Creators in World of NFT Art
Dominik Nawracaj
World of NFTs
I got interested in the NFT market, trying my luck with earning extra money on it, and of course, to be successful, I got to get as much information about it as I could.
This time, I will focus on artists creating NFT art. Who are they? How and when did they start with that kind of digital art? Is it profitable for them?
And, finally, who is the most famous NFT artist?
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Disclaimer!
Under no circumstances is it investment advice.
Believe me, I’d be the worst financial advisor you’ve ever met.
Nor am I an art specialist, advisor, or person like that. I'm just a guy who likes nice-looking things (in the deepest part of my soul, I'm a romantic one).
This post is published for entertainment purposes.
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I bet almost everyone keen on NFT art has heard or read about BEEPLE and his famous masterpiece called: Everydays: the First 5000 Days, which was sold for: $69.3 million at Christie's in 2021.
But who is the artist hiding behind the nickname BEEPLE?
I found some information:
Michael Joseph Winkelmann
Beeple, Known as Beeple, is an American digital artist, graphic designer, and animator who sells NFTs. In his art, he employs a variety of media to produce funny, phantasmagoric compositions that include political and social criticism while referencing pop culture characters. Christie's, a British auction house, described him as "a visionary digital artist at the forefront of NFTs.
His breakthrough NFT artworks have shattered expectations, changing the core of art ownership and ushering in a new era of digital expression.
Beeple has established a reputation for his ongoing project "Everydays," a collection of digital compositions that he creates and releases on a daily basis. In recent years, “Everydays” have merged relevant subject matter with a gaudy cartoon sensibility—coronaviruses conquering Disney World or a nude Joe Biden peeing atop a huge Trump in an Edenic environment. The Beeple Instagram account had over two million followers, which gave Winkelmann the notion that he might make a fortune with NFTs.
He has collaborated with many other of the top NFT artists, musicians, and brands to create groundbreaking and innovative NFT projects.
Along with his NFT work, Beeple has done visual effects and motion graphics for prominent brands like Apple, Samsung, Nike, Coca-Cola,Louis Vuitton, or performers such as EMINEM, Katty Pery, Wiz Kalifa, Imaine Dragons, Skrillex, and more.
There are no doubts that Beeple is one of the most prominent people in the NFT world, but of course there are many more people alike.
Pak
Pak, a pseudonymous artist, has emerged as one of the market's most renowned and important figures, as well as one of the top NFT artists in 2023. His true identity is unknown, and he would desire to stay unidentified. Pak's work frequently investigates the interface of technology and humanity, and he is well-known for producing thought-provoking digital art that questions conventional concepts of art.
Pak's art has been in high demand among collectors, with some works fetching millions of dollars. He has worked with various artists and innovators, such as musician Grimes and digital fashion firm The Fabricant, to develop ground-breaking and unique initiatives.
This omniscient designer, developer, and wizard utilizes their work to grapple with the basics of blockchain technology as a medium. Fade, an inventor of art through code, exemplifies Pak's aesthetic and philosophical vision.
His impact on the NFT art community cannot be overstated, and his work continues to inspire and push the limits of what is possible with digital.
BTW, Pak is a close friend of the above NFT artist, Beeple.
And there comes an anonymous duo of artists:
Hackatoo
The OG pair Hackatao is a pioneer in the NFT area and has contributed significantly to the crypto art revolution. They have proved that the realm of blockchain art is unlimited by transitioning from urban to natural settings. The pair remains secret, establishing their own style and always surprising the cryptocommunity with their work. Today, Hackatao is rated third among the top NFT artists on SuperRare, with total sales over $7 million. Their extensive Queens+Kings collection still represents their worldview.
Although the duo has performed various works of art since 2007, their first project, which became famous, was called "Podmorsk.". As we can read on their web site, these little totemic animals, molded in clay and embellished with drawings and acrylic, are truly the signed Hackatao book of Genesis. Podmorks are their love's purveyors, their book of Lancelot; the beginning of experiments with the alchemy of the two genres; the essential push for both S and N to entirely devote themselves to art; the digital aspect in their physical work, with their 3D models; and the risk on each other.
And then came the canvases.
But they also turned their attention to NFT art, as we can find on the site:
"An art movement where transparency, participation, peer-to-peer relationships, and collaboration are sovereign.
Decentralized, they say, through the use of blockchain technology.
The pop art of our century: crypto art.
Embracing the movement and the idea that the artistic and social potential of the space could be exponential, Hackatao are amongst the few who firmly believe in the future power of crypto art, never leaving and never quitting, against all odds.
With their first NFT “Girl Next door” an animated GIF tokenized on SuperRare, they make their entrance with a triumphant “fuck you”, dedicated to the rusty part of the traditional art world as well as to the paralized structures and systems that keep slowing down progress and improvement. "
Grimes (Claire Elise Boucher).
She is well-known for her contributions to the music business and amazing NFT art. One of her most successful collections, "WarNymph," was designed in partnership with her brother, Mac Boucher, and raised more than $5.8 million in less than 20 minutes after its official launch.
After selling her NFTs at startling rates, Grimes donated a portion of her profit (which is still unknown) to Carbon 180, a non-profit organization (NGO) dedicated to eliminating carbon from the environment as much as possible. Her contribution attempted to address one of the most worrisome aspects of NFTs: their significant inefficiency in power use.
Of course, there are a lot of famous, very talented NFT artist creating very different types of art using many techniques, blockchains, and environments, so if I'd like to encounter them all, this post will be endless.
But there is one NFT artist who surprised me, because he was the main character of quite gloomy crime articles:
Ross Ulbricht
The NFT artist who has sparked the most controversy. Ulbricht was caught and is now serving a life sentence for establishing and managing Silk Road, a darknet market website. The website was developed on the Tor network and was used to sell drugs and other illicit goods or services.
Despite his life sentence, Ross Ulbricht continued to create NFT art. As a result, he published many NFT collections, the majority of which were hand drawings he did while in prison or prior to his sentencing.
According to his official website, “All proceeds raised from the Ross Ulbricht Genesis Collection NFT auction will not be owned by Ross Ulbricht or his family, but by a legally separate entity that will redistribute them towards the Art4Giving fund and efforts to free Ross Ulbricht.”
I hope you enjoyed reading my post, Thanks for stopping by.
greetings.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Winkelmann
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/a35500985/who-is-beeple-mike-winkelmann-nft-interview/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pak_(creator)
https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/arts/who-is-pak
https://coindoo.com/
https://hackatao.com/bio
https://www.niftygateway.com/collections/warnymphvolume1
https://freeross.org/genesis-collection/
https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2021/04/07/artists-in-bali-respond-to-nft-craze.htm