The largest collaborative NFT artwork
#LayerBreaker at Async
Overview
A dynamic, changing piece of artwork that only exists because of blockchain. No shortcuts. No simple solutions. This is a labor of love for art to showcase innovation towards what a new and inclusive art community can be.
Layer Breaker
The artist collaboration was introduced and coordinate by MightyMoose back in February 2021. After 6 months of collaborative work, the piece became available at Async.
This is a collaboration born out of community. The idea being what can we do with a global economy and technology which enables trustless relationships.
62 artists were involved from over 20 countries. None of whom ever met in person, yet one of the largest collaboration to date took place.
There are 61 layers, 284 states and some hidden features within this project.
Color gradient
The artist expert in color, Jeff Davis created a color gradient image for all 60 artists with 360x360 color squares. Each of these tiles had the HEX code on and, for each artist was assigned a tile and a #HEX value.
Each artist was challenged to create and submitted in JPG or PNG format 3 different layers.
I was assigned the Tile #26 and the HEX color code 96895E.
Backside hidden layer
There is also a hidden bonus piece behind all these layers, a backside hidden Layer developed by MattiaC.
Actually the artist made by hand and digitized all 62 artist names involved in the project plus the project name Layer Breaker and platform Async as well.
There are more hidden features within this project and the purpose is to enable the community of collectors to continue on with the creative process.
Tile #26 - creative process
After I was assigned the Tile #26, and the HEX color code 96895E, I started my creative process. The background color that was assigned to me, worked as a canvas, and then as a landscape due to the similarities of color tone (HEX 96895E) has with the plains and monuments of “La Mancha”.
“Don Quixote” takes place in “La Mancha”, located in the Spanish provinces of Albacete, Cuenca, Ciudad Real and Toledo.
The Norwegian Academy polled 100 writers, and they voted “Don Quixote” the best novel of all time. The book was written by Cervantes at the very beginning of the 17th century, 400 years ago.
I found my ingredients and the “touch points” to start my creative journey, and I decided to honor the region of “La Mancha”, the novel “Don Quixote” and Cervantes with the work I created on the Tile #26
Tile #26 or “Dreamer”
The challenge was huge: Cervantes with the novel “Don Quixote” invented modernity, and the Tile #26 has the purpose of revisited, reinterpreted and transformed “Don Quixote” into an NFT, and being an integrated part of the project #LayerBreaker - the largest collaborative NFT artwork.
I started to focus on the central theme of the novel and why one must live life in a genuine way, passionately, in spite of what other people think. Actually the novel teaches us that each of us can have a dream and push for that dream and pursue them and celebrate life.
As this is my genesis piece at Async, besides the name “Tile #26”, symbolically I also gave the name “Dreamer” to the piece, in tune with the main tenet of the book.
The gradient coloriser in the central part of the piece represents the dreams that a person, a character, a dreamer can choose in his life and the colors are presented as possible paths. These columns, or paths, actually have movements in the following states, like dreams and like life it is…
Tile #26 - Don Quixote in 3 states
For Cervantes and the readers of his day, “Don Quixote” was a one-volume book published in 1605, not the first part of a two-part set.
The mention in the 1605 book of further adventures yet to be told was totally conventional, does not indicate any authorial plans for a continuation, and was not taken seriously by the book's first readers.
Actually Part Two was a sequel published ten years after the original novel, and the two parts are now published as a single work.
In this artwork, States 2 and 3 represent the two parts of the book “Don Quixote”, initially published in separated two parts, but that should be read as a single book.
The junction of the three states, in an animated gif, represents life as it is and connect the imagination with reality where we are in constant need of finding something that justifies our days.
Actually the gif is an animated poem and the way I synthesise in a few seconds the book “Don Quixote”.
I will be working with the collector / winning bidder to produce a physical print of their favorite state and I will send the animated gif by e-mail as well.
Tile #26 - state 1: Dreamer
Inspiration: Novel “Don Quixote” and its noblest meaning. The backgound color that was assigned to me, worked as a canvas, and then as a landscape due to the similarities of color tone (HEX 96895E) has with the plains and monuments of “La Mancha”.
The gradient coloriser in the central part of the piece represent the dreams that a person, a character, a dreamer can choose in his life and the colors are presented as possible paths. These columns, or paths, actually have movements in the following states, like dreams and like life it is…
As this is my genesis piece at Async, besides the name “Tile #26”, symbolically I also gave the name “Dreamer” to the piece, in tune with the main tenet of the book.
Background: HEX color code 96895E.
Color Lines Mix: (FFFF00, FF6600, FF0000, FF00FF, 6600FF, 0000FF, 00FFFF and 33FF00)
Tile #26 - state 2: Don Quixote - Part I
Inspiration: Part One of “Don Quixote”, published in 1605.
Background: HEX color code 96895E.
Color Lines Mix: (FFFF00, FF6600, FF0000, FF00FF, 6600FF, 0000FF, 00FFFF and 33FF00)
Tile #26 - state 3: Don Quixote - Part II
Inspiration: Part Two of “Don Quixote”, published in 1615.
Background: HEX color code 96895E.
Color Lines Mix: (FFFF00, FF6600, FF0000, FF00FF, 6600FF, 0000FF, 00FFFF and 33FF00)
Tile #26 - gif: life / imagination / reality
The junction of the three states, in an animated gif, represents life as it is and connect the imagination with reality where we are in constant need of finding something that justifies our days.
Actually the gif is an animated poem and the way I synthesise in a few seconds the book “Don Quixote”.
Inspiration: “Don Quixote” and “La Mancha”.
Background: HEX color code 96895E.
Color Lines Mix: (FFFF00, FF6600, FF0000, FF00FF, 6600FF, 0000FF, 00FFFF and 33FF00)
I will be working with the collector / winning bidder to produce a physical print of their favorite state and I will send the animated gif by e-mail as well.
“I true believe that we are creating a new civilization, and authors must contribute actively to this new way, to preserve our humanity by creating art that provokes new feelings.”
— WHA