Gazelle Dasti: The Artist Behind Burning Man’s Holographic Head Journey to America on Ethereum Gazelle Dasti’s migration to America was funded by pixels and code. During the cryptocurrency boom, when Ethereum traded around $4,500, the Iranian-born artist sold 400 hand-painted digital self- portraits on the NFT platform Foundation. Each piece explored mental disorders like Bipolar, OCD, and Schizophrenia, personified through her own image after studying psychology textbooks. Her first piece sold within 24 hours. The collection’s success gave her enough money to secure a student visa and leave Tehran behind. Before becoming a professional artist, Gazelle was an avid rock climber who preferred mountains to city life. That changed when she pursued a second master’s degree at Bowling Green State University. Her first-semester project, a 3D hair simulation with geometric patterns spinning in a simulated environment, baffled her professors. They gave her freedom to pursue her own path. Gazelle describes herself as an “electro-acoustic composer” who uses TouchDesigner, a node-based visual programming language. Unlike standard 3D modeling, the software lets her manipulate millions of particles in real-time through GPU particle systems. She taught herself the program, generating live visuals rather than pre- rendered videos. QUICK SCROLL Iranian artist funded her American migration by selling 400 NFT self-portraits, now creates massive audio- reactive sculptures for Burning Man. gazelledasti.com @gazelledasti The Scribe - Page 4 ARTIST FEATURE
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