GM

Serious intro today:

Be extra careful connecting to any crypto apps today due to this ongoing exploit. Better yet, just don't connect to anything.

Maybe even turn off your wifi and read past Mint or Skip newsletters that hopefully you've been printing and laminating throughout the year.

Links for the Top 25 drops are HERE.

This is 🔥🔥🔥

Context

sovrn.art announced the upcoming drop Painting with Fire: a History in GANs by Bård Ionson.

Here’s what we know: 

• Minting December 20

• Supply: 200 

• Price: 0.1 ETH

Our take

This is a simplistic analogy but…

Imagine somehow replicating the actual brushes, along with the original brush stroke techniques, of all master painters from the days of old. 

Picasso, Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Caravaggio.

All ready to create new physical works of art at your command. 

Of course, these details are only part of what makes these artists special (arguably the least important part). You’re still missing the inspiration, that certain je ne sais quoi that makes them who they are. 

But still, you’d be capturing something inspiring and filled with underlying heritage.  

That’s the idea behind Painting With Fire

Longtime GAN artist Bård Ionson is releasing a collection that uses 14 vintage AI models stretching back to 2014. 

He’s taking the public code, remixing it with his own creative flair, and then training it on images of Fire to make a cohesive set of visuals.

In this way, we’re getting an artistic overview of the history of GAN art, by one of the artists who helped shape that history. 

Quick context: What’s GAN art?  

It’s a form of AI-generated art using two neural networks playing a competitive game with each other (one creates images, the other evaluates and refines them).  

This differs from LLM art like DALL-E and Midjourney, which is by far the most popular form in use today. 

But GAN has its own rich history and is found in popular NFT collections like GAN Punks, podGANS, and the highly-coveted AI Generated Nude Portrait #7 (aka The Lost Robbies). 

Bottom line

This is more than just a walk down memory lane.

There’s something about creating new works of art with the actual historical tools and techniques that feels unique to the computer/AI medium.

It reminds me of Zentrum, last month’s popular drop that used code developed in the 1980s by the late Herbert Franke (covered here). 

And it also shows Bård’s mastery of all things GAN. I can’t imagine the deep know-how required to play with all the subtle differences that emerge from model to model. 

For a peek behind the scenes, check out the artist’s walkthrough here. 

✨ Added to Top 25 ✨

NOTE: These drops are lightly curated. Our only requirement is that they have recognizable founders. As usual, DYOR. To learn more go here.

FIFA Club World Cup 2023 Collection

Few organizations are as sketchy as FIFA, which some might say makes them a perfect fit for NFTs 😹. However, their previous attempts on Algorand haven’t hit the mark.

This upcoming drop sees them move (partly) to Polygon and includes 1,000 physically redeemable collectibles from the 2023 Club World Cup (more details here).

Imagine owning a whistle officially covered in the tourney referees’ spit (or a corner flag signed by the Man City team).

Perhaps what’s more interesting is that 100 of these will still be minting on Algorand tomorrow, and these can contain tickets to the 2026 World Cup final (those tend to be pricey).

It’s part collector’s item, part World Cup ticket raffle and it’s…

✨ Added to Top 25 ✨

Galactic Konquest

Thai artist Gongkan has been perfecting what he calls Teleport Art for over 10 years (examples here), and is now taking those results onchain with Galactic Konquest, his debut NFT project.

The 999-supply narrative-focused collection is now taking pre-sale applications for digital + physical lots, but further details are limited.

Gongkan’s work has been exhibited in galleries worldwide and featured by prominent advertising agencies. Maybe we’ll even see Apple CEO Tim Cook hit the chain for ‘em.

Moving Blocks

Deblock, a mobile app merging bank accounts with non-custodial wallets, just teased an upcoming free drop with the 1,500-supply Moving Blocks.

Wait… this is like the worst time ever to be talking about a French crypto bank right? F-it, we’ll do it anyway 🏌️

Holders of their Bursted Bubbles genesis mint will receive a guaranteed free mint plus further benefits after the app’s release (expected Feb 2024), but details on holder perks for Moving Blocks are still scant.