Episodes
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The Founders of https://twitter.com/lasso_labs
https://twitter.com/nnhafrey
and Karthik Thiyagarajan
talk about the NFT search engine they built.
Summary
How did you get into NFTs?
0:00
Combining NFT data silos seamlessly to power new use cases.
4:26
Non-speculative use cases of NFTs.
9:39
Crypto-native games.
15:07
How Lassolabs index NFT data.
19:27
Learnings from early product feedback from users.
25:24
Utility as a proxy for NFT community health.
30:08
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Timestamps;
How Spencer got involved with Crypto Kitties in Asia?
2:27
What’s unique about the asian market in the NFT space?
5:00
The current landscape of the NFT trading market.
11:22
What does the future of NFT trading marketplaces look like?
20:49
How are NFT AMMs superior to regular NFT marketplaces.
23:41
New usecases for NFT AMMs specifically for NFT projects in bootstrapping liquidity.
27:04
Collection.xyz how does it work?
33:44
Links
https://twitter.com/spenceryang
https://twitter.com/collectionweb3
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Missing episodes?
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Boffin talks about how NFTs is an emotionally loaded term, and that many people would buy NFTs if they were not called that.
Boffin talks his theory of why reddit NFTs will accrue value, and the longer the collectible lasts, the more people get on board, the oldest ones will be worth the most.
Boffin says the earliest people have the best handles on twitter, and that they can use flex to stand out.
Boffin says that Reddit NFTs is a pretty big bet personally for him on the long term future of them.
Boffin talks about how the product decisions of the Reddit team have an impact on the future value of Reddit NFTs and how much they want to support the project.
Boffin says owning the collectible avatars makes owners financially invested in reddit making good product decisions going forward. Boffin mentions the governance stack they’ve built on Arbitrum.
Boffin talks about how he evaluates projects in general and talks about how to predict if a narrative will take off. Boffin talks about various narratives that he thought would take off but hasn't including Cool Cats. It has been directionless and the floor of the cool cats community has dropped.
Boffin discusses the narrative of Squiggles as another example of a narrative that didn't take off like he thought.
Boffin discusses his favourite nfts and says he like buying from small artists.
Timestamps
How he got into crypto in 2013. 1:33
The amount of capital he’s spent on reddit NFTs. 7:41
How to stand out in a digital world. 16:58
How much does reddit want to continue to support NFTs? 22:50
How traits work in Reddit NFTs - 25:56
NFT thesis that didn’t work out. 32:46
Coolcats, an example of a narrative that didn’t take off. 39:09
What is your favourite NTFT and why? - 43:30
Links;
https://twitter.com/NinjaBoffin/status/1585626484731174912
https://twitter.com/NinjaBoffin/
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Episode Show Notes
Conor Moore discusses the two schools of thought on NFT lending markets, the peer to peer market vs the peer to pool market. And the various pros and cons of each approach. Conor Moore talks about how the inspiration for Metastreet vaults was to take the benefits of peer to pool and overlay that behind the peer to peer market.
David Choi discusses Powersweep, an integration to increase captive use case for the vaults. David Choi notes that early on, users of the vaults were doing a positive carry trade because of the low cost of capital. That use case disappeared with the bear market onset. Now, they are pioneering use cases around leveraged NFT trading.
Conor Moore talks about the how the leveraged purchase of NFTs is similar to real world examples of leveraged purchases such as real estate. David Choi notes that he didn't like the trad art lending markets because it’s slimy, fascinated by cash flow generating NFTs. David Choi talks about his vision for what Metastreet is building.
David Choi discusses the Metaverse Economic Forum (MEF) and notes that their goal is to bring builders together into a more cohesive community to create the capital markets of the metaverse.
David Choi and Conor Moore talk about what their favourite NFTs are.
Timestamps
The bad and the good of peer-to-peer lending markets. 6:06
What is the use case for NFT lending? 11:17
What are the differences between how people use borrowed funds in the art lending market vs. NFT lending? 16:12
What is the non-recourse art lending industry?
19:43
Do you think that a completely different demographic of people needs to come in order for NFTs to go "mainstream"?
25:15
What’s the future of capital markets in the metaverse?
29:34
Liquidity and price discovery in the metaverse.
37:41
Links
https://metastreet.xyz/
https://mobile.twitter.com/_conormoore
https://twitter.com/ktkzergs
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If you’re interested in the Web3 gaming space then today’s episode is for you! We’ll be unpacking where Web3 gaming is currently at, the trends we’ve been noticing, and what developments we expect to see from this field going forward. Here to help us unpack this topic is special guest, Kepler, a builder, and writer who specializes in crypto and the Web3 gaming space. Tuning in you’ll hear us discuss the state of Web3 gaming, the role that speculation plays in feeding this ecosystem, and how these games are succeeding (and failing) at creating new genres and formats. Our conversation covers some of the challenges that Web3 gaming is currently facing, including how to support both investors and gamers, and what it means to create an infrastructure that accommodates a range of risk profiles. We also discuss the concept of social innovation in gaming, how Web3 is facilitating it, and what some of our favourite Web3 games.
Key Points From This Episode:
Get to know today’s guest, Kepler, and how he got into the Web3 gaming space.Top takeaways from the recent article that Kepler wrote on Web3 gaming.Kepler’s thoughts on the future of Web3 gaming and how to limit speculation.The potential for people to play Web3 games for fun, and not just with an earning mindset.An overview of battle royale games and how they are significant to Web3 gaming.The potential role that esports and streamers could play in Web3 gaming.A breakdown of the analogy that compares Web3 games to nightclubs.How to create a Web3 game that accommodates a range of players.Why Web3 games should have the option of playing with different risk profiles.The concept of permadeath and how it affects your gaming experience.The difficult decision many Web3 games are facing when it comes to prioritizing their investors or their gamers.The new genres and functionalities that crypto and Web3 gaming could potentially offer.How Web3 gameplay is paving the way for social innovation.Why developers need to understand what different players are motivated by.The benefits of giving people the opportunity to explore all your gaming features.The real reasons why NFT and Web3 gaming has grown so quickly.Learn what Kepler’s favourite Web3 game of the moment is!Tweetables:
“When you open the economy to everyone, even players that are not inside the game, and you allow for trading, you also open it up to speculation. And that can basically destroy your whole game.” — Kepler
“You probably shouldn't make every asset into an NFT. Because it just becomes way harder for you to control the economy.”
“Crypto is basically risky. So what you could do is have players self-select a risk profile. So when you're looking at an esports game, some people just want to play the game, and others want to play wager matches. So that's much higher risk.”
“At one point, mobile games got a template and then everyone did it. There's nothing like that in Web3 gaming, for now. But I think that's also the interesting part of it because we're in the exploration phase and not the exploitation phase of ideas.”
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Floor Is Rising
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Ever wondered how different the world of NFTs is in Japan? Well, today we are lucky enough to be joined by two great guests, Takuya Kitagawa and AT, to give us some real, first-hand insight into the overlaps and contrasts that are happening with regard to the burgeoning scene. We have a great conversation unpacking some basics about our guests' entry into the NFT space, and what initially drew them in. From there we look at the major hallmarks of what is popular right now in Japan, and how this compares to the rest of the world, before talking about important aspects of the field such as influencer and celebrity marketing. Takuya and AT then spend some time illuminating the inner workings of Nannda, and some more general thoughts on game design, and we finish off our chat by considering which types of games appeal to different Japanese demographics and why. Join us to hear it all!
Key Points From This Episode:
Our guests' paths into working in the NFT space, and their initial excitement about it.Insight into the state of the Japanese scene right now. Thoughts on the current NFT projects that are having success in Japan. Contextualising differences in the Japanese market and some reasons for popularity.Influencer marketing of NFTs and the main drives for demand. The culture of big celebrity endorsement for brands and how this figures into the NFT landscape. Barriers to entry that are influencing the Japanese market right now. Comparing the mechanism at Nannda to other examples of play-to-earn. Risk and reward in the two different approaches to game design. The importance of the social dimension to games to increase engagement and difficulty. Japanese audiences' attitudes towards different types of games. Favourite NFT picks from Takuya and AT!Tweetables:
“Influencer marketing itself is big in Japan, YouTubers are big, TikTokers are big. But this actually hasn't come to the NFT world yet.”
“Japanese audiences play any kind of game, individual oriented game or a social game. Either way works. If it is a more individual game, you typically have to do more campaigns.”
“When I see the Nouns community evolving really well, I get really excited, seeing that maybe that is the future of NFTs.”
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
AT
Takuya Kitagawa on Twitter
Floor Is Rising
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This week we continue with our NFT awards. Today’s category is people’s favourite NFT games. Joining us in conversation is one of the most influential voices in the NFT space today, Mete Gultekin aka Vader Research! Tune in to hear about the games that ranked in the top three, the strategy of game-makers, and why liquidity is essential within the NFT marketplace. You’ll also hear our thoughts on whether compelling NFT gaming is possible, how our game that ranked first brought people into the world of NFTs, NFT gaming, and crypto. Our guest also reveals the unexpected similarities between the gaming and nightclub promotional models and touches on the sociological implications of the changing gaming space. Tune in today to hear more from this expert in all things NFT gaming!
Key Points From This Episode:
Today’s topic, continuing in our conversation on NFT awards: your favourite NFT games.Gods Unchained, how it works, and why it ranked third place in the NFT game awards.How blockchain-based games strategise monetarily.What Web3 games will change about their approach going forwards.Why trading mechanisms depend on a healthy secondary market and a friction-free marketplace.The importance of liquidity and balance within the NFT marketplace. Second place: Forgotten Runes.The crossover between art, metaverse, NFTs, and gaming.Answering the question of whether compelling gaming is possible.Our game that ranked first and how it brought people into NFTs, NFT gaming, and crypto. What has driven growth for Axie Infinity, and why the number of game players has dropped even though the quality has improved.How the NFT gaming space can be approached in the same way as the nightclub model.The expectations for Axie that have not been met and why it is increasingly difficult to get gamers’ attention.Game design and the different roles one can have, from pure enjoyment to monetary gain.Our guest’s thoughts on what makes for compelling gameplay.Answering the question of whether it’s truly possible to make game play fun in NFT gaming.The sociological implications of the changing gaming space.Tweetables:
“Having liquidity is definitely important; otherwise, it’s going to be a very frustrating experience for the players.” — @DeFiVader
“Forgotten Runes is not a typical NFT game in that it appeals to a different crowd. There is a pretty strong delineation between people who are interested in PFPs, people who are interested in art, [and] people who are interested in NFT gaming. There’s some crossover but not a lot.” @SabretoothSG
“One of the things that could create a compelling gameplay, and not just in terms of being fun and enjoyable, where you want to spend ten hours on it, but rather that it is open enough that it is welcoming to anyone who wants to engage.” — @DeFiVader
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Vader Research on Twitter
Night Clubs and Web3 Games
Floor Is Rising
Floor Is Rising on Twitter
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Today, we will discuss the results of the top metaverse projects with a special guest, Ogar. He originally worked in design and production in the video game and the esports industry for 10 years until he found his true calling in NFTs, blockchains, and the metaverse. Ogar launched his company in 2019, Ogar Production, to pursue his passion for alternative art that embraces the voxel atheistic. His work focuses on creating buildings and assets within the metaverse space, one block at a time! In this episode, we go through the various winners and discuss what makes them stand out, as well as the future potential and challenges for the metaverse space. We learn details about the winners, what Ogar thinks about the various projects, aspects that make each project special, the role of big corporations in the space, the value of indie projects, and much more! Tune in to hear from a leader and respected figure within this cutting-edge industry, Ogar!
Key Points From This Episode:
We learn how Ogar first started in the NFT space and what he is currently working on.Background about Sandbox and why he thinks it is an interesting project. What Ogar sees as the competitive advantage of Sandbox compared to similar projects.How he thinks Sandbox can strike a balance between people and technology.He shares what he thinks about the future potential and challenges are for Sandbox.What the new OM project is and how Ogar would characterize it.Whether OM will be able to meet the promises of users and be sustainable. Discussion about the narrative of OM and how it is beneficial to scaling the project.Learn about Cryptovoxels and what makes it different to other metaverses.Aspects that he enjoys the most about Cryptovoxels and why he values it the most.The vision that the developers of Cryptovoxels have in common with Ogar.Some of the problems and challenges that Cryptovoxels may have in future.Comparison of Cryptovoxels to other metaverses.The characteristics of Cryptovoxels that makes it appealing to people.How Ogar feels about Cryptovoxels’ focus on art within the digital space.An overview of the winner of the vote: Decentraland.Why Ogar thinks Decentraland won and what is the mass appeal.Ogar gives us his opinion on the role of Facebook in popularising metaverse.We end the show by finding out what Ogar’s favorite metaverse project is.Tweetables:
“Whatever you deliver, you deliver it in a better world.” — @Dat_Ogar [0:12:56]
“I believe that the metaverse will be the one to clear the path and act like a laboratory of metaverse societies that will function under the development of decentralized contracts.” — @Dat_Ogar [0:24:22]
“In Cryptovoxels, I feel like there is more life and also feel that they did more to include people that didn’t have a lot of money or a lot of crypto, in order to push them to build.” — @Dat_Ogar [0:37:53]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Ogar on Twitter
Floor Is Rising
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In 2017, Jason Bailey immersed himself in the world of NFTs, with the hope of slowly shaping a better art world. Four years later, the industry exploded into the mainstream, and although it looks different from what Jason had imagined, the increased levels of access and democratization keep him passionate about, and inspired by, the space. Even before becoming involved with NFTs, Jason lived his life at the intersection of art and technology, with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in art and 20 years of experience working for tech startups. For these reasons, we thought he would be the perfect guest to join us for a deep dive into the work of the winners of this year’s FIR Awards! Listen in as Jason shares his thoughts on artists Cath Simard, Deafbeef, Beeple, and XCOPY, and why the legacy of the NFT revolution will be the social change that it has brought about.
Key Points From This Episode:
An overview of Jason’s journey navigating the intersection between art and technology.Jason’s entry into the world of NFTs in 2017, and how things have changed since then.Motivation behind the founding of ClubNFT.An introduction to the work of NFT artist Cath Simard.The original crypto art collectors and what that bulk of new NFT collectors are buying. Factors that make the work of Deafbeef unusual in the NFT space.Thoughts on the accessibility of Deafbeef’s work.How most of the traditional art world views NFTs, and why Jason disagrees. Changes to the art world brought about by the NFT revolution.Jason’s love/hate relationship with Beeple’s $69 million sale. Exploring the work of XCOPY, the winner of the FIR Awards!Tweetables:
“In NFTs, it’s not just that the art stands alone, but there’s also a sense that you can follow along with the artist, look up to the artist, or at least admire them for their principles and their approach.” — Jason Bailey
“[NFTs] really did, to some degree, democratize who gets to make art and ways of selling art and who feels comfortable collecting art. We probably have more art collectors today than we’ve ever had in history, and maybe more artists selling work than we’ve ever had in history.” — Jason Bailey
Jason Bailey
Floor Is Rising
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For today's show we welcome back Brandon Buchanan, to discuss the intriguing results of our 2022 NFT Awards where we surveyed friends of the show and look at the top four PFPs.
This category of the awards was by far the most popular, receiving more votes than any other. And we have to be honest, there were some surprises! We get to hear some really interesting perspectives from Brandon on our top four projects, Doodles, Nouns, Bored Ape Yacht Club, and CryptoPunks. We discuss Pharrell Williams' involvement with Doodles, how Bored Ape Yacht Club rewrote the playbook for NFTs, the unusual roadmap that Nouns have created for themselves, and why CryptoPunks are still the most important player in the history of the game.
Key Points From This Episode:
Building a brand beyond the world of NFTs; Brandon's thoughts on funding and investment. Weighing Pharrell Williams' decision to come on board with Doodles and what this means. Nouns' daily options and the implications of this relating to pricing and demand. Looking at the Nouns trajectory and the long horizon they have laid out. Board Ape Yacht Club's serious impact on the PFP sphere, and their polarising status.Misunderstandings about the way that Bored Ape flipped the crypto playbook. Considering the influence of fashion, memes, and more general rules of branding. Why CryptoPunks are the Michael Jordan of the NFT PFP space! Thoughts on the role of the CryptoPunks founders and why they broke the mould.Tweetables:
“I like that we are moving away from this idea that PFPs are just there to flex. I like this idea that NFTs can be a gateway to community, a gateway to participating in governance.” — Brandon Buchanan [0:07:14]
“I think Bored Ape's contribution to the NFT space, particularly with the the PFPs has to be revered, they have done so much across the board.” — Brandon Buchanan [0:33:51]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:s
Brandon Buchanan
Brandon Buchanan on LinkedIn
Doodles
Pharrell Williams
Nina Chanel Abney
Meek Mill
Jeff Koons
Nouns
Moonbirds
Bored Ape Yacht Club
Larva Labs
CryptoPunks
CrypToadz
Supreme
Yuga Labs
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Show Notes.
Just as NFT technology has disrupted the way art is commercialised, so too is it disrupting the way art is curated. Joining us today to break down the role of curatorial DAOs is Lucas Pontes. Lucas is part of Fingerprints DAO and RAW DAO, in this episode, he fills us in on the greatest issues NFT collector DAOs face, as well as the solutions they aim to solve. We discover the parallels between the traditional art world and the NFT art world, in terms of legislation and curation, as well as the novel, decentralised curatorial system of RAW DAO and its subsequent challenges. Lucas predicts the evolution of the DAO as a format, before delving into NFT photography and what it means for the traditional photography space. Tune in to find out more about all things DAO, and how curation competence is ensured in the ever-evolving world of NFTs!
Key Points From This Episode:
How Lucas Pontes got into NFTs and how he got involved with Fingerprints DAO.Lucas explains Fingerprints DAO and his role in the DAO.The biggest issue with NFT collector DAOs: the unclear business model.Fingerprints DAO’s current business model and brand attributes.The solution Fingerprints is selling to NFT collectors.The balance between the DAO as a format and the art itself in terms of creating, retaining, and returning value.The novel and decentralised curatorial system of RAW DAO.The meticulous art-centred curatorial process of Fingerprints.How DAO members make decisions about acquisitions.The similarities between gallery and DAO acquisition processes.The parallels between the traditional art world and the NFT art world.The challenges of the decentralised curation model and ensuring curation competence.Fingerprints DAO’s plans to stray from solely Ethereum acquisitions to include real-world acquisitions.The impact of the NFT market on photography.The criteria by which RAW DAO deems a piece of NFT photography valuable.Lucas’ prediction of the evolution of the DAO as a format.How NFT technology disrupted the way art is commercialised.The differences between photography NFTs and traditional photography.Lucas’s favourite artists.Tweetables:
“Perhaps the biggest issue with collector DAOs is there isn’t a very clear business model.” — @lucasponn
“The main purpose of [Fingerprints DAO] is fostering the best collection that we can.” — @lucasponn
“In RAW DAO there is a more decentralised curatorial system in place, which is quite interesting.” — @lucasponn
“As much as people rely on experts, you can’t just say anything is art.” — @lucasponn
“There are a lot of parallels that can be drawn between the traditional art world and the NFT art world. At the end of the day, it’s still a bunch of people in art and you’ve still got the same problem of figuring out what is valuable and what isn’t.” — @lucasponn
“If the curatorial process is entirely open, you’ve got to make sure that there isn’t a way for people to go into it and sway it to their will.” — @lucasponn
“There is a big conflict between what is popular and what is good, and divergence within that. That is not going away with the technology.” — @lucasponn
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Lucas Pontes on Twitter
Fingerprints DAO on Twitter
RAW DAO on Twitter
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Show Notes
Cole Sternberg is a critically acclaimed contemporary artist who is now entering the world of NFTs. His first NFT drop was on June 10th and in this episode, we hear about the broader concept of his work and how it manifests through the process of relinquishing control to code. Cole fills us in on what it is that he loves about generative work, and why he chose to embrace the technology tied to NFTs rather than simply turn his physical art into jpegs. We also find out more about the differences between the physical art world and the NFT world in terms of ranking and collector trends, interactions, and expectations. As a ‘crossover’ artist, if you will, Cole explains the dynamic (and the thrill) of exploring the new medium of NFTs, as well as the digital literacy gap between physical art and the NFT space. Tune in to hear about Cole’s exploration process, how his themes of human erasure manifest in his NFT works, and how NFTs act as a commentary on society!
Key Points From This Episode:
Why Cole Sternberg chose to enter the NFT world via Art Blocks.Cole’s choice to embrace the technology tied to NFTs, rather than turn physical art into jpegs.The themes of his work: erasure of the human hand, and the earth itself as a composer.How his upcoming NFT collection addresses these themes in the digital form.What Cole loves about generative work.How it feels to relinquish control to code versus nature.Cole’s learning process of thinking more abstractly and getting to his imagined final product.How interactions with collectors differ in the physical art world versus the NFT world.Why ranking NFTs according to their floor price is detrimental.How NFT curatorial concepts can (and should) evolve.The crossover dynamic of established contemporary artists moving into the NFT space.The digital literacy gap between the physical art world and the NFT world.NFTs as a commentary on society.Speculation on how Light and Space artists would have approached NFTs.Cole’s favourite artists!Tweetables:
“All these different things emerge when you expose paintings physically to the elements.” — @colesternberg
“That broad idea of erasing the human hand and giving it back to the earth, I wanted to address that in the digital form.” — @colesternberg
“There’s not much transparency in the physical art world but there’s basically infinite transparency in the NFT world.” — @colesternberg
“There’s an inherent crossover that should be irresistible to most artists.” — @colesternberg
“It’s a crazy thing that a medium can come over a few-year period, tops, and become so prevalent in the world and in the market.” — @colesternberg
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Cole Sternberg on Twitter
Floor Is Rising
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Today on the Floor Is Rising Podcast we are joined by Prateek Shah and Drew Beller, the two Co-Founders of Spanning Labs, to speak about what their company is offering the world of NFTs and why artists and collectors should be excited about the expansion of possibilities they are bringing to the space. We get to hear all about the company and how our guests made their way to the advent of this project before we dive into their vision for cross-chain interoperability and the practicalities of what this will mean when they launch publicly early next year. Along the way, we cover some interesting ground, hearing from Drew and Prateek about the lessons in consensus the blockchain space has taken from robotics, what they see on the near horizon for the NFT markets, some of their competitors, and how they differentiate themselves, and a little about the architecture of their solution. So, in order to hear all about an exciting addition that might be the answer to your needs, be sure to press play!
Key Points From This Episode:
Our guests' backgrounds and journey into their current roles working in the NFT realm. Cross-pollination between robotics and the blockchain space. Spanning Labs' solution for cross-chain interoperability.Detailing how ownership changes in NFTs under the Spanning Labs NFT framework and what is meant by 'moving owners around'.The intricacies of blockchains like Solana and how the Spanning network fits into these transactions. Potential changes to the NFT landscape in the next few years, with increasingly lower barriers to entry.More power and control for creators to make decisions about their art. Drew and Prateek's perspectives on competition in their section of the market. Differences between Spanning Labs and competitive solutions such as LayerZero. Integration with OpenSea and how Spanning NFTs can be deployed and function.An explanation of multi-chain addresses in the current climate. Adoption strategies from Spanning Labs in the context of the bear market. The modular architecture of Spanning, and what this enables for transfers. Where and how to learn more about Spanning Labs!Drew and Prateek's favourite NFT artists and projects, and what they are most excited about on the horizon.Tweetables:
“There won't be one blockchain to rule them all, but there might be one blockchain that's the best at payment processing.” — @DrewBeller
“It's really important to us that an NFT is always owned by the user.” — @DrewBeller
“The important thing to keep in mind is that it's not possible for a contract to meant to be deployed locally to interact in a multi-chain way.” — Prateek Shah
“I am really looking forward to seeing more changes in the generative art space, specifically how we can start generating art on-chain.” — Prateek Shah
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Spanning Labs
Prateek Shah
Drew Beller on Twitter
Floor Is Rising
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Episode 66: Show Notes.
Today we have a great chat with generative artist, p1xelfool, about how NFTs became his main practice and source of income, and his philosophy towards the evolution of the art world. p1xelfool tells us about his focus on the feelings that art can evoke, and why he values these over intellectualisation and representation. We also discuss why making his work look distinctly digital is a central part of what he does at the moment, and how his path diverged from his focus on a more classical painting practice. As a relative newcomer to the world of NFTs, p1xelfool's story is one that many artists might relate to; we speak about the possibilities of the future, what it means to stand out in these burgeoning and sometimes overcrowded spaces, and where and who he draws most of his inspiration from. To hear it all from this great guest, join us!
Key Points From This Episode:
p1xelfool's route into the world of NFTs and the part that using Bitcoin played. The decision that p1xelfool had to make between pursuing generative art and painting. p1xelfool's innate attraction to obsolete technologies and low-resolution work. The market's appreciation of difficult mediums such as generative art.A look at the tools that are used in p1xelfool's creative process. Thoughts on 'concrete' and abstract generative works and why our guest shifted gears in his latest project. The challenge of standing out in the digital realm; how our guest approaches catching viewers attention. p1xelfool's thoughts on the current stage of his career and hopes for the future. The big influence that Nicolas Sassoon has had on p1xelfool's work and attitude.Tweetables:
“I have always loved the idea of playing with obsolete technologies.” — @p1xelfool [0:05:40]
“One of the things that I like about low-resolution works is that it is very restrictive, and I see that as a challenge.” — @p1xelfool [0:09:12]
“When I started p1xelfool, I decided that I wanted to create something that is more sparkly, in some way.” — @p1xelfool [0:12:27]
“I try not to represent anything. What I try to do is somehow evoke feelings or try to examine the feelings that a work brings in.” — @p1xelfool [0:14:40]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
p1xelfool
p1xelfool on Twitter
Nicolas Sassoon on Twitter
Floor Is Rising
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Welcome to the podcast Floor is Rising. During today’s conversation, we are visited by special guest Hemba, a famous collector in the CryptoPunks community. He is the founder of CryptoPunks V1 and tells us the story of how he claimed his first Punk and became the largest punk holder. Next, we dive into the history of the CryptoPunks trading market, the “hack” that led to the “hard fork”. Hear Hemba tell the drama filled lore of his journey in the crypto punk community and why he believes the story needs to be told. Thanks for tuning in!
Key Points From This Episode:
Welcome to today’s guest, Hemba, founder of CryptoPunk V1.The story of how he got into NFTs.How he claimed his first punk and realised what he was up against.The story of how the cryptopunk trading market started and how you can look back on the early Reddit posts to see the energy around even small amounts being spent.How he “hacked” the original cryptopunk contract that led to a “hard fork”.The 82 transactions that were completed before the second Cryptopunks contract, of which 69 were Hemba.How he ended up selling all of his punks by 2020How he came to start CryptoPunk V1 and collaborated with Frank to create the V1 wrapper.Why he believes the CryptoPunk story needs to be told.Why he believes that the cryptopunk community needs to unite rather than fighting each other as the best way forward.How Yuga buying Cryptopunks affected the rights you have as holders of the token, to freely trade, exhibit, and trade.His focus on education, installations, and events, and why he believes CryptoPunks are an important part of art history.Tweetables:
“I think the CryptoPunk story must be told, and the CryptoPunks community must come together to share it.” — @soldthebottom [0:33:57]
“The path forward is finding some kind of acceptance and peace. Really I think this is an opportunity for the whole community of Punk lovers to go, this is our chance to do something with CryptoPunks.” — @soldthebottom [0:38:27]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Hemba on Twitter
Floor Is Rising
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Episode 65: Show Notes.
MetaKovan made history by kicking off the biggest NFT boom by purchasing the most expensive NFT on record, Beeple's 'The First 5000 Days'. MetaKovan is also the founder of the Metapurse Fund, and NFT studio and investment fund, and we get to talk to him today, hearing all about his philosophy, current projects, and where he sees the world of art and NFTs heading in the near future. Our guest shares some really thought-provoking views on the societal functions of art, where art's value really lies, and why personal relationships with pieces of work are so important. For MetaKovan, art is all about experience and interaction, and he sees the hoarding and private storing of important pieces as a waste and misuse of their power. So to hear it all from a truly central member of this new world, be sure to join us for this great episode!
Key Points From This Episode:
Thoughts on the power of crypto and art as equalising forces in the contemporary world. MetaKovan’s decision to invest in Beeple and the process of consideration. Issues with infrastructure for artists outside of the western context. The long-term impact of MetaKovan’s groundbreaking purchase. What most excited MetaKovan’s about purchasing a piece of art from Beeple. Evolving attitudes about the role of the artist and the growth of the idea of creators as designers.Commission and co-creation; how MetaKovan fits into the NFT ecosystem. MetaKovan unpacks his assertion about the public utility of art.How MetaKovan sees money and the Metaverse developing in the coming years.MetaKovan shares his favourite up-and-coming NFT artist and the excitement he has about them!Tweetables:
“Art has this nature where its value, that accrues to the art itself, is very different to the market.” — @MetaKovan [0:04:30]
“How does art become valuable? In a lot of ways it's the story, it's how people hold it over time.” — @MetaKovan [0:04:58]
“That's where I am now, thinking about how do we make sure that use this phenomenal change that has happened in a way that is sustainable, and has lasting impact.” — @MetaKovan [0:06:02]
“In a few years, I'll be really proud if I am able to buy art from different parts of the world.” — @MetaKovan [0:12:51]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Metakovan on Twitter
Metapurse Fund
'The First 5000 Days'
Beeple
Floor Is Rising
Floor Is Rising on Twitter
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FIR with Mark Soares
On today’s episode of the ‘Floor Is Rising’, hosts Sabre Tooth (Professional NFT Collector) and Kizu (A Professional Art Critic) talk with guest Mark Soares, CMO/Founder at Blokhaus, a Marketing Agency, associated with the Tezos Blockchain, discusses NFTs and Tezos.
Episode Highlights
01:19 – Mark shares the story of how he became aware of NFTs.04:40 – Around April, and May 2021, it started taking off in terms of people's realization that there's a carbon footprint to Ethereum.06:38 - After Hic et Nunc took off In May 2021 they started looking at opportunities with institutions, Art Fairs, and Art Basel.08:25 – A lot of people don't realize that the teams that work within the Tezos Ecosystem are long time Tezos nerds.13:00 – It's hard to kill a platform that's decentralized, or that's built in a way that can be redeployed seamlessly.15:25 – After HEN was rugged, the team were kind of in limbo, trying to determine how, and where we are going to drive traffic to for the artists because they had their work there.17:30 – People are asking where are the NFT stored? Are you building it? Can I still access it? Those are really important questions to answer, mentions Mark.19:30 - It's interesting in terms of how different categories of arts receive work and what is being sold.21:15 – Can we solidify the rules of engagement when you're selling for a use case, and not necessarily selling the work itself.26:31- It's a big selling point for Tezos as a brand and as an Ecosystem to have all these. All these cool people are creating amazing artwork.28:25 – Sabre enquires that there's an indie side and then there’s a lot of corporate stuff going on so how does Mark coexist not just now but going into the future?32:50 – Mark refers to the NFT of a large global brand like Coca-Cola as an example.Two Key Points
There are three things that make Tezos attractive to do NFTs on and it's important from a positioning standpoint. Number one is little transaction fees, number two is the energy-efficient story, and number three is on-chain governance, which allows you to self-upgrade and evolve.Mark feels that the two camps have to coexist (Corporate and Artist camp) both provide different use cases. The corporate camp is more driven towards utility and it's more of the architecture or the infrastructure of the NFC that's attractive to them as a means of engaging their very large user bases. Then there is the artist’s community which really started the whole NFT movement, and they want to preserve the authenticity and the creativity of the artwork, and many of them don't want to add too much utility or even consider it because they want it to be Art. You have to educate each one or at least engage with each one and solve problems for each one.Tweetable Quotes
“It's the first true web3 use case ever that actually shows the strength of web3.” - Mark Soares“It goes to show how passionate the artists are on Tezos that they won't let this thing fade away.” - Mark Soares“We're able to accommodate but it actually did create a little bit of chaos for us for a few days.” - Mark Soares“If you build the marketplace like ‘Hic Et Nunc’ was built, you don't have a problem. Other marketplaces might have a problem.” - Mark Soares“Looking at the category of photography, this is a very savvy from a legal standpoint.” - Mark Soares“The majority of artists that were on boarded early to Tezos was by virtue of not having to pay 200$ to an NFT.” - Mark Soares“Tezos can also fork but the beauty of it is that it does not have to, it can do things without forking.” - Mark Soares“Utility is important but I think if you ask the artists’ community, a good chunk of them will say, -
Brandon Buchanan
On today’s episode of ‘Floor Is Rising’ podcast, hosts Sabre Tooth (Professional NFT Collector) and Kizu (A Professional Art Critic) talk with guest Brandon Buchanan, Founder and Managing Partner at Meta4 Capital, been in crypto a long time and now running an NFT fund. He explains why the Grail Thesis of investing in NFTs is the way to go.
Episode Highlights
00:58 – Brandon shares how he got into NFTs and also how he came to found the Meta4 NFT Fund.03:15 –They've been trying to acquire the best assets, and most innovative and important collections dating back all the way to 2014.05:25 - Michael Jordan rookie card is considered a Grail and they certainly have some of those in NFT’s space.07:35 – Crypto Punks certainly continue to be, if not the top collection of all time, they are still amongst the top. So from a number’s perspective, it's still there, says Brandon.09:20 – Brandon says, when they first put out the Bored Apes, even they themselves would admit that they didn't think the project was probably going to be as big as it is now. 11:48 - When they were mapping out the deployment of the fund, a lot of it meant doing this retrospective of NFTs to show where they've been, where they are now, and where they could potentially be headed.13:35 – Brandon wanted to have their own internal tools that they can use to be able to execute such a strategy.15:00 - When you look at the earlier NFTs like Rare Pepe or a Crypto Punk. They'd be very hard-pressed to say that's a security, but that is essentially a form of digital art or digital collectible, states Brandon.17:35 - There's just something so beautiful about hearing the base that everything else is built on top of, and it's the same way with NFT's.19:25 – There is just a ton of demand for new launches, and new projects that people want to get on the ground floor.21:34 – Brendon thinks, if they didn't make that purchase, then at the outset, they probably could have gotten it for somewhat a bit of discount today.23:14 - Brendon talks what NFT projects are right now seems to be pretty fairly valued.25:35 – Sabre enquires, who these individual institutions are who will come into the NFT space? 30:02 - We do need to De-Risk and help with UX, UI way so that people can interact with NFTs and that’s all part of the process.32:00 – Media is definitely going to play a more prominent role over the next several months in educating the market. 34:00 - Brendon shares about his favourite NFT Artist and his favourite NFT collection.Two Key Points
Once you get into this realm, where you are doing Airdrops, where there is an expectation from the consumer that they're going to profit based on the efforts of the folks that are running the enterprise, you start to get in a grey area of what's the security or not. Even artists that now we're seeing, use NFTs as a tool to essentially raise capital.Brandon highlights that we've entered a different realm of expectation that folks want their collections to evolve, that now it's bigger than the art they want to be a part of a cool community. It becomes a sort of reflection of the kind of who you are. He thinks that's a powerful driver.Tweetable Quotes
“With NFTs, I kind of always had this philosophy or thesis around the tokenization of everything.” - Brandon Buchanan“Some collectors have stuck to an opposite thesis that it's better to collect floor pieces rather than those super rare pieces.” - Sabre Tooth“By having these grails, we're essentially having historical artifacts or digital antiquity.” - Brandon Buchanan“Provenance in the history, for me, that is very important.” - Brandon Buchanan“There have certainly been... -
FIR with Jordi Alexander
On today’s episode of ‘Floor Is Rising’, hosts Sabre Tooth (Professional NFT Collector) and Kizu (A Professional Art Critic) talk with guest Jordi Alexander, Game Theorist and 1st Principles Thinker, CIO of Selini Capital & Advisor to many NFT Projects, All-around games expert, and former poker player who has a lot of opinions on things to Crypto. He shares his opinions on a variety of subjects related to NFT's.
Episode Highlights
01:45 – Jordi shares how he got into Crypto and his first introduction to NFTs.03:35 - There's a lot more psychology involved behind thesis in NFTs, says Jordi.05:35 – Sabre and Jordi discuss the BAYC flipping of the Punks pfps.07:25 – Jordi talks about the two things that he finds interesting in his current role.09:38 – Jordi thinks a lot about the fragmentation of liquidity and what does that end game look like?12:28 – Kizu asks if the community is driving the price or if the price is driving the community.14:07 – The best practice that most people think of in the NFT space is post hoc rationalization. This is valuable because it increased the price thus, it is now valuable.16:00 - The price has been a reflection of what has gone right and what has gone wrong, states Jordi17:35 – Jordi explains the concept of risk-adjusted investing.19:54 – Jordi discusses NFT from a legal and security perspective.22:17 - There are arguments to be made that they are securities and this creates a lot of legal battles that are going to have to be fought, highlights Jordi24:00 – The NFT being part of the community, it is good if you reward people in that NFT community. If they're being active in the community, you want to give them something that's the very basic thing.26:11 – When you add financial incentives to a particular game design or game mechanic that didn't have that before, it turns into completely something else. 29:33 – Jordi expresses his view on how he feels about attempting to dethrone the open sea situation that probably will play out in the next few years.32:43 - We will have wallets specially designed for NFTs where we’ll have our wallet address and for all the other EVM chains and everything else that exists, states Jordi.34:35 - It's a little bit of a circular thing where people are paying fees to themselves to get a slightly higher percentage of rewards, mentions Jordi.36:22 – Jordi is very curious to see how digital artists start to create modes for themselves where their art cannot be as easily replicated and that is quite sustainable.38:00 – Jordi shares about building community when it is one on one.40:00 - The benefit of NFT is that everybody can look at it. It's not like it's locked up somewhere. Everybody's looking at the creation and there is the status aspect as well.42:00 – Jordi suggests people look at NFT as real estate and when he wants to invest in real estate, he is looking for things that are not easy to replicate.45:15 – Jordi talks about his favorite NFT project of artists.Three Key Points
There are always going to be people who are looking at the market and saying which one is the most expensive, that's going to show people the most status and they just want to buy that one and don't care if it's pixelated or if it's an ape, there is a clear catalyst that just drives price forward, and that is price.Jordi explains that the gaming side is a whole different element where NFTs just fit in very nicely in terms of the ownership of items. We don't necessarily need to create a whole new structure there. It's just exactly what it used to be where we would have some rare item in the game and now, we're just making that NFT so that it's much easier for people to move -
Podcast: Floor Is Rising
Episode: Kevin Abosch
Welcome to the podcast Floor Is Rising with host SabreTooth, a professional NFT collector and Kizu, a professional art critic. On this podcast, we talk deeply about the business of creating, collecting and analyzing NFTs. So, if you’re a creator or collector of NFTs, jump in!
On today’s episode, SabreTooth and Kizu interview Kevin Abosch, an OG crypto artist. Kevin began formal practice as an artist 33 years ago. Beginning with digital photography, he explains his art as always have been at the intersection of art and technology. After getting publicity from a project he built in which users of the portal could communicate anonymously, he was approached by a number of Bitcoin wallet companies who wanted to acquire the same technology. This sent him into a deepdive on all things blockchain. In January of 2018, Kevin made his first big statement by tokenizing himself in the form of 10 million ERC-20 tokens. This idea for I AM A COIN came to him after many years of feeling commodified as an artist.
When Kevin released his book Bank in 2013, few people seemed to show interest in the subject matter. In fact, he explains, the mainstream is only just now beginning to show interest in crypto, which has previously been seen as an alien. For decades, digital art was very marginalized from the professional art world. Many early practitioners of digital art were not prolific and spoke the language of technology, which most traditional artists did not have in common. Art institutions are only growing interest in digital art now because of the monetary potential seen in the medium’s growing popularity. There is very little consensus on what crypto and NFT art means, though for Kevin it is simply a methodology of creation.
The traditional art world has been hesitant to accept pioneers of digital art, though they are slowly coming around. Kevin ultimately believes that if there is money to be made in this field, then those with money and in power positions will control the narrative, show, media and marketplace. They discuss trash art among other prominent “newer” art movements. Historically, we know that the art world loves a movement, as there is power in numbers. Among many NFT artists, it is clear that there is a lack of understanding regarding how their practice fits into the context of the tradition of making art for thousands of years. The “new” concepts, such as trash art and found art, have really been done for decades and are nothing new at all.
Kevin discusses his first major NFT project 1111. Though the amount of work it required nearly killed him, it was a satisfying and well received project overall. The most challenging thing, he recalls, was finding the ability to sit back and watch his work be commodified. He prefers to know that his work has made it into good hands and people are finding enjoyment in it. This is a space, he has learned, in which you have the ability to create your own reality. As the episode wraps up, he reveals his favorite artist.
Thanks for listening and don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review!
Timestamps:
0:57 - Introduction to this episode and today's guest, Kevin Abosch
1:53 - Kevin’s background in art and cryptoart.
8:33 - The reception of Kevin’s 2013 work, Bank, and what has changed since then.
11:04 - The tensions between digital vs. contemporary art worlds.
19:25 - The future of traditional art worlds.
22:30 - Reflecting on trash art and other “new” art movements against the background of art.
28:11 - Kevin’s project 1111 and discussing the art collector dynamic.
35:30 - Kevin’s favorite artist,
Tags:
Crypto, cryptocurrency,...
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