POW With Sevi Agregado

Sevi Agregado is a 10-year-old NFT artist making waves in the industry with his unique style and thought-provoking artworks.

He discovered art at the age of 5 and was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2. He began art as a hobby but excelled at it over time.

Since then, he has been using art therapy to help with his autism. If you want to check out Sevi’s art, you can do so by checking out the Twitter account managed by his mom, Sevi Loves Art.

In this article, we’ll learn more about Sevi’s Web3 story, told to us by Sevi and his mom themselves.

What were you doing before Web3?

April: I’m the office manager of the regional operating HQ of a management consulting firm based in HK. I basically make sure everyone in the office is happy and has the tools they need to make deals happen.

Sevi: I was in grade 1, but I’m in grade 3 now.

How did you get into Web3?

April:  I received several excited, very persistent messages from a friend and former colleague. I showed the messages to my husband and I asked him, should I talk to him?

I have a feeling he’s going to sell me an MLM (multi-level marketing) scheme. When I finally agreed to talk to him, he told me about NFTs and how they are a more fluid, frictionless way to share and even sell Sevi’s work. Thanks Patrick Lao!

It was through First Mint Fund that Sevi became an artist. They give artists in Southeast Asia the fees to mint their first NFT work, no strings attached!

The founders Gabby Dizon and Goltra and, later on, AJ Dimarucot  who manages the fund, became some of Sevi’s very first collectors in the space.

What was your first crypto or NFT project?

April: The very first NFT we received was from a giveaway by Lynn De La Rosa of her handprint, leaving her mark in the world.

The first NFT we purchased was from My Curio Cards, the first NFT project ever minted on the Blockchain!

I picked #10 Future because it reminded me of a piece that Sevi made, The Journey, although I wish I had also picked up one of Luis Buenaventura’s pieces back then.

How would you explain what you do to someone outside of Web3?

Sevi: I paint and Mommy shares and sells my art online.

April: We’re sharing Sevi’s story and journey as a young artist with autism, and sharing and selling the digitized, tokenized versions of his work in a way that will help prove its authenticity and ownership, and allow Sevi to earn royalties from his work forever.

Which creator or thought leader do you enjoy learning from?

April: I like the content shared by punk6529  about art and tech. I’ve bookmarked several of his tweets that I want to circle back to later on to try to understand better.

I look to Gary Vaynerchuk for his energy, his positivity and his realness.

What is the biggest highlight of your career so far?

Sevi: Sharing my art all over the world, like in Times Square New York!

April: How can I choose just one? Having Sevi’s work displayed in Times Square for NFT NYC, to sit and speak with Sevi on an artist panel for PH Web3 Festival where we announced the collab with Apl.de.Ap and revealed the artwork, and for Sevi to sell one of his NFTs last month at the country’s premier art fair, Art Fair Philippines

What tech or crypto trend are you watching this year?

April: I want to learn about more about AR (augmented reality) and digital art (ie, on a drawing tablet or iPad).

We saw an AR layer first applied to Sevi’s work in “1/1” Galeria Paloma’s NFT exhibit in the mall late last year when Motioneer.eth animated Sevi’s pieces using Artivive App.

Sevi has even tried animating one of his paintings using a motion app. It’s so amazing how tech has opened up a whole new world of possibilities to transform and enhance Sevi’s art. 

What advice would you give someone starting out in Web3?

April:  Be genuine, this is how you can make meaningful connections. If their post strikes you, interact with them, say something nice.

Enjoy all the art, memes and knowledge that can be gained when you follow the right people with whom you resonate.

Don’t click on random links, especially those sent in DMs from people you don’t know. Never give out your secret passphrase. If it’s too good to be true, it is. Have fun!

If you could do a TEDtalk on any topic, what would it be?

April: If we could do a TED talk, it would be about Web3 and how young artists, especially those with autism, like Sevi, who are passionate about what they do, can start their journey now and have the blockchain to back up and authenticate their work.

This would have to be under the guidance of a parent or an adult, but honestly, I’m blown away by some of the young artists that are already so eloquent with the way they explain their work, their advocacy, their “WHY” for being in the space and doing what they do, it’s really amazing.

What is the one thing you would bring if you were stuck on a deserted Island?

Sevi: Nutella sandwiches. They’re my favorite.

April: I love the Swiss Army Knife that my dad got me many years ago. I didn’t appreciate it so much when I first received as a gift on my birthday when I was in high school, but I’ve found it to be very useful and definitely a must bring on an island.

POW stands for “Proof of Work.” It is a new feature article series in The Mega Maxi to highlight the savviest builders in the Web3 space.