Credit : Long way to the Moon by Alotta Money
TL;DR
| What | Part of the collection will be soon transferred under the custody of The Sandbox DAO, this collection will require to be actively managed and oriented toward an objective of cultural significance and financial sustainability. You have the choice to give a mandate to the curator and collection manager that will endorse the responsibility of implementing a roadmap to reach said goals. |
|---|---|
| Why | The rationale behind hiring the service of external advisors and curators to oversee those assets is the benefit of setting up a system working for the benefit of the collection valorisation and sustainability, as any good system the SANDBOX DAO collection should aim to become a whole greater than the sum of its parts and therefore becoming an important cultural lever for the community of the DAO. |
| How | The collection manager and curator will evaluate the existing collection and implement a buying and selling strategy with a curated angle for the collection and valorize those acquisitions through a dedicated quarterly off line exhibition and catalog. The budget requested is 30000⏠from the NFT Treasury. |
| When | The last quarter of 2024 will be the only one concerned by the 2024 mandate. Starting in September we should decide which assets are worth transferring into the custody of the DAO Wallet conjointly deciding which of those assets should be loaned, sold or exchanged to constitute the budget for the first wave of acquisition of artworks from both primary and secondary market of this year. Finally, an exhibition should be organized by the end of the quarter to showcase the work newly acquired. |
| Who | Arthemort | Twitter, Instagram | Linktree ; X: @bygrida |
SIP Details
Problem Description
Following an audit realized by Jean Michel Pailhon (founder of Grail Capital & Advisor for the DAO), it appears clear that the current composition of the asset within the future DAO collection is too heavily reliant on one category of the NFT Market: Profil Picture (PFP ) Collectible.
In fact, out of the 14233 assets to be held by the DAO 98% of them are either collectible or PFP. However, this market category of NFT has had by far the biggest fall in volume and value of transactions since the start of the bear market whereas the Art category has proven much more resilient over the same period.
Some of the community behind those collectibles have been onboard to the Sandbox and we aim to keep them involved. However, at heart, The Sandbox is a company that aims to support independent creators and it seems only logical that the DAO collection acquires work from independent artists.
Reorienting the collection from a random accumulation of collectibles and other on-chain assets to a curated art collection appears more aligned with the community value and will prove beneficial on the mid/long term.
The Sandbox has been continuously expanding its NFT collection by acquiring Onchain assets. Recognizing the importance of Digital art curatorship, The Sandbox is now seeking experts to manage these initiatives.
Solution Proposed
To ensure the sustainability of the collection, arbitrage is to be made to diversify the collection through the acquisition of Unique artwork (1/1), unique artwork of a series (1/1/X) and editions from WEB3 Native living and deceased artists via the tutelage of professional art collection managers and curators.
Those acquisitions will be fully financed through the liquidity generated by loaning, selling or exchanging existing assets within the collection.
Additionally, by hosting quarterly offline exhibitions, we will showcase The Sandbox Art Collectionâs works, introduce the artists, and produce a catalog of the artworks. This will solidify our presence not only in the digital art community but also in the current art scene. These exhibitions will enhance the value of The Sandbox Art Collection and strengthen its connections with the art community.
Through these efforts, The Sandbox Art Collection will go beyond being just an NFT collection and play a significant role in the contemporary art world. We support these activities to ensure that The Sandbox Art Collection grows into a sustainable and culturally significant collection.
Benefits to The Sandbox Ecosystem
Corporate Art collection and what can transpire from it can become an amazing instrument of influence, itâs a model well-established across the world. Being the recipient of the Leclerc or Pernault Ricard Foundation price for example, can propel an artistâs career and is an amazing tool for the image of the company involved, it strengthens institutional and political relationships that can only benefit further down the line the acceptance of NFTs by governments.
Having a collection that supports The Sandbox community of independent creators as well as being administrated by it will have positive externalities on its ecosystem overall. Down the line, this collection will become a fantastic lever for the community to lobby toward the support of the acceptance of the WEB3 creative and artistic ecosystem as a whole.
Also these activities can significantly impact the traditional art world and creators beyond the blockchain space. They will enhance The Sandboxâs image and strengthen its influence not only in the digital art community but also in the broader art scene. As a result, The Sandbox will grow into a sustainable and culturally significant collection, greatly contributing to the overall ecosystemâs development.
Risk analysis
The team hired does not offer financial advisory but rather art advisory, the potential risk or downside can be that the artistâs works acquired within the mandate might not be liquid on the short-term or profitable investment in the midterm. Although the collection will be more meaningful artistically than it has ever been as well as more diversified which should mitigate any risk related to its profitability. No promises can be made, we can simply offer total transparency and as DAO you will be able to renew your trust in the curation team every year on December 31th if we were to fail your expectations.
However, if any curation members were to be considered unfit to manage the collection because of misconduct or lack of integrity, they should be immediately expelled through the Administrator.
Budget requested
Total Requested Budget for the team, for 4 months: 30 000⏠(approx 32,510 USD)
The Acquisition budget of the collection as well as the budget required for the exhibitions will be entirely self-funded through the loaning or selling of existing NFTs within the collection.
90 Days Plan
| Plan | Completion date |
|---|---|
| #1 Collection Cataloguing and Valuation Estimation of the collection, Catalog dashboard, Estimation of the assets, Ventilation strategy of listing | September 2024 |
| #2 Loaning and Selling: Private deals, consignment or other, Loan, First Listing | Before October 2024 |
| #3 First Acquisition Wave: Private deals, Collection offer and bids, Commissioned work | Before November 2024 |
| #4 Q4 2024 Reporting: AMA session, Reporting Deck, Next quarter priority strategy insight, Quarterly exhibition and related activations | Before End of December 2024 |
Team/Author Background
Brian Beccafico (aka Arthemort)
I have experience regarding missions such as Art Advisory and specifically Art Collection Management. In 2019 I worked in a startup company specializing in cataloging system on-chain for trad art collection managers and I also managed several collections of Trad art collectors for both trad art and NFT acquisition starting in 2020.
My involvement with the topic of the implementation of Blockchain systems in the art world can be traced back to 2016/2017. This early involvement helped me set up a strong network of now influential individuals as well as recognised academics in the space and be recognized as a pioneer or OG stakeholder of the crypto art movement myself.
Iâm one of the most recognized and experienced curators in our space, Iâve organized some of the first NFT exhibitions in early 2021 and since then organized several IRL exhibitions as a gallerist in some of the most important trad art and WEB3 events in the world. Through my Start-up Artcrush, Iâve exhibited over 800 artists across the world in every inhabited continent thanks to public display billboards.
As an art collector, I supported early on some of the now most recognized artists in our space (Beeple, Xcopy, Refik Anadol, and more) which led me to advocate for the recognition of our space in the press on several occasions, I give time for quotation to many students working on their thesis and help the political authority come up with a comprehensive overview of our environment
I have a bachelorâs in Business Management delivered by one of the top business schools in Europe, a double masterâs in Art history and Art market delivered By Sothebyâs Institute of Arts as well as a certification as Art Market trend Analyst delivered by ArtTactic. I worked in Artist Studio, Gallery, Auction houses, Art Communication Agencies, Art and Blockchain Startup during my studies.
Finally, in 2022 I was selected among nearly 1000 candidates to set up the NFT department for Sothebyâs European activity, making me the youngest department director and full-time specialist in nearly 300 years of activity. Iâve consigned there for several million worth of artwork in the midst of the bear market.
Hyewon Jang (aka Grida)
Since 2021, Grida has held the position of Art Director at IHAM NFT, Europeâs first gallery for NFT and Crypto Art. Her projects include curating âPunkismâ and the âLong Live Londonâ exhibition at Londonâs Saatchi Gallery, connecting crypto-punk art with historical art narratives. Grida is also a co-founder of NFT Factory Paris, the NFT Paris Ambassador, and the chief curator at the Nonfungible conference.
From 2024, Grida expanded the scope of digital art beyond traditional gallery spaces by curating an exhibition at the Paris Intercontinental Hotel for the first time. This event featured digital art and was attended by notable entities such as the Mayor of Paris, Google, Samsung, LG, the Printemps department store, and Air France.
Furthermore, Grida has curated digital art exhibitions at the Korean Cultural Center in Paris since 2021. Her efforts include organizing a lantern festival in September 2021 with Korean digital artists for Buddhaâs birthday, an AI art exhibition showcasing works by four Korean and four French artists themed around Busan, and orchestrating the first solo exhibition for the digital artist known as Mr. Misang.
Voting Options
Yes, No, Abstain
Voting Period: 14 days
APPENDIX
The Sandbox Digital Art Manifesto
In the current era dominated by digital art, itâs possible weâre witnessing a period of considerable artistic importance. The origins of the term âart,â derived from the Greek âtechneâ and Latin âars,â which both mean technology, illustrate the deep connection between digital art and the essence of art throughout history.
Arthur C. Danto, in his work, highlighted that art evolves across various forms, thus expanding its meaning. He suggested that when art hits the limitations of its expression at a particular historical moment, it spawns new forms and mediums. This points to blockchain technology reshaping contemporary art, music, daily life, community dynamics, and regional definitions. Blockchain empowers creators, heralding a simultaneous technological revolution, artistic revival, and shift across generations. On-chain art, a recent development in the evolution of art, reinterprets artâs meaning, broadens its scope, and introduces novel creation and consumption methods.
Walter Benjamin discussed how technology alters the âauraâ of artworks. Applying his concept to digital art and NFTs gives a fresh perspective on aura and redefines artâs essence, marking a pivotal moment in art history.
âThe Sandboxâ views this innovative period as one where digital art holds enough significance to become a major current in art history, beyond passing fads. The Web3 culture, focused on community yet familiar, ushers in digital art as a unique movement. We embrace this shift, aiming to promote digital art culture that values creators and communities.
âThe Sandboxâ acknowledges the artistic and historical weight of this technological advancement, offering new possibilities for creator empowerment. Our goal is to integrate digital art into mainstream culture for artists, collectors, institutions, galleries, brands, and the global audience, akin to how music streaming and album sharing have become ubiquitous. This involves creating a culture of free consumption and sharing of digital art.
To this end, we plan to acquire NFTs with cultural, social, historical, scientific, and aesthetic significance, and enhance digital artâs popularity through exhibitions and educational initiatives. These efforts intend to democratize art for a wider audience, pushing artâs boundaries, enriching human experiences through art, and fostering a more inclusive, interconnected world. âThe Sandboxâ leads this movement towards the widespread acceptance of digital art culture.
