Chepertom: Crafting Visual Poetry from Digital Chaos

With an insatiable passion for creative exploration, Thomas Collet aka Chepertom experiments with a diverse array of artistic mediums, seamlessly transitioning from drawing and engraving to immersive installations and captivating videos. However, within this expansive repertoire, it is his captivating foray into video art, particularly through the mesmerizing medium of glitch art, that showcases the depth and profoundness of his artistic vision.

Creating Beauty in Chaos: The Aesthetic of Glitch Art

Chepertom’s aesthetic is one that challenges and defies the conventional norms of digital artistry. His primary medium of choice, glitch art, transmutes errors and distortions, generally considered digital nuisances, into forms of fascinating beauty. A unique style, that reveals the hidden machinations behind digital image production, creating a visual spectacle that is both disruptive and mesmerizing.

His journey into glitch art began during art school, drawn by the curiosity tied to the inner workings of video editing and the desire to understand the hidden processes behind the interface. This immediately led him to explore video compression algorithms and formats: the beginning of his artistic path, that culminated in his encounter with a subculture of artists generating glitches purposefully.

At the heart of Chepertom’s glitch art is a deep-seated fascination with destruction and theoretical physics, viewing it as the framework underpinning reality at all scales.

His inspirations include contemplative cinema directors such as Tarkovsky and Kurosawa, architectural forms, abstract paintings, and Art brut, but also “The Glitch Artists Collective” that have, and continue to provide technical and theoretical inspiration to propel the continuous evolution of his style. 

Chepertom: the Chaos of Creation & Challenging the Concept of Error

It is precisely in the chaos of creation, that Chepertom thrives. His creative environment is a whirlwind of ongoing projects, disorder, and disruption, reflecting the essence of his art.

An advocate of coding, Chepertom considers it a tool that offers greater freedom compared to traditional software, with his favorite mediums including Ffmpeg, along with Avidemux, Vlc, and Audacity. For specific projects, he also turns to Isadora and imagej for processing.

Central to his artistic exploration is the intriguing inquiry into the categorization of intentional anomalies, as he persistently challenges the threshold of what is deemed a glitch, questioning whether these strategically implemented irregularities can still be classified as ‘errors.’ A philosophical inquiry into intentional glitches, dominating his artistic production, and guiding the continual metamorphosis of his creative methodology. 

Vision for the Future: Glitch Art Permeating Every Layer of the Digital & Physical World

Chepertom envisions a future where glitch art has permeated every layer of the digital and physical world.

In a world where perfection is relentlessly sought after, Chepertom challenges conventional perceptions, finding beauty in error, and perfection in the imperfections of the digital realm.

Over the years, Chepertom’s entrancing portfolio has not only attracted international attention, gracing the spaces of numerous prestigious exhibitions, but it has also made waves in the music industry. He has lent his unique creative vision to a variety of music videos, including a collaboration with pop icon Ariana Grande.

Yet, Chepertom’s influence doesn’t solely inhabit digital screens or gallery spaces; it extends further, kindling a new generation of digital artists to delve into the domain of glitch art. 

Further enriching his body of work is his significant foray into the world of NFTs, particularly in the Tezos art scene with his remarkable RAD series — An addition to his creative output that continues to underscore his innovative approach, emphasizing his commitment to exploring new frontiers in digital art.

In the ever-evolving digital art scene, Chepertom’s relentless exploration of glitch art has proven to be a catalyst for change transcending simple aesthetics, urging viewers to confront and reconsider entrenched beliefs about error, imperfection, and their personal understanding of perfection.

Founded in 2021, Fakewhale advocates the digital art market's evolution. Viewing NFT technology as a container for art, and leveraging the expansive scope of digital culture, Fakewhale strives to shape a new ecosystem in which art and technology become the starting point, rather than the final destination.

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