Greg Oakford is not only a co-founder of NFT Fest Australia, but also a passionate collector and fan of NFTs. He provides valuable insights into the world of NFTs from a collector’s perspective.
One of the pioneers in the field of AI art is Pindar Van Arman. Van Arman built his first robot that could paint with a brush on canvas seventeen years ago. Since then, he has built several robots, each with a more sophisticated artificial intelligence that aimed to paint “more like I painted.” In 2015, Van Arman created his first crypto art project called bitPaintr and minted his first Ethereum nonfungible token (NFT) in 2018 titled “AI Imagined Portrait Painted by a Robot” on SuperRare.
However, Van Arman faced challenges in explaining his work back in 2015. People found it hard to accept that robots could create art with emotions. He even received hate mail from artists who believed that robots would threaten their livelihood. But Van Arman remained undeterred and saw the criticism as a sign that he was onto something ground-breaking. As an artist himself, he knew that the art world often struggles to accept new ideas, making his work even more innovative.
Van Arman agrees to a certain extent with those who question the validity of AI art. He believes that AI cannot make art itself, but it can be a tool used by artists to create art. AI can be creative in a similar way to humans, and that is where its value lies. He has witnessed the creative potential of AI through his own programming and firmly believes in its capabilities.
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One of the topics Van Arman is passionate about is the issue of royalties. He supports the idea of artists receiving royalties for their work, citing examples from the writing and recording industries. He mentions the current writer’s strike in the United States, where writers are fighting for royalties from streaming services like Netflix. Van Arman acknowledges the difficulty of tracking royalties but believes that blockchain technology, particularly the Ethereum network, provides a better means of ensuring fair compensation for artists.
Notable sales of Van Arman’s AI art include “AI Imagined Portrait Painted by a Robot,” which sold for 80 Ether (ETH) ($342,100), “The Cryptographer 10,101,” which sold for 21.8 ETH ($93,800), and “Bonni3,” which sold for 20 ETH ($68,900).
In a rapid-fire Q&A session, Van Arman reveals his goal with AI art is to evoke emotions in viewers without them realizing that the artwork was created by a robot. He also mentions that he doesn’t want to disclose his influences in the art world, as some of them are now his friends and he doesn’t want to give them the satisfaction of knowing they influenced his work.
Van Arman shares his admiration for a collector named Blur, who has a significant AI art collection in the crypto space but maintains no social media presence and doesn’t advertise their collection. Blur collects art purely out of passion and avoids influencing others with their choices.
When asked about his favorite NFT in his wallet that is not his own, Van Arman mentions his ownership of CryptoPunk 7627, which brings him great joy. He also shares that he listens to a lot of EDM music and occasionally Pink Floyd while creating art.
In the wider NFT art market, the Winds of Yawanawa collection, a collaboration between the Brazilian Indigenous Yawanawa and Refik Anadol, is highly sought after, with its floor price surpassing 10 ETH. Other notable sales include “The Monument Game 1 of 1” by Sam Spratt, which sold for 420.69 ETH ($700,000), and “Ringers #195” by Dmitri Cherniak, which sold for 35 ETH ($57,184).
In terms of ongoing events, the iconic Chromie Squiggles collection is nearing completion, with only two Squiggles remaining for minting out of the total 10,000 collection. The founder, Erick “Snowfro” Calderon, has distributed 66 new Squiggles to family, artists, collectors, institutions, and friends. He also announced that Squiggle #9998 will be a special commemorative mint, and Squiggle #9999 will be heading to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The popularity of Snowfro’s artwork continues to soar, leading to the gradual release of remaining mints over the years.
In conclusion, Van Arman and Oakford provide valuable insights into the world of NFTs and AI art. Van Arman’s pioneering work with AI robots challenges traditional notions of art and creativity. Oakford’s perspective as a collector highlights the growing interest and market for NFTs. Both experts recognize the potential of blockchain technology to revolutionize the art world and ensure fair compensation for artists through royalties.
