What happens when you put together a group of crypto artists, experienced DJs, and a keen eye for creativity?
Well, I was pleasantly surprised when I heard about @FutureArt_‘s “Follow The White Rabbit”: an immersive NFT crypto art experience which took place last week over Easter weekend. The physical event was paired with their NiftyGateway drop the same weekend, which featured artists from around the world, organised by none other than Future Art curator @SatsMoonSoon. After Future Art had reached out to us at CryptoArtPulse for advertising, we’d learned that they were holding an in-person event in Sydney, Australia, where I’m based! When I found out the venue was right next to where I lived, I knew I had to go. This event was a rare opportunity to experience an eclectic mix of art, music, and pure vibes that is truly pushing the boundaries of how we interact with crypto art.
And what an experience it was.
The Recap
When I entered the building, what greeted me was a fun, 3D-looking projection of a bunny. The corridor was dim, but I could already see the lights. This was going to be good.
Just around the corner, the creative display continued. Future Art had really embraced the Alice in Wonderland aesthetic: a story where the protagonist, Alice, finds herself down a deep rabbit hole, thrusting her into an unknown world. As I walked down the tunnel, it certainly felt as such - leading me deeper into the world of crypto art.
Was I in Wonderland? A big screen with a falling cat, carrots and cabbage on the ground… did a rabbit live here?
Seriously, though. Crypto art is a whole world of its own, a rabbit hole that most of us have been down already (or are currently in!). One of the most interesting things, I find, is that everyone in the space has their own unique backstory. We all discovered NFTs and art in our own way, and slowly but surely, crypto art has found its way into our daily lives. Though the space is still new! The fact that you are reading this means you are in the tiny percentage of people in the world who even knows what an NFT is. This event is only a taster of how we will interact with crypto art in 5, 10, 20 years - crazy to think about!
I made my way through more Alice in Wonderland decor. I could hear the DJ playing his set. And above, you can see the first piece of art on display. When I first came across it, I was stunned - this was my first time seeing a large, physical display of crypto art. Of course, I had spent countless hours staring at art on my screen before, but this was completely different. I felt like I could look at it for hours… there was something special about seeing crypto art, physically, on such a large scale that was mesmerising.
Below, is art by @JonNoorlander, one of many artists featured. Similar story, I could stare at it for hours.
Then I finally reached the main room with DJs playing sets. One wall of the room was completely taken up by a massive projection of crypto art - the main source of light in the room, aimed to showcase talented artists from around the world. People milled about, danced and enjoyed themselves. The room was buzzing with excitement. I struck up a conversation with an ex-DJ, a friend of the DJ playing the current set. One thing, among many, that we agreed on was how enjoyable this experience was - it was like being at the club on a night out, but without all the baggage that comes with it. It was a space where people enjoyed themselves, the music, and crypto art - and everyone was ecstatic to be there!
Here are some pics of the main room.
What does this mean for Crypto Art?
Three things stand out.
1. Crypto art does not only belong on the blockchain.
“Follow The White Rabbit” was an incredible experience. I learned that I love interacting with crypto art, in real life. And that is the way many people experience “art” in their everyday lives - we hang paintings up on our wall, we change our phone wallpapers, we have custom designs put on our shoes. Art is a form of self-expression, and made for humans to interact with. Crypto art is no different. Physical world use cases are king.
2. Crypto art is still in its infancy.
The use cases, and how we interact with crypto art in the future, will be unimaginable. We aren’t in the metaverse yet, but we already have a taste from open-world projects like Decentraland and CryptoVoxels. Mainstream adoption of NFT crypto art has only just begun. We are early on the train and in no rush, so enjoy the ride!
3. Constant iteration and creativity will get us there.
It is only through the entrepreneurial and artistic drive of individuals and groups like @FutureArt_, pushing the boundaries with events like this, that we will design the future of crypto art. So as part of the community, get involved - now is the best time to explore new ideas - and through constant iteration, we will create a space that everyone will love.
A big thank you must go out to Future Art for getting artists together and organising an amazing event!
You can find Future Art at these links:
Twitter: @FutureArt_
NiftyGateway: niftygateway.com/profile/futureart
Website: futureart.io
Keep up to date with CryptoArtPulse blog posts via email below.