4me4you presents the artwork of Valentino Constantinou, also known as "doctor_no_" – "Don't follow to unfollow!”.
MY PROCESS
Introducing Valentino Constantinou, also known as "doctor_no_" — a theoretical nuclear physicist turned digital artist whose journey bridges the worlds of science and creativity.
Originally from Cyprus, Valentino earned his PhD in Nuclear Physics from the University of Notre Dame in 2017. His academic career led him to teaching and research positions at prestigious institutions including Yale University, Monmouth College, The Cyprus Institute, and the International School of Paphos. However, amid the intensity of academic life, art became a vital creative outlet — one that grew even deeper during the isolation of the pandemic.
As a child, Valentino loved drawing spaceships, alien worlds, and strange machines. He rekindled this passion in his 30s while teaching at Monmouth College, a small institution in rural Illinois. There, he met ceramic artist Janis Wunderlich, whose unconventional creativity inspired him to explore art more seriously. Encouraged by teaching artistically gifted students and attending local exhibitions, Valentino began painting cartoonish characters, animals, and abstract forms using acrylics.
Upon returning to Cyprus and transitioning into AI research, he expanded his creative practice by integrating computational tools like Python, GLSL shaders, p5.js, and Three.js into his art.
A 3D plugin project he worked on in 2020 sparked the realization that these technologies could be used for creating video games — and ultimately, digital artworks. Today, processing photos with code and transforming them into new pieces remains one of the most exciting parts of his creative workflow
In his art, Valentino explores the idea of beauty as both a starting point and an open question — an emotional experience that represents resilience, hope, and grace even amidst decay and despair.
His pieces often navigate the tension between contrasts: order and chaos, strength and vulnerability, intimacy and the unknown.
Drawing from inspirations such as dystopian futures, alien landscapes, and raw emotional states, Valentino’s work captures the flickering spirit of resilience through human figures and haunting environments.
He is drawn to eerie, imperfect, emotionally charged aesthetics, embracing the belief that true beauty lies in asking rather than answering. His artistic influences include Simon Stålenhag, Mana Neyestani, Conrad Roset, Egon Schiele, and Andy Warhol — all artists who delve into depth, contrast, and emotional resonance.
His Instagram account, @doctor_no_, serves both as a gallery and an experimental space, where feedback from friends, colleagues, and followers continually motivates and shapes his evolving work.
