DEMORPHS

The TON Diamonds platform is launching a major NFT project, DEMORPHS, featuring phygital collectible toys. We spoke with the collection's creator to uncover the secrets behind his work, who the Demorphs are, and dive into the world of cyber-futurism.

The creator of DEMORPHS, Nikita Replyanski, is a cyber-artist and designer leading the R66 team, known for creating futuristic art projects.

The R66 Space team led by Nikita Replyanski has launched numerous successful collections, collaborated with global brands, and shown the world what true phygital art is all about. They're ready to release their first phygital NFT collection on the TON Blockchain. So, he is excited to share insights about the creative process and art with our community.

Curious about phygital and why it’s so valuable? You can find out more here, and keep reading for an in-depth interview on the art!

Interview

Interviewer: Hi Nikita! We’ve looked at your previous work, and it’s captivating and imaginative. What inspires you to create? What do you think shaped your style and path?

Nikita: At the beginning of my artistic journey, I was undoubtedly influenced by the big names in the art world. I studied biographies to find out how to carve my path. Over the years, I've done a great deal of work and accumulated a wealth of ideas and meanings. As a result, I now conduct most of my creative process within my little universe. I'm always searching for something new, wandering through Pinterest and Are.na, and I'll find what I need there to add to my stylistic foundation.

I’d say the biggest influences on my style and path are collaborations and joint projects with other artists and brands, especially with the artists in my team. These projects allow me to discover new perspectives on my creativity.

My themes are inspired by the processes of how humanity evolves, adapts, and transforms. I've always been drawn to ideas of futurism. While I used to focus on constant development, I'm now more interested in questions of balance.

The exploration of how humans and technology can coexist constantly inspires me to seek new forms of expression and bring my ideas to life.

Interviewer: Why are you drawn to the concept of cyber-futurism, and would you describe your art that way?

Nikita: Cybernetics and futurism are the tools I use to understand reality, the world, and human nature. These movements are driven by technology, which relies on fundamental science to inform its development. This combination has a profound impact on society and, ultimately, on individuals within that society. It shapes how they perceive themselves and the world around them.

My work is inspired by these connections. I create projects that explore both myself and the people engaging with my work. These can be my original pieces or an NFT collection of art toys. What fascinates me most about the latter is how, today, the virtual world can be valued equally or even more than the physical one. I find this process interesting to observe.

Interviewer: The virtual world is growing rapidly, and it is clear that it still has significant potential for growth. What’s the story behind the DEMORPHS? What are they? Will there be more in this universe? Are you planning to collaborate with others in the future?

Nikita: DEMORPHS reflects what's been on my mind and what interests me at this point in my life. They are cosmic beings who take over civilizations by inhabiting the bodies of creatures and objects, 'stealing' their physical forms. In our story, their targets are worlds that have lost control of themselves, giving in too much to war, technology, or other grand ideas.

Their world is an artistic metaphor for what I observe in people around me. I'm fascinated by the eternal struggle between chaos and order, and how extremes inevitably lead to consequences. In the world of DEMORPHS, my team and I explore these questions in a fun, game-like way. Plus, we love space, cyberpunk, fashion, mystical settings, and collecting :)

I intend to bring this universe into my larger collaborations with brands, the way of collaboration with Adidas. We're also very interested in the gaming space within Web3. To be honest, we're already working on a few projects. It's too early to share details, but we're focused on making our universe more interactive.

We've collaborated with other artists in all of our major collections over the past few years. I think DEMORPHS will evolve on the same path. We're still exploring the TON ecosystem. We're going to make these collaborations stand out—especially if we continue the collection. That means we're carefully planning formats.

Interviewer: A sequel to the collection and an interactive universe with DEMORPHS sounds cool. We hope to get the details first! Your phygital work looks impressive, especially the masks and armor. Can you tell us how you created the toys, helmets, masks, and armor?

Nikita: What excites me today is that I can use nearly the same tools to create both digital and physical objects.

At the beginning of every project, I focus on asking the right question. The question will help me to approach the task from the best possible angle. For example, how should an art object look to evoke specific emotions in a particular context? It’s a bit like crafting a prompt for MidJourney. Questions spark my imagination.

Next comes research: sketches, studying the topic, finding references, and brainstorming. It’s important to think through the format for presenting the project and its functionality. This is especially important for creating costumes for artists. You pick the materials and fine-tune the details.

After that, I move on to the 3D modeling phase and the development of physical production. Then, the final stage is the actual production process. Mostly, 80–90% of the success of a project is determined by the preparation phase.

Interviewer: You mentioned that collaborations bring something new to your work, inspire you, and influence your creativity. Could you tell us more about how your collaborations with Anyma, Grimes, and Bring Me The Horizon came about?

Nikita: Strangely enough, all three collaborations with major music artists were milestones in terms of technical and stylistic execution, almost challenges.

In chronological order, for Bring Me The Horizon, I created digital AR masks to accompany their music video 'Parasite Eve'. These were some of the most challenging AR projects I've done on a technical and realistic level. The format was innovative too. I mean for an artist to make interactive digital art that is immediately distributed to their entire base.

We worked with Anyma to develop the concept of what his futuristic accessories would look like, how they would function during performances, what the maximum weight would be, what materials would be used, and how it would all fit into the overall narrative of the project. The realization that hundreds of thousands of people around the world would see this added a new level of challenge. I was thrilled with the result, and we've worked together on several projects this year. To this day, I consider these to be my most powerful works, combining all of my diverse experiences.

For the collaboration with Grimes, we started with a helmet design I’d created earlier for a personal project, and built on some of her ideas inspired by video games. The big challenge was implementing my style into it. Also, make it look like high fashion rather than cosplay, and ensure it is lightweight and easy to wear. It was just as tough as it was rewarding to achieve that high level of quality.

These kinds of projects shape my style, level, and experience of executing complex works.

Interviewer: The helmet for Grimes stood out—it perfectly captures her creative image and looks lightweight and comfortable. As with many things, what looks effortless is often the hardest to create. What are your thoughts on NFTs and the future of digital art? What’s the value of it for you as an artist?

Nikita: I like to think about realistic ideas, so I hope NFTs become the new standard for artist authentication certificates. This would introduce new technological solutions to the traditional art market, and in turn, open more doors for digital artists.

For me, the biggest value lies in the fact that the digital and NFT projects I’ve worked on over the past few years could reach a new level of recognition, audience, and exhibition spaces.

Interviewer: I think many artists would agree with you, and that shift could certainly open new paths for creative growth. One last question about your creativity—what are your dreams for the future of your work?

Nikita: In my creative journey, in international space, my dream is to reach the highest level of collaboration with world-class brands like Dior and Gentle Monster; and to enter landmark platforms with our Art Toys from R66 Space and my original projects. And I’d love to explore more foundational creative formats, like monumental sculpture, merging technology and art. I think I’m already working in all these directions.

Interviewer: Thank you, Nikita, for your answers. We hope and believe we’ll see your grand projects and collaborations with global brands soon. And of course, we’re excited for your new collections on TON! For now, we’re getting ready for the launch of the first phygital DEMORPHS this week.