Kim Asendorf's "FRATZE" series

Kim Asendorf’s “FRATZE” series, created in 2022, comprises 51 black-and-white profile pictures featuring distorted, smiley-like faces. Crafted using a custom software painter app, each piece is presented as a 480×480 PNG with a transparent background. These minimalist images eschew the colorful traits and rarity charts typical of profile picture (PFP) projects, positioning themselves as “anti-PFPs.” Asendorf describes the project succinctly: “Painted with custom software by Kim Asendorf.” He emphasizes that his work is built on spontaneous visions and ideas, offering room for interpretation without conveying a specific message.

The faces in “FRATZE” occupy a space between masks and digital abstraction, suggesting expressive distortion rather than realistic portraiture. They echo ancient Greek theatrical masks, which amplified and stylized emotions, merging this expressive exaggeration with the codified semiotics of contemporary emojis. The stark contrasts, recurring asymmetries, and emphasis on form over feature align with the German meaning of “Fratze”—an exaggerated, grotesque face or grimace. Each token is identified by an alphanumeric code, with no attempt to name or categorize the emotion it conveys. This reductionist approach challenges the conventional PFP culture, where avatars serve as badges of community and identity, by presenting faces that look at us rather than represent us.

Asendorf’s exploration of abstraction and distortion in “FRATZE” resonates with several digital artworks that delve into similar themes. For instance, “Distorted recollections: surveillance” by tz1PNXpiVqG5xfEfTnjkrPrfbKMaWjttMgir and OtherFaces presents a glitch art piece where fake memories are depicted as shadows of surveillance, casting doubt on our sense of reality. The distorted visuals and monochromatic palette parallel Asendorf’s use of expressive distortion to challenge perceptions of identity and emotion.

Similarly, “HNY 25” by ruralidyll features a central white, abstract form against a textured blue background, evoking solitude and introspection. The minimalist composition and stark contrast mirror the reductive approach in “FRATZE,” where minimal elements convey profound emotional depth. Both works utilize abstraction to invite viewers to project their interpretations, emphasizing the subjective nature of emotional expression.

In “I am in stack overflow” by SubNet and tz1aNtK1kA1Z8TCUHcyWq1CeQDUXWvzNniYf, the artwork employs experimental video and custom software to create a distorted reality. The piece’s abstract and glitchy visuals align with Asendorf’s interest in spontaneous visions and abstraction, both challenging viewers to find meaning within the chaos. The use of digital distortion in both works underscores the fluidity and ambiguity of digital identities.

“#28 HOODZ ETH” by KBO Metaverse presents a pixelated, monochromatic hooded figure, symbolizing anonymity and hidden identity. This minimalist and distorted representation echoes the themes in “FRATZE,” where the absence of detailed features invites viewers to question the nature of identity and representation in digital spaces. Both artworks utilize minimalism and abstraction to explore the complexities of self-perception and anonymity.

Lastly, “TOTER_001” by BRENDAN TADLER features a monochromatic, geometric abstraction with a focus on structural form. The minimalist design and emphasis on form over detail resonate with Asendorf’s approach in “FRATZE,” where the reduction to essential elements challenges traditional notions of portraiture and identity. Both pieces highlight the power of minimalism in conveying complex ideas and emotions.

Through these comparisons, it becomes evident that Asendorf’s “FRATZE” series shares thematic and conceptual parallels with various digital artworks that employ abstraction, distortion, and minimalism to explore identity, emotion, and perception in the digital age.

---

References

Source Article

https://blog.objkt.com/post/cnlcz8juucvqxc984l9ze3nhsqf59c

Artworks

1. “Distorted recollections: surveillance.” by tz1PNXpiVqG5xfEfTnjkrPrfbKMaWjttMgir, OtherFaces
   

   

   
   Fake memories are the shadows of surveillance, casting doubt on our very sense of reality.

2. “HNY 25” by ruralidyll
   

   

   
   2025. Jeeps. Happy new year all, thanks for the support and collects and shares and love and all of it. Wishing everyone love and hope x

3. “I am in stack overflow” by SubNet, tz1aNtK1kA1Z8TCUHcyWq1CeQDUXWvzNniYf
   

   

   
   for the distorted realities exhibition, step 1, 2022 #distorted realities #step1 #theme 01 5th in the The Metaverse is a Lie series. Experimental Video, Custom Software, 2022

4. "#28 HOODZ ETH" by KBO Metaverse
   

   

   
   ``

5. “TOTER_001” by BRENDAN TADLER
   

   

   
   My First Toter // #trashart

6. “Art and Tongue” by Niko Princen
   

   

   
   Animated Gif, 533 x 355 px, 2 frames, 2014

7. “Th3 Myth” by Daniel myth
   

   

   
   mito

8. “Once Upon A Time” by TOCA ME
   

   

   
   1500 x 2000 gif - created 5 April 2026 by TOCA ME / TI

9. “The Avatar #105” by peerkriesel
   

   

   
   This Avatar is one of the best 111 avatars of The Avatar (OBJKT 488621). The Avatar: 555 drawings + scaffolding – 10 elements with each 55 variations randomly combined via HTML + JS + 5 possible masks + bgcolour.

10. “tired4tired” by santiago
    

    

    
    objkt5objkt

Keywords

monochromatic, abstract, distorted, minimalist