Sam Spratt

Much of the design of my new site was made around rabbit holes. To start with the surface of something simple, say a skull, then slip between (and into) each artwork, collection, person, psalm, their contributions, and how each piece fits together. samspratt.com/skulls/skulls

Every Luci Council member receives this invitation - the one we all wait for. For some of us - it’s the first time. That pause before opening it. Then reading through it. In that moment the entire crypto journey felt worth it. All the chaos. All the joy. The power of Art.

Zewed means crown To wear it is to accept that you may not return

WINDOWS // NYC For the past five years, I've immersed myself in a photographic, typological study of the illuminated windows of New York City at night. On June 16th, we invite you to build a new world with us, a multilayered, interconnected city of light and shadow, powered by @TransientLabs Studio. This has been my biggest undertaking to date, and is the extension of my lifelong interest in photographic patterns and generative photography. This interest was crystalized in 2021 with my project DRIVE and continued in 2022 with Drip Drop. Over the years, I've learned so much about the conceptual world of typologies, about the intersection of photographic technologies and blockchain as immutable records of consensus and truth, and of course, about how the constant evolution of technology broadens the scope of what is possible for us artists- revealing new ways to create and connect with the people who seek to do the same. The process of creating WINDOWS // NYC has been the best sort of challenge, and as always, the incredible minds at @TransientLabs have taken my ideas and built technological frameworks that have elevated this project beyond my wildest dreams. I cannot wait to show you more, but for now, drop a comment if you want to connect, hear what we've built, and for information on how to participate and get involved. I love this world. I love looking at it in intricate detail and making photographs so that others can look at it that way too. And this pattern of windows and grids is one of my favorite ways to see. Sign up at windows dot davekrugman dot com, or via link in the comments below!

The wolf of creativity tore me to shreds and I Woke up in a dream 👻👽🍄

@funghibull An incredible pillar of the last 5 years filled with some of the best we have. Grateful for each and every space, event, dinner, and person met through it. A lot of magic made trying to stitch a fragmented place together. To the next.

Five years ago, I replied to a tweet and it changed my life. "The web3 space needs better marketing — anyone want to start an agency?" A few anons said yes. Within a day we had set up a company, aligned on goals, and were off to the races. That was SHILLR. What we built together still amazes me: we helped 40+ clients generate ~$100M in revenue, funded exhibitions for 1,000+ artists, launched events, podcasts, art releases — and had the privilege of playing a small role in one of the most powerful creative, technological and cultural movements in history. Supporting rising creators, helping founders navigate the complexities of this industry, and getting to work alongside some of the most talented people I've ever met — the past five years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. But all good things come to a close – and I wanted to share that my co-founders and I have decided to wind down SHILLR. The clearest lesson from all of it: the best marketing is authentically doing and being. That principle guided everything we built, and it's the one I'm carrying forward. I've taken time to reflect and be present with my family. Now I'm ready for what's next. There's nowhere I'd rather contribute than at the forefront of technology and culture — whether in a marketing, comms, or growth leadership role, at a fund, or in an advisory capacity. If you're building something that matters, let's talk. To everyone who was part of SHILLR — my co-founders, team, collaborators, clients, and this community at large — thank you. It was an absolute privilege 🫡

👀 Just framed a signed gift from one of my favorite digital artists from his “prior life”! 🔥🫡🏆@SamSpratt @MrsRachelSpratt 👇

@tadtweets @MrsRachelSpratt 🧡

Before my brain finally understood the various and sundry meanings of the word "Canopic"; I'd started to sense a theme in the category. These observations always felt tied to those who knew something about Luci and his world, lore, and mystery. "The Saffron Trail Maker" - a 🧵

I was looking through my notebook where I have handwritten the 178 masks I have yet to write for a story to tell today. Stories are now simultaneously easier and harder to choose with fewer listed and permissioned masks, so I asked myself a question... "Stubborn Healer" - a 🧵

@AdamWeitsman 📍

I have loved this property since I was a young boy. Owned by famed Astronomer Carl Sagan, this “tomb” sat empty for years perched on the cliff edge adjacent to Cornell University. I was thankful to acquire this historic property from Mrs. Sagan last year and will renovate this to be a meeting/thinking place for digital artists from around the world. I have entrusted the design of this project to legendary architect firm I.M PEI to help bring this property to its full glory. Anticipated completion date: late 2027….

I’m incredibly happy to say that Sam Spratt’s work is now 100% on decentralized storage. This past Friday, I jumped on a zoom call with @SamSpratt and @mpeyfuss to update the baseURI for Masks and Players. I had done all the prep work to get all the metadata and files on IPFS, we just needed to do two transactions. Marco helped double check all of my work and we both watched Sam to double/triple check his setBaseURI smart contract function calls. It all worked, all set on chain, and now we just wait for it to propagate through all of the platforms, which can take time. This was a long journey that started last year when Sam asked me to help build a new home for Luci. It was the spark that got me thinking about the idea that became provena.art. I’m working with about a dozen artists right now and Sam is the first one to achieve the status of having 100% of his work on decentralized storage. Most other artist that I’m working with have a situation where it can’t quite get to 100%. It will take coordination with current platforms to get there. I’ve been lucky enough to get responses from the ones I’ve contacted so far and now it’s just being diligent about following up with them to get it to completion. It feels good to be able to help an artist like Sam, who I care so much about, with the preservation of his work. I hope to be able to help many others, but it’s slow going at the moment because I’m being incredibly meticulous about tracking each issue to its source versus just blindly fixing it. I’m also finding that some storage is in a situation where it’s not independently solvable but requires coordination with other parties. I hope this work helps to address more systemic issues, which should help the whole ecosystem at large. Onward, and congrats Sam for now being in complete control of your work.

I have been obsessed with the idea of physical objects carrying souls or memories. I think it first started when I was asked by LACMA and Cactoid Labs to make an artwork in response to an object in their museum. They had an Ethiopian cross from the thirteenth century… and how beautiful it was. But out of its holy context and place, I wondered if someone looking at it would feel the way I do as an Ethiopian who grew up in a very spiritual house. The appreciator may focus on the lost wax casting metal work, while a true believer may feel the soul and memory of this artifact’s history. We all have very different experiences. In Ethiopia, the people have always kept things alive using rituals and ceremonies. The power of the object stays alive because the people infuse beliefs into it. Sometimes the belief is so strong, the object itself doesn’t even matter. What happens when the object travels far from the people? When it sits in a glass case in a city it does not know? My first try to share this feeling with others, what weight this metal cross object carries, was creating a “digital nefse” or “digital soul” in my True Cross artwork. We filmed a telling of a divine vision that Empress Eleni had to light a bonfire and follow the smoke to the hiding spot of the True Cross. I wanted these two artworks, the LACMA cross and my film, to pair together. At that time, I made no physical element because the cross already existed inside the museum. Later on, we would go further. We made Twenty-First Century Akodama, a physical silver sculpture made in collaboration with Asprey Studio, paired with a digital soul. The film was shot in the perspective of a warrior leaving home, wearing a male crown, the akodama. It is a revival of the spirit of self-sacrifice, which I see as a noble ideology from the past that we must carry to our twenty-first century viewers. So this physical and its digital vision became a single artwork. Moving to our latest artwork, we wanted to continue this thought, and go further. We wanted to revive and reimagine some of the great historical blacksmith and jewelry work done in Ethiopia. And we wanted to expand our vision of what we want to carry into the future from the eyes of new characters. Zewed continues the story of the akodama. The warrior has left his home, now he is on the battlefield. The family is behind him and now his enemy is in front of him. But this time he is not alone in his sacrifice. Chanting the fukara [war cry] with the other warriors, they also become one in unity. A mass of physical people that becomes like a hammer. Sedea is about life on the edge of desolation. To decorate yourself even in a desert. The digital soul was filmed with the Afar people on the ridge of Erta Ale, the Smoky Mountain. It is an active volcano. When you enter the world of Sedea, you join a careful choreography of the dancers, but the most important thing is to enter the rhythm of celebrating life on the edge of destruction, the rim of the volcano. What seems to be the end of the world itself. But here with your community, the joining of men and women, the Sedea, the continuation of love and finding a partner, going forth and multiplying, all of that desolation passes into the background. So what began as this feeling I had, became a memory that can be inherited and stepped into.

Can an object carry a soul?

@lifeofc @mpeyfuss Means the world to have help from brilliant friends like you and even more so that the help extends out to others. Much still to do.

the night I met @SamSpratt, was also the night I met @batsoupyum i was out-of-body nervous, but within moments, bats felt like a lifelong friend. an aura of authenticity instantly disarming my anxieties. i knew that evening was going to prove to be important, but I could not have imagined to what extent. The final work of Blue Skies Forever, has found its rightful home 'what do you want to leave behind' acquired by the legend, and my dear friend, @batsoupyum

These two figures have to be related or the same! In @SamSpratt's The Monument Game this figure (maybe) Eve goes into the water bearing the "fruit" and then in Masquerade, we see a figure, (maybe) Adam clearly emerging from the water eating this same fruit!

I hit a surreal milestone today, my first every thread on masks was on March 14th. Masks had just been revealed and I stayed up until 1:24am to select my favorite mask from each category. Tonight after doing "Support Structure"s deep dive, I've completed all of my favorites.

@MT_Highfield @nodefnd @dave_krugman @GH0STPIPE @ArtOnBlockchain @beeple @philmohun @redbeardnft @mpkoz @seth @HighballCharlie @tonyherrera @larvalabs ❤️

@nodefnd vibes with the best little girl ever! Thank you @dave_krugman @GH0STPIPE for helping put it together. @ArtOnBlockchain

Haven't been very active here lately (and I miss you all!), but this was a lovely reminder of why this corner feels so dear. To have my mask unpacked with such care and insight has moved me a lot. Thank you @musicalnetta for the soul you pour into @SamSpratt's universe, and into this "space" more broadly. We're so lucky to have you! 🫂 The moon has been my quiet companion ever since a dark hospital night with my son. It became my symbol of hope, and proof that distance is really rather an illusion. Your words found exactly the right place. Truly, thank you. 💚

gm Special one today as I collected "The Weeping Prophet", a striking mask from the root category. The color contrast and everything this mask evokes makes it an instant favourite for me. Collecting this piece has been a rewarding journey. Thank you @sertx92 for your openness to part with it, I'm glad the proceeds will be put to good use 🥂. Thank you as well to @serc1n who has been helping me in a spontaneous and incredibly generous way. Ser, I owe you one, Silhouettes and Normies holders are lucky to have you🙏 My quest to complete a full set of mask categories is close to its end but the job is not finished. I'm now looking for a mask from the order category (the red background). My dms are open if you'd like to discuss. I invite you to deep dive in Sam's world on samspratt.com, the richness and breadth is incredible. 🫂 🫂 🫂 🫂 🫂 🫂 🫂 🫂 🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭