Artist Spotlight 012 - Mort Espiral
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Welcome to the 12th Edition of the Artist Spotlight. In this edition we talk to Mort Espiral, who is a groove-driven Argentine experimentalist whose art (sonic and visual) explores minimalism, funk, and altered perception, while using Web3 as a living laboratory for connection and creative evolution.
SVS:
What is your name, and do you go by an artist handle?
MORT:
Everybody knows me as Mort. In 2005, friends from psychedelic adventures started calling me "Mort," and thus, Mort Espiral was born.
SVS:
When did you first get into creating music?
MORT:
I started early experimenting with sounds, and from teenage bands when I was 15, and started making lots of beats such as minimal funk infused rhythms as a solo artist.I am still discovering now in my 30´s.
Outside of music I also do lots of other art from fractals and screenprints. There’s no dramatic origin story here, just years of showing up, turning the knobs, reshaping sound until it locks into place.
SVS:
That kind of answers my next question. Do you have any other creative expressions besides music?
MORT:
Yes I make all kinds of arts, painting, digital art, fractals, screenprinting,etc. My wife and I have a screenprinting workshop called "Conoce lo Fresco". I develop graphic projects there.
SVS:
A man of many talents I see almost like a modern Renaissance man. When did you first start making music, and what drew you to it?
MORT:
I have always loved music, since I could remember. It was always a part of me.
SVS:
Was there a specific moment or catalyst that pushed you to take making music seriously?
MORT:
Making music with friends happened naturally from the time I was in bands when I was a teenager and it just kept growing; and the Web3 scene helped me a lot with making my beats more professionally.
SVS:
How would you describe your sound to someone hearing it for the first time?
MORT:
Groovy beats, some very experimental.
SVS:
What themes or ideas tend to show up most in your work?
MORT:
I like minimalism, groove, the funk, twisting time and perception a bit.
SVS:
What does your creative process usually look like, from idea to finished track?
MORT:
I experiment in most of my work, it's like an everyday job of twisting things around until you find the thing that propels it; so you can feel it. You know?
SVS:
Do visuals or storytelling influence your music?
MORT:
Yes all arts interact and influence and inspired me
SVS:
What made you decide to participate in the NFT/Web3 space to promote your work?
MORT:
I've always been interested in crypto and the NFT bump helped me a lot from time to time. 2021 is when I ventured into Web3. where I formed bonds with great artists and managed to generate income creating fractals and music. Blockchain technology finally allowed me to live from music after 20 years of trying. That fleeting economic stability gave me more time to create, collaborate, and dream.
I’m really interested in more applications of art, property, sharing, and of course making some coins. I am working alongside @keleven01 and @sandrob3. We started @mycorama, a project that seeks to bridge musicians, illustrators, engineers, and designers to produce collaborative art pieces in a federal manner, exploring diverse funding ways to make them real.
SVS:
What platforms do you primarily use to share or sell your work, and why?
MORT:
I started on Teia, OBJKT, but I tested a lot of platforms. I like Manifold, Foundation and Highlight as well.
SVS:
How do you feel NFTs or Web3 change the relationship between artists and fans?
MORT:
I have made some pretty profound relationships in this space. Found and developed relationships with new colleagues, and made fans. That’s just one of the most amazing things about Web3. Like I mentioned earlier, working alongside @keleven01 and @sandrob3 we have started @mycorama.
SVS:
That is something that I think is really cool about the space, people that you may not normally have access to IRL, you have access to in this space.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far as an artist?
MORT:
You gotta keep working!
SVS:
Yeah that makes sense. It is simple and direct to the point!
What advice would you give to artists who are curious about NFTs but hesitant to jump in?
MORT:
Experiment! Experiment! Experiment! Things must change in the world, a lot of amazing ideas of how the future should be are in Web3. We won’t figure it out unless we experiment!
SVS:
Just for fun, what genre of music do you listen to most, and is it the same while you’re creating?
MORT:
I listen to a lot of music from all sorts of genres. However, lately a lot of 70s funk and classical, to inspire me to create. I also listen to a lot of synth music.
Mort Espiral is a reminder that not every artist’s journey is defined by a single spark. Sometimes it’s about years of showing up, refining your sound, and trusting the process. There’s no dramatic origin story here, just years of showing up! From groove heavy experimentation to building creative ecosystems in Web3, Mort continues to evolve while staying rooted in what matters most: feeling! His story highlights something we hear often in this space, but rarely see lived out so consistently:
Experiment, Connect, and Keep Going.
This year Mort is planning to launch his second album, "Mort Invita", which will include many of these community productions. He continues to be a Renaissance man and explores both onchain and off. Connecting both worlds together and now he’s inviting you into the spiral.
You can stay up to date with Mort’s music here, and his art here.
And stay connected with him on Farcaster and X.
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If you’re an artist, even an onchain or digital artist and would like to be featured in a future Artist Spotlight; I’d love to hear from you. Reach out to me and let’s share your story. Much Love!
Serenus
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