$1.1 Million Performance Art 🤯

It’s been an incredible summer for on-chain art, and August was nothing short of amazing. From record-breaking performance art by Sam Spratt (shoutout to Dave Krugman, too 😉) to audio-visual explorations of a continent on the cusp of breaking into the Web3 art scene, there’s so much to be excited about!

Here’s what’s on the menu this week:

• “The Monument Game” by Sam Spratt Raises $1.1 million

• “From Africa, With Love” by Coinbase and Onboard Wallet

• Exclusive Interview with Dheeraj Thakwani

• Top Sales of the Week 🔥

• Art Spotlight 🔭

“The Monument Game” by Sam Spratt Raises $1.1 million

Sam Spratt is a legend in his own right. Having created a prolific body of work with collaborations and influences spanning multiple industries and eras, Spratt is no stranger to the art scene.

His latest work is a masterpiece of performance art that raised a whopping $1.1 million within 2 minutes just last week. Spratt sold 209 editions (out of a total of 256) of “The Monument Game” at a price of 3.33 ETH each. But what made these pieces so valuable to collectors?

“The Monument Game” is the latest addition to the Luci Collection, a body of work that started out with eight 1/1 pieces in October 2021. With the latest edition, collectors had the option to engrave their thoughts and observations onto the original 1/1 edition of “The Monument Game.” This opens up a whole new channel for artists to bond with collectors.

The Council of Luci (holders of the “Skull of Luci” editions) deliberated on the entries, and votes were cast to pick the top 3 winners. Prizes included a “Skull of Luci” (valued at ~ 90 ETH) and a seat at the Council. But perhaps the biggest prize of all is the provenance of each player’s observations on the historic piece, inscribed forever on the 1/1 piece.

Speaking of which, “The Monument Game” original 1/1 piece was collected by 1OF1 for 420.69 ETH (yep, that’s right), making it the highest-selling Foundation auction of 2023 so far. You just can’t make this up!

“From Africa, With Love” by Coinbase and Onboard Wallet

Coinbase went on a hot streak this month with the launch of “On-Chain Summer,” collaborating with global brands and tons of incredible artists to promote the digital collectibles experience. This particular one caught our eye.

‘From Africa, With Love’ is a bold testament to the creative energy of a new wave of artists in Web3 emerging from Africa. Onboard Wallet (a self-custody wallet provider) played a significant role in bringing the project to life.

Featuring five curated drops exploring visual and sonic influences from the continent, this was one of the most dynamic and well-balanced offerings from the “On-Chain Summer” season. It is no surprise that it enjoyed a massive reception from collectors.

This drop, titled ‘Òrìṣà’ is an incredible collaboration between multidisciplinary artist Anthony Azekwoh and musical mastermind Yinka Bernie. What a time to be alive!

Exclusive Interview with Dheeraj Thakwani

Eminent: Thank you for joining us today! Give us a little intro to the world of Dheeraj Thakwani.

YamRaj: Hello, my name is Dheeraj Thakwani, A.K.A. YamRaj, and I am a photographer, filmmaker, and digital artist based in India. I have been doing this for a decade, ever since I discovered my passion for capturing the beauty and diversity of the world around me. I started by just shooting random pictures in high school, and after completing my studies, I decided to make it a full-time job. Since then, I have worked on various projects, ranging from documentaries, commercials, music videos, and personal art pieces. I enjoy experimenting with different styles and techniques, and I always strive to create original and meaningful content that can inspire and entertain my audience and tell stories.

Eminent: How did you venture into photography and filmmaking, eventually bringing your art onto the blockchain?

YamRaj: I learned about the blockchain at the beginning of 2021. I watched a video from Corridor Crew called “How NFTs are Changing Art Forever”. I was blown away by the possibilities and opportunities available for freelancers or people like me who enjoy passion projects, and the chance to show what we are truly capable of. I felt that this moment, when artists are in power, was the best time to get into it. So I started to explore different blockchain platforms and communities, such as Foundation. I have created and sold some of my own NFTs, as well as collaborated with other artists on some amazing projects. I enjoy the creative freedom and the support that the blockchain provides, and I am always looking for new ways to express myself and grow as an artist. I became an official "TimePieces" artist and was able to collaborate with Deepak Chopra Earlier this year.

Eminent: What was the biggest challenge you faced in the early days of your Web3 journey as a creator, and how did you navigate it?

YamRaj: The only challenge I faced in the early stages of my Web3 journey was finding like-minded people. However, once I found them, it was just easygoing for me. I found the Photoshop and photography communities on Discord and Twitter, and they were absolutely amazing. I learned a lot from them. For example, John Knopf just blew everyone away with his skills, and everybody just lost their minds. His photography raised the bar for the whole community. But for me, the challenge has always been how I like to present my art. I don’t like to follow trends or Internet culture sometimes, such as the Pepe culture, the meme culture, or the editions craze. My art is my art, and I like to price it in my own way. I don’t sell editions. I always do 1/1 if I have to mint an artwork. It’s never going to be something that involves just following other people. It’s always going to be for a reason, such as my charity work for either mental health care charities or my donation work for Ukraine. Every single artwork needs a reason to exist on the blockchain, not just for the money, but because I want somebody to actually appreciate that art.

Eminent: Any words of advice for artists new to Web3?

YamRaj: My very simple advice for anyone who is coming to Web3 is to pursue what you want. Don’t chase what others are doing; create what you actually want to create and what you see yourself doing after a few years. Don’t go for the money grab or easy money techniques. Think of yourself as building an actual business, and work accordingly. You are in this for the long term, and if you are actually going to create in Web3, you should be doing it seriously from day one. That doesn’t mean that you can’t experiment with your art. But what I am trying to say is, do not blindly follow anyone, but learn, study, and embrace what your heart says.

Top Sales of the Week 🔥

This week’s top sale on SuperRare was the purchase of this piece called ‘Faults’ by Jack Kaido. It was added to the Azimandias collection for 10 ETH.

On Foundation, this week’s top sale was for 4 ETH. JoeyL.eth titled this interesting piece ‘Mala of Hawraman.’

Art Spotlight 🔭

We’re proud to present our winners of our art share contest! 🏆

Wanna get your art featured here?

We love to showcase incredible creations by artists on our radar every single week. We’re always excited to talk about art and all things Web3. Submit your art to be featured here.

We’re always excited to talk about art and all things Web3. Check us out on Foundation.

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