Creature

Rian Nandan

Growing up on the cusp of millennial and generation Z, online culture was still in its early stages when I first obtained access to the internet. Forums were the predecessor to modern social media, and multiplayer games existed in a rather different format from their incarnation today. Even though I was young, I began talking to people through these channels, and they are what inspired me to draw and create art as a child. Websites like Neopets and Deviantart and games like Pokemon were staples in my youth, and I began drawing monsters that were designed by others as well as those of my own invention. I created characters in these worlds, sharing them with others and interacting with them through cyberspace.

As I grew older, as the social landscape of the internet changed, I continued to foster relationships with people I met online. I met other people whose interests aligned with mine, and continued to make character art for fun. I moved onto more modern platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, and began playing games like Final Fantasy Online, where I continued to make characters and art with other people.

As the pandemic hit and all of our lives moved online, these interactions became especially important to me. I miss seeing my friends in real life, but being able to talk and play games together online makes it hurt a little less. The people and artists I love might be physically far apart, but we talk all the time, and it brings warmth to my life even as the country struggles through one of its darkest times. The work I did for this show exemplifies where I began talking to people on the internet, and the fact that drawing silly little creatures snowballed into me having many meaningful relationships online today.

Creature (New Art City): _{Link to New Art City}

Portfolio: _{https://riannanandan.myportfolio.com/}