Old Computers, New Worlds: An Interview with Tankuss

ankuss has been making art for around a decade, moving between glitch, collage, AI and whatever else catches his attention along the way. His work has found an audience well beyond the internet, including a Naruto drawing that went on to sell 724 canvases around the world.

Based in Ohio, Tankuss describes himself as a “digital nomad.” He doesn’t mean the usual laptop-and-coffee-shop version of it. He means moving freely between styles, mediums and ideas. His approach is summed up by the line in his bio: “There’s no such thing as failed art. There’s appealing art and there’s practice.”

That idea of experimentation runs through his work. Rather than settling into one recognisable style, Tankuss seems more interested in seeing what happens when he tries something different.

We wanted to know what that process looks like.

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Who are you and what do you make?

^{My name is Alexander McWherter. Known as Tankuss Art around the world. I'm based in Ohio and I have been an artist for about 10 years! I create many forms of digital art. I Consider myself as a digital nomad, as a travel through styles finding new ways to express myself!}

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Where did it start?

^{It all started in highschool with a digital photography class. We walked around the school and would take pictures of random things and come back and learn the basics of photoshop and make collage art. The teacher would always highlight my art and show the class what I created. I had no idea I was good at it, but I knew that I loved it. My senior year I got recruited into an entrepreneurship class and became a graphic designer. That's when I knew I could make a career out of this.}

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Your bio says there's no such thing as failed art, only practice. Where did that come from?

^{Ive had that mindset since early on in my career. I feel as if everything around us is art. The air we breathe is even art. The wind we feel on our face outside is art. Everything was created by someone or something. I feel like even the art we create that appears to be flawed still has great value. Just because it is flawed doesn't mean it's not art, it's just practice towards your next masterpiece.}

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Tankuss, Doom Rider

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The new work is full of old computers. What's that about?

^{Growing up back in the day, we had a standard modern computer and then on the otherside of the basement, we had an older windows 98 computer. My Dad would create paintings on windows 98 paint that blew my mind. I remember tinkering with it, and experiencing all the nostalgia from the 90s. It truly did feel like another world.}

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A painting by his father, made in Windows 98 Paint

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Where do the ideas actually come from?

^{Usually how I see the world through motifs, metaphors and symbolism inspires me the most. I am diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder so I see the world a lot differently than usual. As far as other inspirations go, the artist Beeple has inspired me immensely. I've been following his journey for a long time now. His art is weird and I love it. Also I came across this movie backrooms. The uneasiness actually brings me comfort in the weirdest ways.}

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Tankuss, COUNTERFEIT

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What's the piece you're proudest of?

^{This question had me thinking alot because I have different milestones with different pieces. However, If I could choose one piece, it would be "Talk No Jutsu" A Naruto themed piece. I have sold 724 Canvas around the world of this piece.}

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Tankuss, Talk No Jutsu

His biggest seller by a distance. 724 canvases of this Naruto piece have gone out around the world.

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You make a lot of work and it never looks the same twice. Why?

^{I keep creating so much new stuff because its a form of therapy and thats how I cope with daily life. I change styles like I change clothes lol}

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Tankuss, Don't Panic

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What are you working towards?

^{If I could sum all what i'm working towards now in one word, it would be the word "Identity"
I want to leave my mark on the art world and I want to look back at the things I created when i am 60 years old and say "I did that".}

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Tankuss, Busy Busy

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Tankuss is still experimenting, still moving between styles, and still treating each piece as part of the process rather than a final answer. You can follow that process on X and Objkt, where his work is available to collect.