EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED
“I truly believe ideas are all around; it’s just a matter of tuning in and recognizing them when they show up.” — VERTIGO
Yes, their alias, VERTIGO, as you (and I) imagined, is linked to Alfred Hitchcock. Like following the master’s formula for a good movie—keeping the audience in a state of suspense, that endless moment before the action—VERTIGO doesn’t fully reveal themselves. We keep searching for hints in their work, but in the end, it’s enough for us to simply admire their stunning pieces, faceless characters, and rich symbolism.
Their new series, Everything Connected, releasing this Friday the 15th on objkt, is a five-piece drop rooted in the idea of memento mori. Curious? Read our chat below.
Raquel Gaudard - I tried to learn more about your background, your bio, but only came across your profiles on NFT marketplaces. Is there a reason you prefer to stay undoxxed? Does it have to do with privacy or security, or is it part of a more mysterious persona you’re creating?
VERTIGO - I started my journey as an artist in 2018 using my real name across all platforms. But over time, I realized I wanted the focus to be on the work, not the person behind it. Staying undoxxed became a way to protect my privacy, maintain a sense of mystery, and let the art speak for itself. As you said, it’s all of the above: privacy, security, and creating a more enigmatic presence. It just felt like the right choice for how I wanted to show up as an artist.
Connections, Everything Connected series, by VERTIGO.
RG - Yes, I’m a fun fact seeker — so I’d love to know the story behind your alias. Why Vertigo? Are you a Hitchcock fan?
V - Back in 2019, I was trying out different aliases, changing my profile name almost daily, but none of them felt right. Then I stumbled across the Vertigo movie poster by Hitchcock while browsing online. I hadn’t even seen the film yet, but the design and title struck a chord. That same day, I created a digital collage and titled it Vertigo. Later that night, I watched the movie, and it just clicked. The themes, the atmosphere, the name, it all resonated deeply. From that point on, I felt like, yeah... I’m Vertigo.
Vertigo, Everything Connected series, by VERTIGO.
RG - How did your journey into the NFT space begin? Were you already making digital art before that?
V - Before NFTs, I was creating personal work and taking on commissions, album covers, posters, and client-based projects. At the same time, I was already into crypto on a hobby level, even had a few GPUs at home mining Ethereum. Then in early 2021, I saw an Instagram story from an artist friend announcing he’d sold a piece as an NFT on Ethereum. I was instantly curious and started researching. I minted my first piece that February — and to my surprise, it sold immediately. The collector who bought it reached out, and over time, ended up collecting 23 more pieces from me for a total of 6 ETH. That first week alone changed my life; it showed me a new world where art and technology could truly intersect.
To be Free, Everything Connected series, by VERTIGO.
RG - What are your main creative tools in your day-to-day as an artist?
V - My process usually starts with a sketch. Once the core idea is there, I collect and create whatever materials the piece calls for, whether that’s public domain images, 3D elements, photos I’ve taken, digital painting, or animation. Everything comes together in Photoshop. More recently, I’ve added AI tools to the process, mostly to generate specific elements or textures I can use in my collages. In a way, it’s made things easier and more complex at the same time. I still treat everything as raw material; the final work is always carefully composed, piece by piece.
RG - I always say it’s a privilege to hear an artist talk about their own work. Yours seems rich in symbolism — especially memento mori (at least, that’s how I read it). Am I right? Every detail feels intentional, like it’s trying to say something. Do you feel the need to guide the viewer toward a specific meaning?
V - I usually prefer not to explain my work too directly; I think part of the magic is letting people see and feel what speaks to them. But since you asked about this series, I can share that Everything Connected is rooted in the idea of memento mori. It’s about the fragile line between our physical existence and something beyond it, something intangible. The recurring elements, skulls, halos, human forms — are all there to suggest this connection. The glowing light you see in each piece symbolizes that bridge between the known and the unknown. It’s not tied to any religion, just a personal curiosity about what might lie beyond.
To exist beyond this, Everything Connected series, by VERTIGO.
RG - The subjects in your pieces often have no faces, no eyes, or appear as skulls. Is there a particular reason behind this choice not to depict the human face?
V - This was a very conscious decision. I wanted to strip away identity, to show the human experience without anchoring it in one specific person. No face, no features, just presence. The skulls and auras are metaphors for what’s underneath, and perhaps beyond, our visible selves. It’s about the shared essence of being human, rather than individuality.
RG – I’d love to hear more about your upcoming drop Everything Connected, launching August 15 on objkt. Do you usually start with a theme or concept, or does the story emerge after the work is complete? Could you share a bit about this series — the process, techniques, and anything else you find important?
V - This series began with a central idea: "connections". Not just between people, but between life and whatever follows it. I wanted to visually explore the emotional and symbolic journey of existing, and not existing. I experimented with different visual directions, and the final aesthetic came through slowly, piece by piece. The works are all digital collages made with a mix of AI-generated elements, public domain artworks, photography, and textures I’ve built myself. Everything is arranged and finalized in Photoshop. The whole process is like solving a visual puzzle, arranging layers until the composition feels just right.
RG - Fallen Angels was your genesis piece on objkt — what led you to mint on this platform specifically? What drew you to the Tezos ecosystem in the first place — was it the community, the accessibility, the ethos behind it?
V - I’d always wanted to do something on OBJKT. The timing just never felt quite right until a conversation with Rob, who’s been super supportive. After that talk, I knew it was time. I felt welcomed right away, and the response was incredible. My genesis drop, Fallen Angels, sold out in less than a day. That kind of support reminded me why I love the Tezos community, it’s open, accessible, and full of people who really care about the art.
Way Out, Everything Connected series, by VERTIGO.
RG – Lastly, what inspires you outside of digital art? Books, films, places, rituals — what feeds your imagination?
V - I find inspiration everywhere, but film and music have always been big for me. David Lynch, especially his way of speaking about ideas, like comparing them to fish you have to dive deep to catch, really stuck with me. That quote became a kind of personal motto. This space is also an incredible source of inspiration. Being surrounded by so many talented artists means you’re constantly seeing new ideas, new ways of thinking. For Everything Connected, the biggest inspiration was actually music. I created the entire series while listening to Music for Animals by Nils Frahm. That ambient mood shaped the tone of the work. I truly believe ideas are all around; it’s just a matter of tuning in and recognizing them when they show up.
EVERYTHING CONNECTED - Drop on objkt.com, Friday 15 th.