This week 100 Proof is broadcasting live from Marfa, Texas. Kevin, Amanda, Sam and Eli are joined by Snowfro, Derek and artist diewiththemostlikes.
Snowfro on the significance of Marfa
Marfa holds a special place in Snowfro’s heart, having frequently visited with his wife over the past seven years. They even acquired a house there, decorated it with art, and welcomed others to experience its charm.
Marfa, already renowned for its historical art contributions, notably from Donald Judd, is now recognized in the digital art realm as the Art Blocks headquarters. However, Snowfro emphasized that Art Blocks is just a small piece of the town’s rich artistic tapestry.
Art Blocks uniquely bridges the physical and digital worlds through technological advancements and a rules-based approach to art creation. Their platform promotes experimentation and community engagement, evident in their recent event app that incorporates generative art and interactive features. This app allows users to extract color data and integrate it into artwork, enhancing user interactivity.
Lastly, a question was posed regarding the uniqueness of having a DAO centered around one’s art, seeking insights into this novel connection. Nifty, representing Squiggle DAO, emphasizes their goal: curating and championing Chromie Squiggles. With a formidable collection of 330 pieces and a $15 million treasury spanning Squiggles, USDC, and ETH, they’re set until 2030, confident in Squiggles’ future success.
Then a debate starts surrounding mathematical versus community-based traits in the Chromie Squiggle collection. Recent inconsistencies in Squiggle’s feature script highlighted the challenges faced by artists when their work commands high value.
The consensus? Traits are intrinsic to the art, unchangeable. As art evolves, newfound information should be celebrated, not shunned. Such occurrences enrich a project’s lore. Oversights in human-crafted code are inevitable and, when encountered, become part of a project’s story. Squiggles, hailed for their captivating rainbow colors, remain a community favorite, with Squiggle DAO amplifying its allure through community traits and engaging initiatives.
The DAO envisions itself as a future curator of Squiggles, shining a spotlight on unique pieces and enhancing the collection’s legacy. Their aspirations involve global museum exhibitions and deepened community involvement.
Closing thoughts revolve around Marfa’s significance. Its remote location ensures only the most passionate art devotees make the journey, cultivating meaningful discourse.
Glitch Marfa with Madison & Malte
Glitch Marfa is an innovative team making waves in the art world with their signature “Every 30 Days” exhibition in Marfa. They spotlight an artist and object every month and broadcast it live from Marshmallow on HiveShot, available 24/7. Additionally, they offer a limited edition digital poster monthly, capped at a thousand prints for $30 each.
The creative brains behind this? Madison, the Director of Glitch, her husband Derek, and Malte. The trio’s collaboration began after a chance meeting between Derek and Malte in Mexico City. Malte boasts a deep history in the art market, preceding the rise of NFTs. Derek, on the other hand, is known for his appearances on “100 Proofs” and frequently discusses his Glitch initiatives.
The ethos of Glitch is rooted in storytelling, education, and providing a fresh perspective on art history. Their ambition is clear: elevate the digital art movement and provide artists a vibrant platform. With aspirations to merge the realms of physical and digital art, they’re keen on ensuring artists get the recognition they deserve in this space.
As Glitch expands, the team looks to explore novel ways to champion artists in the digital realm, while also emphasizing the importance of a tangible, physical connection to art. With a dedicated base that follows “The Long Form” monthly, they aim to strike a balance between online engagement and in-person experiences, all while pushing boundaries in the art world.
Derek, from Glitch, observes that Marfa’s locals are warming up to digital art. To make art even more accessible, there’s a plan to extend the exhibition to sidewalks and even a cool outdoor sculpture—a retro Macintosh with NFC tech. Just a tap on it with a phone, and voila, a unique Glitch experience awaits!
The aim? Highlight the art, not just the tech behind it. Speaking of tech, while NFTs are groundbreaking, the emphasis is shifting towards celebrating digital art as it is. Derek’s influential article, “Storing Value in Digital Objects,” perfectly embodies this sentiment. The core idea: while the tech-savvy might be into the intricacies of NFTs, many resonate more with the art’s features and its intrinsic value.
On the topic of physical vs. digital art—while Glitch started in Marfa, it’s now majorly online. But as they amplify their digital presence, there’s always an eye on tangible experiences. They believe in the power of one: showcasing one artist and one piece every 30 days to provide undivided attention to the art’s essence. This approach has not only highlighted significant works but also helped foster connections and deepen relationships among art enthusiasts.
When asked about merch and collectibles, Glitch sees them as bridges between people. Digital objects on blockchain tech make these relationships more palpable. And as Glitch continues to evolve, the community’s engagement reaffirm their strategy is on point: a blend of the physical and digital, centered around art, stories, and connections.
Diewiththemostlikes
Introducing diewiththemostlikes, an artist from the small town of Hammond, Indiana. Art in his early years was mostly limited to an RV museum. But then Twitter came into play, and platforms like Hic et Nunc became his art haven. He’s not just an artist; he’s a writer too, with titles like “Eye for Eye” listed on Amazon.
His art is often a commentary on the surreal aspects of everyday life. Think about the absurdity of ground beef: how we take an animal’s existence, grind it, and then casually buy it on discount. It’s this kind of unique perspective that shapes his work. His sources of inspiration range from authors like Hunter S. Thompson to the vast world of Twitter artists.
Jump to the current scene. At an exhibit, Marva showcases some intriguing projects, like the Beef Brothkos paintings. With the help of the Transient Lab team, there’s an impressive blend of digital and physical art—30 paintings with 666 unique digital renditions, and a special traveling flea market event where bargaining is the name of the game.
Diewiththemostlikes enjoys merging physical and digital realms, telling stories from his unique Middle American lens. For him, joy in creation is everything; if he doesn’t love making it, he believes folks won’t enjoy viewing it.
Another key principle in his work is not exploiting his community. It means he keeps his releases limited, ensuring a genuine connection with his audience. As for the quirky side of things, he’s an aficionado of fast-casual dining—places like Chili’s or Buffalo Wild Wings. It’s all a part of his eclectic and fascinating world view.
You can catch the show here: