William Mapan: Creative Chaos, Patience & Enjoying The Ride (Interview)
Who is William Mapan?
William Mapan is a French artist, coder, and teacher who explores different media and techniques. His work is characterized by bridging worlds through color, texture, and composition to create the unexpected.
With a background in software development and advertising, William alternates between various mediums (including generative art) and relies on creativity and chance to create his artworks.
While Dragons and Anticyclone are his most emblematic collections, William has worked on numerous collections where the attention to detail and technical proficiency prevails, both digital and physical. He has exhibited his artworks worldwide and has sold them in the most prestigious auction houses, such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s.
William Mapan
What is something you wish someone had told you before becoming an artist?
Easy! Being a full-time artist is not only about creating.
You have to wear so many hats that it can be overwhelming. Be sure to know that before embarking on this journey, and enjoy the ride!
What does your creating process look like?
Complete chaos.
I sketch/create daily but significant progress doesn’t happen every day. Some weeks I create things I would normally do in months, and sometimes a week feels like a day of progress.
But it’s very normal. That’s how the brain works, so I have to accept it.
Anticyclone #470 by William Mapan
Who are 2-3 artists you admire or respect that you think deserve (even) more recognition?
There are two on the top of my head.
Zach Lieberman, for the way he creates daily and shares everything. It blows my mind.
Matt Deslauriers, for his contributions to creative coding & generative art, which are countless.
What activity do you fall into when you are trying to enhance your creativity?
Very cliché, but it’s being away from computers and screens.
I have a passion for climbing, dancing, painting, and photography, so I always go back to those when I need some fresh air.
I also really like to do nothing. Just sit somewhere and do nothing. Look at the sky, the birds, anything. Letting my mind wander.
Dragons #386 by William Mapan
What do you benefit the most when working with NFTs and the blockchain?
Working with these new tools and technologies allows me to connect directly to people on my own terms. Or at least I can negotiate.
It lets me know what’s happening in real-time (a lot is). Everything is way less opaque. History, tracking, who, when, what… everything is right there on the blockchain.
What is one thing you think artists should focus more on, and why?
One thing… hard to answer, but…
Make sure you like what you do. Otherwise, it can become very painful.
Distance #233 by William Mapan
What’s the hardest part of being an artist?
Freedom of creation!
And that’s why I believe anyone can work on their artistic self. Anyone has a voice that wants to express itself.
What skill should anyone harvest early in their career that will pay off massively for years?
Patience.
Sometimes I realize that’s one nice skill that keeps me going for so long. Failures and successes are highly connected. One is necessary for the other to exist. So, for me, taking anything as an opportunity to learn something is very powerful!
Why do you create art?
To feel alive!
Through Your Eyes #3 by William Mapan
What’s a book or an article that has greatly influenced your life?
I’ve been listening to a podcast with Michel Pastoureau, a historian who specializes in colors. It’s fascinating how colors travel through history and how their meaning changes along.
What habit or practice has changed your life the most?
Sports have been my constant since the age of 6. There’s only been one year when I didn’t do any sports at all! Thanks to this, I never felt the need to smoke. I’ve always taken care of what I eat too. I’m just trying to be healthy. Of course mistakes happen and no one is perfect, but at least I’m aware of it.
Engaging in sports also took my competitive ego to the maximum, which was not healthy at all I would say. Thankfully art balances this side well.
Bestiaire: Flamant Rose by William Mapan
What does success look like to you?
Having the time to do what I want.
I consider time the rarest material we have as individuals. We’re constantly solicited and working for other people. Having the luxury to take some time and reflect on myself sounds like success to me.
What is your favorite failure?
After completing my first degree and internship, I decided I wanted to attend to that famous animation & art school. However, as I’m a bit scatterbrained (or a lot, to be honest haha), by the time I wanted to apply the registrations were closed.
So what did I do? I worked for a year and next time applied in time (last day though. Scatterbrained, remember?).
I went through the selection and met some of the most amazing people over there. Eventually, I met the girl I’m with today and we have a son together.
So while I was very pissed at myself for missing out the first year, it turned out pretty great in the end!
Sketchbook A #26 by William Mapan
What are you willing to struggle for?
The ones I care about and my art.
Those two pieces hugely define how I see and feel the world so… I gotta cherish them!
What is the one question you could make to yourself every day to steer yourself toward success?
“Have you enjoyed the ride so far?”
This single question is very important for me and that’s how I decide if I’m gonna quit something or not. I can be in the most comfortable situation, but if I don’t enjoy it, I’m gonna find something else where I do.
Noise Painting 221122 by William Mapan
What is one strong opinion you have?
We don’t all have the same opportunities depending on where we pop up on the map when we’re born, and I’m willing to fight anyone who says otherwise.
“Where there's a will, there's a way” is bullshit. This is true in certain frameworks, but a lot of frameworks struggle to the point it’s impossible to accomplish it without external help.
Huh, maybe I got intense here? Oh well…
Which of your past experiences/learnings have set you up for success in the present?
Hmmm… Honestly, I’ve never really set up anything to be where I am today. I think the random dice of life just rolled in a way that shaped my whole journey, and it’s very funny when I think about it.
I initially strived to be a sports professional. I failed, obviously lol. But it did bring a lot of learning and mentality.
Then I was like “Well, I like math and science too, why not explore that?”. Enter a degree in Computer Science. Later on, I thought “This is a bit boring, where’s the fun stuff like video games and things I see on TV?”
So, I started another degree, this time in animation and graphic design. I remember thinking “I don’t know what I’m doing here, but there’s a ton of things to explore, wow”. I ended up falling in love with it. This led me to this super cool animation & art school for a final, very cool degree.
“Ok nice, new goal! Be okay-ish at this creative coding thing to make enough to pay the bills and go to the bar with friends”.
“Well, looks like I actually enjoy this. ALRIGHT! Now I’m gonna spend the night on coding stupid little prototypes and trying to merge graphics with code in a nice way.” Fast forward, it’s been 10 years of doing that. Looks like I’m good at it now?
“Oh? What’s that blockchain thing now?”
And here we are! I didn’t plan anything at all, I just kept bouncing to where the fun was. Like I said earlier, if you remember to strive for fun along the way, you might end up in a position where you have some.
It’s not science advice or even smart advice I guess, but that’s the way I live.
Bain de Couleurs by William Mapan
Learn more from William
Something to read:
William Mapan on Breaking the Medium, an interview with Peter Bauman for Le Random
Something to watch:
Ask Me Anything with William Mapan
Something to listen to:
Artist Spotlight: William Mapan and the Uncertainty of Art
Get in Touch with William
The best way to get in touch with William is via Twitter.
