🦹🏼♀️ Not All Heroes Wear Capes
Meet some of the most underrated players in the crypto art space...
The crypto art space’s success depends on multiple players. The first one is technology. Without cryptocurrencies, blockchains, and NFTs, this exciting world wouldn’t exist. Secondly, we need the creators. They are the ones getting all the credits, and they should, as, without their talent, dedication, and art, there would be nothing to collect. The third group of players is many times undervalued. I’m referring to the collectors. Not only do they support artists around the world, but they also are the ones shaping the new art frontiers. In the past, I covered Ombeline (@cabline1), a French collector and curator who has done a fantastic job for the Tezos community. This time, I’d to share a few more names making NFT artists’ dreams come to life.
In no particular order, they caught my eye for their love of arts and commitment over time. They don’t necessarily have the most expensive collections. They are art lovers, art connoisseurs, and, for some reason, not widely known yet.
Wise Ape AKA @WiseApe4
Avid collector and curator, the wise ape owns some of the Tezos blue chips pieces. He is known for his in-depth NFTs overviews on his Twitter account. In the Tezos network alone, he holds over 800 NFTs. He shared some insights, both his favorite artists and what he looks for when collecting. One of his favorite pieces is 8 1/2 Circle Of Hell (or) A Monolithic Triangular Stump by Tim Maxwell (@maxwellinked). He also acknowledges Jenni Pasanen (@PasanenJenni), Laurence Fueller (@LaurenceFuller), Matthew Plummer-Fernández (@M_PL), David Cheifetz (@davidcheifetz), and Sønken (@rijstplukker) as his favorite artists.
I have recently found Tim’s work thanks to another fellow collector and to say I am obsessed would be understatement. All the of pieces are an amalgamation of lines, no rulers or tools are used in any way.
I see my collection through a prism of sentimentality rather than monetary value. Before I acquire any piece I need to be able to connect with it. Once I have done that, I look for the number of editions, how distinct the art style is, arching themes of the artwork and consistency of the artist’s.
Andrew Jones AKA @andrevv_jones
Andrew’s collection speaks for himself. He has collected some of the most famous creations on hic et nunc. From Laurence Fueller (@LaurenceFuller) to Von Doyle (@VonDoyl), he has excellent taste and is widely respected among his peers. I had the chance to ask Andrew - What do you look for in the NFTs you collect? - and he gave a profound and thoughtful answer.
The NFT I look for should contain a spectrum of humanity which ideally includes flaws which allow for the deconstruction and hyper-critical and ego-free observation of the subject and therefore of ourselves. Equally the same NFT I look for should also have the depth to include the grace and divine beauty which allows for a reconstruction of the subject with all of its intended glories, vanities and divine traits. In other words, I find myself collecting NFT's which contain enough emotion to tear themselves apart and piece themselves back together, in search of guidance, discovery, inspiration and meaning to this thing called life.
Check out Andrew’s collection on hic et nunc here.
Daliso Ngoma AKA @djngoma
Daliso is an African collector who currently ranks #66 on the all-time collector’s list in Foundation.app (he spent a whopping 14,34 Eth or $47k USD). He likes to collect art from African artists and is a trendy figure in that community. Some of the popular names in his collection are Amir Mirzaei (@amirmirzaei), Phulusho Ngomane (@PhulushoN), Kamau Kamau (@kamaukamau), Aaron Ricketts (@aaronricketts), and Kiggs (@kiggs). When asked about his favorite collections, he mentioned @SavageDroids by @MartinBekerman and @AfroDroids by @OwoAnietie.
Have a look at his impressive gallery on Foundation here.
SubEk AKA @0xSubEk
Another collector specializing in the Tezos network, SubEk, has over 250+ NFTs with fantastic taste. He owns NFTs from RubenFro (@Ruben_Fro), Henrik Uldalen (@Henrikaau), lemuet (@thelemuet), deArtifact (@deArtifact), Laurence Fueller, Marco Zagara (@marcozagara)… And the list goes on—one of the complete collections in this network, without a doubt.
I discovered @thelemuet after peeking at SubEk Show Time’s gallery. Be careful while you watch these collections because it is hard not to grab a couple… You’ve been warned!
Shibe75 AKA @shibe75
In Foundation alone, Shibe (BlackShibe) has spent over 80+ eths ($250k USD) and ranks #37 as an all-time collector. That is just part of Shibe’s collection because he also has a significant share of NFTs outside of that community. Art Blocks - Fidenza and Fragments of an Infinite Field - and “Rare Pepes” are his favorite collections. He has put together an impressive gallery in Crypto Voxels; you can visit it here.
"Each project is different. That is why I look at them on a case-by-case basis. The Rare Pepes are my favorite, I look that the humor there. My second favorite collection is Art Blocks, and Fidenza is my favorite. I look into the colors and the beauty.”
I find it incredible how Shibe can collect art from different worlds, from generative algorithms like Fidenzas to internet culture in the form of memes like the Rare Pepes. He is one of the most versatile collectors out there.
TheItalianCollector AKA @ItalianCollecto
“The Italian Collector” collects a wide range of art across multiple chains, but his recent focus has been on Tezos. He owns unique pieces from Petrelli, RubenFro, Von Doyle, Tim Maxwell, and many more. A genuinely astounding collection that you can’t miss. Here is a link to his Showtime.
Jesse Altman AKA @jesse_altman
I couldn’t find a better introduction than using his bio description.
Physical art collector turned NFT collector who still collects physical works. The artist is as important as the art.
Showcasing a massive collection of over 850 pieces, Jesse’s couldn’t miss this list. His portfolio is one of the most diverse, containing works from popular collections in Ethereum and Tezos. The Art Blocks, Cool Cats NFTs, Gutter Gang, merge with the Tezzards, FIEDLER, Michelle Thompson (@mich_tom), Sylks (@sylkspxl), and a few masterpieces from the popular “algo pop” generative artists, Matthew Plummer-Fernández (@M_PF). If you are intrigued, don’t miss his gallery at Show Time here.
I hope this edition was helpful to discover exciting art grabbers doing the hard work on the field. Some of these collections are an absolute joy to watch. It can be overwhelming to compare your collection with theirs, but keep in mind these guys have been doing this for a long time. Take your time, discover new artists, grab what you like, and remember, this is not a competition ✌️
Are there other collectors out there that you enjoy? Share their names; I’d love to see their galleries…
Shilling Section
Check out these cool drops from other crypto artists.
