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NFTs

MacNerd and “SuperCrip” Mint NFTs with Sharp Humor to Make a Point

by AryanArtnews February 2, 2023

HOLLYWOOD, California., February 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — MacNerd and SuperCrip Productions today announced a groundbreaking line of digital collectibles to help fund the “SuperCrip” feature film and raise awareness about the lack of Hollywood roles for disabled people. The movie stars Tobias Forrest, a talented actor and C5 quadriplegic. “I am delighted to get my film off the ground with this innovative funding source,” says Tobias. The NFTs have varying levels of rarity and special details; the first run will be 5501 individually hand-crafted GIFs digitally rendered by MacNerd.

“About 26% of the population has some form of disability,” says SuperCrip writer/producer Randall Miller (writer/director of Sundance hits Bottle of shock and Marilyn Hotchkiss), “but less than 1% of movie and TV roles are given to disabled people. Even disabled roles are given to skilled actors. No one is more qualified to portray the disabled than someone who lives with a disability 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We decided to disrupt this pattern by creating a parody line of NFTs as outlandish as the current situation Hollywood.”

These digital collectibles are a tonic for Hollywood, depicting parody versions of famous movie characters. Instead of Forrest Gump, there is Forrest Gimp. Instead of James Bond, there is Lame Bond. Hannibal Lectric has an electric wheelchair. Each character in the collection bases its likeness on SuperCrip’s Tobias Forrest.

MacNerd is busy hitting and facilitating the NFT sale. “This collection is fantastic,” says MacNerd’s CEO Steve McKeon. “Not only are these intricate pieces of art, but they also fund the film and raise awareness for thousands of artists who are underrepresented in TV and film.”

The collection has three levels: Super-Powered, Stand Alone, and Franchise. Additionally, there are plans for two additional seasons of Supercrip characters, a racing game, and a Supercrip coin. With Tobias Forrest, Randall Millerand Steve McKeonthe team includes illustrator Michael Davis (writer/director of Shoot ‘Em On and 8 Days A Week) and Jody Savin (writer/producer Bottle Shock and Marilyn Hotchkiss).

In addition to fundraising for the film, NFT sales will support donations to organizations and non-profits within the disability space. These companies and foundations include ABILITYMagazine, Fodac, Ralph’s Riders, Triumph Foundation, CinemAbility Foundation, abilityEntertainment, RespectAbility, Artists For Trauma, and Permobil.

For more information on SuperCrip projects, visit the SuperCrip website.

SuperCrip Twitter: https://twitter.com/SupercripNFT

Steve McKeon Twitter: https://twitter.com/macguyvermedia

Team info: https://supercrip.io/info

For more information about MacNerd, visit our website.

CONTACT:
Chip Turner
(570) 369-3306
[email protected]

Decision

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SOURCE MacNerd

February 2, 2023 0 comment

NFTs

Ganja Guruz NFTs: The Dark Horse Challenging Invisible Friends for Top NFT Collection in 2023

by AryanArtnews February 1, 2023

written by AryanArtnews

There is a strong connection between cryptocurrencies and NFTs. The growth of one often affects the development of the other. The levels that NFT projects have reached have created even more valuable opportunities to make their way to the investment market. Every so often, more new NFTs are developed and introduced, giving investors a chance to buy them early before their value explodes.

This means that the NFT world is full of several viable projects, making it more difficult to choose one. As an investor, the goal is to invest in a project that can become the best NFT collection of the year. One of the NFT collections to look at in this regard is Ganja Guruz NFT, the collection from the BudBlockz platform.

Let’s examine how Ganja Guruz became a dark horse and challenged Invisible Friends for the position of 2023’s top NFT collection.

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Ganja Guruz NFTs offer additional benefits to investors

Ganja Guruz is the NFT collection of the new crypto platform, BudBlockz (BLUNT). BudBlockz is a fast-growing cryptocurrency that incorporates a cannabis market into its platform to create avenues for investment opportunities. This is achieved in part through the Ganja Guruz NFT collection.

Ganja Guruz hit the NFT market with a bang due to its substantial collection of 10,000 NFTs, each one more unique than the other. Ganja Guruz is available for purchase on NFT trading platforms such as OpenSea.

Ganja Guruz has the potential to change the outlook on NFTs as it does what no NFT has done before. Holders of the Ganja Guruz NFTs will have access to discounts and special features within the BudBlockz platform, giving them greater opportunity for trading and investing in cannabis products.

BudBlockz’s internal ecosystem, along with the NFT market and the staking platform, will feature a well-thought-out metaverse. This will include P2E games and decentralized exchange to make internal trading much more manageable.

The native token of the BudBlockz ecosystem is BLUNT, which will give its holders access to various trading opportunities within the BudBlockz ecosystem. BLUNT will also serve as a reward mechanism for skilled players. It is also used to buy the Ganja Guruz NFT collection.

Ganja Guruz is one of those new NFT collections that you can’t afford to miss out on because of all its inclusive features. Capitalizing on the high demand for decentralized cannabis trading platforms, Ganja Guruz is well on its way to becoming the best NFT collection of 2023.

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The origin of the Invisible Friends collection

Invisible Friends is one of those NFT projects whose value is undeniable. It is the brainchild of popular digital artist Markus Magnusson. Many digital animation fans recognize him as “Motion Marks”, his Instagram handle. His smooth animation style makes him so unique as a digital artist. Over the past few years, he has gained several hundred thousand fans on social networking sites. Invisible Friends is an NFT collection of his craft, created with his unique style.

Invisible Friends is a collection of 5,000 NFT pieces aimed at improving access to high quality art. The artist’s popularity helped propel this collection forward, and it did very well in the digital market space within a very short time.

This is what makes it all the more impressive that a new NFT collection like Ganja Guruz is already making headlines and attracting the attention of top investors in NFTs. By all indications, Ganja Guruz could very well be one of the biggest NFT collections of 2023.

To make your own BudBlockz Ganja Guruz NFT visit: https://budblockz.io/nfts

Once on the page, click the “Mint Now” button and connect your ERC20 compatible wallet. You will be able to hit your Ganja Guruz NFT for 0.09 ETH.

Buy or learn more about BudBlockz (BLUNT) at the links below:

Official Website: https://budblockz.io/
Presale Registration: https://app.budblockz.io/sign-up
BudBlockz Community Links: https://linktr.ee/budblockz

Disclaimer: This is a paid release. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily represent those of Bitcoinist. Bitcoinist does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of information available in such content. Do your research and invest at your own risk.

February 1, 2023 0 comment

NFTs

Insights from Bitget on how to achieve growth throughout crypto winter

by AryanArtnews January 31, 2023

written by AryanArtnews

With 2022 now in the past, many crypto users are hoping that the FTX crisis will also remain a mere bitter memory of last year. As the fallout from the collapse of one of the largest CEXs in the crypto industry continues to ripple through space, one platform is taking bold steps to ensure the security of its customers’ funds.

Gracy Chen, Managing Director of Bitget shares her views and tips for making it through the crypto bear market.

Q: How does Bitget ensure the security of customer assets?

Bitget always strives to provide a safe, one-stop trading solution for users. We have taken various initiatives and adopted various security policies to protect users’ assets.

Bitget’s protection fund was valued at about $200 million at launch and was increased to $300 million, consisting of 6,500 Bitcoin (BTC) and 200 million USDT after FTX’s bankruptcy. Bitget has promised to guarantee the fund’s value for the next three years, regardless of the market price.

Bitget released its proof-of-reserves Merkle tree to provide maximum transparency. Our POR page shows that our total reserve ratio is at 244%, with separate reserves of BTC at 725%, USDT at 202% and ETH at 186% as of December 31, 2022. Bitget is one of the exchanges out there with the highest reserve ratio.

Apart from these two essential measures, we serve and protect users with our already implemented, top-notch security measures and risk management, including hot and cold wallet separation, multi-signature wallets, zero-trust security architecture and much more to protect user assets. .

Q: What are users’ top concerns regarding security in crypto right now?

After the FTX incident, the market is actively looking for a transparent and credible platform where assets can be safely stored. That’s why we publish all seven wallet addresses of our $300 million Protection Fund, so users can monitor the fund at all times. Apart from that, we have also developed an open source “Merklevalidator” proof-of-reserve verification tool available on GitHub. Users can then verify that their account assets are included in our Merkle Tree proof-of-reserves to ensure that their funds are stored securely on the platform.

On the other hand, we also launched a fund custody service in January 2023 for users who combined assets of 100,000 USDT or more to apply for a dedicated custody wallet. The separate wallet address allows qualified users to check and withdraw funds separated from the main reserve, to prevent funds from being affected in case of emergencies such as loss, theft and other cyber security threats.

Q: What was the biggest goal that Bitget successfully achieved in 2022?

Last year was one of the most important in the history of Bitget. Our achievements for the year are nothing short of remarkable. Although some negative incidents happened in the industry, Bitget remained steady in our growth and used it as an opportunity to further strengthen our capability.

Some of Bitget’s key development areas include:

Ranked as the top-3 exchange in terms of crypto-derivative trading volume according to the Boston Consulting Group report.
Market share increased in the derivatives market from 3% to 11% after the collapse of FTX.
More than 300% increase in total transaction volume, with a rising popularity of copy trading products.
Workforce grows from barely 200 people at the start of 2022 to more than 1,100 employees in January 2023.
Became an exclusive crypto exchange partner with Lionel Messi.

Bitget has seen a 300% increase in total transaction volume thanks to increasing popularity of copy trading and crypto futures products. The platform’s flagship offering, One-Click Copy Trade, attracted more than 80,000 traders and 338,000 followers by December 2022.

Q: The collaboration with Messi is not your first football partnership. What do you think celebrity campaigns bring to your users? Is it a matter of trust and credibility?

Trust and confidence are the core basis for the development of the crypto industry. That’s why Bitget launched a $20 million marketing campaign during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to strengthen trust and rebuild trust in the community. We are happy to see our partner Lionel Messi’s victory.

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I want to emphasize that Messi is not only a great soccer player, but also a player who has concentrated on his skills for many years to overcome his physical difficulties, with almost no negative incidents. He is not only persistent, but at the same time humble and dedicated. Bitget chose him as a partner because his pragmatic and reliable image matches our zero-incident profile and commitment to developing the best trading products.

Working with Messi reminded us all that winning and building an everlasting business requires passion, perseverance and teamwork. The significant growth we have achieved is a testament to all the hard work and tremendous efforts our team has dedicated to the company.

Disclaimer. Cointelegraph does not endorse any content or product on this page. While we aim to provide you with all important information we can obtain, readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company and take full responsibility for their decisions, nor can this article not be considered investment advice.

January 31, 2023 0 comment

NFTs

Art Industry News: British Museum Workers Announce Plans to Go on Strike During Busy School Break + Other Stories

by AryanArtnews January 30, 2023

written by AryanArtnews

Art Industry News is a daily summary of the most consequential developments coming from the art world and art market. Here’s what you need to know on this Monday, January 30.

MUST READ

Hermès and MetaBirkin go to trial – The French luxury brand is taking digital artist Mason Rothschild to court over trademark infringement after the artist released his MetaBirkins NFT collection, which depicts the fashion house’s famous Birkin bag without permission. The case will continue today in federal court in Manhattan. (Mint Telegraph)

Politician condemns Tate Britain’s Drag Queen Storytime – The Conservative Party’s Emma Harriet Nicholson, who is a current member of the House of Lords, has written an open letter to the Tate’s board of trustees criticizing the museum’s decision to invite drag queen Aida H. Dee to acting towards a children’s group, condemning it as “propaganda.” The letter came with a petition signed by 3,500 people protesting Tate’s imposition of “gender ideology” on children. “We do not program artists to promote particular views, nor to reconcile different views ,” a Tate spokesperson said in response to the uproar. (ART news)

British museum staff to strike – More than 100 employees of the museum’s visitor services and security teams who are members of the Public and Commercial Service Union (PCS), the country’s largest public service union, will be among the latest in the UK to strike over pay and pension disputes, with a seven day-long action planned from 13 February. The country is expected to see the biggest strike day in a decade this Wednesday. (Evening Standard)

Dua Lipa Collects Hirst NFTs – The Grammy-winning pop star’s love for butterflies is evidenced not only by her outfits, but also by her choice of art. The 27-year-old singer-songwriter has revealed she owns at least four out of five of Damien Hirt’s limited edition butterfly prints from the series The Empresses, named after female rulers throughout world history. The limited edition prints are part of an NFT collection produced by Hirst and Heni in early 2022. (The Art Newspaper)

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Phillips collaborates with ICA San Francisco – The auction house has begun a three-year partnership with the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco, with the house supporting one exhibition at the institution each year, starting with the group show “Resting Our Eyes,” which opened just last week. (Press release)

Sargent’s Daughters West Name Director – Angela Robins will take on the role of director for the gallery’s new Los Angeles-based outpost, returning to the art world after leaving to become a winemaker. The first show at the gallery, titled “Death of Beauty,” has an all-star lineup and opens on February 14. (Press release)

Skowhegan Raises $21 Million – The Maine-based school of painting and sculpture surpassed its 75th anniversary capital campaign, with donations from art world honchos including Eleanor Acquavella, Donald Moffett and Paul Volent. The funds will help to upgrade the facilities on campus for students; two new structures are slated for completion this year: a Flex Space and a series of natural amphitheater spaces. (Press release)

TO BOOT

Saatchi Yates opens new gallery in Saint James – The London gallery has just inaugurated its new 10,000 sq ft gallery space on Bury Street with a solo show of paintings by Cologne-based, Lebanese artist Omar El Lahib. The large exhibition on the ground floor will present breakthrough artists, while private rooms are reserved for secondary market offerings. (Press release)

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January 30, 2023 0 comment

NFTs

The Most Famous NFT Artists Around The World

by AryanArtnews January 29, 2023

written by AryanArtnews

The world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) is a fairly new realm unto itself. Exclusive ownership, the authenticity of an item, digital artworks, collectibles, real estate, music and even its own digital currency – understanding the NFT sphere means living within a virtual universe with its own set of dynamics and vibrant characteristics. step. And speaking of digital artworks and NFT collections, the top and most famous NFT artists around the world are constantly striving to bridge the gap between the virtual and real arenas and bring to life stunning artworks that evoke imagination while conveying powerful messages.

Gone are the days when one would visit a gallery to buy a unique piece of art and decorate it as their living room centerpiece. In today’s digital world, there are dedicated marketplaces and online galleries that house some of the most famous NFT collections for you to choose from and buy. Blockchain shaped and uniquely coded NFT art can range from rare doodles, cartoon characters, music, albums, videos or literally anything one fancies.

With NFT sales reaching billions of dollars, it has really changed the way one looks at investing. Easy cryptocurrency buying, an energy-efficient coin process, and a variety of NFT art can make you feel like a kid in a candy store.

In fact, some of the top rated NFT marketplaces have also provided an interactive platform to the NFT community, where both buyers and sellers can come together and chat, discover new emerging artists and explore digital art, just like how a person at the local gallery. OpenSea (the largest NFT market), SuperRare and Nifty Gateway are some of the best to visit.

The best part is that being an NFT artist has no age limit and one can also be anonymous. From a 19-year-old Fewocious to an 87-year-old José Delbo, the most famous NFT artists all have their own ways of expressing and creating.

If you’re ready to delve into the NFT world and want to know more about some of the top and most famous NFT artists, we’ve got you covered.

The most famous and best selling NFT artists in the world

PACK

Image credit: SuperRare

Considered one of the most prolific and successful NFT artists, PAK also has some of the most expensive NFT collections under his belt. The anonymous artist formerly known as PAK Murat is quite active on social media and is the brain behind Archillect, the AI algorithm that helps you search the internet for images to post on social media handles.

In 2020, PAK released an NFT tipped Cloud Monument Dark on SuperRare which achieved 3.5 ETH or USD 788. Its highest income NFT Watch subscribed at a whopping amount of USD 20,232,912.15 which equates to approximately 16,593,059 ETH.

It has nothing to do with an actual clock, but is a digital count of the number of days WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been held in Belmarsh Prison. All proceeds from this NFT sale will go towards funding Assange’s legal battle.

In December 2021, PAK released the NFT art collection titled Add together on Nifty Gateway which sold for a record amount of USD 91.8 million and can be safely referred to as one of the most expensive collections in the NFT universe.

Beep

Mike Winkelmann, commonly known as Beeple, is one of the earliest digital art creators to enter the NFT zone. This graphic designer turned NFT artist is getting the highest applause for bringing mainstream attention and shining a spotlight on NFTs.

In March 2021, Beeple broke all records and topped the charts for selling the most expensive and famous NFT art. The piece, titled Everyday: The first 5000 days, took 13 years to make and is a collage of 5,000 small NFTs. It was the first of its kind to be sold by the famous auction house Christie’s at a whopping price of USD 69,346,250. His other works from the Every Days collection became a huge phenomenon and acted as an impulse for the NFT community.

Other well-known works by the talented artist include a plethora of objects and designs, ranging from whimsical giant flies buzzing around Mike Pence’s gladiator figure, regarding the 2020 US Vice Presidential debate, to a pixelated Mona Lisa. His works of art are both innovative and timeless, stimulating the imagination of the viewers.

Little

Don’t let Victor Langlois’ age fool you, because in the guise of a 19-year-old resides one of the most successful and groundbreaking crypto-art creators. His name is Fewocious and he has raised about USD 50 million through NFT art. As a prominent face of the queer NFT community, Fewocious is one of the most popular NFT artists with total sales of 3,189 NFTs.

His creation, Nice to meet you, I am mister misunderstoodbecame the highest selling digital art for auction house Sotheby’s when it was minted in September 2021. The piece depicts a brightly colored sobbing man surrounded by colorful clouds and flowers.

Fewocious broke his personal record in April 2022 by earning USD 20 million on Nifty Gateway with his Paint drop NFT collection as part of the creator’s upcoming generative art project — Fewoworld.

Fewocious brings the digital canvas to life with his whimsical and vibrant creative designs that are vivid, graphic and reminiscent of his oil paintings. Full of colorful images punctuated with monochrome spots, it’s an escape from his rough and abusive childhood to a more playful mindset.

XCopy

As one of the popular creators of digital art, XCopy has long made its presence felt as a brilliant NFT artist. No less than a well-known celebrity in this sphere, XCopy keeps his identity anonymous but is known to live in London.

His acquaintance Right click and Save As Guy NFT became a huge hit and was snapped up by rapper Snoop Dogg for a reported price of USD 7 million. The iconic NFT is a meme against digital-art critics who feel that this space is absolutely worthless and that online art can be saved and acquired with a click. In fact, this isn’t the first time the “Drop It Like It’s Hot” star has indulged in an XCopy creation. He also bought Some Asshole for a reported price of USD 3.9 million. It depicts a character in a suit and tie against a stark red background.

XCopy also got news for the Nifty Gateway collection Max pain which raised almost USD 23 million in just 10 minutes in March 2022. His digital art tends to lean towards the gory side and evokes a sense of a dark, macabre dystopian world.

Sneha Chakraborty

Sneha Chakraborty is an Indian muralist and street artist who has recently ventured into the NFT art sector and captured its pulse. Traditional Indian motifs, images of women and nomadic themes from around the country become her NFT muse. She mostly uses Wazir to drop her creations and even worked on an NFT display for them.

In 2021, she presented her NFT art—a collection of images of eight women Chakraborty met while traveling—at an exhibition titled Embers. She told Analytics India magazine, “The exhibition was a collaboration between the gallery, WazirX’s platform and me. It was the first exhibition of its kind to be conducted in India. (With the help of a friend) we added an extra AR layer to the story, showcasing the paintings to add an augmented reality layer.

As an NFT artist, Chakraborty believes there is still a long way to go and the community is at a very nascent stage.

Siraj Hassan

Siraj Hassan is one of the most famous names in the Indian NFT scene. The Chennai-based software engineer turned visual artist has stirred the digital air with his Caged NFT collection on the OpenSea market since abandoning it in January 2021.

The series was born from Hassan’s love for glass snow globes. The way snow globes bring a dreamy effect once stirred is a source of inspiration for the collection which also draws cues from nature, graphic designs, bold skull motifs and the spiritual state.

Besides being an engineer, Hassan is also a photographer and videographer who started using software like Adobe Photoshop images in 2014. In 2020, he started selling his works on the internet. As a keen interest in cryptocurrency grew in his mind, he began to learn more about NFTs before his release Caged.

snowfro

Erick Calderon, better known as Snowfro, is touted as one of the most famous NFT artists and digital art creators. He founded the generative art site Art Blocks in November 2020, and has since gained attention and fame like no other.

One item from his most famous NFT collection Chormie Squiggles sold for USD 8,129.59. Each piece from this collection is a digital chromatic blue squiggle with dark blue tints and features unique designs, absolutely different from each other. In fact, such a swirl design is now also the logo of Art Blocks. The site provides an interactive platform for artists and buyers and has also attracted the attention of the famous auction house Sotheby’s.

Having sold 7,718 NFT pieces, Snowfro was constantly looking to innovate and be at the top of his game.

Tylerxhobbs

Texas-based Tyler Hobbs is nothing short of a wizard when it comes to using coding and algorithms to create fantastic NFT art. As an NFT artist, Hobbs did not feel bound by the typical themes of portraits and landscapes and instead sought complete freedom as he infused programming with art and ushered in graphically designed patterns.

The most famous NFT collection to his credit is Fidenza, created in October 2021, which earned him $177 million. Hobbs is also known for his generative art and his other famous NFT collection Incomplete control, sold out for USD seven million even before it was officially dropped. Hobbs’ website mentions Incomplete control consists of “100 unique iterations produced from a single algorithm.” Created as NFTs via the Art Blocks platform, they deal with imperfections.

Dmitry Cherniak

artist Dmitri Charniak — Image credit: Makersplace

He may have only sold 918 NFTs, but he truly deserves to be on the list of most famous NFT artists. As a young child, Cherniak enjoyed painting and sketching and as he grew, he developed a fondness for science and mathematics. This is evident from the NFTs he creates, which are a perfect amalgamation of the two.

Well known for his Ringers collection on the Art Blocks site, this NFT artist has a distinct and unique style. Abstract geometric patterns, primary colors and futuristic digital appeal characterize his works. To raise a staggering amount of USD 2,682,000, Self portrait #1 is his best selling NFT on SuperRare.

A popular name in the generative art circle, Cherniak has an eye for innovation that can evoke a sense of imagination and uniqueness in an automated work of art.

Karan Kalra

Karan Kalra is one of the most famous NFT artists of India. The trained illustrator, animator, storyteller, writer and painter is based out of New Delhi and has been in the crypto scene since 2016.

His digital art consists of odes to his hometown, a futuristic version of the INR 2000 bill and some flying cars. With a strong following, Kalra is quite a popular NFT creator and among those in the country’s first wave of NFT enthusiasm.

(Main Image: Nifty Gateway; @beeple/ Twitter; Featured Image @beeple/ Twitter)

This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Bangkok

January 29, 2023 0 comment

NFTs

Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs are Plunging in Value and Mired in Lawsuits

by AryanArtnews January 28, 2023

written by AryanArtnews

A Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT billboard in Times Square. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

The demise of crypto companies like FTX has not only depressed the cryptocurrency market, but has raised questions about the once-thriving market for non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

The Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), a collection of 10,000 NFTs made up of various digital monkeys, was perhaps the most emblematic symbol of last year’s NFT boom. “It got the most attention from the media,” said Andrea Baronchelli, a professor at City University of London who studies crypto and NFTs. “It exploded because of the movements of various celebrities, it was seen as a status symbol.”

However, in December, the celebrities behind BAYC promotions were sued for allegedly artificially inflating the value of the NFTs. Stars such as Justin Bieber, Madonna and Paris Hilton were named in the suit, which alleged that influential figures were secretly paid to advertise the collection through misleading promotions.

The investment value of the BAYC collection has also taken a hit in recent months. In December, there were $76 million in Bored Ape NFT sales on the secondary market, compared to a peak of $346 million in January 2022, according to Crypto Slam, an NFT aggregator that publishes sales data. During that time, the average sale of an NFT from the collection dropped from $238,000 to $86,000.

The demise of FTX and other crypto companies not only weighed against NFT sales, but led to increased regulation, according to Merav Ozair, a blockchain expert and fintech professor at Wake Forest University. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is reportedly investigating Yuga Labs, which owns Bored Ape Yacht Club, over whether its offering of digital assets violates federal laws. It is also investigating ApeCoin, a cryptocurrency given to holders of BAYC NFTs. “Regulation is coming to the crypto market, and NFTs are no exception,” Ozair said.

Yuga Labs, a Miami-based company, is also at the center of a dispute over trademark and copyright laws. In June, Yuga Labs filed a lawsuit in a Los Angeles court against artist Ryder Ripps, claiming that his use of BAYC images in his own NFT collection infringes on Yuga Lab’s trademark.

Questions arise about Bored Ape copyright protection

While the lawsuit deals with trademark rights, which would apply to Ripp’s use of the BAYC logo and name, Ripp subsequently filed a counterclaim regarding copyright rights, which would cover the BAYC NFT images themselves. In December court filings, Ripp demanded that the court declare that BAYC NFTs are not subject to copyright protection.

This could have major implications for Yuga Labs, which claims to transfer copyright interests to holders of BAYC NFTs, thereby increasing their value to NFT owners.

But as Yuga Labs tried to persuade the court to stay away from copyright issues instead of trademark infringement, it revealed that it had not actually obtained copyright registration for BAYC NFTs. “The court should not determine whether Yuga Labs has a copyright in its Bored Ape images, because such an opinion would be merely advisory; Yuga Labs does not have a registered copyright,” Yuga Labs responded in a January 18 court filing.

Although copyright is created automatically when you create an original work, it must be registered to enforce it by filing an infringement suit in the US, according to Christian Tenkhoff, a Munich-based attorney at the law firm Taylor Wessing who specializes in IP rights and NFTs. However, he said it remains unclear whether there is any copyright in the artwork underlying many NFT projects, due to the use of AI in creating the images.

The US Copyright Office has consistently taken the position that works of art must be human-made to be registered, according to Zahr Said, a professor specializing in copyright and trademark law at the University of Washington School of Law.

“The larger question, still unanswered in the legal community, is whether the artwork associated with NFTs can be eligible for copyright protection if it was created with the help of artificial intelligence and algorithms,” Tenkhoff said.

Yuga Labs maintains it owns its copyright, Eric Ball, an attorney for Yuga Labs, said in a statement. “It is well established law that a copyright is created the moment an author creates something original that they put down on paper. Copyright registration with the federal government is also voluntary and not required.”

Bored monkeys were in the middle of the NFT tree. Now they are mired in lawsuits and falling in value

January 28, 2023 0 comment

NFTs

Art Industry News: Tennis Legend Roger Federer Reveals How He Was Ugo Rondinone’s Secret Muse + Other Stories

by AryanArtnews January 27, 2023

written by AryanArtnews

Art Industry News is a daily summary of the most consequential developments coming from the art world and art market. Here’s what you need to know this Friday, January 27.

MUST READ

YugaLabs claims no copyright for BAYC NFTs – Bored Ape Yacht Club’s parent company has revealed that it does not have a registered copyright on the 10,000 images from the much talked about NFT collection. The disclosure came in the latest court papers filed in the company’s ongoing lawsuit against Ryder Ripps, after the artist created his own NFT collection using images from the BAYC collection. (ART news)

Walter Ulloa dies at 74 – The art collector and media mogul, who championed Latinx culture through his collection and media company Entravision, died Dec. 31 of sudden heart failure. Works by Chicano and Mexican artists are prominent in his collection. (LA Times)

Ugo Rondinone’s secret muse – The newly released documentary Portrait of a champion, which follows the 20-time Grand Slam winner from late 2020, reveals that the tennis superstar has done some secret art modeling, posing as one of the flying figures in Cloud Six featured in the Venice exhibition “Burn Shine Fly” appear. The job was not as easy as it seemed. (TAN)

The Getty has interns write its wall texts – The 2022 cohort of interns from the Getty’s Marrow Undergrad Internship program were given the rare opportunity to write their own interpretations of the works from the museum’s collection on wall texts that will accompany their presentation in the exhibition “Our Voices, Our Getty: Reflecting on Drawings.” (Press release)

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Museum of the Moving Image Exec makes his exit – After 12 years leading the museum and a total of 34 years working there, executive director Carl Goodman is leaving to assume the role of president of the Florida Holocaust Museum. “I had a front seat to the digital revolution and went as far as I could go at the museum with pride,” Goodman said. (New York Times)

TEFAF announces Restoration Fund recipients – The annual award given by TEFAF to help preserve important works of art was awarded to New York’s Neue Galerie and Belgium’s Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. The Neue Galerie will restore Egon Schiele’s Town Among Greenery (The Old City III) (1917) and the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp will use the funds for Michaelina Wautier’s Two girls as saints Agnes and Dorothea (about 1650). (Press release)

TARWUK joins White Cube – The artistic duo composed of Bruno Pogačnik Tremow and Ivana Vukšić have joined the stable at White Cube, where their first solo exhibition opens on February 1 at Mason’s Yard in London. , sculpture and installations. (Press release)

TO BOOT

New Pussy Riot Video Burns Putin’s Portrait – Pussy Riot just dropped their new video for their song Putin’s ashes, which sees the Russian president’s effigy burned to the ground, ahead of the group’s first gallery exhibition at Jeffrey Deitch in Los Angeles. The group’s Nadya Tolokonnikova tells Artnet News senior reporter Sarah Cascone about the challenges of staging a performance art piece in a white cube in the latest episode of the Art Angle. (Youtube) (Artnet News)

January 27, 2023 0 comment

NFTs

NFT Oasis Teams Up with Vatom to Enable the Next Generation of the Metaverse

by AryanArtnews January 26, 2023

written by AryanArtnews

NFT Oasis uses Vatom technology to create scalable, frictionless metaverse experiences and opens up a Web3 ecosystem for creators

SILICON VALLEY, California., January 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Today NFT announced Oasis that they have chosen Vatom as their strategic partner in building the future of their Metaverse-as-a-Service (“MAAS”) ecosystem. This move is a major milestone in the Web3 industry, combining the strengths of NFT Oasis, a leading publisher of immersive Metaverse experiences, and Vatom, which operates the world’s first enterprise-ready Web3 SaaS platform.

NFT Oasis

Vatom was chosen as the ideal technology enabler for NFT Oasis due to its wide range of features and benefits. The Vatom platform offers a range of features that work across all blockchains, is built to be web-based (nothing to download), requires no coding (drag-and-drop), can support millions of concurrent clients around the world , and is completely customizable.

“We are delighted to partner with NFT Oasis,” said Vatom’s CEO Eric Pulier. “The NFT Oasis team has been a pioneer and leader of the most emotionally engaging experiences in the Metaverse to date. We believe the Vatom platform fits perfectly with their vision of a Web3-enabled ecosystem that helps creators, brands and communities . to thrive.”

Since the launch of NFT Oasis in April 2021many world-renowned artists and creators have debuted experiences in the Metaverse, including:

Musical artists such as electropop pioneer Imogen HopeK-pop star Ailee, EDM duo Autograf, and Keith Harris (producer and drummer for the Black Eyed Peas) have each performed in the Metaverse by NFT Oasis.
Business and life coach Tony Robbins extended its characteristic opportunity Business mastery in the Metaverse with NFT Oasis and made a special appearance at the official NFT Oasis x NFT.LA closing night party.
Thousands of visual artists and filmmakers have joined the NFT Oasis ecosystem to share their work with the world in NFT Oasis Art Walks.

While the majority of these previous experiences were deployed in virtual reality, NFT Oasis is now expanding its focus to provide frictionless access to the Metaverse with a web-based Metaverse solution that requires no plugins or downloads to access. NFT Oasis chose Vatom’s integrated virtual spaces solution to enable simultaneous access for hundreds of thousands of users, on a mobile phone or web browser.

Furthermore, NFT Oasis plans to launch several other components of its ecosystem, including the Provenonce Academy and Provenonce Circle. Through this strategic partnership with Vatom, NFT Oasis now has a branded Web3 wallet and has integrated NFTs through its MAAS ecosystem for token-gated community experiences.

“At NFT Oasis, we see an opportunity to lead the adoption and use of the emerging technologies in the Narrative Economy,” said NFT Oasis CEO Will O’Brien. “Our innovations from R&D are introduced to the market through our own productions and collections, and then rolled out as a choice for the ecosystem of brands, creators, designers and freelancers embarking on their Web3 journey. We sell access to this ecosystem. in the form of NFTs, and we call this overall infrastructure Metaverse-as-a-Service (‘MAAS’).”

This collaboration between two powerful players in the Web3 space is an important step forward into an era where companies will be able to use Web3 technologies for entirely new customer engagement channels. Companies such as Deloitte, E&Y, PepsiCo, State Farm, Paramount, Intel, iHeartMedia, Diageo, Volvo, WPP and others have adopted the Vatom platform to better serve their customers.

“The technology industry is cyclical,” added O’Brien. “Leaders emerge, then new ideas radically disrupt the incumbents. The recent exponential growth in mainstream adoption of AI tells us very clearly that change is the only constant in the Creator Economy. This sea change is as powerful as the introduction of the home computer, the internet and the blockchain, because there is no turning back. We are collectively invited to embrace the future.”

“With Vatom and NFT Oasis working together,” O’Brien concluded, “the future is very bright.”

Visit https://nftoasis.co/ to enter the Metaverse with NFT Oasis.
Follow @nftoasis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nftoasis.

Visit https://www.vatom.com/ to learn more about Vatom.

About NFT OASIS

NFT Oasis is a leading provider of Metaverse-as-a-Service (“MAAS”) solutions for the Web3 industry. NFT Oasis is wholly owned by Provenonce, Inc.

About Vatom

At Vatom, our mission is to enable both companies and individuals to easily engage directly with the emerging Web3. Founded in 2019 by experienced tech entrepreneur Eric Pulier, Vatom built the world’s first enterprise-ready Web3 engagement solution that enables companies to better connect with their customers, employees and stakeholders while streamlining processes and improving profitability. As a result of this effort, companies such as Pepsico, P&G, Deloitte, Verizon, State Farm, WPP and others are all actively using the Vatom platform to build continuous Web3-based applications. https://www.vatom.com

SOURCE NFT Oasis

January 26, 2023 0 comment

NFTs

NFT LA is Now Outer Edge LA, Uniting Creatives, Builders, Artists and Technologists in Web3 and Beyond

by AryanArtnews January 25, 2023

written by AryanArtnews

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS THREAD)–NFT LA – the largest gathering of cultural influencers and Web3 innovators to hit the US West Coast – has announced its expansion to Outer Edge LA, and has added participants to its impressive speaker lineup with industry heavyweights such as actor and producer William Shatner reveals. , investor and 10x NYT bestselling author Neil Strauss, co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands Yat Siu, LA Rams CCO Jennifer Prince, 2-time NBA all-star Baron Davis, IBM Web3 & Blockchain Services Head Shyam Nagarajan, founder and executive head of What’s Trending and co-founder of Peace Inside Live Shira Lazar, and former NBA champion and Artest Management Group founder Metta World Peace. Returning to downtown LA on March 20-23, 2023 – and powered by a diverse set of partners including OKX, Superchief Gallery NFT, SKALE Labs, United Talent Agency, and many more – Outer Edge LA will bring essential conversations and connections between some of the most prominent innovators across culture, technology and entertainment.

The immersive gathering will feature panels and presentations from more than 100 executives, influencers and artists building on the intersection of culture and technology to usher in a new era of digital creativity. Additional attendees include Founder and CEO of Art Blocks Erick Calderon, Artist and Fortune Magazine Top 50 NFT Influencer Nicole Buffett, Co-Founder and Co-Host of Impact Theory Tom Bilyeu, CEO of Blockchain Creative Labs (FOX) Scott Greenberg, SVP of Business Development at Unstoppable Domains Sandy Carter, 3D Artist Andre O’Shea, Managing Director of A0K1VERSE Shannon Herber, Founder of Welcome to the Block Cordell Broadus (Champ Medici), Co-Founder of Axie Infinity Jeff Zirlin, Filmmakers Miguel Faus and Adhrucia Apana, Roger Chabra, CEO of T3MP0, Wendy O, YouTube host, Stephanie Howard, co-founder of Endstate, co-founder and CEO of MAVION, Michelle Reeves, NFT influencer NFT Girl, and Pink Floyd Saxist Scott Page.

“I’m thrilled to be speaking at Outer Edge LA, rubbing elbows with technology pioneers and meeting the hoi polloi of the web3 industry,” said William Shatner, actor and producer. “I will be announcing a very special project with my friends at Orange Comet, who are groundbreaking creators. Want to know what that project is? You’ll have to come on March 21st to find out. I’ll see you there!”

“We are thrilled to invite attendees to the next evolution of Edge Of events to hear from creators and innovators across every major industry using Web3 to build the future,” said Zach Sekar, co-founder of Outer Edge LA. “Outer Edge seeks to facilitate new, disruptive dialogues and projects that will establish never before ways of connecting with consumers and shaping tomorrow’s culture. The decentralized web, artificial intelligence, augmented reality and other advances on the outside of what is possible have exposed an opportunity to co-create an inspiring and just future.”

The Outer Edge Land Grant Experience gives community-driven projects the opportunity to host impactful experiences and intimate talks within the convention, without the cost of a traditional conference sponsorship. Community partners will be given a space for their activations, posting as a co-creator on the Outer Edge website and material and promotional support for external events. The organizers, themselves a Web3 startup, are committed to providing a welcoming opportunity for all communities, startups, and creators to collide, share their creations, and build a bigger and stronger community.

To support and celebrate the builders and entrepreneurs driving the space forward, this event will also feature a two-day hackathon and a startup investor pitch experience.

To learn more about the experience, organizers will host a live Twitter Spaces on Thursday, January 26th at 4:30pm PST. Details can be found here on Twitter.

Visit the following web pages for information on purchasing tickets and exploring sponsorship opportunities.

ABOUT OUTSIDE LA

Outer Edge LA – formerly NFT LA – is dedicated to those who build on the Outer Edges, making the future happen. The community-centered gathering returns to Los Angeles March 20-23, 2023 to uplift creators and technologists through interactive experiences, a wide variety of discussions and presentations, and entertaining surprises that transport attendees to the outer edge of what’s possible. We invite and showcase all things at the Outer Edge, including the decentralized web, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and more. Go to outeredge.live to register to attend or learn how to co-create an experience on the Outer Edge. The event is organized by The Edge Of Company, founders of The Edge of NFT Podcast.

January 25, 2023 0 comment

NFTs

Before MetaBirkins Trial, Hermès, Rothschild Spar Over Evidence

by AryanArtnews January 24, 2023

written by AryanArtnews

With a jury trial pitting Hermès against Mason Rothschild over the latter’s MetaBirkins NFTs fast approaching, the parties are trying to get the court to block certain evidence from being admitted at trial, filing respective motions in limine with the court on Monday. The impending hearing comes a year after Hermès filed suit against Rothschild in New York federal court, accusing him of trademark infringement and dilution in connection with the promotion and sale of the allegedly confusingly named NFTs. The case has been closely watched in light of the fact that it raises some new — and nuanced — questions about the applicability of “real world” trademark rights, fair use and the First Amendment in the virtual world.

Ahead of the start of the trademark and web3-centric MetaBirkins trial later this month, counsel for Rothschild are seeking to get the court to exclude a number of Hermès’ proposed exhibits, either in whole or in part. as well as any testimony about such excludable portions. Specifically, Rothschild seeks to get the court to…

1. Select Social Media Postsincluding “comments from unidentified third parties that Hermès intends to offer as purported evidence of genuine confusion as to the source of [the] MetaBirkins NFT artworks.” Through the posts, which likely show comments from social media users expressing their beliefs that the MetaBirkins NFTs are authorized/sponsored by Hermès, Rothschild argues that the “anonymous online comments should be excluded because they are inadmissible hearsay and not proven otherwise is of genuine confusion and therefore not relevant to any issue to be tried in this case.

In particular, Rothschild’s counsel claims that Hermès “has not identified the authors of any of these social media accounts … making the authors’ identity, meaning and intent unknown and unreliable.” And even if the social media posts were not inadmissible hearsay, Rothchild argues that “they do not show or suggest that [his] use of Hermès’ [Birkin] brand may inflict commercial injury in the form of either a diversion of sales, damage to goodwill, or loss of control over reputation,” as there is “no indication that these social media posts were created by actual or potential customers of either Mr. . Rothschild or Hermès.”

2. Testimony of Boriana Guimberteau – This is the lawyer that Hermès referred to in its complaint as confused about the source of the MetaBirkins NFTs. While “Hermès intends to present [her testimony] as evidence of actual confusion,” Rothschild asserts that Guimberteau “has no relation to potential or actual. MetaBirkins consumers and is therefore not evidence of likely confusion.” There is also a risk of bias, according to Rothschild, as Guimberteau is a lawyer “who represents luxury fashion brands and claims to have knowledge of NFTs – and is therefore likely to be viewed improperly as … a witness whose testimony is greater must gain weight..”

3. Post-litigation statement and certain communications by mr. Rothschild – Rothschild also wants to block a certain – redacted – statement he made in “private communication to his friends and associates about his lawyers in this case”. He argues that the statement is “irrelevant to the issues to be tried in this case, is highly prejudicial, and is likely to distract or confuse the jury.”

Rothschild also wants to block messages – again redacted – he made after Hermès filed suit that reflected his “layman’s view”, presumably of the case law. The messages “have no relevance or probative value to any issue to be tried,” his lawyer argues, and “Hermès’ sole purpose in attempting to represent. [them] would be to smear Mr. Rothchild’s character in general.”

Regarding Hermès’ motion, the Birkin bag maker is trying to get the court to…

1. The testimony of Dr. Blake Gopnik & Dr. David Neal – According to Hermes, Rothschild offers Dr. Gopnik as an expert in the art to support his defense that his promotion and sale of the METABIRKINS NFTs is protected by the First Amendment. The brand’s lawyer argues that Dr. Gopnik should be precluded from testifying on the grounds that his “opinion is not based on any reliable data or methodology to support his mere ipse dixit assertions.” he “opinion on ultimate legal conclusions;” his opinions “do no more than repeat Rothschild’s version of his own statements and actions; and he “interprets and opines about Rothschild’s intent in creating and promoting the METABIRKINS NFTs.”

Hermes also wants the testimony of dr. Blocking David Neal, who is expected to rebut the survey evidence of actual confusion collected by Hermes’ expert on the grounds that Neal’s opinions and testimony “are not based on reliable survey methodology, they do not assist the trier of fact , and if allowed, Hermès would be unfairly disadvantaged.”

2. Proposed trial exhibits – The bulk of Hermès’ backlash comes in response to evidence Rothschild is trying to introduce that he claims has “nothing to do with either his METABIRKINS NFTs or Hermès’ infringement claims,” including images of Andy Warhol and other artists’ works and post – the submission of interviews.

“As he has in the press and in other filings,” Hermès states that most of Rothschild’s arguments are aimed at claiming that “he is somehow protected” — from trademark liability — “because other artists were involved in behavior (not related to Hermès or BIRKINS) ) which he believes is analogous to his own.” Likewise, he “seems to argue that because others have had projects involving the BIRKIN name or design, it somehow provides him with safe harbor to exploit the same in connection with METABIRKINS NFTs.” But this evidence is, according to Hermès, “irrelevant”, and, even if it were relevant, it is more prejudice than proof.

Perhaps the best example of these claims (which will almost certainly come up during the MetaBirkins trial), Hermès claims, are Rothschild’s references to Andy Warhol and the Campbell’s Soup can paintings. Although “neither Warhol nor Campbell’s Soup has anything to do with this matter,” Hermès argues that Rothschild wants to introduce evidence of Warhol’s work, which would create “a false equivalence” between itself and “Warhol’s storied career.” [that] will only serve to confuse the jury and any flimsy probative value is dwarfed by the resulting prejudice to Hermès.” As such, “any reference to Warhol for the purpose of asserting that acceptance of his work as ‘art’ immunizes Rothschild from infringement liability for the METABIRKINS NFTs must be precluded.”

Moreover, Hermès argues that “the nature and extent of Warhol’s claim to be an ‘artist’ as opposed to an ‘infringer’ is currently before the US Supreme Court” in the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. f. Goldsmith case that “will examine whether Warhol had the right to use someone else’s photograph under copyright law.” Given the complexity of the legal issues in the ongoing Goldsmith case, Hermès claims that “it is simply inaccurate for Rothschild to suggest or imply that Andy Warhol acted within the bounds of the law and that Rothschild therefore provides a safe haven become.”

Still, delving into another argument that will no doubt arise at trial (with or without the evidence at issue), Hermès states that its main claim against Rothschild is for trademark infringement arising from its use of the METABIRKINS name in connection with the METABIRKINS NFTs , which are “associated with images of handbags which, by Rothschild’s admission, are intended to resemble Hermès’ BIRKIN bags.” With this in mind, Hermès argues that “Rothschild tried to argue this [its] claim is about the images alone, [but] this is wrong,” according to Hermes, who states that “even Rothschild does not argue that the pieces of code that create the NFTs, labeled METABIRKINS, are ‘art.'” While the images are “obviously important,” simply “to comparing this case to Warhol’s Campbell’s Soups images is highly flawed.”

Beyond Warhol, Hermès also claims that Rothschild should not be able to introduce third-party evidence of “artistic” uses of Hermès’ BIRKIN brand and/or trade dress, including images of photographer Tyler Shields’ work and songs by Beyonce, Cardi B, and Gunna . “Again, just because other individuals or entities were involved in projects related to the BIRKIN brand or handbag does not mean that Rothschild has that right,” argues Hermès. “This is again to create the same type of false analogy: Rothschild seeks to protect his own behavior on the basis of that of others. This was a recurring theme during depositions and will be repeated during trial if these exhibits are not excluded.”

And finally, the brand argues that news articles discussing details of this action should be excluded, since “Rothschild and his counsel have spoken to the media about this action and the parties’ claims,” neither Hermès nor his counsel have done so. As a result, it claims that such coverage of this case was “susceptible to bias,” and should not be included.

The case is Hermès International, et al. f. Mason Rothschild, 1:22-cv-00384 (SDNY).

January 24, 2023 0 comment

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