© 04 Dec 2024 4:51:00 am

What began as an experiment in digital ownership has become the catalyst for a modern art movement and a dynamic subculture synonymous with the new age of internet.

A pioneering digital art project on the Ethereum blockchain, CryptoPunks launched on June 23, 2017 as a collection of 10,000 unique, 24x24 characters inspired by the London ‘80s punk scene and ‘90s cyberpunk culture.

The pixelated humans, apes, zombies, and aliens have since served as the rosetta stone for new generative collections time and time again, sold for millions at Christie’s and Sotheby’s auctions, and found homes in the permanent collections of major art institutions, including ICA Miami, Centre Pompidou, and LACMA.

Today, firmly rooted in an ethos of anonymity, decentralization, and community, CryptoPunks continues to be trailblazer for digital art and on-chain collectibles.

10,000 unique collectible characters with proof of ownership stored on the Ethereum blockchain. The project that inspired the modern CryptoArt movement. CryptoPunks are one of the earliest and most iconic examples of "Non-Fungible Tokens” minted on Ethereum, and were the inspiration for the ERC-721 standard which powers most digital art and collectibles on-chain. Since their release on June 23, 2017, CryptoPunks have been featured in numerous international publications, headlined prestigious international auctions at both Christie’s and Sotheby’s, and even entered the permanent collections of important art museums such as the ICA Miami, the Centre Pompidou, and the LACMA.

Marketplace

Imagining “a small, weird, but cool experiment” in digital ownership on the blockchain, programmers John Watkinson and Matt Hall of Larva Labs initially set out to explore the dynamics of virtual scarcity and demand.

Using a set of algorithmic templates that ensured no two Punks were the same, they generated 10,000 distinct avatars and released 9,000 of them to the public as free-to-claim NFTs.

CryptoPunks’ model of on-chain art ownership was revolutionary, enabling direct, transparent transactions between collectors and artists. It represents a milestone in the ever-evolving landscape of New Media art, a movement that emerged conceptually in the mid-1960s and was championed by the likes of Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, and Nam June Paik.

Demand from collectors and art institutions alike hit record highs, and it became clear that the “small” experiment was more than a collection of entries on a public ledger — it was the beginning of a new era for technology, art, and the connection between them.

Click and drag timeline to browse

2017

On June 9, CryptoPunks launches with 10,000 NFTs of uniquely generated pixel art, 9,000 of which were free to claim by anyone with an Ethereum wallet. It took over a week for all 10,000 tokens to be claimed.

2017

On June 17, a critical bug is uncovered in the original CryptoPunks smart contract: sale proceeds from Punks were being redirected back to buyers instead of to sellers. In response, Larva Labs issues a new contract that fixes the issue and introduces an added bidding functionality. On June 23, the updated and corrected Punks are reissued to the initial claimants through an airdrop.

2018

CryptoPunks gains steam on the secondary marketplace, and garners interest from the traditional art world. A Punk is sold for $950 at the Codex + Rare Art Auction in New York.

2019

In a group exhibition at the Kate Vass Galerie in Switzerland, 24 unique physical prints of Punks debut alongside pieces from artists like Ai Weiwei and Kevin Abosch.

2020

Punks go mainstream, generating over $2.5 million in sales and attracting over 350 new collectors. For the first time in Punks history, the average value of a Punk surpasses $1,000.

2021

10 Punk NFTs are auctioned off at Christie’s and Sotheby’s. Christie’s sells a lot of nine for $17 million in May, and Sotheby’s sells Punk #7523 for a record $11.8 million in June.

2022

Yuga Labs acquires CryptoPunks from Larva Labs on March, and donates Punk #305 to the Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami, displayed next to Andy Warhol’s American Lady in December.

2023

Punks are donated to The Centre Pompidou and the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. Yuga Labs announces the production of an official book in partnership with Zak Group — a user manual, archive, and catalogue raisonné for the project.

CryptoPunks are icons of online identity, representing the many creatives, builders, and technologists who continue to shape the internet. Six years after its launch, the original collection remains unalterable on the blockchain. Its impact, however, continues to grow, coming to life through the experimentation and innovation of CryptoPunks Projects.

Honoring the provenance and intentions of the original collection and guided by the CryptoPunks’ core pillars of preserving legacy, championing community, and leading innovation, CryptoPunks Projects is a curatorial platform for experiences and initiatives that expand and uplift the digital art ecosystem.

All 10,000 CryptoPunks as they appear on the Ethereum blockchain
All 10,000 CryptoPunks as they appear on the Ethereum blockchain
Punk on the facade of the ZKM center for art
John Watkinson, Matt Hall: CryptoPunk, 2017, © John Watkinson, Matt Hall, © photo: ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, photo: Elias Seibert
Art on the wall of the museum
Punk #305 installation at the ICA Miami during Art Basel in December 2022 Credit: Bob Foster
podcast filming
Larva Labs founders Matt Hall and John Watkinson in conversation for the upcoming CryptoPunks book
punks at Christies auction
Christies sells Lot #11A for $16,962,500 on May 11th, 2021 Credit: Image Courtesy of Christie’s
behind the scenes gallery shot
Punk #305 becomes the first CryptoPunk donated through the Punks Legacy Project. Credit: Bob Fisher
speaking panel in church
General Manager Natalie Stone addresses Punks Brunch in Charleston, SC. Credit: Nathan Beer
art sat against white wall
Avant Arte x CryptoPunks print collaboration released in Fall 2023
wall mural in Soho new york
Commemorative mural in SoHo, New York for the CryptoPunks 5th Year Anniversary
cryptopunks tiffany necklace
NFTiff pendant by Tiffany & Co., released in 2022 Credit: Image Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

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