FrameFrens: An interview with Schauermann
FrameFrens #2, 2025, Schauermann - Still from video.
Schauermann recently landed on objkt with a brand-new genesis collection still unfolding: FrameFrens. The artist presented three pieces that tell a single naive-surreal story—a friendship between a horse and a man. They live together, they chat, they are companions. They share the living room and go to the supermarket. And sometimes they feel exactly the same: “Yeah, I’m not in the mood for people either,” says the man to the horse. Just like us, digital beings—mildly antisocial, endearingly withdrawn.
What emerges, layer by layer, is an aesthetic that echoes children’s drawings—and that’s Schauermann signature, in a way. The sounds in each piece also evoke a hidden nostalgia: everything seems to want to transport you back to some childhood—maybe yours, maybe the artist’s. Thunder outside, rain falling, beeps of the old video games we played long, long ago. From the color palette to the characters to the intentional, precisely placed "scribbles."
In our conversation, Schauermann spoke about FrameFrens, also about his practice. And you might feel lucky today: there are still editions available on objkt.com. On the artist's website, viewers will also find a game that is actually an extension of his philosophy: “I just can’t imagine anyone really connecting with art on a deep level while casually scrolling through their phone. Everything moves too fast. So I wanted to offer a space where my art could be experienced outside of that rush.”
Pause. Enter another world. And play.
Can you tell us about your story as an artist — when and how it all started? And maybe where, if you're comfortable sharing.
As a child, it was already pretty clear where my path would likely lead in the future. I used to spend hours tracing my action figures and drawing comics. I also saw faces and little figures in the textures of wallpaper and the patterns in wooden floors, which I would then recreate on paper. I think those are the perfect—maybe slightly weird—foundations for becoming an artist one day.
It wasn’t until my twenties, though, that I really began to engage seriously with art. I started drawing daily and took inspiration from other artists I found online. A big source of inspiration for me was also the video games I played as a kid. In a way, I wanted to capture that joyful feeling I had back then in the themes of my art.
I briefly considered pursuing an academic path in art but quickly dropped the idea. I just can't deal well with pressure, expectations, or requirements when it comes to my art. So I taught myself everything at my own pace, never feeling like I was missing any structure. I realized that art is my playground—and I don’t want anyone else telling me how to play.
“I love combining different artistic styles, so I often blend digital painting with 3D elements, photography, pixel art, and more. I enjoy merging these contrasts into something that makes sense visually.”
FrameFrens #1, 2025, Schauermann - Still from video.
You've been minting since 2019 — you arrived when this space still felt like an untamed jungle :) After almost six years in Web3, what do you think has changed? What's gotten better, and what's gotten worse?
Wow, six years already. Yeah, I was pretty early in the space. I still remember how I built a gallery in CryptoVoxels back in 2020 and wandered through different parcels, checking out other people’s art collections. I thought it was so cool and creative—and honestly, it was the perfect use case for NFTs: you could hang them on virtual walls and really showcase them.
I was connecting with new people on Twitter almost daily, and everyone had a vision. Back then, the energy in the space was electric—like we were all chasing the next big thing. These days, it feels more like the NFT hype has died down, and collectors and artists are leaving. Art platforms are shutting down or shifting their focus. To me, the space feels a bit gloomy at the moment, which is a shame because from a technical perspective we’re in a much better place now in terms of gas fees and innovation.
That said, there’s also something positive in this shift. It seems like there’s more focus now, at least from my perspective, on the actual art and its appreciation, with an eye toward longevity. I’m seeing more platforms that prioritize letting art breathe and presenting it in meaningful ways.
I'd love to hear more about the techniques you use to create your work. Is it all 100% digital?
Most of my work is created digitally on my iPad. Usually, I just start painting without any plan. I let the final result tell its own story, which I often capture in the title. That helps prevent creative blocks caused by overthinking or high expectations. In the end, what matters most to me is striking a balance between having fun and managing expectations. Having fun and letting go is definitely a formula for success and endless inspiration for me.
I love combining different artistic styles, so I often blend digital painting with 3D elements, photography, pixel art, and more. I enjoy merging these contrasts into something that makes sense visually.
“As a child, you see the world with such openness and positivity. I think at first I wanted to remind myself to approach life with that same playfulness and openness—and it seems I’ve managed to evoke that feeling in others, too.”
That connection to childhood, that nostalgic feeling — is it intentional? I mean, I'm curious whether it's something you plan from the start, like: "I want to create nostalgic pieces." Or is it the opposite — you focus on drawing certain characters, using specific colors and lines, and the result just happens to carry this feeling?
I’ve always tried to make the painting process as enjoyable as possible for myself. That’s how I ended up with this minimalist style that resembles children’s drawings. I rarely ever erase anything — I just keep painting over and over, layer upon layer. Sometimes I’m on the verge of finishing a piece, only to decide to completely take it apart and start working with the fragments instead. In other words, I give myself very few limitations.
The cartoon figures that often appear are relics from my childhood. They probably evoke a sense of nostalgia. That nostalgic feeling wasn’t planned at first—it was something people pointed out to me over time. But looking back, it does reflect who I am. As a child, you see the world with such openness and positivity. I think at first I wanted to remind myself to approach life with that same playfulness and openness—and it seems I’ve managed to evoke that feeling in others, too.
“Switching from Ethereum to Tezos felt refreshing. It gave me the sense of visually separating my work from the Ethereum pieces and starting fresh. The pieces I minted on objkt have a strong pixel art component and are animated.”
FrameFrens #3, 2025, Schauermann - Still from video.
Can you tell us a bit about the new piece you're minting on objkt? What or who brought you here? :)
The three pieces I minted on objkt are part of a series called FrameFrens. The idea behind it was to create a collection with distinctive features for easy recognition—something with a consistent visual thread, literally a frame, that tells a story about two friends: a man and a horse.
Switching from Ethereum to Tezos felt refreshing. It gave me the sense of visually separating my work from the Ethereum pieces and starting fresh. The pieces I minted on objkt have a strong pixel art component and are animated.
The goal was to give them a subtle retro game vibe. I also find it exciting that objkt allows for minting interactive pieces. I’m curious to see if I’ll experiment more in that direction in the future.
Overall, I really like the experimental vibe of the art on objkt. I see a lot of work that feels very in tune with the times—and, just like mine, might rub traditional art critics the wrong way because of its simplicity. I love that. 😀
“I was searching for a space to display my art that felt more welcoming than a social media feed. I just can’t imagine anyone really connecting with art on a deep level while casually scrolling through their phone. Everything moves too fast. So I wanted to offer a space where my art could be experienced outside of that rush.”
I'd also love to talk about Probably Art — it's a non-game game, a work that invites a different kind of encounter between the viewer and your art. It encourages a slower experience. Did this need to slow things down come from your own personal rhythm too? Were you also feeling the need to pause?
Probably Art was an attempt to add more value to my art for the viewer. I’m always looking for use cases—something beyond just looking at a nice image. With Probably Art, I wanted to create a meaningful moment—and hopefully one day, a lasting memory—for the player of the game. I was searching for a space to display my art that felt more welcoming than a social media feed. I just can’t imagine anyone really connecting with art on a deep level while casually scrolling through their phone. Everything moves too fast. So I wanted to offer a space where my art could be experienced outside of that rush.
Do you plan on using the game format as a medium for your art again?
I spent six months working on Probably Art, partly because I’m not a traditional game developer. I might create something similar again, on a smaller scale—maybe something within the FrameFrens universe. 😀
You've said, "My goal is to evoke the same kind of inspiration I get when I encounter the works of my favorite artists." So — who are your favorite artists?
Honestly, being inspired feels amazing. It instantly gives me a sense of hope and the drive to create something that gives someone else that same spark. I’m usually inspired by musicians. Flume’s Hi This Is Flume mixtape and James Blake’s music have been staples in my studio for years.
Even though I haven’t played Zelda in ages, the inspiration from back then still influences my work. I want to capture that feeling of being in another world and translate it into my art.
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