Stephen Black: NFT Black Paper #1
NFTs.
I am not naiive, but I feel there is now a community of hope amidst the gold rush that is the present NFT world. The environmental impact issues of mining are being recognized; corrections and repair are underway. Some artists, collectors and investors are using their profits to enact positive change. I have discovered artists who are creating new forms of thoughtful art using the unique properties of NFTs. I hope my own NFT will attract interesting people. However, on one extreme, some may call me a hypocrite or a sell out, on the other extreme, I may be able to make the world a little better. In any case, NFT world, here I come.
There are no guarantees, of course. But if there is revenue, I hope to continue doing what I have always done; make art, write, create networks and do unpredictable things. Hopefully my GeoPose AR projects can be realized.
My NFT must have meaning, must reflect the ideas I have long worked with.
The idea I am working on will summarize my years in Singapore and Southeast Asia. There, my work as a video artist and photographer was channeled into the world of 3D gamemaking/spatial computing. When that chapter of my life concluded I began writing books, while waiting for the world of spatial computing to mature. Amongst other topics, I researched the history of printing in Singapore. In 2015, I took the birth of the Oculus as a sign to get moving. I began a journey that began with VR, then focused on AR and now continues with the metaverse, crypto and NFTs.
For now, a clue:
I rediscovered the image above for a project organized by Ho Rui An, a Singaporean artist and writer. In 2013, Rui An asked a number of artists to write about a publication that shaped their artistic journey. I submitted this image. First, there was the incongruity of Andy Warhol and the Chicago Cubs literally being on the same page. Then: art, music, movies and literature: I was struck by the fact that one person did them all. Now that technology has become so empowering, this is not as difficult as it was once was. However, the challenge to create meaningful art is as great as ever.
…
Singapore, 2007(?): SuperRare had just started. I wrote to them, excited about doing something with them, though I did not understand what they were doing at all. We had a brief correspondence, which concluded by them saying that they were rethinking their business model. I began writing books.
Note: If you Google SuperRare, the results will likely show that they started in 2018. I am researching this now. Unfortunately I do not have access to the email account I used in 2007(?). But the work then I saw was created by a neural network. It was stunning and I was immediately captivated by it. I am almost certain that the company selling the artwork was SuperRare. But another issue: Etherium. wasn’t around until 2015ish…????
UPDATE: I found the correspondence about SuperRare, which took place in 2018, with James Moreau, who at that time used an email from pixura. At the time of this writing, James Moreau has no idea about what I am working on, so please do not consider this as an endorsement by him in any way.
Often, with NFTs, a white paper, with guidelines, business plans, etc. is written. Perhaps I will write a white paper, but for now I just want to write so as to clarify my thoughts and share the process of making an NFT. I will likely write more in the next week or so.
onwARd!
sb
