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ART & COLLECTABLES

The ‘Last Session’ Photoshoot by Kurt Cobain Will Be Sold as an NFT

On May 3rd, a photographer’s legendary pictures of Nirvana and the late rockstar will be auctioned off.

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© Jesse Frohman

You can see them if you close your eyes: the leopard print top, the boyish trapper cap, and the white Jackie O sunglasses. The objects are unmistakable when worn together, but their wearer appears to be distinctive from every perspective. Maybe it’s because Kurt Cobain’s personality was like a flame: it could be bold and vivid at times, but only when it wasn’t chaotically flickering or struggling to stay alive.

Soon, Nirvana frontman’s last formal photoshoot, which took place only months before his death in the spring of 1994, will be available to one mega-fan to closely explore the intimate moments.

Jesse Frohman, a photographer, launched a website on Wednesday to auction off an NFT containing more than 100 photographs from that day, dubbed “The Last Session.” According to Frohman, several contact sheets and negatives had never been screened prior to the development of this drop, so some of the photographs had never been seen publicly. Anyone can view thumbnails of the images online starting at 12:00 p.m. ET on April 28th, but only buyers can receive the high-resolution versions.

The auction will begin at 12:00 p.m. ET on May 3rd and end at 6:00 p.m. ET on May 7th. The starting offer for the one-of-a-kind Holy Grail is 27.27 ETH, which is approximately equivalent to $72,000 USD at press time.

“Everyone was doing an individual picture here, an individual picture there, maybe a group of three here,” Frohman says of bundling 104 pictures together on a single NFT. “This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity that will not be repeated.” He sees the shoot as a significant historical event that needs to be honored. Frohman compares going through all of the pictures in one sitting to watching a movie because of Cobain’s ever-shifting energy. He describes it as “like a movie review.”

Although purchasing “The Last Session” NFT is the only way to see the unseen images, there are other, more accessible alternatives. The “Nevermind Editions,” which consist of ten one-of-a-kind, individually colorized quadriptychs of Cobain, have a starting bid of 2.7 ETH ($7,000 USD). One of these is framed and hangs on the wall behind Frohman as he speaks with Rolling Stone over Zoom from his living room. He says, “In truth, Miley Cyrus bought that one in the same size.”

Finally, the “In Utero Editions” are the cheapest, consisting of 20 five-of-five, individually colorized portraits and group shots of Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl. These can be purchased outright for 1 ETH (approximately $2,600 USD) with “buy it now.”

© Jesse Frohman

A part of the proceeds will be donated to the JED Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing suicide and promoting mental health among teenagers in the United States. When asked whether any of the proceeds would go to the Cobain Estate or living Nirvana members, Frohman says no such plans have been made. The estate, on the other hand, is completely aware of the project and, as Frohman points out, is already working with the JED Foundation.

Though Frohman has sold work through galleries and other third parties in the past, he has never sold directly to collectors, so NFTs excite him. “Every now and then, a celebrity or someone can contact me directly, but for the most part, I don’t have that connection,” he says, adding that NFTs often offer his photos “a different kind of life.” “In the crypto world, I consider Kurt to be an idol and a kind of hero. They like going against the grain. That’s what Kurt was to me. He was vehemently anti-establishment, and he was not afraid to say so. I believe the NFT art space would pique his interest.”

These NFTs are not available on any online marketplace by design. Instead, the website that hosts the collections was designed by Serotonin, a self-described “marketing firm and product studio for revolutionary innovations” that launched almost a year ago. (Serotonin was also in charge of the tech, assembling the NFTs and arranging the drop.)

© Jesse Frohman

“We believe that the perfect experience for any brilliant, artistic artwork is total, complete immersion with the artist and the story behind it,” says Matthew Iles, Serotonin co-founder and partner. “We asked ourselves, ‘How can we give people a direct link to Kurt, Nirvana, and, by extension, Jesse?’ There are some nice choices in the existing NFT marketplace environment, but none that are completely owned and dedicated.”

Serotonin and Frohman were both adamant about not representing Cobain as a commodity in a large, virtual warehouse when they saw the finished set, which is intended to respect his individualistic existence. Frohman says, “I couldn’t comprehend being around CryptoPunks and being surrounded by that culture.” “They’re in perfect condition. I just had the feeling [this series] was going to get lost. And I wasn’t able to say the whole story, including the shoot and the drop.” He desired greater influence over the presentation and discussion. “I just think it’s more interesting this way,” he says.

ART & COLLECTABLES

NFT Show Europe was all about innovators of the Future of the Internet: web 3.0, metaverse, blockchain, and digital art

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Valencia, October 10th 2022: NFT Show Europe, the leading event on Web 3.0, Blockchain, Metaverse and Digital Art took place in the futuristic venue of the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain. From the 17th to the 18th of September 2022, #NFTSE attracted over 2300 visitors from 59 countries.

The show featured a packed conference programme with world-renowned speakers. Topics covered included the use of Blockchain and Web 3.0 oriented technologies in traditional businesses, gaming, sports, fashion, art and collectibles, among others.

First edition beyond expectations

“The event showcased the very best in European talent, demonstrating the unstoppable growth of these technologies and its potential in both business and artistic innovation.” explains Patrick Cyrus, Marketing Manager of #NFTSE22.

“We already count with the support of big players such as Tezos, Polkadot, Zeroframe, Crypto Page, Block Ape Scissors or Wert. All of us were equally impressed with the level of potential collaborations and we are already looking forward to the next edition.”

NFT Show beyond Europe

#NFTSE gathers some of the most influential companies and artists to discuss the latest trends and developments. The event was a major boost for the web 3.0 industry companies, fostering new partnerships and collaborations, which helped to solidify its position as a major meeting point in this world.

With visitors from 59 countries attending, the event showcased the latest in blockchain and web3 technologies and its potential applications in the real world.

The speaker line-up was formed by industry leaders such as Takayaki Suzuki, CEO of Metatokio and Esen Tümer, Founder of Metaverse Hub. Other notable speakers included Hide Uehara, Director of Business Development for Square Enix or Sam Hamilton, the Creative Director of Decentraland Foundation.

Showcasing more than 170 artworks by artists such as Zancan, Solimán López, Pablo Alpe, Ulysses, A.L. Crego or Jenni Pasanen, the art exhibition included exclusive minting by fxhash.com, workshops, interactive installations, panel discussions and XR experiences.

Conclusions & Trends

“Web 3.0 technologies provide a way for users to create and interact with digital assets in a virtual space. These technologies have the potential to revolutionize many industries, including gaming, art and finance. NFT Show Europe provided a platform for leading experts to share their insights on those industries in a futuristic business-art atmosphere.” adds Esen Tümer, Founder of MetaverseHub based in Turkey, Istambul.

NFTs and crypto are transforming the art industry by providing creators with a new way to monetize their work and by giving collectors a new way to invest in art. They can be used to track and prove ownership of everything from digital art to in-game items. One of the barriers is the acquisition of cryptocurrencies which is already approached by companies such as Wert.

“We enable the consumers to purchase NFTs with credit or debit cards just like normal or virtual goods … if you’re in the NFT, Generative Art and Web 3.0 space (NFTSE) is just the perfect spot to do that.” explains George Basiladze, Founder of Wert.io.

There is no doubt that the web 3.0 users have the potential to change the way we live, work and play. By harnessing the power of the internet, these technologies can help us to connect with others in new and innovative ways and help us to access information and services that were previously out of reach. With the right support and investment, web 3.0 content will help us to create a more inclusive and connected world.

The producers of NFT Show Europe are already planning the next stages for 2023.

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ART & COLLECTABLES

Logan Paul’s unsuccessful NFT Investment: Over $620K to $10

Logan Paul, a well-known YouTuber, has lost millions of dollars as a result of the current crypto winter.

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Logan Paul, an American YouTuber, actor, and social media star, holds a $623,000 unrealized loss as a result of his investment in an NFT from the Azuki line.

Also unsuccessful is his involvement with cryptocurrency. The market collapse has reduced the value of his possessions by more than $500,000.

Losses in Logan Paul’s Critical Papers
The well-known YouTuber joined the cryptocurrency bandwagon last spring when the values of most assets were surging, just like many other people. A few months later, he spent almost $2.5 million on NFTs, joining the trend. The most expensive thing he bought was a piece from the Azuki collection, which cost him $623,000.

However, the YouTube celebrity has suffered significant financial losses as a result of the unstable state of the bitcoin market and the NFT niche, at least on paper. The Azuki NFT currently trades around $10, as Paul recently made known, a drastic decline that sparked debate in the cryptocurrency world.

Many Twitter users made fun of the celebrity for using non-fungible tokens to transact at a time when there was obviously excitement in the industry. Others asserted that digital collectibles are frauds and should not be purchased. Some, however, contend that the price decline is a result of the current bad market and that once the next bull run begins, the valuation will rise.

It’s important to note that the NFT transactions were booming at the time he purchased the things. OpenSea’s trade volume spiked to almost $500 million for a single day at one time last summer, but in recent months, it has struggled to reach $10 million.

Paul has added bitcoin and other alternative currency to his portfolio in addition to NFTs. He recently acknowledged that he had lost almost $500,000 on such investments when he first entered the ecosystem at its peak last year.

Unfortunately for others that followed suit, this year has seen a significant decline in the value of the cryptocurrency market, which now has a total valuation of less than $1 billion (down from $3 billion a year ago).

Millions are Lost by KSI
The British rapper JJ Olatunji, a.k.a. KSI, was another prominent YouTuber who was severely hurt by the crypto market decline.

When Terra’s native token, LUNA, began to fall in price in May, he took the chance to predict that the price will eventually rise again. When the asset was going for about $25, KSI invested $2.8 million of his wealth in it.

He had no idea that the token would keep declining and eventually fall to almost nothing, wiping away the rapper’s multi-million dollar investment.

KSI is a strong supporter of the cryptocurrency market, especially bitcoin. He claimed that BTC will be crucial to the monetary system of the future last year. The rapper continued, claiming that he would have given each UK citizen £100 worth of bitcoin if he were the Prime Minister.

BTC is the ideal investment vehicle in KSI’s opinion. He believes that after ten years, individuals who have some exposure to the asset will “be laughing”:

“I feel like a lot of people are trying to search for quick money like, ‘Oh, I want to get in and out,’ but they’re not really seeing that. I’m prepared to travel a considerable distance for this.

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ART & COLLECTABLES

Ford is getting ready to enter the Metaverse with digital cars and NFTs

A month after the company announced significant personnel reductions, it has filed a trademark application covering its future initiatives in the Metaverse and NFT space.

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Ford Motor Company, an American automaker, has filed 19 trademark applications across its key automobile brands as it prepares to enter the realm of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) and the Metaverse.

Mike Kondoudis, a trademark attorney licensed by the United States Patent and Trade Office (USPTO), disclosed in a tweet on Wednesday that the business had submitted a total of 19 trademark applications covering its car brands, including Mustang, Bronco, Lincoln, Explorer, and F-150 Lightning, among others.

The trademark applications include a projected online marketplace for NFTs and virtual versions of its businesses’ automobiles, trucks, vans, SUVs, and clothes.

Ford intends to produce digital images of its vehicles, SUVs, trucks, and vans that will be verified by NFTs, according to USPTO filings submitted by the automaker on September 2.

The business also disclosed plans for “downloadable virtual commodities,” or “computer programs,” that would include apparel, accessories, and parts for vehicles for usage in “online virtual environments,” such as virtual and augmented reality trade exhibitions.

Additionally, there are plans to develop an online marketplace for “others’ digital artwork” as well as “online retail shop services featuring non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and digital collectibles.”

Less than a month after Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford and CEO Jim Farley announced significant personnel reductions from its global workforce to decrease corporate expenses; Ford has decided to enter the Web3 area.

Ford isn’t the first automaker to enter the Metaverse market.

While premium automakers like Bentley and Lamborghini have already launched NFT collections, automakers including Nissan, Toyota, and Hyundai have indicated ambitions to enter the fast-expanding Metaverse market.

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