This week Leyla sits down with artist and filmmaker Nikita Diakur to explore his journey in the art and film worlds, spotlighting his acclaimed short film 'Ugly'. They dive into the film's themes and the creative process behind it, as well as his artistic identity, experiences with NFTs, and his upcoming exhibition on Verse with SOLOS. 

00:40 - Welcome Nikita Diakur 

02:20 - Identity and a multi faceted creative path

03:15 - Finding inspiration

06:04 - Exploring the themes in Ugly 

10:40 - Unpacking the creative process and the role of simulation

17:08 - The expansion of the Ugly world 

18:40 - Opening the treasure box, unfinished works and future exhibitions 

21:05 - The role of lived experience in Nikita's work 

23:50 - Art, politics and the message behind Ugly 

26:02 - Finding NFTs and the web3 space 

29:49 - Working with Colección Solo 

32:28 - A glimpse into Nikita's upcoming SOLOS show on Verse

38:02 - Balancing parallel creative practices