99-year-old artist Vera Molnár’s NFTs sold for $1.2 million.

99-year-old artist Vera Molnár's NFTs sold for $1.2 million.

The Rise of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) in the Blockchain Industry

In a groundbreaking event, computer-generated non-fungible tokens (NFTs) created by Hungarian artist Vera Molnár were recently sold out for a staggering ETH 631, equivalent to approximately $1,178,520. This collection, called “Themes and Variations,” was a collaborative effort between the 99-year-old Molnár and artist Martin Grasser. Sotheby’s, the renowned auction giant, describes the collection as a culmination of Molnár’s life’s practice, particularly influenced by three letters: N, F, and T.

NFTs have gained significant traction in recent years, finding their application in various industries, including art. The blockchain technology behind NFTs provides a decentralized and transparent infrastructure, revolutionizing the way we perceive and trade digital assets. NFTs, unlike cryptocurrencies, are unique and indivisible, making them ideal for representing digital ownership of art pieces and other creative works.

The auction for the “Themes and Variations” collection followed a unique structure. 500 minted NFTs were released on July 26, with a starting price of ETH 20. The auction rules enforced a maximum price of ETH 0.75 for each item, with the price decreasing in increments of ETH 0.1 every 15 seconds until all items were sold or reached the minimum price.

The buyers were randomly assigned one of the 500 generative artworks, ensuring a fair distribution of the collection. Impressively, the Molnár’s Ethereum-based items have seen significant activity on the OpenSea marketplace. Currently, there are 494 items available, with a total volume of ETH 897. Moreover, with 259 owners and 269 sales, the collection’s floor price has skyrocketed to ETH 6.2, marking a staggering 384.4% increase since the initial auction.

Born in Budapest in 1924 and residing in Paris, Vera Molnár is widely recognized as one of the pioneers of computer art. Her artistic journey started with her exploration of the machine imaginaire method from 1959 to 1968, and eventually, she delved into algorithmic art, producing computer drawings. Additionally, Molnár collaborated with her husband to develop the “Molnart” software program.

Molnár draws inspiration from geometry, form, and systemic disorder, resulting in artwork that evokes deep emotional connections. In 2022, she made her foray into the NFT world with her project “2% of disorder in co-operation,” where the first edition was sold at Sotheby’s. “Themes and Variations” serves as an expansion of her 2% d’ordre generative protocol, employing the power of the grid and the randomness of color.

The long-form algorithmic system in “Themes and Variations” is written in JavaScript and operates live on the browser. This system revolves around three fundamental principles: letter forms, color, and composition. Martin Grasser, a US-based artist, designer, and typographer, played a crucial role in bringing this project to life. Grasser’s work revolves around a systems-driven process, focusing on abstraction and translation to generate a diverse and ever-evolving body of artwork.

The realization of “Themes and Variations” was made possible by a collaborative team of artists, designers, and developers including Arsh, Audrey Chen, Laksh Arora, Zrinka Buljubašić, and V.E. Chen. Their combined expertise and vision helped in the creation of this groundbreaking collection.

This recent success of Vera Molnár’s NFT collection is just one example of the rapid growth and adoption of NFTs in the blockchain industry. Moving forward, NFTs have the potential to disrupt and reshape not only the art market but also various other industries such as gaming, collectibles, and real estate. The underlying blockchain technology ensures transparency, immutability, and secure ownership, making it an ideal solution for digital asset representation.

The rise of NFTs represents a paradigm shift in the way we perceive and value digital assets. By leveraging the unique properties of blockchain technology, NFTs enable artists, creators, and collectors to navigate the digital realm in unprecedented ways. As more artists and creative minds explore the limitless possibilities of this technology, we can expect further innovations and groundbreaking creations in the world of NFTs.

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Art,Ethereum,NFT,Non-fungible tokens,Opensea,Sothebys

99-year-old artist Vera Molnár’s NFTs sold for $1.2 million.