Floor is Rising Floor is Rising Podcast

In 2017, Jason Bailey immersed himself in the world of NFTs, with the hope of slowly shaping a better art world. Four years later, the industry exploded into the mainstream, and although it looks different from what Jason had imagined, the increased levels of access and democratization keep him passionate about, and inspired by, the space. Even before becoming involved with NFTs, Jason lived his life at the intersection of art and technology, with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in art and 20 years of experience working for tech startups. For these reasons, we thought he would be the perfect guest to join us for a deep dive into the work of the winners of this year’s FIR Awards! Listen in as Jason shares his thoughts on artists Cath Simard, Deafbeef, Beeple, and XCOPY, and why the legacy of the NFT revolution will be the social change that it has brought about.
Key Points From This Episode:
An overview of Jason’s journey navigating the intersection between art and technology.
Jason’s entry into the world of NFTs in 2017, and how things have changed since then.
Motivation behind the founding of ClubNFT.
An introduction to the work of NFT artist Cath Simard.
The original crypto art collectors and what that bulk of new NFT collectors are buying.
Factors that make the work of Deafbeef unusual in the NFT space.
Thoughts on the accessibility of Deafbeef’s work.
How most of the traditional art world views NFTs, and why Jason disagrees.
Changes to the art world brought about by the NFT revolution.
Jason’s love/hate relationship with Beeple’s $69 million sale.
Exploring the work of XCOPY, the winner of the FIR Awards!

Tweetables:
“In NFTs, it’s not just that the art stands alone, but there’s also a sense that you can follow along with the artist, look up to the artist, or at least admire them for their principles and their approach.” — Jason Bailey
“[NFTs] really did, to some degree, democratize who gets to make art and ways of selling art and who feels comfortable collecting art. We probably have more art collectors today than we’ve ever had in history, and maybe more artists selling work than we’ve ever had in history.” — Jason Bailey


https://twitter.com/artnome (Jason Bailey)
https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)

For today's show we welcome back Brandon Buchanan, to discuss the intriguing results of our 2022 NFT Awards where we surveyed friends of the show and look at the top four PFPs.
This category of the awards was by far the most popular, receiving more votes than any other. And we have to be honest, there were some surprises! We get to hear some really interesting perspectives from Brandon on our top four projects, Doodles, Nouns, Bored Ape Yacht Club, and CryptoPunks. We discuss Pharrell Williams' involvement with Doodles, how Bored Ape Yacht Club rewrote the playbook for NFTs, the unusual roadmap that Nouns have created for themselves, and why CryptoPunks are still the most important player in the history of the game.
Key Points From This Episode:
Building a brand beyond the world of NFTs; Brandon's thoughts on funding and investment.
Weighing Pharrell Williams' decision to come on board with Doodles and what this means.
Nouns' daily options and the implications of this relating to pricing and demand.
Looking at the Nouns trajectory and the long horizon they have laid out.
Board Ape Yacht Club's serious impact on the PFP sphere, and their polarising status.
Misunderstandings about the way that Bored Ape flipped the crypto playbook.
Considering the influence of fashion, memes, and more general rules of branding.
Why CryptoPunks are the Michael Jordan of the NFT PFP space!
Thoughts on the role of the CryptoPunks founders and why they broke the mould.

Tweetables:
“I like that we are moving away from this idea that PFPs are just there to flex. I like this idea that NFTs can be a gateway to community, a gateway to participating in governance.” — Brandon Buchanan [0:07:14]


“I think Bored Ape's contribution to the NFT space, particularly with the the PFPs has to be revered, they have done so much across the board.” — Brandon Buchanan [0:33:51]


Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:s


http://www.brandonkbuchanan.com/ (Brandon Buchanan)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkbuchanan/ (Brandon Buchanan on LinkedIn)
https://doodles.app/ (Doodles)
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/a36489849/pharrell-williams-interview-black-ambition/ (Pharrell Williams)
https://www.ninachanelabney.com/ (Nina Chanel Abney)
https://pitchfork.com/artists/30022-meek-mill/ (Meek Mill)
http://www.jeffkoons.com/ (Jeff Koons)
https://nouns.wtf/ (Nouns)
https://www.moonbirds.xyz/ (Moonbirds)
https://boredapeyachtclub.com/%23/ (Bored Ape Yacht Club)
https://larvalabs.com/ (Larva Labs)
https://www.larvalabs.com/cryptopunks (CryptoPunks)
https://www.cryptoadz.io/ (CrypToadz)
https://www.supremenewyork.com/ (Supreme)
https://www.yuga.com/ (Yuga Labs)
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jordami01.html (Michael Jordan)
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/russebi01.html (Bill Russell)
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/marcel-duchamp-1036 (Marcel Duchamp)
https://www.warhol.org/andy-warhols-life/ (Andy Warhol)
https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)

Show Notes.
Just as NFT technology has disrupted the way art is commercialised, so too is it disrupting the way art is curated. Joining us today to break down the role of curatorial DAOs is Lucas Pontes. Lucas is part of Fingerprints DAO and RAW DAO, in this episode, he fills us in on the greatest issues NFT collector DAOs face, as well as the solutions they aim to solve. We discover the parallels between the traditional art world and the NFT art world, in terms of legislation and curation, as well as the novel, decentralised curatorial system of RAW DAO and its subsequent challenges. Lucas predicts the evolution of the DAO as a format, before delving into NFT photography and what it means for the traditional photography space. Tune in to find out more about all things DAO, and how curation competence is ensured in the ever-evolving world of NFTs!
Key Points From This Episode:


How Lucas Pontes got into NFTs and how he got involved with Fingerprints DAO.
Lucas explains Fingerprints DAO and his role in the DAO.
The biggest issue with NFT collector DAOs: the unclear business model.
Fingerprints DAO’s current business model and brand attributes.
The solution Fingerprints is selling to NFT collectors.
The balance between the DAO as a format and the art itself in terms of creating, retaining, and returning value.
The novel and decentralised curatorial system of RAW DAO.
The meticulous art-centred curatorial process of Fingerprints.
How DAO members make decisions about acquisitions.
The similarities between gallery and DAO acquisition processes.
The parallels between the traditional art world and the NFT art world.
The challenges of the decentralised curation model and ensuring curation competence.
Fingerprints DAO’s plans to stray from solely Ethereum acquisitions to include real-world acquisitions.
The impact of the NFT market on photography.
The criteria by which RAW DAO deems a piece of NFT photography valuable.
Lucas’ prediction of the evolution of the DAO as a format.
How NFT technology disrupted the way art is commercialised.
The differences between photography NFTs and traditional photography.
Lucas’s favourite artists.



Tweetables:


“Perhaps the biggest issue with collector DAOs is there isn’t a very clear business model.” — @lucasponn


“The main purpose of [Fingerprints DAO] is fostering the best collection that we can.” — @lucasponn


“In RAW DAO there is a more decentralised curatorial system in place, which is quite interesting.” — @lucasponn


“As much as people rely on experts, you can’t just say anything is art.” — @lucasponn


“There are a lot of parallels that can be drawn between the traditional art world and the NFT art world. At the end of the day, it’s still a bunch of people in art and you’ve still got the same problem of figuring out what is valuable and what isn’t.” — @lucasponn


“If the curatorial process is entirely open, you’ve got to make sure that there isn’t a way for people to go into it and sway it to their will.” — @lucasponn


“There is a big conflict between what is popular and what is good, and divergence within that. That is not going away with the technology.” — @lucasponn


Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:


https://twitter.com/lucasponn (Lucas Pontes on Twitter)
https://twitter.com/FingerprintsDAO (Fingerprints DAO on Twitter)
https://twitter.com/theRAWdao (RAW DAO on Twitter)
https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)

Show Notes
Cole Sternberg is a critically acclaimed contemporary artist who is now entering the world of NFTs. His first NFT drop was on June 10th and in this episode, we hear about the broader concept of his work and how it manifests through the process of relinquishing control to code. Cole fills us in on what it is that he loves about generative work, and why he chose to embrace the technology tied to NFTs rather than simply turn his physical art into jpegs. We also find out more about the differences between the physical art world and the NFT world in terms of ranking and collector trends, interactions, and expectations. As a ‘crossover’ artist, if you will, Cole explains the dynamic (and the thrill) of exploring the new medium of NFTs, as well as the digital literacy gap between physical art and the NFT space. Tune in to hear about Cole’s exploration process, how his themes of human erasure manifest in his NFT works, and how NFTs act as a commentary on society!
Key Points From This Episode:


Why Cole Sternberg chose to enter the NFT world via Art Blocks.
Cole’s choice to embrace the technology tied to NFTs, rather than turn physical art into jpegs.
The themes of his work: erasure of the human hand, and the earth itself as a composer.
How his upcoming NFT collection addresses these themes in the digital form.
What Cole loves about generative work.
How it feels to relinquish control to code versus nature.
Cole’s learning process of thinking more abstractly and getting to his imagined final product.
How interactions with collectors differ in the physical art world versus the NFT world.
Why ranking NFTs according to their floor price is detrimental.
How NFT curatorial concepts can (and should) evolve.
The crossover dynamic of established contemporary artists moving into the NFT space.
The digital literacy gap between the physical art world and the NFT world.
NFTs as a commentary on society.
Speculation on how Light and Space artists would have approached NFTs.
Cole’s favourite artists!



Tweetables:


“All these different things emerge when you expose paintings physically to the elements.” — @colesternberg


“That broad idea of erasing the human hand and giving it back to the earth, I wanted to address that in the digital form.” — @colesternberg


“There’s not much transparency in the physical art world but there’s basically infinite transparency in the NFT world.” — @colesternberg


“There’s an inherent crossover that should be irresistible to most artists.” — @colesternberg


“It’s a crazy thing that a medium can come over a few-year period, tops, and become so prevalent in the world and in the market.” — @colesternberg


Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:


https://twitter.com/colesternberg (Cole Sternberg on Twitter)
https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)

Today on the Floor Is Rising Podcast we are joined by Prateek Shah and Drew Beller, the two Co-Founders of Spanning Labs, to speak about what their company is offering the world of NFTs and why artists and collectors should be excited about the expansion of possibilities they are bringing to the space. We get to hear all about the company and how our guests made their way to the advent of this project before we dive into their vision for cross-chain interoperability and the practicalities of what this will mean when they launch publicly early next year. Along the way, we cover some interesting ground, hearing from Drew and Prateek about the lessons in consensus the blockchain space has taken from robotics, what they see on the near horizon for the NFT markets, some of their competitors, and how they differentiate themselves, and a little about the architecture of their solution. So, in order to hear all about an exciting addition that might be the answer to your needs, be sure to press play!
Key Points From This Episode:
Our guests' backgrounds and journey into their current roles working in the NFT realm.
Cross-pollination between robotics and the blockchain space.
Spanning Labs' solution for cross-chain interoperability.
Detailing how ownership changes in NFTs under the Spanning Labs NFT framework and what is meant by 'moving owners around'.
The intricacies of blockchains like Solana and how the Spanning network fits into these transactions.
Potential changes to the NFT landscape in the next few years, with increasingly lower barriers to entry.
More power and control for creators to make decisions about their art.
Drew and Prateek's perspectives on competition in their section of the market.
Differences between Spanning Labs and competitive solutions such as LayerZero.
Integration with OpenSea and how Spanning NFTs can be deployed and function.
An explanation of multi-chain addresses in the current climate.
Adoption strategies from Spanning Labs in the context of the bear market.
The modular architecture of Spanning, and what this enables for transfers.
Where and how to learn more about Spanning Labs!
Drew and Prateek's favourite NFT artists and projects, and what they are most excited about on the horizon.



Tweetables:


“There won't be one blockchain to rule them all, but there might be one blockchain that's the best at payment processing.” — https://twitter.com/drewbeller (@DrewBeller)


“It's really important to us that an NFT is always owned by the user.” — https://twitter.com/drewbeller (@DrewBeller)


“The important thing to keep in mind is that it's not possible for a contract to meant to be deployed locally to interact in a multi-chain way.” — Prateek Shah


“I am really looking forward to seeing more changes in the generative art space, specifically how we can start generating art on-chain.” — Prateek Shah


Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:


https://spanninglabs.com/ (Spanning Labs)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pcshah1996/ (Prateek Shah)
https://twitter.com/drewbeller (Drew Beller on Twitter)
https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)

Episode 66: Show Notes.
Today we have a great chat with generative artist, p1xelfool, about how NFTs became his main practice and source of income, and his philosophy towards the evolution of the art world. p1xelfool tells us about his focus on the feelings that art can evoke, and why he values these over intellectualisation and representation. We also discuss why making his work look distinctly digital is a central part of what he does at the moment, and how his path diverged from his focus on a more classical painting practice. As a relative newcomer to the world of NFTs, p1xelfool's story is one that many artists might relate to; we speak about the possibilities of the future, what it means to stand out in these burgeoning and sometimes overcrowded spaces, and where and who he draws most of his inspiration from. To hear it all from this great guest, join us!
Key Points From This Episode:
p1xelfool's route into the world of NFTs and the part that using Bitcoin played.
The decision that p1xelfool had to make between pursuing generative art and painting.
p1xelfool's innate attraction to obsolete technologies and low-resolution work.
The market's appreciation of difficult mediums such as generative art.
A look at the tools that are used in p1xelfool's creative process.
Thoughts on 'concrete' and abstract generative works and why our guest shifted gears in his latest project.
The challenge of standing out in the digital realm; how our guest approaches catching viewers attention.
p1xelfool's thoughts on the current stage of his career and hopes for the future.
The big influence that Nicolas Sassoon has had on p1xelfool's work and attitude.

Tweetables:
“I have always loved the idea of playing with obsolete technologies.” — @p1xelfool [0:05:40]


“One of the things that I like about low-resolution works is that it is very restrictive, and I see that as a challenge.” — @p1xelfool [0:09:12]


“When I started p1xelfool, I decided that I wanted to create something that is more sparkly, in some way.” — @p1xelfool [0:12:27]


“I try not to represent anything. What I try to do is somehow evoke feelings or try to examine the feelings that a work brings in.” — @p1xelfool [0:14:40]


Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:


http://p1xelfool.com/ (p1xelfool)
https://twitter.com/p1xelfool (p1xelfool on Twitter)
https://twitter.com/Nicolas_Sassoon (Nicolas Sassoon on Twitter)
https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)