Culture Vault, a new curated platform and creative agency that presents and sells high-quality NFTs and helps artists and cultural brands navigate the blockchain, has officially launched its web3 platform with its first instalment of interactive NFT works by eight international and Australian artists: Reko Rennie, Shantell Martin, The Huxleys, Serwah Attafua, Richard Bernstein, Fallen Fruit, Gary Heery, Stephen Ormandy & Fearless Prophit. Works will be available for sale directly through Culture Vault, with prices ranging from $250 (approx. 0.05 ETH) to $250,000 (approx 50 ETH).
Fallen Fruit (David Burns and Austin Young), Love is Blind in Natural History. Courtesy the artists and Culture Vault
In the coming month, exclusive new works will be added to Culture Vault by Romance Was Born, The Injury, Adam Briggs, Bianca Beers, Mona Chalabi, Dan Hong, Thea Anamara Perkins, Sebastian Leon, Dylan Mooney and more. These NFTs will be released in advance of Culture Vault’s inaugural physical-meets-digital exhibition The Future is Phygital, being presented at Sydney’s Verona Studios in Paddington from 18 to 20 March 2022.
Acclaimed New-York-based, British visual artist Shantell Martin has created three NFTs, with the 3D rendering executed by Australian graphic designer and model Mikka. For one of the NFTs Shantell will create a custom illustration for the token owner on 28 February 2022. The individual that possesses the NFT will send Shantell three words that she will incorporate into the bespoke artwork.
Aboriginal interdisciplinary artist Reko Rennie has masterminded a 3D rendered series of his signature totems. Each pole has been designed using the five platonic solids – icosahedron, octahedron, star tetrahedron, hexahedron and dodecahedron – considered to be the building blocks of nature within Western science and philosophy. The work also incorporates Aboriginal geometric patterning that pre-dates Plato’s philosophy, inviting a dialogue that addresses the relationship between the past, present and future.
Late American iconic pop culture artist Richard Bernstein’s single edition NFT titled “Andy Warhol with Red Paint” from The Richard Bernstein Estate comes with both physical and digital assets. The genesis token holder will gain entry to a VIP party for Richard’s gallery exhibition in May in New York. They will also receive a copy of the out of print book MEGASTAR written by Paloma Picasso and Andre Leon Talley. The primary purchaser of the single edition NFT will receive a framed print of Andy Warhol with Red Paint on archival paper with only one edition to be made.
The Huxleys (Will Huxley and Garrett Huxley), Vulnicura, edition 1/1. Courtesy the artists and Culture Vault
Australian visual and performance artist duo The Huxleys combine their iconic photography, filmmaking and costume design for their limited edition series of NFTs.
LA-based collaborators David Burns and Austin Young of Fallen Fruit have created three NFTs (both single editions and larger editions). For each of the primary token holders, they will plant a fruit tree in a public space for sharing and mapped on endlessorchard.com in honour of the new owner. Two of the NFTs will come with physical prints for the genesis sale of the NFT.
Australian photographer Gary Heery photographed a then-unknown singer called Madonna In 1983 in a loft in Soho for her first album cover. Gary says: “My NFT’S are about the very moment before and after you catch the magic shot, but the truth to me was there were a lot of magic shoots on this proof sheet.”
Fearless Prophit will introduce their NFT release with a play on Pop Culture, Feminism, the Me Too movement, the B Movie posters of the 1950s and classic Tarzan movies. All works will use Iconic images by Daniela Federici of Anna Nicole Smith during the early 1990s.
Australian visual artist Stephen Ormandy collaborated with Sydney-based production studio Hecker to create three NFTs based on his sculptures. Each NFT is 3D rendered, with his “Alphabet” series consisting of 12 individual pieces of a sculpture represented individually. If a collector purchased all 12 NFTs from the “alphabet” series, they will receive a high quality archived print of the complete sculpture, measuring 100cm x 100cm framed and signed.
French graphic design studio My Name is Wendy have created their first NFT collection, inspired by goldsmithing, watchmaking and certain pieces by Pierre-Karl Fabergé. “TO-TEM” is a series of 3D animated sculptures based on 2D illustrations representing fabulous animals composed of shapes, bright colours and patterns. Each totem is a contemporary sculpture and jewellery piece that refers as much to art deco as to pop culture.
Aboriginal interdisciplinary artist Reko Rennie commented on the launch of his works on Culture Vault: “As an artist, I am always looking for new mediums to create work in, and I feel this digital realm is not something to ignore. Working with Culture Vault is a great opportunity to explore the endless possibilities within the digital world of the arts.”
