Six N. Five | Dijital Artist & Designer

Ezequiel Pini, aka Six N. Five, is an award-winning Argentinian digital artist and designer based in Barcelona. Over the last decade, Pini has pioneered the use of 3D to create imaginary, dreamlike worlds with his distinctive clean, modern aesthetic. His work combines different mediums to explore imaginary spaces, moving stories and physical artefacts.

His extensive experience working with well-known brands and creatives makes him one of the most recognisable digital artists today, with an artistic flair and spatial vision for the future. His refined imagination, poetic compositions, avant-garde mind and refined skills distinguish Six N. Five for his uniqueness and the purity of his results. We had a conversation with Pini about his work and production practice.

Interview: Onur Çoban

Who is Ezequiel Pini? Can you briefly tell us about yourself? How did your journey to becoming a globally recognised artist begin?

I am Ezequiel Pini, a digital artist and designer originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, now based in Barcelona. I studied Graphic Design in Buenos Aires and have spent time in various roles such as developer, designer, animator before finding my passion in 3D art. In 2014, I founded Six N. Five, a design studio where we specialize in creating digital imagery that often blurs the lines between reality and illusion.

It all started with a deep fascination for computers and programming since I was a teenager, which later evolved into a passion for the design and creativity in general. Spending time in different specialities, I found that CGI was bringing me a canvas for infinite exploration and flexibility, where I could represent my ideas in new and different ways. From there, I just spent my time to explore my own ideas and worlds, and showing them to the world since early times. I could say it was a different approach to digital art since that time, that helped to manage dreamed collaborations with people I admired a lot, and meet with new friends and collaborators that helped me to make dreams true.

Your work combines different practices that are common in disciplines such as art, architecture and design. How would you define the mission of your art?

Yes, I am motivated by the idea that what I do reflects my own interests. Architecture, art and design are some fields that I am passionate about, and that consciously or unconsciously become visible in a particular way when I do something. The mission of my art is first and foremost to create, and if possible doing something that I has not created before. I like to invite reflection, or even to make someone stop and steal a few minutes of their time and attention, I find that powerful in these busy days where we have multiple inputs. My goal is to evoke emotions, arouse curiosity and inspire you to create more worlds that challenge your perceptions of reality and illusion. Even today more than ever where we live in such a hybrid world between the digital and the physical.

Magicien, Commissioned by Cartier, 2024

How does your deep curiosity about the natural world influence you and how is it reflected in your art? Which elements of nature inspire you the most?

In the last few years I have realized more and more that my body and mind need a daily dose of connection with the natural world. Whether on a walk, doing a sport in the mountains, or getting up and listening to the birds. And this undoubtedly has a profound influence on my work. I find inspiration in the specimens, textures, colors and shapes found in nature. Elements such as mountains, trees and bodies of water often feature prominently in what I do, and are also a source of serenity and meditation in my digital locations. Nature's ability to evoke a sense of calm and wonder is something I strive to capture in any of my creations.

"I draw inspiration from everything around me: spaces, places, people, and their cultures. However, my greatest source of inspiration is undoubtedly nature and its intricate beauty. Over the years, I've tried to combine different disciplines to reinterpret this majesty, from architecture, landscaping to cinematography and different types of artistic mediums."

In your last exhibition Species, you transformed the traditional concept we have of nature and its organic and soft shapes into discrete objects with right-angled forms. How did this idea come about?

The idea for "Species" came from a desire to challenge traditional perceptions of nature by juxtaposing its organic forms with geometric, right-angled structures. This transformation was inspired by the concept of finding harmony between natural elements and human-made designs, creating a new visual language that merges the softness and organic shapes of mother nature with the precision of the human intervention.

Species, 2023

Which of your works has excited you the most in terms of the design process and the final product?

One of the works that excited me the most is the "Artificial Spaces" installation in collaboration with someform Studio. This project allowed visitors to explore unique architectural environments using generative design and real-time rendering software. The combination of manual 3D design and the creation of nearly infinite space combinations was a thrilling process, and the final product was both innovative and immersive.

Artificial Spaces, in collaboration with SomeForm Studio, 2023

Which important trends and currents do you think will determine the digital art and 3D sector in the coming years?

I believe the digital art and 3D sector will be heavily influenced by advancements in AI and real-time rendering technologies. These tools will enable artists to create more complex pieces, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in faster times and expending the possibilities. Additionally, the integration of digital art with new hybrid realities will open up new avenues for immersive experiences and artistic expression.

Can you tell us a little bit about the sources of inspiration behind your work? Who are the names you follow with curiosity in this field or in different disciplines?

My sources of inspiration are diverse and come from various disciplines related to the creative field and expression, but also what surrounds to us in our world around us. I am deeply influenced by surrealist artists like René Magritte and Salvador Dalí, as well as contemporary designers and architects from the contemporary world. Everyday experiences and the beauty of the natural world also play a significant role in shaping my ideas.

Flow, 2023

I follow a range of artists and designers across different disciplines. Architects, designers, photographers, film directors. In the field of arts love the works of artists like James Turrell and Olafur Eliasson. Surrealist movement always caught my attention, more precisely artists like René Magritte and Salvador Dalí, going way back more in time. Their innovative use of light, space, and materials constantly pushes me to explore new possibilities in my own work.

Are you excited for the future and what are your plans?

Yes, I am very anxious about the future. My plans include continuing to push the boundaries of art and design in general, of the digital and the physical, of the real and the not real. I like to question all these dijuntives by experimenting with new technologies and media, and bring something unexpected to our expectations. At the same time exploring new tools that allow me to enhance these visions. I would also like to continue creating exhibitions that combine different technologies and the use of new tools to express and manifest new ideas.