Meet Das Fuerst | Street Artist, Visual Effects Compositor, Award Winning Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Das Fuerst and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Das, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
There was a point in my life when I was younger when taking risks got me into a lot of trouble. I’ve always been a rebel by nature, but I found out that you can’t just keep flipping the game table over and expect things to work out all the time. It took me a while to figure out that taking risks means knowing when to walk away when gravity tries to pull you in – and the inverse, committing to something when nature tries to pull you away. I’ve always tried to lean into the uncomfortable decisions because those are the ones that make life worth living. The inspiration I have as an artist depends on my life experiences 1000%. If my life is stale, then so consequentially my mind and art suffers. Some might say, “what if it doesn’t work out?” Well, that’s a risk I’m willing to take to keep my life interesting, but the mountain of failures I’ve experienced have also been the most rewarding moments of my life. If the risk has a potential upside to personal growth, Im usually down unless it involves crime or f*cking someone or a group of people over. I do believe in Karma, and so should you.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I believe we are all in it together as creatives. In some way or another, we all need to occupy our minds, emotions, an obsession with something, or deal with something in life and creating some form of art is enabling and therapeutic. I’m not here to compete with anyone or stand out, because I think we all have good intentions and come from someplace special. If anything, I’m here to collaborate.

As for myself, I started out as a young graffiti artist back in late 90’s in high school because I saw guys doing things at the old Civic Yard that blew my mind.  Graffiti was a form of art that really infected me. It was challenging, thrilling, sometimes dangerous, and there was a game aspect to it that I wanted to learn and play. It opened the doors to a whole new culture that changed my life forever to this day.

After my 6 year military enlistment ended in 2015, I moved to NYC with an old friend from ATL and went to school at Parsons for a year for graphic design.  I transferred the next year to School of Visual Arts in NYC and earned my BFA in Computer Arts, Animation, and VFX. There I won outstanding achievement award for my short film “When Fire Flies” and multiple short film festival awards. I went on to work as a visual effects artist for Illuminarium here in Atlanta working on both WILD and SPACEWALK shows. I currently live in Midtown and work at FuseFX as a Compositor. I am always working on new paintings and designs, and painting new graffiti pieces around Atlanta, so please follow me @das.bk on Instagram.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First place I’d start is the infamous glass city in Buckhead to show them how dangerous it can be in the A. Then I’d roll them happy faces over to Magic City and show them just how we really do it and maybe do a Majestic Diner for them late night cravings. If they still haven’t got that fix, then have a night cap over at Clairmont Lounge. Need a new album cover? I got you covered – over at Krog Tunnel where anyone can be a real live graffiti artist. Live on the edge for 5 min while you deface public property for your IG or TikTok followers, but don’t miss out on the real attraction just outside the tunnel at 97 Estoria. That bathroom has seen some legends but all for the sake of that yeah yeah and unforgettable nights. Oh, it’s going to be sunny out? Let’s take a paddle down the hooch and dock up the the bamboo forest where people not familiar with the location think you’re in Japan as long as you geotag yourself outside of GA. You can find people doing park bumps and picnics at Piedmont Park, which was actually designed by the same landscaping architect that designed New Yorks infamous Central Park. the Olmsteds. If that doesn’t tickle your cerebral, then shake them bones down at MJQ’s while you get hit on by everything bipedal to your flavor of dance jams. Just don’t wear khakis for Christ sake. I can take you down a rabbit hole here in ATL, but if you want to live to see another day, then best catch an Uber out of here before you become a discarded chicken wing on the sidewalk.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The people and moments of my life that inspire me are endless, however, my daughters birth inspired me to be someone I never imagined. I owe my life and success to her existence. Rick Rubin’s approach to collaboration and creativity is a pillar that is unwitherable and continues to inspire me to do my best work. My enlistment in the US Air Force gave me the discipline and structure to be confident in my endeavors and most importantly, self accountability in everything that happens to me. Music. All of it. I listen to everything from early 1900’s honeysuckle jump, to jazz, hip hop, rock, punk, Spanish…..just all of it. This also goes without mentioning my dearest friends, family, and even the fleeting encounters I’ve had with all the interesting people throughout my life.

Website: www.mightyneptunevfx.com

Instagram: das.bk

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dasfuerst/

Other: find me on OnlyFans for when my mortgage is due