Ted Kraus retweetledi
If you've had an eye on Terraforms but never deep dived or collected, seems like a reasonable moment to give it a look. See if you find the work and its surrounding scene & values genuinely compelling
The work stands for things that you might appreciate and be aligned on
To start, there are few pieces here that express longevity as strongly as Terraforms
Certainly at a formal-technical level where even still the piece has few peers
Then, deeply in its artistic & conceptual concerns
A composition responding to a culture of infinite vaporous placeholders & obsolete-before-launch marketing flash grenade candy. A not ironic, not cynical, not dystopian response. An Art Question. About context obsolescence and the future. Expressed in a program as artwork, for World Computer. Aka a medium people have barely even noticed yet
Aspiration to lighthouse or alarm clock amidst the pvp moshpit of siren shipwreck nihilism devotees
Functionally as competitive differentiation even, and there exists an underserved market, audience, and collectorbase. I know because I'm in it
But most important: longevity shows up in Terraforms through the values of its culture and collectors
The multi-year social reality it has grown is a solid base for a kind of new voice in crypto and art. This is not an accident, and slowly, quietly starting to manifest
It's surprising to me but the piece is still quite misunderstood by many high profile figures here
I think some maybe haven't even heard of it. Many still know very little about it. I've seen figures regarded as experts voice things that show they've effectively never encountered it
This is okay by the way, no one should feel embarrassed. The piece is an iceberg. That said, it doesn't expect confrontation with its depths
The surface was always meant to be standalone and an invitation to an optional rabbit hole. And that continues to work. Plus, it's fun to have a bit of a "best kept secret" feeling persist over long periods and generations of new collectors
At the same time as all this, allow a bold sentence:
Terraforms is a core artwork on Ethereum
Consider that this is only partially a claim from me directly
I personally experience this as pronounced by our diehard longterm collectorbase. I live in and fuel the reality they've generously established around the piece. It's a kind of feedback loop. Art is Other People
Every artist should be so blessed to know this feeling at least once. Then, for a career, to learn to nurture it with their practice, and seek to honor what people are offering them through it. It's a tremendous experience, especially for one seeking excellence truly worthy of the archetype Artist
While I'm here.. part of why I'm posting.. the piece's context is likely to shift this year, as we've entered a new era in crypto these last few months. Not that art culture here has noticed yet
Bitcoin -> Ethereum -> ........whatever this will be called
I believe my next piece has a pretty good shot at deepening all of this like dominoes. I've been working very hard for the last few years to set the stage to try in any case, the work will of course do whatever the work does. That said I'm unbelievably excited to make this next piece regardless of how it goes or how it is received, which tells me I'm on the right track
Terraforms recent upgrade set some stage for this as well, though I've been quiet and not eager to reveal too much. I've wanted time and room to explore this frontier with little competition.
I spent the last few years deep in studies of this next era's technical trenches. By my personal values for myself, this is almost a duty of one seeking this role "Artist"
One ought truly study a medium's unique affordances, develop muscles in them, and seek to invent-discover new kinds of work in their new contexts. Perhaps developing new virtuosities or pronouncing the very terms of such. And/or cutting open radical new Ways of Seeing. For, aspirationally, toward making a kind of contribution, or having real speech act worthy of Art History
I've been adapting my entire practice and thinking for this new era, and have invented several patterns that are finally starting to bloom new pieces
So this is to say, it could be a good time to revisit Terraforms and collect if you find the piece of personal interest. I might tweet a few more of these over the next few weeks, as an invitation to some cultures who I think could appreciate the piece and perhaps haven't met it yet
I'm more than happy to chat in DM or hop on voice calls for anyone who is interested to learn more, or even give stream tours of the piece and its depths. Don't be shy, would be nice to make new friends and connect
To everyone else reading this who has supported me or Mathcastles, or shown enthusiasm for Terraforms, thank you so much. I will continue to work to honor what you offer me, with my fullest capacity
GIF
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