As one of the most talked-about innovations of the 21st century, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) – essentially, the one-of-a-kind ownership of a digital piece of art or other virtual collectible – have become a cultural phenomenon of the Web 3 revolution, becoming both an exciting digital portfolio asset for the sharp investor and an opportunity for artists to expand the influence and impact of their work into the online space. Now, the rapidly-expanding non-fungible token space is anticipated to be an integral part of the international art market as the years continue to unfold.
For the creatives behind a project or collection’s imagery, the non-fungible token industry has become an unrivaled opportunity to connect with their community of fans and share new art outside of the traditional barriers of a gallery or museum space, all while cutting middlemen and third-parties out of the process. It’s here that many art lovers and collectors see the greatest application of the powers of Web 3: the empowerment of the artists themselves.
At end-to-end NFT agency Insiderz, a firm known for its goals to democratize the non-fungible token market, uplifting artists has become an indispensable aspect of the vertically-integrated agency’s operations. Providing a customized roadmap from development to minting tailor-made to each of its clients’ unique requisites, Insiderz has been behind some of the NFT space’s most exciting projects, particularly those made in collaboration with established and internationally acclaimed artists – much like Insiderz’ project with multi-dimensional French artist Raphael Federici.
Based out of Paris, France, Federici – formerly known professionally as ParisSketchCulture – has built renown for his artistic projects over the years through his eye-catching and vibrant street art illustrations that blend concepts like Neo Pop Expressionism, graffiti, and Afrofuturism to arrive at Federici’s own distinct style of urban art. Beyond his unmissable outdoor works, Federici has become known for his detailed drawings and paintings that highlight the dynamism of the human body and the spectrum of human emotions.
Now, Federici is taking his talents to Web 3 in his exclusive collaboration with Insiderz, hand-drawing every piece in the duo’s project based around Federici’s the lonely and mysterious character from his comic book “Sailor: The Wrath of the Lamb.” Made to convey meaning to the Y generation, Federici and Insiderz’ Sailor project looks to project a feeling of “universality, generosity, freedom and authenticity” to both casual viewers and holders of pieces from the collection, a visual testament to the search for true meaning in an increasingly desensitized world.
“I use artificial intelligence to record an imprint of my soul and emotions when I paint. So, by digitizing enough information through the machine’s algorithm that assists me, I get a series of thousands of combinations that could have come straight out of my mind,” says Federici about the project.
“My reflection was to keep a link with reality, the touch, the movement that I normally apply to my creations, but this time, by transposing them into this new ‘de-meta-rialised’ world,” continues the French artist. “I wanted to create several portraits of my emblematic character ‘Sailor the sailor’ by depicting him in the most natural way possible: with the brush tool; while using the digital tool that gives him a ‘collectible’ dimension in NFT. Each work is unique and can find its physical double in my studio.”
As the prevalence of NFTs continues to surge, projects with a focus on artistic integrity and platforming talented creators are expected to maintain a lasting hold on the growing non-fungible token marketplace; as such, expect nuanced collaborations like that of Insiderz and Federici to make an enduring impact on NFT portfolios across the world.