Argentinian crypto-artist paints the famous, digitizes, donates his works

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By Augusto Morel

Buenos Aires, Sep 2 (EFE) .- For years he struggled with issues related to the loss of mobility in his right hand, and during the Covid-19 quarantine in Argentina, he discovered that art was one way he could use to help those who needed help the most.

Argentine artist Luka Nicolino, 39, paints portraits of celebrities and other famous people, including Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi and Atletico de Madrid coach Diego “Cholo” Simeone, and 100 percent of the money he earns from his works, he gives to worthy causes.

In 2000, right-hander Nicolino suffered an accident that cut the tendons and nerves in his right hand. After several years of therapy he trained to use his left hand and during his forties he began to paint to “escape pain and boredom”.

Her first work was a portrait of Argentine actress Romina Yankelevich (1974-2010) requested by her son, Franco, as a gift for his grandmother, the famous television producer Cris Morena.

“I didn’t want to charge him and he didn’t want it to be free, so I offered to donate the funds,” Nicolino told EFE.

On social networks, he learned of the case of Aaron, a boy who at 4 years old survived a fire in which he lost his hands, his mother and was disfigured by burns to his face.

“When I heard that, I cried for four days without stopping, until I said, ‘Enough. I don’t get anything with this. I have to start painting and raise some money to help him, ”said Nicolino.

“Then, because of this situation, there was a series of cases like this and I didn’t stop (painting),” he added.

With money from sales of other works, Nicolino paid for two eye operations that another boy needed to keep him from going blind, and he even built a house for two parents with intellectual disabilities.

Nicolino digitizes his paintings and offers them for sale in online markets to collectors, art lovers and fans of the celebrities he paints.

After painting his subjects, the artist contacts them, offers them to sign his works and then seeks to contribute the money he draws from them to meritorious causes, even if sometimes he only asks celebrities to share his works. on social networks to attract more people. become familiar with his efforts.

Among the portraits he painted, that of “Cholo” stands out, and he had it signed by the football coach to increase its value.

“I have Simeone’s painting digitized and I offer it to various collectors. It is marketed on online networks, media and communication platforms, ”he said.

He painted Messi when the forward put his own collection of proprietary digital images or non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on the market in mid-August.

“I painted Messi to kind of welcome him into the crypto world, ever since he launched his NFT. I haven’t been able to get in touch with him, but my idea is for him to to sign my work upon his return to Argentina, ”said Nicolino.

He’s also painted pop singer Tini Stoessel and young cumbia singer-songwriter L-Gante, both of whom he managed to reach out to put their names on his works and make them known on their social media accounts.

Currently, Nicolino is working on a portrait of Argentine singer-songwriter Nikki Nicole, with whom he hopes to raise funds to be shared between four restaurants in the province of Buenos Aires.

Nicolino has a degree in public relations with a graduate degree in capital markets, and in his spare time he attends a music conservatory where he played guitar and violin until his accident. made him unable to use his right hand for such things. .

Two years ago he began to devote his life to art and to helping others. “It gives meaning to my life and it helps… people too. It’s giving back what I’ve been given a second chance, ”he said.

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