Nftnews Today Q&A: Renowned AI artist CSLIM on NFT use cases, rethinking rarity, and whether the market is in decline

The NFT market is present process a painful downturn proper now — however many within the area regard this as a possibility to construct.

CSLIM, a South Korean artist, joins us for a dialogue about how he obtained concerned on this fast-moving area. He reveals why the rarity ranges of NFTs may have a rethink, how crypto collectibles may also help good causes, and compelling use circumstances for the long run.

1. Hiya! Inform us about CSLIM STUDIO — what’s your story… and your primary objective? 

I’m an artist with an engineering background — and I’ve labored on AI, autonomous driving and blockchain previously. 

About three years in the past, I began to really feel an enormous attraction to the generative artwork style, and established CSLIM STUDIO to pursue my ardour.

I turned conscious of NFTs as an idea in March 2020 — and earlier than then, I used to experiment with reconstructing work by way of AI. It wasn’t on the market, it was merely technical curiosity.

In the event you have a look at the historical past of artwork, there was a course of through which the event of know-how creates new instruments, and the artwork is enriched through the use of them. Simply have a look at tube paints, cameras and computer systems for example.

Lately, AI and blockchain have developed quickly — and the potential of this know-how from an inventive perspective is being explored. 

I did not have critical artistic objectives at first — I simply wished to check the boundaries of what I might do. It was purely for my very own enjoyable and satisfaction. However within the explosively rising NFT market, I’ve achieved way more than I envisaged. 

In Might 2022, with the help of Tezos APAC, I used to be honored after being invited to exhibit two works at Artwork Basel HK. NFTs have modified the course of my life, and I believe they may proceed to take action sooner or later.

Snowy Day at Artwork Basel HK, Might 2022

2. What’s The World assortment?

The World is a group that was dropped in February 2022 by way of Crypto.com NFT. House owners of this assortment can get free airdrops each month for my new AI/generative artwork creations. 

These NFTs are performing like a form of ticket or subscription. Snapshots for assortment holders are created on the twentieth of each month for airdrops, and new works are distributed. 

I established the utility ecosystem round The World assortment to maintain my artistic actions steady — and collectors can obtain new works each month for so long as I work as an NFT artist.

I’ve had hundreds of robust supporters who take pleasure in my work and advertise by way of numerous channels. 

This ecosystem is a really unconventional construction for each collectors and artists, however one thing everybody can take pleasure in and profit from. I, as an artist, can maintain creating new works whereas lowering market fluctuations — and I am free to experiment whereas receiving vital suggestions.

My supporters are a 1,200-strong military who enjoyment of my achievements and are all the time on my aspect. It is all the time a pleasure to share my new creations with them.

Earlier than I dropped The World assortment, I used to create a small variety of works and work together with solely a small variety of collectors on Ethereum NFT platforms similar to Makersplace, AsyncArt, and Basis. 

Most of my works had been single editions. There weren’t many collectors I might work together with, and I could not unfold my artwork extra extensively. However I used to be pleased with my creations, and so I wished to achieve extra folks.

If I give it some thought from a special perspective, I believe I used to be envious of the best way fandoms type for a selected artist. I assumed that, if I had many collectors who would help me, it could give me a lift creatively — and that is why I got here up with the idea of a subscription.

3. And what about nonfungible timber?

I am not an environmentalist, however I am very all in favour of environmental points. 

As an artist creating NFTs, I have been excited about how crypto collectibles might be designed to play a extra lively position in addressing environmental points. 

Final winter, I obtained in contact with the BLOCKv crew and we began speaking about some actually attention-grabbing ideas. 

The thought was to create a system through which NFT purchases had been linked to precise tree planting. This was very enticing as a result of it might set off an lively motion to fight international warming and local weather change. 

And whereas Proof-of-Work blockchains are seen negatively due to the assets they devour, this challenge had a optimistic which means. It exhibits that, relying on the appliance, they will have a helpful impact on our local weather.

Nonfungible Tree #1125

We launched our nonfungible trees challenge this Might. 

Eleven timber are planted each time an NFTree (nonfungible tree) is bought within the major market — and 1% of gross sales income is reused for tree planting when an NFT is resold. 

When a collector buys or resells NFTs, a portion of the gross sales quantity is settled by the good NFT logic of BLOCKv within the backend and the quantity is donated to One Tree Planted.

The gathering consists of 11,111 NFTrees, which will likely be minted on three totally different blockchains: Polygon, Huobi Eco, and BLOCKv. 

Minted editions from one chain might be rapidly and safely migrated to a different chain by way of the bridge offered by BLOCKv. 

It is the world’s first really multi-blockchain assortment. As well as, these NFTs give the chance to completely plant as many digital timber as they’ve contributed to planting on the metaverse area offered by BLOCKv. Because of this group members create set up artwork by way of direct participation in a global-scale metaverse area. Is not that cool?

4. You may have an attention-grabbing opinion in regards to the utility of NFTs. Inform us extra!

The World assortment confirmed how NFTs can be utilized for subscriptions — utilizing blockchain snapshots and airdrops. Given the numerous prospects that digital artwork can supply from a technical standpoint, this could possibly be an enormous step ahead.

I don’t suppose that NFTs as a proof of possession — that comprise solely content material in fragments — correspond to the values ​​pursued by the occasions. This isn’t meant to disclaim or disparage the worth of NFTs created by many artists. I’ve additionally been minting hundreds of NFTs since 2020, and a lot of the NFTs I made additionally exist within the type of proof of possession of contents. These NFTs are additionally value valuing as a result of they safely and properly resolve the issues associated to copyright and possession that conventional digital artwork needed to resolve in a provable means. 

I consider that artwork utilizing new know-how as a vessel ought to evolve into extra artistic varieties, genres and extra multidimensional varieties. We have already got the technical/conceptual base to construct higher NFTs. All of us have to repeatedly take into consideration the best way to transfer ahead one step additional.

5. Have you ever already tried this idea in apply?

Utilizing the know-how stack offered by BLOCKv, 50 Polygon NFTs had been dropped close to the landmarks of 30 main cities all over the world — and a treasure hunt was held final yr. Customers might discover them based mostly on their present location utilizing AR and VR.

They may then be traded by way of OpenSea — and it was a enjoyable experiment with a mixture of digital and actual worlds. This could possibly be an thrilling a part of the long run for NFTs.

6. Another attention-grabbing/surprising use circumstances for NFTs?

I consider that NFTs have the potential to alter the world. I want to proceed designing tasks that may have a optimistic impression on environmental points, such NFTrees. I’m notably all in favour of marine air pollution and microplastics points, so I’ve been designing an NFT challenge for a number of weeks on these themes.

What if the rarity of NFT isn’t decided in response to the traits of the picture? How about making the NFT extra priceless if it has made an even bigger contribution to the surroundings?

NFTrees are designed so their rarity degree will increase as their contribution to tree planting will increase — which means there’s room for dynamic change. Though a bit difficult, it exhibits the notion of rarity in NFTs might be relative, not absolute.

7. What do you concentrate on the NFT trade as we speak? Is the market collapsing like a current Wall Road Journal article recommended?

It’s true that NFT gross sales have deteriorated significantly throughout major and secondary markets. I believe sustainability and stability points should even be thought of after we consider tasks. 

In the event you perceive inherent worth, a group’s social function and the group’s values, you may predict how a challenge will develop. 

I believe tasks that don’t deeply contemplate the steadiness of the secondary market after the preliminary sale don’t have any selection however to react sensitively to adjustments available in the market. 

Since there are cycles in all markets, the NFT market can even change into extra mature after going by way of a disaster, and the strategy of choosing gem stones can also be anticipated to be refined and systematic. We’re studying to be prudent.