gm Bankless Nation, Ethereum’s grip on NFTs remains as strong as ever, and one art scene in particular here has the makings of an enduring cultural movement!
gm Bankless Nation, Ethereum’s grip on NFTs remains as strong as ever, and one art scene in particular here has the makings of an enduring cultural movement…
Despite plenty of competition and criticism this cycle, Ethereum's dominance in NFTs remains unmatched.
This dominance runs both tall and wide:
Tall, in the sense that all the biggest PFP projects and top art collections are still on Ethereum.
Wide, in the sense that Ethereum also easily boasts the most breadth in crypto re: smaller creative scenes with pioneering innovators.
Of these scenes, one has always struck me as particularly emblematic of the cultural potential of Ethereum, and that's the one that's blossomed around fully onchain art in recent years.
That's why this week I thought it was awesome to see the Ethereum Foundation host a guest thread by Luke Weaver spotlighting Ethereum's onchain art movement.
Give the thread a read, it's excellent. The tl;dr is Ethereum’s onchain art movement is pointing toward a future where the great artists of the digital age won’t paint, but program.
That said, this scene is also demonstrating that Ethereum can be far more than just a financial network. It's now also a new kind of canvas, with programmable onchain art existing entirely within Ethereum smart contracts.
This sort of always-on, networked art is unprecedented in art history, and for those paying attention with a critical eye, the early works here are challenging traditional artistic ideas around permanence, interactivity, and accessibility.
That's because onchain artworks don't decay like physical art, and they can be endlessly and openly interacted with and composed on, forevermore. Plus, Ethereum never demands credentials for these indefinite, dynamic exhibitions.
The big picture is that Ethereum is a groundbreaking new artistic medium in its own right, where computation can beexpression. And that's why it's great to see the Ethereum Foundation amplifying this message, as this reality has flown under the radar previously.
This cultural advance is really incredible when you think about it, and it's absolutely worth celebrating. And if history is any guide, those who experiment early in a new medium often go down as legends. Collect accordingly.
Experience the next generation of onchain finance with Mantle—where blockchain meets everyday banking. Powered by a $4B treasury, Mantle Network, and mETH Protocol, Mantle is launching three innovation pillars:
Not financial or tax advice. Bankless content is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. This newsletter is not tax advice. Talk to your accountant. Do your own research.
Disclosure. From time-to-time we may add links in this newsletter to products we use. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase through one of these links. Additionally, the Bankless team holds crypto assets.
