Atlantis: SuperRare 3D VR Art Exhibit

Atlantis: SuperRare 3D VR Art Exhibit

Above: “data privacy” by stockcatalog licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Atlantis: SuperRare 3D VR Art Exhibit

4 years ago

Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.

https://twitter.com/superrare.com/status/1298305601240469504?s=21

Panel – Convergence: Art & Blockchain in VR

Featured Artworks

I think it is impossible for us to ever truly know the truth of the matter where Atlantis is concerned which makes it all the more fascinating to me.

CRYPTOSPECTR

Exotic protozoa in two very distinct and tasty flavours.

Atlantis is one of those classic legends that sparks the imagination of anyone who hears the tale. Hearing Graham Hancock and Randall Carlson discuss their take on the possibility of lost civilisations on the Joe Rogan Podcast around 5 years ago, my interest in Atlantis was certainly reignited. I think it is impossible for us to ever truly know the truth of the matter where Atlantis is concerned which makes it all the more fascinating to me.

I wanted to create something both sculptural and architectural that visitors to a VR space can enjoy inside and out. My sculpts were inspired by microscopic protozoa which are abundant in the sea, but usually impossible to see with the naked eye. Visually these creatures are about as close to aliens as you could find on the planet earth. My intention with this work was to fit with the theme of the show and explore the beautiful complexity of these lifeforms.

Since first experiencing virtual reality back in 2016 I have very much enjoyed not only creating digital 3D work but also exploring it within VR environments. Most people I have introduced to VR really enjoy it which gives me the impression it will be around for the foreseeable future or at least a comparable technology. Every time I’m asked about cryptoart my response is much the same, I am so grateful to be involved in this new and fast evolving scene.

I wanted to create an Octopus sculpture which you can travel inside and dance together in its vivid dreams… thus Discopus was born.

VR_ROSIE

Discopus by VR_Rosie

I am Rosie Summers, a virtual reality artist, a creative slave to the metaverse. With VR, you have the chance to intimately connect with your digital art in revolutionary ways. This means that whatever I paint I form a strong connection to. This connection is emotional and feels physical through the tangibility of the immersive medium and allows me to transcend into what I’m painting. The meta dream becomes lucid and I start to feel things through my artwork, this allows for an interesting experimentation process as I form the digital thumbprints on my work. Recently in my virtual art, I have been drawn to exploring the cosmic realms of space and the juxtaposition of the synthetic and natural world.

Apparently only 5% of the deep sea has been explored which is a mind blowing concept, what rare finds will be discovered when humans get the ability to explore those realms? This makes Atlantis a fantastic concept for a crypto art gallery exhibition. 

My sculpture Discopus was born from the idea of collective dreaming. In these times of Covid, we have seen more frequently. Subconscious human minds intertwining, connecting, humming the same vibrations. This is something I have experienced before and became fascinated with the concept. I wanted to create a space where people can dream together. A VR exhibition is the perfect place to experiment with this concept, with us disconnected from our physical presence and immersed in the virtual, it can often feel like a dream state. It was dreams that lead me to Octopus, I had read recently a theory that Octopus change colour whilst sleeping, suspected to be dreaming. I found this amazing, not only does it show how advanced they are to ‘dream’ but it’s an example of a visible dream, observing their cognitive adventures which is fascinating. So I was inspired to recreate the Octopus dream, in Atlantis, playing with the technicolor aspects of the octopus and the abstraction of its travelling mind. I wanted to create an Octopus sculpture which you can travel inside and dance together in its vivid dreams… thus Discopus was born.

The chance to imagining possible worlds, modeling them and taking them into virtual realityI wanted to create an Octopus sculpture which you can travel inside and dance together in its vivid dreams… thus Discopus was born.

CRYPT0_BABY

Crystal Jelly by Crypt0_Baby

My cells are driven by the rhythmic contractions my body produces when I drink water.

What excites me the most about my creative work is the chance to imagining possible worlds, modeling them and taking them into virtual reality. I think of technology as a medium capable of expanding the limits of what is possible and thinkable for artistic creation. Atlantis is the perfect environment for my universe. I like to mix the sensitive world with electricity, my piece Crystal Jelly is a creature that moves its body in space using the energy of water.

As we navigate our planet’s sixth mass extinction (aka the Anthropocene extinction), we are witnessing the death of a civilization in the vein of Atlantis for all the same reasons.

BINGKOLAND

Mand(la) Ray by bingkoland

Feel your inner flow guided by these sacred creatures of the abyss.

As an artist and storyteller, the idea of Atlantis evokes a subject I’m very passionate about. As we navigate our planet’s sixth mass extinction (aka the Anthropocene extinction), we are witnessing the death of a civilization in the vein of Atlantis for all the same reasons. Lack of empathy, over consumption, and hubris all leading down the same destructive path. For me, breathing a kind of life into a vulnerable species like the manta ray was not only to showcase its gentle, majestic beauty, but to remind a viewer viscerally of what they will lose due to habitat loss unless we act. Capturing the ephemeral in the displacement of water and time, I want to bring these kinds of social and environmental issues more to the fore with VR and cryptoart because the communities that gravitate towards these platforms are already willing to think and feel outside the proverbial box. We need that kind of approach more than ever.

I like playing with the idea that Atlantis could actually be a city of the future or exist in a parallel world or dimension. I picture a sort of solar punk world filled with new technologies and renewable energy but mixed with a bit of fantasy.

MATT BUELT

Spirit of the Ocean by Matt Buelt

A chance encounter with an ethereal being.

My name is Matt Buelt and I have been working in 3D and making digital art for about three years. My main focus is in game development in Unity, and more specifically creating content for the Oculus Quest.  My earliest inspirations came from retro point and click adventure games, and I have always been fascinated with building worlds that I can explore. Beyond VR projects I enjoy making picture art and short animations as a way to work out different ideas and learn new tools.  World building and game development in general is a long process that can cause burnout so I enjoy skipping around between multiple art projects. I like experimenting with different approaches without being super committed to what I create and making art as a fun mental exercise. I generally try to create varying styles between my individual art works and also enjoy practicing other disciplines such as virtual sculpting, and character creation.

The underwater Atlantis I first think of is a greek-like city lost to modern times. However, I’ve always enjoyed seeing myths evolve and become reimagined over time. I like playing with the idea that Atlantis could actually be a city of the future or exist in a parallel world or dimension. I picture a sort of solar punk world filled with new technologies and renewable energy but mixed with a bit of fantasy.

My sculpture titled “Spirit of the Ocean” adds a bit of magic into the world of Atlantis. The artwork depicts a fictional creature, and doesn’t bear an exact resemblance to any traditional underwater animal. (Though I kind of think it looks like a shrimp wearing a bathrobe). The intention was to make a metaphysical creature that maybe is only rarely encountered, and would provide wisdom, or act as a guide. The idea of the sculpture in a sense was to embrace the unknown, and maybe draw parallels between the depths of the ocean and the depths of the human psyche. Both are not fully explored, yet there still could be some magic that has yet to reveal itself.

I’m really excited to see where cryptoart is headed and I think digital sculpture has a lot to offer in terms of pushing the boundaries of NFT’s. I can definitely see tokenized avatars, buildings, and even entire levels becoming popular items in crypto. In a lot of ways I feel like VR has reinvigorated the medium of sculpture itself.  I used to view sculpture as an outdated and primitive medium, but now it seems to be the exact opposite. I do think that VR and crypto both have a long way to go before they will be used by the majority of people, which is perfectly fine. I’d honestly prefer the technology be molded by the enthusiasts and early adopters slowly rather than have it go mainstream and fall apart.  While VR can be a temporary escape from the problems in the world,  I dont think it’s beneficial for everyone to use it all the time or for long periods of time. I think it’s important that VR is put towards creating some good in the real world too. The same could be said for crypto currency, I want it to have a positive impact on the global economy, and be more integrated with real world business.

We are living in a civilisation at a peak of technological advancement, sophistication and stability where almost anything is achievable. But we are also in the midst of challenging times and run the risk of sinking into oblivion, chaos and destruction.

MARC-O-MATIC

MetaBeast – The Junk Crown Shambler Crab by Marc-O-Matic

A meta manifestation of the growing abundance of discarded waste that populates our ocean floor.

I’m a Multidisciplinary Creator based in Melbourne, Australia. Working across Illustration, Animation, Immersive and Interactive Media, my work is centred on building storyworld narratives and explores intersections between traditional/analogue art disciplines and immersive experiential media like Augmented/Virtual Reality.

The Crypto Art I have created to this date are driven and inspired by a Storyworld Thought Process, meaning the majority of my creations are somewhat interlinked and connected in different ways and may share or be involved in similar recurring narratives. Many of the constructs and creatures that may be seen throughout my artworks are connected within my own overarching storyworld universe.

To me the idea of Atlantis is symbolic and representative of the end times of Civilisation.  According to Plato’s description of it, Atlantis represented a once utopian civilisation where its people were considered half god and half human. Living in a state of advancement, sophistication and abundance but tragically taken away in an instant by natural disasters. In many ways I see our current globalised human civilisation as a reflection of this and an indicator as to where we may be headed. We are living in a civilisation at a peak of technological advancement, sophistication and stability where almost anything is achievable. But we are also in the midst of challenging times and run the risk of sinking into oblivion, chaos and destruction.

I always find art (3D and Virtual Art especially) as an exciting opportunity to create narratives and storyworlds that audiences can be immersed into and experience up close. Works that can be traversed by users and studied. Where drawings may create shape and form, 3D creates depth and offers a multi-dimensional canvas

Mixing Analogue Ink Illustration with VR and 3D Animation, The Junk Crown Shambler Crab is a meta-manifestation. A construct representing an ever-growing abundance of discarded waste and junk that continues to populate the world’s ocean bed. This scuttling creature was designed to represent our materialistic nature and endless need to clutch and latch onto the next new thing whilst also carrying and treasuring a collection of hand-me-down items.

Crypto Art, NFTs and 3D digital/virtual content go hand in hand and I think creating virtual/3D tokenised artworks is essentially a step in the evolution of crypto art. From static art to Gifs, Gifs to videos, videos to 3d objects, 3d objects to virtual environments, thanks to blockchain technology the ability to tokenize and authenticate digital assets means that even 3d assets creations can hold their value, scarcity and worth in the digital realm.

It would be a dream come to true to descend into the depths in a submersible.

METAGEIST

Neon Anenome by Metageist

A hand sculpted radial polyp mandala.

I’m an advanced SCUBA diver with a deep love of the ocean which can be seen in my past work as well as the Neon Anenome piece I created for this show. It would be a dream come to true to descend into the depths in a submersible. Maybe one day I’ll make that happen, but until then a sunken SuperRare immersive art gallery will more than suffice. I’m very proud to be part of this group show which represents two of my biggest passions. I can’t wait to pinch my nose and roll backwards off the edge of reality and descend into the depths with some of my closest friends.

The little crab warns our dear Pen Shell of the impending dangers by advising her to close her shells by offering a caring pinch pinch. Even though they make up one of the coolest benthic combos, the Pen Shells are really, really endangered.

PIRATE_SHEEP

Pinna Nobilis Musk by pirate_sheep

Pirate Sheep (Mag. art. Marta Strazicic) is a multimedia artist from Croatia. By merging dystopian energy with robotica and speculative genetic mutation with insects​, she simulates mesmerizing ecosystems in both VR and on digital canvas.

I spent three weeks traveling around Croatia’s coastline gathering research material for a personal project. I went from the least (Pag) to the most forested island (Mljet) whereupon I learned some engaging facts from the people. They ranged from swimming wild boars to sea salt gathering with a spoon. So when the underwater theme came up I was overjoyed!

For the Atlantis exhibition, I decided to portray a special underwater combo that people living in Mljet’s National Park told me about. A Pen Shell (lat. Pinna..) is the largest known clam in the Mediterranean, but the fun fact is that they often have a friend visiting them, a little crab that we in Croatia call Cuvarkuca which when literally translated means “house guard”.

The little crab warns our dear Pen Shell of the impending dangers by advising her to close her shells by offering a caring pinch pinch.
Even though they make up one of the coolest benthic combos, the Pen Shells are really, really endangered.

This piece was created in honor of their coexistence. Firstly, I translated Pinna’s shape into that of a robot which ended up looking pretty sleek so I added Musk to the name. Then I made the crab overgrown and mutated for better protection and mobility.

The music surrounding the sculpture is by one and only Pi (Ivana Picek), so 10% of the sale goes to this magical creature.

For me, 3D digital sculptures are one of the most beautiful forms of expression. I will never forget the moment when I first saw my creature inside VR back in 2017.. Some mum genes must have kicked in, I was so proud. Since then my love for the virtual craft only grew.

I admit Cryptoart was at first puzzling since I came into it rather cluelessly, but now I proudly stand by it. The community is young and we grow together. The support I received and the people I’ve met is outstanding, honored to be aboard such an amazing and rising star. Definitely here for the long run.

See you at the Atlantis opening in VRchat! Cheers.

It is only 60 frames of animation, and it slowly turns to allow you to see all sides of it. The intent is for the viewer to sit and watch it but also feel invited to walk inside and to let the colors wash over them.

SCOBOT

Migration by Scobot

Hello, my name is scobot (Twitter/Instagram: @scobot1). I have a background in traditional art spanning a career of over thirty years. In 2000 I purchased my first computer because I wanted to make video games. Over the past 20 years, I’ve generated a lot of digital art using a variety of programs and techniques – including time spent as a professional VJ (2005-2014), where I created live “video art” for events and performances. In 2015 I bought my first virtual reality headset, an Oculus DK2, and since then, my digital work has focused on VR art experiences. The Pacific Science Center (Seattle, WA) has licensed my VR artwork for display, and I was Artist-in-Residence at the University of Washington CoMotion Labs, where I created virtual reality artwork alongside AR/VR startups (2016-2019). My VR piece “WORLD ONE” was an official selection for the 2018 Seattle International Film Festival and the 4th Ranetas VR Fest (Aragon, Spain) and is featured online in virtual reality at the “Museum of Other Realities” (2019). Large-scale archival prints from “World One” are on permanent display in the Bellevue College XR Lab (Bellevue, WA).

I am excited about this opportunity to present my work to Cryptoart collectors via NFTs as my digital artwork has never been commercially available before, anywhere. Truly super rare.

The inspiration for my piece was to create a sort of underwater “moving sculpture” that evokes the feeling of motion in water. I thought about creating something that stretched up towards the surface – maybe a volcanic vent or such. But as I was creating it, using the VR animation program Quill, I discovered I liked seeing it on its side, which triggered the idea of a “migration” of fish. It is only 60 frames of animation, and it slowly turns to allow you to see all sides of it. The intent is for the viewer to sit and watch it but also feel invited to walk inside and to let the colors wash over them. The NFT for this piece will be an HD/4K video loop, and the first collector will receive a personalized commemorative VR build for them to experience. The program will also feature a desktop mode to allow the owner to run the piece as real-time video art on their display of choice

I am excited about the future of Cryptoart as a way for digital artists to sell their work. I see Cryptoart is the “killer app” for VR as well. Artwork, especially VR artwork, should be seen at it’s intended size and scale, no longer limited to looking at something in a book and wondering how big the original is. I love that collectors are building their own VR galleries to display and share (which is very important) their collections. I think this will help drive the market for VR Art as well. I’m totally for it and honored to present my work on SuperRare.

The very Creator of Atlantis: POSEIDON! Distraught by his ruined temple, he will seek revenge in the realms of both Greek and Crypto Gods alike!

SPACED PAINTER

Poseidon by Spaced Painter

Encompassed by a gigantic cathedral of crystals, the human-sized sea-beings encourage us to reconnect with our hearts and rejoice with the wonder and beauty all around us.

TRIPPYOGI

Depth of Love by trippyogi

Trippyogi is a digital dream builder co-creating a more peaceful world through art and technology. Whether architecting new spaces in the metaverse, moving meditations, or digital designs, each creation comes from a place of peace and love.

Spanning the depths of the unknown, the magic of Atlantis is rooted in ancient knowledge that predates our current understanding of time and existence. Connecting with the wisdom of this breathtaking civilization is the key to fully understanding the multiverse, and unlocking portals to new worlds. This VR installation was an opportunity to express a deep and powerful manifestation of magic and emotion, bringing otherworldly creatures together in a beautiful space surrounded by love. Love is universal, and this immersive environment showcases the significance of this. Encompassed by a gigantic cathedral of crystals, the human-sized sea-beings encourage us to reconnect with our hearts and rejoice with the wonder and beauty all around us.

While sketching and compositing the initial space in VR, the presence of pure love encompassed the subjects and their surroundings. Similar frequencies vibrate together, and line strokes soon became shapes inspired by a beautiful emotion spanning all dimensions. Carefully placed crystals formed an underwater architecture reflecting this beauty and embracing its inhabitants with prismatic healing light. May all who enter this space feel the love and healing vibrations that reside in it.

Combining VR with blockchain technology opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for the modern digital artist, as both spaces tend to promote borderless and open experiences that empower collaboration. The advent of digital ownership presents unique opportunities for artists and collectors, and virtual spaces have become a conduit for sharing the unique emotions and perspectives that artists bring into realization. As VR significantly enhances these experiences, its proliferation will inevitably lead to more immersive artworks and worlds. The virtual spaces and the 3D sculptures that inhabit them will most likely usher us into a new era of limitless experience, enabling us to realize what might otherwise remain hidden in our heart’s abyss.

For extra fun ToxSam (Polygonal Mind) has provided two of their underwater themed Avatars (Shark person & Goldfish bag person) that players can find in the level and change into!

Shark person

Shark person

Instructions

Vrchat can be installed on a windows compatible PC off of STEAM and does not require a VR headset: https://store.steampowered.com/app/438100/VRChat/

This VRchat world is NOT compatible with Oculus Quest, or a Mac computer.

A 360 Tour of the level will be uploaded to youtube for mobile viewing, and a single player web browser tour will be available online. find these links here: https://www.illuminedomes.com/superrare

There are a few ways to find the world in VRChat.

First thing make sure that Community Labs is Turned on in your Settings menu.

Launch the SuperRare Hub world using this direct link: (VRChat must be installed on your computer and an account setup for this to work) https://vrchat.com/home/launch?worldId=wrld_fdfd9626-a10b-4239-ab11-c3dca4ea8642

Inside the hub world you will see a portal to the Atlantis world, enter the portal! Alternatively, inside VRChat users can search for “SuperRare” (one word), to find any of the SuperRare worlds. If you cannot find Atlantis or the Hub by searching, go to the Aether world and find the portal back to the hub world which will take you to Atlantis.

The event is powered by Illuminé

28

SuperRare

SuperRare is a marketplace to collect and trade unique, single-edition digital artworks.

Art

Tech

Curators' Choice

Within Reach: The Proliferation of Virtual Worlds Through Artistic Expression

Within Reach: The Proliferation of Virtual Worlds Through Artistic Expression

Within Reach: The Proliferation of Virtual Worlds Through Artistic Expression

4 years ago

It was 3:33 am, and I found myself lying on my travel mattress in the living room of my best friend’s apartment, wide awake. The subtle noise of downtown San Francisco entered through the window, serving as a backdrop to my discomfort at that moment – I knew very well that I would not be able to fall back asleep anytime soon. Not wanting to wake my friend, I decided against the usual middle of the night typing session, and instead strapped on my Quest. It was time to create.

A lot of my favorite creations have come into being during these early hours of the morning, and while I am still unsure why that is, I have learned over the years to embrace it rather than try to hopelessly fall back asleep. Consciously, my mind does not have anything in particular that it wants to make, but I can feel when something deeper yearns to come out through whatever medium is available. Lately, this medium has been virtual reality, and the various spatially oriented design tools that have come into existence over the past few years.

I find that these tools provide a fresh perspective when creating, allowing one to investigate objects from all angles, and at all scales. While I have previously been able to do this in 3D environments such as Cinema 4D and Unity, VR allows me to be inside of a space and immersed in my creation, as opposed to observing it through the narrow lens of a computer screen. Being able to hold an object and move it in my hands lets me quickly iterate, effortlessly changing what I want and massaging the polygons in a way that is much more intuitive than with the traditional keyboard and mouse. While I still love the powerful capabilities of traditional modeling and animation software, the convenience of putting on a headset in bed and being teleported into an immersive creative experience is quite enjoyable.

I like to consider myself a digital dream builder, so perhaps that explains the sporadic urges to create during the dreaming hours. It allows me to tap into that state of otherworldliness, often revealing things that would otherwise remain hidden. Sometimes interesting beings or shapes appear, other times I discover abstract forms that make no sense at all. Whatever the result, if I don’t explore them, I usually cannot go back to sleep. During this particular session, a being expressed itself through Gravity Sketch, a digital modeling tool that was recommended to me by fellow creator Metageist. The character that emerged ended up being the foundation for my first tokenized 3D scene, “Within Reach“.

Within Reach
Edition 1 of 1
How do you feel when exploring the most uncomfortable parts of your being? While it may sometimes be difficult, these experiences are ultimately a prerequisite for our continued growth and development. Life can be a strange experience at times, but we must move through these sentiments instead of attempting to navigate around them. Bringing together both the bizarre and the beautiful, “Within Reach” sets the scene for curiosity and surprise. While creating, I often like to explore where I am internally/externally and how my present state relates to my interactions and experiences shared with others. Even though life has been strange for all of us lately, there is still so much beauty to be found in each moment. This piece ended up being a journey to reconnect with that. Using VR sculpting and modeling, uncomfortable sentiments expressed themselves through the realization of this unique figure and this particular method of creating enabled me to play with the human form in new ways. Later combining this with motion graphics and 3D animation, I brought the character to life and embellished its surroundings with prismatic allure. No matter how weird or uncomfortable this life may feel, beauty and wonder are always within reach.

Bringing together both the bizarre and the beautiful, “Within Reach” set the scene for curiosity and surprise. While creating, I often like to explore where I am internally/externally and how my present state relates to my interactions and experiences shared with others. Even though life has been strange for all of us lately, there is still so much beauty to be found in each moment. This piece ended up being a journey to reconnect with that. Using VR sculpting and modeling, uncomfortable sentiments expressed themselves through the realization of this unique figure and this particular method of creating enabled me to play with the human form in new ways. Later combining this with motion graphics and 3D animation, I brought the character to life and embellished its surroundings with prismatic allure. No matter how weird or uncomfortable this life may feel, beauty and wonder are always within reach.

As the piece progressed, I inevitably spent more time reflecting on its potential future, and the greater landscape of digital art. With the proliferation of the NFT space and advancements in platform interoperability, tokenized 3D scenes will eventually be displayable in digital parcels, viewable from all angles such as an art installation in a virtual museum or a conversation piece inside of a digital home. It is highly likely that we will even be able to experience artworks like this in the physical world via AR, projection mapping, or hologram. What a wonderful future to dream of, and as such, the piece was crafted to provide an enjoyable experience regardless of how it is viewed. From physically based rendering techniques to baked ambient occlusion and shadows, the texturing was designed to provide a certain level of realism, while still encapsulating that same dream-like essence from which it was born.

Imagine walking through a vibrant world filled with your favorite artworks, that you can fly around and inspect, or even interact with! Clothes that avatars wear, sculptures, moving paintings on the walls, and even the buildings will be works of art carefully crafted by a creator, and proudly owned by a collector. This is already happening as we speak in virtual worlds such as Cryptovoxels and Somnium Space, and it is beautiful witnessing it all unfold. The role NFT’s will play in the proliferation of these digital worlds is significant for many reasons, and will only strengthen the connection between artists and collectors, whose communities are built through sharing their works, experiences, and interactions. On platforms such as SuperRare, artists are now able to frictionlessly exchange their works for value, in turn providing them with access to more opportunities and resources to continue creating. 

With these advancements, the proliferation of user-owned virtual worlds is inevitable as digital ownership facilitates a dynamic relationship between individuals and the virtual items which they own. Landowners are economically incentivized to develop their properties, and play a significant role in the underlying communities. Due to the limitless nature of digital worlds, artists are finding themselves at the forefront of this, blazing off into the horizon and fully empowered to express their ideas and artworks in a way that was not previously supported for the digital artist. While we are still in the beginning of all this, it is becoming clearer every moment that we are building the new reality through our collective thoughts, words, and actions. As always, I aim to spread peace, love, and rainbows throughout the metaverse!

1

trippyogi

peace and love provide the perfect counterpoint to dive deeper into the core of who we are as humans and beyond

Art

Tech

Curators' Choice

CryptoSpectr: VR and Crypto Art

CryptoSpectr: VR and Crypto Art

Above: “data privacy” by stockcatalog licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

CryptoSpectr: VR and Crypto Art

4 years ago

I was introduced to VR a few years ago (2016/17) by a friend from my college days, an artist and influencer also known as Metageist. I was amazed at the intuitive, dynamic UI and the speed at which I could produce 3D artwork that would have taken me weeks to achieve with desktop based software. Since then I have assisted Metageist in developing and delivering VR workshops and showcasing the technology at various events. As VR based creative software like TiltBrush, Medium, GravitySketch, Tvori or Quill are still relatively new, they occupy a unique space all of their own amongst other creative software.

However, before being turned on to the Crypto Art scene by fellow record breaking digital artist Spaced Painter, I had begun to wonder if my investment in VR would really pay off in the ways I’d hoped it would, even though I loved creating with these tools I hadn’t seen many opportunities or genuine examples of people making a real career or regular income using the technology. Certain prominent business/tech influencers have even stated that they don’t see VR becoming any more successful in a commercial sense, I do not believe they’re correct in that assumption, but only time will tell. Delivering workshops and showcasing VR experiences at events can certainly be a lot of fun to do, but the financial payoff doesn’t always offset the logistical stress and preparation involved and there’s been a looming sense that showcasing VR tech will become more redundant as people begin to see it as commonplace.

But despite these concerns many people see exciting potential in VR or what it may lead to further down the line, those conversations are always fun to have when introducing newbies to the experience and children usually get that sense straight away and leave their first session inspired by the possibilities. Since I started minting VR artwork on the blockchain earlier this year I no longer have a sense of uncertainty about my investment in it and have been fairly overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude to be a part of this moment in time.

The art I produce can be varied as I enjoy exploring all kinds of ideas, I don’t like to limit myself to one style in particular so I explore all sorts of techniques, traditional and digital alike. In terms of themes and content I do enjoy dipping my toes into abstracted expressions, cubism or deconstruction of forms, most of the art I create is figurative though, situational, story or character driven. The natural world also fascinates me as can be seen in my recent Hummingbird and Spider surreal anatomical explorations. Many people looking at my body of work for the first time comment that it’s ‘quite dark’, I can’t really deny that, even when I try to draw something cute or beautiful, no matter what I do it tends to end up looking a little eerie or slightly grotesque in some way. I am attracted to intricate, dark, exquisite, organic forms or technological beauty, erotica and fetishism, energetic or silent spaces, cosmic and psychedelic musings. I have always taken inspiration from many different sources, music, film & animation, nature, philosophy, satire, religion, art movements from classical to hyper modern, most notably surrealism, cubism and Asian art styles of all kinds.

My creative process tends to differ depending on which medium I am using. When developing a particular concept I immerse myself in it, consuming as much varied material as I can, and whatever strikes me as powerful and engaging, which could be anything from a specific pose to a particular colour palette, I borrow from those places and transmute it all through my own style.

Since discovering the Crypto Art movement my views on the future of art have been drastically expanded, more so with every passing week, hearing about new and ever more complex innovations, collaborations and mingling of traditional and digital techniques within the metaverse, I find myself imagining all kinds of possibilities for creativity branching out into the future. At this moment in time, VR based creative software feels to me like a perfect way to imagine and produce art for the blockchain, the technology allows for a uniquely modern form of expression – painting in an immersive 3D space as some VR artists have already expressed in words and through physicality when creating their art can feel almost akin to dance, especially with TiltBrush or Quill, if your working area is large enough you can really use the movement and flow of your body through space in very satisfying ways to make marks and create your art.

I am of European descent, born in Germany in 1980, raised in a small village in Cambridgeshire, England. I came out of school fairly disappointed in Art as a subject, although family and friends were often impressed with my drawing skills, at that time I had aspirations to be a performer of some kind, but a year later after experiencing my fill of the drama behind drama, I returned to art & design. My focus then swung strongly towards Special Effects, a solid role at Tippet Studios or Weta Workshop would have suited me nicely, but after many blank stares and confused responses from tutors / advisors, very few leads on UK soil (obviously pre-internet) and the realisation that I would really have to relocate to the USA to get anywhere in that industry, I opted to specialise in animation. Since graduating I have worked as a creative in a number of different industries – design & build, film & media, retail marketing, games & software dev. In more recent years I have also worked a great deal as a creative freelancer for all kinds of clients great and small.

My goals as an artist can be a shifting target, but now that I am very much embedded in the Crypto Art space I intend to push things as far as I can and hopefully explore more of my aspirations such as: producing episodic animated shows, immersive story driven experiences, large scale painting, sculpture and tokenized designer Toys and of course more cinematic VR art. I wish I had a hundred lifetimes to explore these ideas and disciplines, but don’t we all! Generally speaking I aspire to produce evocative thought provoking and ultimately positive life affirming art and at this point I intend to continue building on my recent record breaking successes such as Dryad & Satyr and Dracul both of which are my collabs with Spaced Painter so far with the later breaking the record for biggest NFT sale at the time of it’s release and hope to continue and improve upon this standard of success at SuperRare.

Love at first sight – Feathery daydreams
Edition 1 of 1
When the lovers meet. From the bushes he sang to her, then revealed and displayed himself declaring his love and attraction, she reciprocated aroused by his advance. A scene from a story about birds that I wrote as a boy, which has evolved somewhat over time, now with a slightly Furry or Feathery twist inspired by the recent rise of the Furry / Otherkin subculture. This scene was originally illustrated in monotone pen & ink, I decided to experiment with that aesthetic when hand painting this scene in VR. The story begins as a romance, but takes a dark turn. Originally I intended to write it as a reflective account of an experience during my childhood and my mental state at the time, also as a cautionary tale to teach children to respect animals, now more than ever, the diversity of wildlife we see and enjoy today isn’t going to last into the future if we continue destroying natural habitats at this current rate. Sound design by CryptoSpectr (Audio assets sourced at 99sounds) Video/Audio Specs: WebM 1920×1080 60fps 48000 Hz, Stereo

So far the Crypto Art scene has been nothing but exciting and intriguing to me. I really like exploring places like CryptoVoxels, SomniumSpace and Decentraland, discovering new builds and artworks. Even though it’s a relatively new movement in my eyes, there are already NFTs floating around which are considered to be antiques, which shows how quickly the space is evolving. With a constant stream of innovations from all sides the digital topography is still being mapped out and new foundations for the future are being built. I am extremely excited to see where things go in the coming months / years and however things pan out I plan to witness every step and continue to make whatever contributions I can pushing this movement forwards into the future.

Art

Tech

Curators' Choice

3D Tokenization: a Step toward VR + Blockchain

3D Tokenization: a Step toward VR + Blockchain

3D Tokenization: a Step toward VR + Blockchain

4 years ago

We are excited to announce that SuperRare will launch support for tokenized 3D artworks tomorrow, June 26, 2020.

Yes, that means you can collect and own the sculptures that will be exhibited in our upcoming VR Show.

For over the past two years, many of our artists have been creating 3D digital sculptures, tokenizing beautiful images and animations of the sculptures. We are thrilled to be taking 3D art to the next level by launching 3D file support and 360 display that makes the rendering of 3D artworks fully come to life.

Throughout art history, technology developments have often advanced art as they provide new media/tools supporting artists’ creativity, helping them materialize their imaginations in better ways. We believe that 3D tokenization will advance the notion of “art sculpture” by bringing it into the digital realm. 3D tokenization will not only increase the richness, variety and fun of crypto/digital art, but also expand the dimension and possibilities of what “art” is or could be, and how art will be created, exhibited, experienced, collected and interacted with in the near future. 

Definition

VR provides an experience, one that is happening in both time and space.

TAMIKO THIEL 

Virtual Reality: the term we use to describe a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment. A person can explore and interact with this environment. That person becomes part of this virtual world. The person is also able to manipulate objects or perform a series of actions. It generally refers to experiences that use a headset to place viewers in an immersive environment.

VR Art: the term we use to describe the virtualization of art, made with the technical tools developed at the end of the 1980s. The development of computers and other technical tools such as “visualization casks, stereoscopic spectacles and screens, digital painting and sculpture, generators of three-dimensional sound, position sensors, tactile and power feed-back systems, and many others” transforms the artworks into an entire virtual universe.

Immersion: VR contributes to the art world by allowing artists to create sculptures in a three dimensional, virtual environment and by providing the viewers with highly immersive visual experience, combined with rich auditory stimulation. Art experienced in VR has taken immersion to an unprecedented different level in terms of sensory richness and immediacy. This deep level of immersion and personal involvement and the application of technical tools are the main characteristics of what we often call VR. With its ability to simultaneously occupy our senses, transcend space and present the work at full scales, VR art offers the substitute for reality.

Aether – SuperRare VR Art Show

Another mind-blowing application of VR and blockchain are the virtual crypto-art shows, where people can experience crypto-art using VR technology. Such applications are stretching the definition of art and are broadening the concept beyond its existing boundaries.

BLOCKCHAIN AND VIRTUAL REALITY ARE TOGETHER RESHAPING THE ART INDUSTRY

For the past years, VR works have been included in exhibitions organized by traditional institutions. These VR art are often put at small VR sections where people could try out the VR headsets. But could a virtual exhibition have artists and audiences across the globe gathering to the same virtual space from their home?

If yes, could VR make possible new forms of art exhibitions and cultural exchanges that are truly global, digital and “contemporary”? It’s not hard to imagine a future where exhibitions will be held in the worlds of virtual reality, instead of vice versa.

SuperRare’s first Virtual Reality Art Show, Aether, for more information see:
https://editorial.superrare.com/2020/06/23/aether-superrare-virtual-reality-art-show/

This coming Friday, June 26, 7-9pm EST, we will be opening SuperRare’s first virtual reality art show, Aether, in VRChat. Exhibitedin the VR world are 3D sculptures by seven of our 3D/VR artists: Frenetik VoidGiant SwanGlass CraneMarc O MaticMetageist, Rosie Summers and Sven Eberwein. This art event aims to explore the world of 3D and VR art, and to expand the possibilities of exhibition, experience, and meaning of art in the digital age.

Collecting 3D digital sculptures 

According to an article published on CNN titled “How to put a price tag on virtual reality artworks”, the art world establishment is yet to fully embrace VR art. They believe unlike physical art, virtual reality pieces are infinitely replicable. In their most basic form, they are simply digital files that can be experienced by anyone with a VR headset. It is near impossible to curb the spread of a digital file. However, as the possibilities of virtual reality develop, and VR artwork along with them, the art world is forced to wrestle with how to sell such digital creations. One question that comes up often in discussions of VR artworks and the market is how, exactly, such pieces could or should be sold. 

Christie’s chief marketing officer, Marc Sands, did believe that it is only a matter of time before VR starts appearing at major auctions. “Response to (virtual reality art) from both consignors and buyers is largely positive but to date we have not discovered the ‘killer’ version of VR.”

3D tokenization as a step toward VR + Blockchain

What will 3D tokenization mean to VR, blockchain/crypto, or even the combination of both? As two of the most cutting-edge technologies based on the digital/virtual, the combination of the two is not unreasonable.

In the crypto art community, we have seen 2D cryptoart being exhibited in virtual worlds and VR. We have also seen the first 3D sculpture tokenized on blockchain, and 3D sculptures/architectures built in virtual worlds but not tokenized.

So what if we put these three- 1) 3D sculptures, 2) that are tokenized on blockchain, 3) and exhibited in Virtual Reality- together, what will happen? 

In VR environments, blockchain can legitimize the buying/selling/trading of 3D NFTs as virtual assets in a trustless manner. Tokenizing these digital assets onto the blockchain will introduce a universally accepted mechanism for trust, as well as the notion of digital uniqueness and scarcity.

The virtual assets as we now know of today are mostly issued and controlled by centralized entities. But the most important part — what makes these worlds traversable and connected — should be the shared data layer between them. Without a shared data layer it’d be impossible to travel around seamlessly as the same virtual “you”. The shared data layer is what makes the Metaverse the Metaverse. Therefore, once that data layer is blockchain-based, blockchain will become the backbone of virtual worlds. (For more, read Fred Ehrsam’s “VR is a Killer App for Blockchains.”)

Combined, blockchain and VR can give birth to products and services not possible before. As blockchain is used to establish 3D digital item ownership in virtual worlds, it helps creators to get direct reward for their creative efforts. The potential of economic activities in VR will thus be increased. VR and blockchain could probably benefit a lot from each other.

Conclusion

Younger generations who have grown up surrounded by the digital and are entering the art world will not see this as evolution but as a natural extension of the world they know.

HOW AI, AR, AND BLOCKCHAIN ARE DEMOCRATIZING THE ART WORLD

New technologies continue to reshape and reimagine the definition of art. 3D digital sculptures, blockchain and VR together have rich potential to extend artists’ abilities to explore their creativity beyond the confines of the physical space. As the world opens up to more digital experiences, and more people find comfort with purchasing digital artworks online, technology will bring the art world into new markets and modes of exchange.

VR provides artists with new digital tools to create works that would be unimaginable before, while blockchain helps creators to secure the authorship, and collectors the ownership, of these 3D digital creations as essential parts of VR. Blockchain, VR and their adoptions in the art world will be crucial to elevate the status of digital art, making it desirable for the global collectors, placing it as the future of art. And we believe 3D tokenization will be an important step along the trajectory.

Reference

3

an

Curator @SuperRare

Art

Tech

Curators' Choice

Aether: SuperRare Virtual Reality Art Show

Aether: SuperRare Virtual Reality Art Show

Aether: SuperRare Virtual Reality Art Show

4 years ago

Last Friday, June 26, 7-9pm EST, we opened SuperRare’s first virtual reality art show, Aether, in VRChat. Exhibited in the VR world were 3D sculptures by seven of our 3D/VR artists: Frenetik VoidGiant SwanGlass CraneMarc O MaticMetageistRosie Summers and Sven Eberwein. This art event aimed to explore the world of 3D and VR art, and to expand the possibilities of exhibition, experience, and meaning of art in the digital age.

Aether
The word αἰθήρ (aithḗr) in Homeric Greek means “pure, fresh air” or “clear sky”. In Greek mythology, it was thought to be the pure essence that the gods breathed, filling the space where they lived, analogous to the air breathed by mortals. It is also personified as a deity: Aether, the son of Erebus and Nyx in traditional Greek mythology.
Aether will be SuperRare’s first virtual reality art show exhibiting 3D sculptures.

People who have missed the opening, can visit the web version: https://play.illuminedomes.com/superrare

Exhibition Images:

Opening Images:

Promo Videos:

Opening Video:

3D Tokenization & Crypto-sculpture sales

Along with Aether VR Art Show, SuperRare launched support for tokenized 3D artworks on June 26, 2020, which allowed people to collect and own the sculptures that were exhibited in the VR Show.

We are thrilled to be taking 3D art to the next level by launching 3D file support and 360 display that makes the rendering of 3D artworks fully come to life.

Throughout art history, technology developments have often advanced art as they provide new media/tools supporting artists’ creativity, helping them materialize their imaginations in better ways. We believe that 3D tokenization will advance the notion of “art sculpture” by bringing it into the digital realm. 3D tokenization will not only increase the richness, variety and fun of crypto/digital art, but also expand the dimension and possibilities of what “art” is or could be, and how art will be created, exhibited, experienced, collected and interacted with in the near future. 

For more read “3D Tokenization: a Step toward VR + Blockchain” on SuperRare Editorial.

Aether is the first ever VR art exhibition featuring 3D digital sculptures by seven artists from all around the globe with the sculptures tokenized on blockchain – allowing collectors to buy the single editions directly from the artists.

Within 3 days (by June 29th), Co Ser by Frenetik Void was sold for $3,150, Daniher by Giant Swan was sold for $1,003 and Got Em’ was sold for $3,345. All of them are these artists’ first 3D artworks tokenized on blockchain.

Special thanks to the Illuminé Projection Domes team and especially Matt Buelt who’s helping us design & build the VR space!

28

SuperRare

SuperRare is a marketplace to collect and trade unique, single-edition digital artworks.

Art

Tech

Curators' Choice