RIDE ON ART #19 - STARGAZER
RIDE ON ART #19 - STARGAZER
Im sure you already saw characters from this collection somewhere on your Twitter feed. Who are they, and what’s their story? And most importantly, who is behind this project?
David Proto is a talented artist from Barcelona, Spain. He created a whole new world full of interesting characters with different stories and from different planets. They together make a secret society. Discover more about his interactive collection. His pieces are not only artistically interesting, but they also allow you to play and solve crypto puzzles!
Before we jump on better questions, can you tell us something about you and your background?
I have a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts and Multimedia Design, with a master's degree in Contemporary Art Production and Research. My work has always revolved around contemporary art practices such as artivism, hacktivism, hypermedia development, and collaborative networks as tools for social transformation.
For example, in 2012, I created the artistic project Memetro.net. It was a social network for collective civil disobedience aimed at detecting ticket inspectors and security personnel in public transportation. The mutual support network was based on the creative hypothesis of the existence of a memory disorder that makes you forget if you purchased a ticket for public transportation. The social network was a success, and to this day, the app has had over 300k users, causing some headaches for politicians and transportation companies. This is just one example of the transmedia and performative projects I have been developing up to this date. You can find more of this craziness on my website davidproto.net.
After the 2008 crisis, my dissatisfaction with the traditional banking system was enormous. Back then, with my art collective enmedio.info, we were always looking for ways to subvert the power of banks and encourage people to seek alternatives to the traditional banking system. We once organized a party inside a bank branch to celebrate a friend closing her bank account. There's a video where you can see this action:
Discovering the existence of Bitcoin was incredible. I thought, "Peer-to-peer money without intermediaries? This is what we need to remove banking from our lives!" I entered the cryptographic ecosystem in 2014 when I started collaborating as a graphic designer and UX/UI designer for cryptocurrency exchanges and wallet apps. At that time, cryptocurrencies were seen by the general public as just a nerds' toy and an excellent method for buying drugs on the dark web.
I immediately thought about how blockchain technology could help artists enhance and distribute their art. In 2016, I founded the Creativechain Foundation, and in 2017, we launched creary.net, the first decentralized social network for creative portfolios.
Since then, my artistic productions have always had some connection to distributed technologies and cryptography in general.
What can you tell us about your style?
I love stories about space, science fiction, and social struggles. The Stargazer collection is filled with short tales and stories about strange characters from other planets involved in social conflicts and consuming exotic drugs.
Stargazers When did you come up with the idea about Stargazers? And what is behind it? From what I read, it's not only about art, but the whole project is behind it.
Stargazer is the name of a secret society that has come from the future, specifically from the year 2042. After an unknown event, some Stargazers have been teleported to our present. It seems that their main objective is to accumulate collective wealth by collecting valuable digital objects. All Stargazers suffer from the 'magpie syndrome,’ which drives them to hide these objects.
Stargazers are also available on KodaDot. The ultimate goal for the viewer is to discover the loot where the stolen digital objects (NFTs) are located, taken by the Stargazers.
Stargazer is a game or narrative experiment, something like a narrative cryptopuzzle.
What is a cryptopuzzle? Can you explain a little more?
A crypto puzzle is a design or image that cleverly conceals private keys that access a cryptocurrency wallet. It's like a cryptographic escape room. Whoever finds the keys gets the prize. You can see an example of how one of my cryptopuzzles has been solved here.
There are online communities dedicated to deciphering puzzles, particularly cryptopuzzles, which form a subculture within the cryptographic ecosystem.
To uncover the secrets of the Stargazers, one must carefully read and observe their story, paying attention to all the details of the character designs, as there are many hidden elements. Anyone can decipher the cryptopuzzle, but the owners of the Stargazers have a bit of assistance as they receive some unique clues. Some owners have even received real objects (Molotoy) related to the story. It is not necessary to be an expert in cryptography to solve the puzzle, as most of the keys are not hidden using encryption methods.
There are 111 Stargazers, some rarer than others, and some hide the keys that grant access to the loot. Currently, the prize is a Kanaria bird #9515 valued at 14 KSM.
Once the final Stargazer #111 is released, an additional 0.3 KSM will be added weekly until someone solves the mystery of the Stargazers and claims the loot prizes. Regular hints are published to assist in solving the cryptopuzzle. You can find all these hints and participate in the experience on the project's Discord server.
Which Stargazer is your favorite?
Due to its history and its aesthetics, my favorite Stargazers are:
- #102 Ekbom
- #087 Drayd
- #074 Cofu
- #071 HH Toy
- #063 Argos
- #009 Sidereal Dogs
- #064 Kapow!
#102Ekbom How is Kolofon connected to your project? And what can you tell us about it?
Kolofon .app is one of the projects I am currently developing. It is a platform for launching NFT 2.0 (RMRK2) collections on EVM networks. In Kolofon, collections and 1/1 art can be created using the features of the new ERC-5773 and ERC-6059 standards. These NFTs are evolutionary, composable, with multiple resources, and conditional dynamics. Imagine that your entire collection of NFT polar bears is programmed to show an angry face every time CO2 emissions increase in the atmosphere.
The project is currently under development, and I am working with my team to release the first version in the coming months.
The Stargazers were born as part of the look & feel of the kolofon.app web design, but soon their story came to life. Alongside Kolofon, we will launch Kolossal, an NFT collection for pioneering users on the platform. Owning a Kolossal will make you the owner of a digital artwork with many functionalities and will also provide you with many advantages and benefits, such as gifts, beta test passes, airdrop tokens, invitations, and merchandise. The story of the Stargazers serves as a prequel that connects with the story of the Kolossals.
Therefore, it is important to know that all Stargazer owners will receive a Kolossal NFT.
Why you chose the Dotsama ecosystem? Was it your first option?
I have been following the development of Dotsama since its launch. I have supported the ecosystem as a Validator from the early days. I believe that Polkadot has cutting-edge fundamentals and design. And of course, when I discovered the RMRK project and its plans to improve the functions of NFTs, I thought it would be a fantastic opportunity to experiment with new narratives for my cryptopuzzles.
What do you think will future of NFTs looks like?
NFTs are a new form of expression that is revolutionizing the cultural landscape and is here to stay. We are in a pivotal moment in art history where NFTs are attracting audiences from all cultural sectors, from renowned artists and musicians to brands and corporations worldwide.
I believe that the possibilities of NFTs are endless, and this is just the beginning of the journey. Minting an NFT from a file with a collectible digital artwork is amazing, but it's a limited idea. Jpg files can contain stunning images, but their current interaction is very limited and dull.
With the emergence of AI-generated images, society has started to undervalue the effort and work of digital artists who create aesthetically appealing images "manually". We are entering a new scenario where artists will need to find new ways to captivate their audience. We are on the brink of a new generation of artists who will seek to create new narratives that transcend the languages of digital art. We will see more digital art blending with physical art formats and gaming and more conceptual art that is politically engaged with contemporary issues. In the realm of NFTs, functionality will be key. What can I do with this digital file? When you acquire an NFT, you won't just have a collectible and speculative object; you will hold the key to an adventure.
Artists need a new dimension of NFT technology that allows them to flow more freely beyond the aesthetics of the image. In essence, Kolofon.app aims to be a playground to experiment with this horizon of possibilities that comes with the new NFT 2.0.
Are you moving your collection from Singular to RMRK EVM?
Yes, I think RMRK on Kusama has been an interesting experiment, but the NFT community in the Kusama ecosystem is very small.
The transition to EVM networks is necessary to access larger infrastructures and user communities.
What is your opinion on the situation in markets? (bear market) Are you optimistic about the future?
Some media outlets have been busy counting how many times Bitcoin has died since its inception. And you know what? Bitcoin has "died" more than 465 times.
Undoubtedly, Bitcoin is one of the most fascinating inventions of this century. I don't care too much about its monetary value in the future. What really matters to me is whether its design is so good that it manages to separate money from the state and its central banks in the future so that citizens can have a fairer and more democratic relationship with forms of storing value. That is the true revolution in all of this. It would be comparable to the separation of the Church and the State. It won't be easy; any separation is always preceded by turbulent times.
Do you have any other project in mind that you would like to mention?
My next cryptopuzzle will be a science fiction novel in book format. It will be a limited edition in both physical paper and NFTs, and a percentage of the proceeds will go toward the prize pool. I can't share much more at the moment. If you liked what you've read, follow me on Twitter @davidprotom, and I'll keep you informed about everything.
Would you consider launching something on KodaDot?
Yes, I really like the interface design of KodaDot and especially what you're doing to support NFT projects in the Dotsama ecosystem. I hope to be able to launch a cryptopuzzle on your platform at some point.
If you are still reading this, we prepared a small surprise for you. In collaboration with Stargazer, you can find his new design in our merch shop. And a surprise. The first three people who will click on this link can have a shirt for free! (shipping not included) Enjoy!
Thank you for your time. It was exciting to learn about you as a person and your experience with art. You reminded me that art can and should be part of our everyday lives. We are also excited to learn about Stargazers. It is a very interesting collection, and from today, I’m also excited to be the owner of one Stargazer. Let’s see if I’m good at puzzles. 😅
Our KodaDot team believes that building better relationships with artists is essential. Feel free to comment or write me about who should be next on my Twitter. You can also join our Discord to learn more about our community.
I wish you all a nice day!