Not of this world! Gaël Corboz is the architect of dreamscapes.
I awake to enter a garden of rare beauty. I am not frightened and I am happy to be alone. The sun is static just below the horizon, but I can’t tell if it is dusk or dawn. I wonder, is this the beginning or the end? There is peace and calm and simple sounds amplify my swelling emotions. Gaël brought me here with their imagination. I love this artwork, and that is why I am selling it.
Maybe you haven’t met me yet, my name is JL and I am an NFT artist, curator and collector. I found After Death on Foundation a month ago and knew instantly it was a good buy. At .3 ETH it was undervalued and in my price range, so I bid on it only hours after its minting. I felt sneaky bidding in the early morning and remaining silent on social media. I needed to win without a fight. I couldn’t afford a battle and I knew a whale could beat me with little fuss. Luckily, after 24 long hours, I had secured my prize. I loved it instantly. It is Gaël’s first piece to incorporate sound and seemed to have more of a narrative than his other magical kingdoms. I thought I could look at it forever, but I always knew I was buying to resale.
I first met Gaël in the creator channel on Foundation’s discord. They initially impressed me with their reasonable and gentle nature and then with their style and eye for detail. Gaël is a tad mysterious, so I was grateful they entertained my questions and gave me a peek inside their process.
“The most difficult thing is to find a good idea first.” Gaël explains, “And when I finally find a decent idea I start to do some test, such as lighting and composition. I use some game Engines to create my environment (FlowScape) but when I want to get some specific asset I use Blender too(ex add special flowers, plants etc) And I end up with some video animator like After Effect or Premiere.”
Gaël explained how they often draw inspiration from movies and classical arts, but the drive to create comes from another place.
“I have Aspergers. I’m not really good at interacting with people IRL, it’s partly why I created my own worlds. I always wanted to create a space where I can escape reality, especially in these times when a lot of people like me feel alone. I try my best to adapt to people, learning socials codes, etc. It’s just not natural for me, but I always feel good in the art space, where everyone can be themselves.”
I continued my gentle interrogation by asking about their training and education. Gaël explained how they first studied photography at an applied arts school before getting their bachelors degree in visual communication from ECAL. Gaël will be 30 years old this month and received their diploma in 2020.
“I really wanted to join the most famous art school in my country, so I applied and got in! Being late to art design was great because I knew exactly what I wanted to do; CGI and still life photography. Maybe when you start later you have more concrete goals and are more confident.”
Gaël has the energy and enthusiasm of a recent grad but the reasoning of a seasoned artist. When asked about the future of their career, Gaël didn’t disappoint.
“I hope to be a famous rich artist of course! Haha, but most importantly, I hope to be producing better artwork, progress is the biggest goal! I really want to improve my skills and creativity so my work can connect with more people, it’s my best way to communicate.”
These answers allowed me to buy with confidence and now, sell with confidence! I am a young collector without much capital, so I know I will have to make my gains slowly and through thoughtful investments. I have set After Life’s list price at 3ETH, a nice return for me, but still leaves plenty of room for a profitable flip by the next savvy investor.
While I will be sad to let this piece go, I am even happier promoting Gaël’s amazing artistry and their increasing value. ‘After Death’ was an easy choice for my first pick as a collector and I look forward to congratulating its next buyer.
