can be vulnerable and be myself, freely. I am passionate about creating a safe space for others to share their woes of everyday life. As a Psychology student, I looked into self-harm and I realized that I am not alone. In fact, 33.8% of college students indulge in these behaviors. That is 3 in 10 people!!!!
I am the founder, artist and poet behind vulnerability 1.0. Why 1.0? Humans are constantly evolving so is our trauma. We find different ways to express ourselves in that process. Here is how I am expressing my vulnerability through my art.
I am a poet because I found my way of expressing dark thoughts through words that initially remained trapped in my heart and also the notes app on my phone. As a teenager, I found a way of expressing my pain through words. For years, this pain, this trauma remained caged in my heart & my phone’s notes app. Until my mind, body & soul couldn’t take it anymore, I started sharing my poetry. When I opened that door, it rushed out of me like water behind a dam.
For years and years, I poured everything I had into that notes app and I couldn't contain it anymore. To me, Vulnerability is a wild and untamed creature and the only weapon I found to tame it, was a pen. So I became a wordsmith, slowly putting together the pieces of my soul, line by line healing every wound, every hurt that had scarred me. As I watered my soul, my words grew—and bore flowers, flowers that I call vulnerability 1.0.
INKY EDITORS NOTE
What a privilege it has been to have had the beloved Nitya on our site - our inaugural interviewee and now a member of the INFY FAM. Thank you so much for your raw and courageous answers.