Celebrity Life

Fondazione Prada is set to present the ‘Role Play’ exhibit from 19 February to 27 June 2022 at the Osservatorio in Milan. Curated by Melissa Harris, the exhibition explores the processes of search, projection and invention of possible alternative identities. The alternative identities that are said to become a part of an individual’s persona include their authentic, idealized, and universal selves.

This project will be presented by 11 international image-based artists through the mediums of photographic, video and performing works.The participating artists are Meriem Bennani, Juno Calypso, Cao Fei, Mary Reid Kelley and Patrick Kelley, Beatrice Marchi, Darius Mikšys, Narcissister, Haruka Sakaguchi & Griselda San Martin, Tomoko Sawada, Bogosi Sekhukhuni, and Amalia Ulman. Their creations will be displayed in the form of a light installation, which is conceived by the creative agency Random Studio.

Because of its objective nature and the ability to capture different genres (portrait, self-portrait, and reportage) and alternative approaches— from narrative to conceptual research —photography is an ideal way to show authentic self-reflection. In recent times, the versatile medium has been embraced on online social platforms and communities and other role-playing contexts such as virtual avatars in the Metaverse. This further intensifies the need to explore our alternate selves or identities.

Even Melissa Harris emphasised on this relevance: “Since the early twentieth century, projects engaging role-play have further contemplated identity, liberating artists to gender-bend and time-travel and envision themselves in myriad ways, in turn reflecting on their very is-ness—even when that is in flux. An alter ego, persona, or avatar may be aspirational; it may relate to one’s personal and cultural history and sense of otherness; it may be a form of activism, or a means of maneuvering through entrenched, even polarized positions, toward empathy: putting oneself in another’s shoes.”

An illustrated publication in the Quaderni series, which covers an imagined text by Rrose Sélavy (Melissa Harris) and visual and written contributions by all the artists involved in ‘Role Play’, will supplement this project.

Interestingly, a second Prada exhibition, which is announced as the “alter-ego” of ‘Role Play’, will be held at Prada Aoyama Tokyo between 11 March to 20 June 2022. This show is also supported by Fondazione Prada and will have the works of Juno Calypso, Beatrice Marchi, Haruka Sakaguchi and Griselda San Martin, Tomoko Sawada, and Bogosi Sekhukhuni on display.

(Hero and featured image: courtesy of Beatrice Marchi and Sandy Brown, Berlin)

Find out more here

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Valentine’s Day is finally here and for most it’s about showering your significant other with roses, chocolates, and a lavish dinner. It’s a day of affirmation and celebration of a relationship, but beyond the gifts and mementos, it’s an occasion to also elevate intimacy through a better understanding love languages.

We speak to relationship expert Lee Wilson about love languages and making them work in a relationship.

What Are love languages?

Talking and whispering sweet nothings are some of the ways we express affection to our significant other, but there are other ways to communicate those affections. After all, in the world of romance and intimacy, love is also subjected to get lost in translation when both partners fail to understand basic love languages.

According to Lee Wilson, a relationship coach with 20 years of experience, couples can celebrate each other every day and not just on Valentine’s Day by understanding love languages in their relationships. “Acts of Service, Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch and Receiving Gifts are some of the main love languages that modern couples should pay attention to,” he says.

Keen to find out more, we spoke to Lee and queried about the world of romance, intimacy, and why understanding love languages is key to fostering a strong and lasting bond in modern relationships.

In your experience, why are love languages essential in a relationship?

People leave marriages and serious relationships when they don’t feel loved and/or they don’t feel liked. Oftentimes, I’ve worked with couples where one of them thought they were communicating love but because the other person didn’t actually feel loved, and they wanted to leave the relationship. So, it’s essential that couples love each other in ways that transfer and convey love. If the other person doesn’t feel fulfilled, desired, and loved, the road to keeping the relationship will be a difficult one.

How are they able to help couples foster better and more intimate relationships?

When someone doesn’t feel loved, it impacts so many other aspects of a relationship. Commitment, physical intimacy, emotional connection, and attraction can be harmed. It can make someone vulnerable to another who they feel does love them or loves them more.

For example, if a spouse is not feeling sexually fulfilled by their spouse, it doesn’t just mean that they aren’t sexually satisfied. It usually leads to feeling undesired, unattractive, unwanted, unloved, or even ugly. The other spouse might have a list of things that they feel demonstrate love, but if that message is not getting through to the other person, it doesn’t matter.

Can you break down briefly, each love language as well as tips on how couples can use them to better connect with one another?

Acts of Service

An act of service is something that you didn’t have to do or that might have even been difficult to do but your love compelled you to do it for the person you care so much about. Cooking a meal, cutting someone’s grass, cleaning their house, painting a portrait of their dog, running an errand for them, and washing their car all are examples of acts of service. If something needs to be done or you know it is on your partner’s to-do list, taking care of it for him or her is an act of service.

Usually someone who has acts of service as their love language also feels that actions speak louder than words in other areas. So if you say that you’ll be somewhere at 6:00 but you arrive at 6:22, your partner will likely take it personally and feel that they weren’t important enough for you to show up on time. Your partner who has acts of service as a love language will also feel love from you when you provide acts of service to someone close to them like a parent.

So if you help your partner’s mom change the lightbulb that is in the middle of her vaulted ceiling, your partner will likely feel love radiating from you. It’s not just about work but planning. For example, if it’s your partner’s birthday and you plan an evening that includes multiple stops, reservations, and a surprise party for them that you organised, and you make the final stop a path of rose petals to a bed surrounded by candles, your partner is definitely feeling the love from you.

Especially for the men — if your girlfriend or wife has acts of service as her love language, never start a date by asking her what she wants to do. Take the initiative and plan the evening. In fact, whoever invites the other person on a date will show much more love if the evening is planned rather than sitting in the car asking what the other person ‘wants to do.’

Quality Time

Quantity of time is also important, even when someone has ‘Quality Time’ as their love language. But to someone who needs this to feel loved, it means that prioritised time together where the two of you are able to focus on each other, to share the thoughts and feelings of life, and to experience more than simply watching TV or making small talk is vital to them feeling loved.

Do your best to schedule the time, plan ahead and demonstrate to the other person that he/she is not a distraction but your main priority. When it’s your turn to plan date night, don’t just ask where the other person wants to go. Have carefully-thought-out plans to show that this is important to you and that time with your partner is special.

Words of Affirmation

Most of us need to hear it a lot more than just once. We need to be reaffirmed that our partner wants to be with us, finds us attractive, likes being with us, and dreams of our future together.  Some people need it more than others to feel loved and so don’t be afraid to repeat it. Someone with this type of love language appreciates the reassurance of hearing it again and again and feels like something is wrong if these words are absent.

Physical Touch

We touch things we want. From the cookies in the cookie jar to our lover’s backside. Physical touch is not always sexual, but it certainly includes sexual touch and it allows the other person to physical feel our love. It takes the concept of our love and allows the other person to feel its existence. Touching someone happens naturally when you love them because you simply can’t help yourself. People who need this demonstration of love often give it themselves and understand that when you love someone, you can’t keep your hands to yourself.

Receiving Gifts

People who have the love language of receiving gifts usually feel that the other person thought of them and gave out of the overflow of their heart. Similar to physical touch, giving a gift gives bones to our love. It’s the physical proof that our mind can see and touch. A gift that is given with intimate knowledge of what someone appreciates and enjoys causes the other to feel beloved and special to the gift giver. You don’t give to earn love, you give to show it.

Lee Wilson is a relationship coach with 20 years of experience. Check out his YouTube channel on relationships and anxiety and websites marriageradio.com and myanxietypeace.com.

(Featured image: Azrul Aziz/Unsplash; main image: Michael Fenton/Unsplash)

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With cases on the rise and social distancing measures in place, we’re turning to sanctuaries within galleries to bide one’s time and soak up some cultural goodness.

Chapter Three

Crafts on Peel’s Stories Encapsulated: Wood is the third in a series of creations featuring handmade pieces by local and overseas artists. Works range from smaller decorative objects to functional wooden structures, showcasing a spectrum of talents and techniques within the wood crafting community.
Until May 21

Art on Your Sleeve

Wear Earthero’s first exhibition, Classics Reimagined, features a series of revamped rare vintage pieces with hand-painted artworks by local artists. The sustainable wearable art brand is a subsidiary of Earthero Project, founded by local eco-warrior Bertha Shum. Available from wear-earthero.com.

Portrait of the Artist

A collection of prints, Annie Leibovitz. The Early Years 1970-1983 and Wonderland at Hauser & Wirth, charts the early development of one of the greatest portrait photographers of our time.
Until February 12

Meeting Point

Galerie Koo presents We Met by Hong Kong sculptor Joe Li. Fascinated by the possibilities of fate and destiny, the artist encourages viewers to be conscious of the people in their lives by re-examining the ties that initially brought them together.
Until February 11

Hero image courtesy of Crafts on Peel and Galerie Koo.

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Matthew Johnson’s sensitivity to light inspired him to design an ambient form of architectural light, which is not only aesthetically pleasing but is great for the environment. Matthew, tell us a bit about yourself. I grew up in a household where art supplies were more prevalent than toys. From youth, I took art classes and […]

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As the popularity of NFTs continues to grow exponentially, we find out more about the phenomenon from some of Hong Kong’s brightest and most entrepreneurial minds.

Calling the rapid development of cryptocurrency and NFTs “overwhelming” is an understatement. They seem to have come in a tidal wave. One day, they were just a whisper in the wind, an exclusive club for the “fintech bros” and Reddit dwellers. We knew they existed, sure, but did we care? Not really. Yet, suddenly, as if overnight, there are advertisements on billboards across the city, friends on social media with new profile pictures of their latest cop or avatar and, perhaps most troublingly, endorsements from various celebrities and public figures about which app or cryptocurrency wallet to use, and which projects to keep an eye on.

They mark a turning point that surely undermines their ethos, for cryptocurrency was never meant to be about big corporate. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Another headache is figuring out where to begin and who to begin with in the journey to deciphering the enigma of this current furore. Anonymity remains high within the community, and it was only after posting a mayday Instagram plea on my feed that I was directed to a friend who was involved in an NFT project meeting happening the very next day.

Arriving in the private members’ club, I was armed with a full night’s research and questions upon questions, mainly to clarify an outrageous number of new vocabularies I’d encountered during my deep dive. I was to meet the team behind Lucky Kittens NFT, a locally launched project featuring Maneki-Neko, a Japanese cat of good fortune typically depicted with one paw raised in a beckoning gesture. Although choosing to remain anonymous for the interview (“In some parts of the world, revealing your identity can be quite dangerous, as people have been robbed or kidnapped if they’re known to be involved in high-profile projects,” they explained) the team was friendly and patient with my queries.

“People have two lives now: their real life and their online life,” said the mysterious co-founders. “People use NFTs to express style on the internet, just like owning a watch or a pair of designer shoes in real life. Our best example is that the traditional art world isn’t accessible to the general public – typically, only the elite can invest. To add to that, there are a lot of fakes that can even fool professionals, but with NFTs, anyone can verify whether a piece is real in under a minute.

“It’s an exciting new industry that’s growing every day. We were into NFTs for a long time, so we brainstormed and decided to make our own. We want to be the first ones to bridge the digital and physical worlds of NFTs with our investors having benefits both in the metaverse as well as in the real world. Hong Kong is a hub for culture, art, technology and finance, and NFTs are the revolutionary technology that combine all these industries.”

Take a look at the news and it’s clear that talk and speculations of a “metaverse” continues to dominate news platforms, the fabled, great coming-together of tech.

“The end goal is to build a brand that’s recognised globally with community members all over the world,” my sources told me. “Right now, NFTs are still mostly being used as collectibles, but in the next few years projects will have more utility and will be tied to many traditional industries, such as gaming, technology, fashion, and retail.”

“Utility”: the new favourite word of the IT crowd. A word that’s repeated many times throughout my interviews the last few weeks. A word I’ve come to learn encompasses a dream that most NFT projects carry: creating need in conjunction with the development of the digital world. A need that Tania (last name redacted) of Moonverse hopes to fill.

“I used to be in the finance world, so I already had an understanding of the crypto market,” Tania told me. “Bridging upon that, I slowly realised that there was a very real, very alert NFT community in Hong Kong. What the public sees is completely segregated from being inside the world; communications in Discord channels with founders and NFT holders alike.

“People tend to ask what they can do with NFTs. If you’re just here to flip, well, there are many other ways to make more money. We wanted to be able to add utility and value to this new world. My partner and I noticed an immense need for NFT projects to go into the 3D realm, which is how the idea of Moonverse was born. Moonverse is a social metaverse that allows NFT projects to build their 3D worlds and interact with others online. Our lead time per project is about two weeks right now. We also have a NFT marketplace within it.”

Asked about celebrity endorsements and “rugging” or “rug pulls” – the crypto term describes a scenario where creators or promoters of a project suddenly disappear, leading to a massive drop in pricing and losses for investors – she was judicious in sharing her thoughts.

“There are countless NFT projects that launch and don’t sell at all, so, of course, there are brands that will choose to work with celebrities or influencers to drive mass adoption in the initial stages. While there are certainly people who don’t like it when celebrities endorse NFTs, it can come with a lot of organic benefits, like a concert just for holders of the project, or even limited-edition fashion products.

“Right now, technology is changing the way we see things. It’s a very new world, but there’s a lot of crypto wealth, so one must always be cautious when minting from new launches. People need to do their research and take proper precautions.”

Minting, the process of obtaining digital assets and storing the items or files in a decentralised database or ledger, is a necessary step prior to an NFT being freely traded within various online marketplaces. This also enables the NFT’s creators to track and collect royalties from subsequent sales.

“The pandemic shifted the amount of time people are spending on the internet and it definitely accelerated the NFT boom, but most big projects started even before Covid,” said Tania. “My other business, Taiko NFT, is a creative agency that aims to connect people and build communities within the digital world. We’ve taken on a few major clients now and it’s been so busy. Right now, my biggest challenge is talent sourcing. It’s hard to find people who are inherently in-tuned to the metaverse and who speak the language. I’m sure this will change in a few years, though.”

One can draw easy parallels between NFT projects and venture-capital investments. The real question remains, however: will this interest and craze continue to boom after the pandemic?

This story first appeared in the February issue of Prestige Hong Kong magazine.

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An NFT museum has opened in Seattle to explore the future of art.

Futuristic and digital museums are mind-boggling enough to keep visitors engaged with exhibits that come to life. This is exactly what one might find at the world’s first museum dedicated to non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which was opened in Seattle, US, on 14 January.

The Seattle NFT Museum is a classic example of the incredible hype and craze that blockchain-based digital artworks have created across the world.

What we know about the Seattle NFT Museum

What does the NFT museum feature?

Though its contents might be in digital form and are traded using cryptocurrencies, the massive approximately 278.7-square-metre museum is very much a physical entity. It showcases original NFT artworks, which detail the technology used to create them. Each exhibit is meticulously linked to its metadata and artist that gives holistic information about the creation to visitors.

Describing the idea behind the museum, its official website states, “Viewing digital art in a physical space helps to ground the NFT experience, unlocking our imaginations for what is to come. Seattle NFT Museum creators saw an opportunity to bring the digital art and NFT community together while providing exposure and education.”

“Art on exhibit at the Seattle NFT Museum lives on the blockchain and is displayed on loan from artists, creators, galleries, and collectors. You can expect our exhibition calendar to be packed full of influential works from around the world and local to Seattle,” it further states.

Museum experience and exhibitions

Aimed at making NFTs accessible and easier to understand, the Seattle NFT Museum has exhibits from across the globe as well as local artists, creating a never-seen-before experience for visitors.

The featured artworks are displayed in vivid colours and ultra-high-definition walls, transcending boundaries of physical space. The animated NFTs are in ceaseless motion, giving onlookers an experience of stepping into the NFT world.

With over 30 such high-tech screens displaying digital artworks, the website also states, “From 85” to 32”, across portrait and landscape orientations. The quality of these displays is the foundation of this immersive gallery.[sic.]”

The founders and featured artists

The museum is the brainchild of art lovers and entrepreneurs Jennifer Wong and Peter Hamilton who are focused on building a community.

Wong says, “The imagination of NFT artists and creators is thrilling. We wanted to create a space to serve the NFT community while helping put Seattle on the map as a hub for NFT and blockchain innovation. We’re not experts, and we’re here to learn as much as anyone. That is why we are counting on the feedback and support of NFT enthusiasts to continue growing the vision.”

The exhibits consist of a number of NFT collections by noted artists like Blake Kathryn, Neon Saltwater, Charles Peterson and Robbie Trevino.

When to visit?

Established in 2021, the Seattle NFT Museum is located at 2125 1st Avenue, in the iconic Belltown neighbourhood.

You can visit the museum from Thursday to Sunday between 12 pm and 5 pm. Several events and talks are held at the museum for which you can buy tickets. Either walk-in or visit with an appointment — be sure to be greeted to a world that will alter your idea of artworks, assets and investments.

(Main and featured image credit: Seattle NFT Museum)

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Pablo Picasso is venturing into the digital world.

The artwork of one of the most influential artists of the 20th century is being turned into, you guessed it, NFTs. Pablo Picasso’s granddaughter, Marina, along with her son, Florian Picasso, are putting on sale around 1,010 digital art pieces of the artist’s never-seen-before ceramic work.

Here’s what we know so far about Picasso’s digital artwork

A family heirloom

The artwork creating a lot of buzz is a Picasso family heirloom and Marina, in an interview with Associated Press, explained the piece as a “work that represents a face, and it's very expressive," she said, adding, "It's joyful, happy. It represents life ... It's one of those objects that have been part of our life, our intimate lives — my life with my children.”

Pablo, meet Crypto. Heirs of Pablo Picasso, the famed 20th-century Spanish artist, are vaulting into 21st-century commerce by selling 1,010 digital art pieces of one of his ceramic works that has never before been seen publicly. https://t.co/XKMwQzLk2g

— The Associated Press (@AP) January 26, 2022

It is a ceramic pottery piece that is approximately the size of a large salad bowl and dates back to 1958.

At the moment, only a small portion of the ceramic bowl has been made visible in an attempt to protect it. The part that has been made visible shows details such as the number ‘58’ painted on its base and thick yellow paint.

Talking about connecting the world of Picasso and digital art, Florian Picasso said, “We're trying to build a bridge between the NFT world and the fine art world.”

The auction and Picasso’s NFT marketplace

My first NFT collection together with my mother Marina Picasso is out this Friday on @niftygateway and @OriginProtocol ! Proud to have collaborated with the amazing @johnlegend and @Nas on the music of the collection ✨#ManAndTheBeat pic.twitter.com/IxYauUKQle

— Florian Ruiz-Picasso (@florianpicasso) January 26, 2022

The auction will be hosted by Sotheby’s in March 2022 and the highest bidder will get a unique NFT and the original Picasso ceramic bowl.

Apart from that, the collection of 1,010 NFTs that are based on the ceramic piece is named Man and the Beast. It will be sold via the Picasso family’s own marketplace called ManAndTheBeat.com, which will have multiple drops, the first one being on 28 January.

The collection will also be honoured by Florian Picasso, who is a DJ, by releasing a new song on 4 February 2022, in collaboration with American musicians John Legend and Nas.

(Photo: Unsplash / Featured: Florian Picasso)

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As NFTs continue to take the world by storm, these 10 most expensive NFT artworks ever sold.

NFTs (non-fungible tokens) have become the "it" thing of the moment ever since artist Beeple sold a sold a piece for a whopping US$69.3 million in 2021. NFT artworks share some attributes with physical artworks in terms of creativity and aesthetics. However, the key difference is that being NFTs, they are simply a code — digital art that exists only on the internet.

Certain works go beyond a simple piece of visual art, such as REPLICATOR, by Canadian artist Mad Dog Jones, a piece that replicates itself and produces a new NFT every 28 days.

According to its seller — auction house Phillips — it is an “NFT experience comprising seven unique generations of artworks". The work sold for US$4.1 million in April 2021, making Mad Dog Jones the most expensive living Canadian artist.

And since, the prices of NFT sales of artworks have skyrocketed. A quick look at the sales figures reveals that all the highest-priced NFT artworks were bought in 2021, even though some were created around four years ago.

It seems that the market for expensive NFT art has just started to flourish, leaving room to expect much more in the coming years.

The 10 most expensive NFT artworks ever sold

The Merge: US$91.8 million

The Merge is a unique digital artwork in the world of NFTs because, instead of being a single piece of work, The Merge is what can be called fragmented art.

Created by the renowned artist who goes by the pseudonym Pak, The Merge was sold on NFT marketplace Nifty Gateway between 2 and 4 December 2021. It fetched a record sum of US$91.8 million — the most expensive NFT ever sold that as an artwork.

Instead of a single owner, The Merge is held by 28,983 collectors. This is because the artwork was sold in units known as ‘mass’. Thus, the collectors together bought a total of 266,445 masses by the time the sale ended on 4 December.

Each ‘mass’ cost US$575 when the sale began, and the price of the tokens went up by US$25 every six hours.   

Everydays – The First 5000 Days: US$69.3 million

Acclaimed digital artist Mike Winklemann, better known as Beeple, created a record when his single piece artwork titled Everydays – The First 5000 Days sold for US$69.3 million at a Christie’s auction on 11 March 2021. Therefore, it is the most expensive NFT sale recorded for an artwork by Beeple.

The artwork is so named because it is a collage of 5,000 individual images made one per day over more than thirteen years from 2007 to 2020.

It was the first purely digital NFT-based artwork offered by a major auction house. Following the sale, Christie’s said Beeple now ranked among the “top three most valuable living artists.”

Its buyer, MetaKovan, later revealed as crypto investor Vignesh Sundaresan, called it “a steal” while talking to The New York Times.

The costliest single-piece NFT artwork, Everydays – The First 5000 Days, is credited by many as the sale that started the NFT boom through 2021. It also catapulted Beeple and his works into an even bigger league, with collaborations with Nike and Katy Perry.

Human One: US$28.9 million

On 9 November 2021, Beeple had his second-most successful NFT artwork sale. At an auction hosted by Christie’s, the American artist’s creation, Human One, went under the hammer for US$28.9 million. The buyer was Swiss entrepreneur and venture capitalist Ryan Zurrer.

Human One is remarkably different from Everydays: The First 5,000 Days — the former is a hybrid digital and physical artwork, whereas the latter does not physically exist.

Beeple created a futuristic human-like sculpture, which was seven feet tall and appears to be perpetually walking across ever-changing landscapes. The 3D movement is presented through four video screens of 16K resolution, which come together to form a 4x4-feet box.

According to Christie’s, the kinetic video sculpture came with dual media servers and had a polished aluminium metal, mahogany wood frame.

Speaking to Christie’s head of digital sales Noah Davis, Beeple said, “We had a bunch of TVs on rollers in our studio and were rolling them around in different shapes and patterns. Then I was like: ‘We should roll them into a little box unit.’…We immediately realised that this configuration of screens was a powerful canvas — anything we put on it looked awesome.”

Human One was sold with a corresponding dynamic NFT, which was minted on 28 October 2021. The unique feature of the work is that Beeple will continue to have remote access and creative control over it. This means that the artist can change the creative elements, such as the landscape, as long as he is alive.

“The Physical Element is designed to continuously display the Artwork. Beeple will maintain remote access to the Physical Element to ensure proper functionality and/or enhance the displayed Artwork. Beeple warrants that the Physical Element does not contain any features designed to impair the continuous display of the Artwork,” Christie’s said in its description of Human One.

CryptoPunk #7523: US$11.75 million

CryptoPunks have long been one of the most sought-after tokens in the NFT space. One of the earliest NFT projects, CryptoPunks, was launched in 2017. A creation of Larva Labs, the acclaimed studio founded by Canadian developers Matt Hall and John Watkinson.

CryptoPunks is essentially a collection of 10,000 tokens called ‘punks’ by their creators and collectors. Often considered the OG NFT collection, each is a collectible character — much like a trading card. No two ‘punks’ are the same, which makes each CryptoPunk an exclusive item.

On 10 June 2021, CryptoPunk #7523 was sold for US$11.75 million at a Sotheby’s auction, making it the most expensive ‘punk’ of all the collections. #7523 is one of the nine in the Alien series of the collection.

The bluish-green-skinned character wears a knitted cap and earrings, too. It is also the only Alien character and one of the 175 in the collection with a medical mask.

According to Reuters, Sotheby’s revealed the token was bought by Israeli entrepreneur Shalom Meckenzie — the largest shareholder of digital sports company DraftKings.

CryptoPunk #3100: US$7.58 million

On the same day Beeple created history, a crypto art, known as CryptoPunk #3100, was sold for US$7.58 million. Like #7523, the #3100 is also one of the nine Alien ‘punks’. It has bluish-green skin and just one other feature — a white-and-blue headband. Only 406 out of 10,000 in the collection wear a headband and only 333 have just one attribute.

At the time of its sale, CryptoPunk #3100 was the highest-priced ‘punk’, beating the record set by #7804 a day before by just a whisker.

It has been in the news for some time because of its listed price. According to Larva Labs, it is currently up for sale for US$114.54. If realised, it would become the highest-priced NFT in history.

CryptoPunk #7804: US$7.57 million

The ‘punk’, which looks more like Sherlock Holmes with shades, is another of the nine Aliens among the 10,000. On 10 March 2021, it made news for fetching US$7.57 million for its seller, Figma CEO Dylan Field, who had dubbed it his “digital Mona Lisa.”

The pipe-smoking character wears small shades and is one of the 254 who wears their cap forward. Unlike #3100, the #7804 is not up for sale.

Right-click and Save As guy: US$7.09 million

Xcopy is the pseudonym of a London-based crypto artist whose works are one of the most in-demand across marketplaces. According to The Crypto Times, Xcopy, who is known for his dystopian- and death-themed works, has sold over 1,900 artworks.

The Right-click and Save As guy is the name of an NFT artwork created by the artist as a joke on those who think that NFTs are worthless because they can simply be right-clicked and downloaded.

The artwork shows a character wearing large shades and a hoodie. Its red-tinted lips are constantly moving, as if mumbling something.

Right-click and Save As guy was sold on the SuperRare marketplace for US$7.08 million in early December 2021. It was bought by the user known online as ‘Cozomo de Medici’, who has a vast storehouse of NFT digital collectibles.

Some speculate that ‘Cozomo de Medici’ is the alias of rapper Snoop Dogg. Even though the American celebrity admitted that he is the man behind the identity, it has not been independently verified.

Ringers #109: US$6.9 million

Ringers #109 is an artwork by Art Blocks, which is a project that creates loops around pegs using an algorithm. The artwork can be a 3D image, an interactive feature, or a static picture.

Ringers #109 is a static image of a series of loops around multiple pegs. The dominant colour is black on a white background. The balanced wrap orientation, the loop and the white background are three very rare attributes in Art Blocks’ creations. The rarest is, however, a red peg — the colour is present in just 0.3 percent of its tokens.

The NFT was sold for US$6.9 million in October 2021 — a record price for Art Blocks. It is not clear who bought the NFT but according to The Crypto Times, the seller was AKIRA, co-founder of NarcissusGLRY, who revealed the sale on Twitter.

According to AKIRA, the NFT was bought by them for US$550 in March 2021.

A Coin for the Ferryman: US$6.01 million

One of the earliest works by Xcopy, A Coin for the Ferryman was sold on SuperRare for US$6.01 million on 4 November 2021.

The artwork is a GIF, showing constantly changing expressions on a person’s face. It was minted by Xcopy on 20 April 2018.

At the time, it was bought by a user named @0xclipse for US$139. In 2019, it was transferred to a user named @electricmeat who eventually sold it on SuperRare to the current owner @jpeggy.

Ocean Front: US$6 million

Beeple’s Ocean Front is much more than one of the most expensive NFT artworks. It is a telling reminder to the world of the impending disaster that unchecked climate change is set to bring.

The artwork is part of Beeple’s “Everydays” series. It shows a series of trailers and containers stacked upon each other on a platform in the middle of an ocean. At the top of the dystopian man-made objects is a tree, underneath which mushrooms can be seen growing.

The artwork was bought on 23 March 2021 following intense bidding on Nifty Gateway by Justin Sun, the founder and CEO of the Tron Foundation, for US$6 million. Beeple himself announced the winner and the winning bid on Twitter.

Following the transaction, Sun tweeted that proceeds from the sale to Open Earth Foundation — an NGO working to tackle climate change.

(Main image: Pak / @muratpak / Twitter; (Featured image: SuperRare)

Read the original article here.

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A charitable initiative from creative studio RCS and florist Blooms & Blossoms, "From Darkness Comes Light" brings us beautiful ceramic vases — with 100 percent of its profits going to the Society for Community Organisation.

"From Darkness Comes Light" Ceramic Vases

With the new lunar year just around the corner, there's no better time to make a dedication to change. Hong Kong-based creative studio Ruth Chao Studio (RCS) is collaborating with florist Blooms & Blossoms for a set of limited-edition ceramic vases to bring us some hopefulness in an, admittedly, uncertain and turbulent time.

Aptly named "From Darkness Comes Light", the initiative pays tribute to the way flowers unearth and bloom in even the most dark and strange conditions — promising to 'spread light in times of darkness' by donating 100 percent of its profits to the Society for Community Organisation (SoCO).

A Charitable Initiative

Founded in 1972, SoCO is a non-profit organisation that drives change for the grassroots community in Hong Kong. This includes everyone from the single elderly to children living in poverty. SoCO reaches children and families on the ground with active policy advocacies, support services and community care programs — all working to make life better for those who are underprivileged. You can find out more about SoCo here.

The handmade ceramic vases are made in collaboration between RCS, an award-winning branding and creative studio founded by Ruth Chao, and Blooms & Blossoms, a long-standing flower shop founded in 1978 by by Mrs Cheng. You may already be familiar with the luxurious floral designs, that are available online and in-store at Rosewood, Grand Hyatt, and throughout Hong Kong.

It's the ideal way to step into the Chinese New Year — with stunning design craftsmanship, beautiful blooms, and fundraising for a local charity. Bring a set home, or gift the pieces to a loved one.

The "From Darkness Comes Light" ceramic vase set is available to order online from RCS, delivering from 1-15 February 2022, and from Blooms & Blossoms, delivering on Valentine's Day (14 February 2022). Each order is handmade. All proceeds will go to the Society for Community Organisation (SoCO).

Find out more here.

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Here's everything we're anticipating from Art Basel Hong Kong 2022 — the leading international art fair in the Asia-Pacific region.

Art Basel Hong Kong is back! We've rounded up everything you need to know about this year's staging, from leading galleries to curated projects, brand-new work from emerging artists and more.

Art Basel Hong Kong 2022

After last year's stellar staging, a hybrid show that combined the physical and virtual, Art Basel Hong Kong is returning to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for its 2022 edition.

Scheduled to take place from March 24 to 26, we're expecting a whopping 137 established and up-and-coming leading galleries from Hong Kong, the Asia Pacific and beyond — this is Asia’s biggest marketplace of modern and contemporary art after all.

Highlights include Rossi & Rossi’s survey presentation of Karachi born, London-based artist Rasheed Araeen (early portraiture drawings, minimalistic sculptures), new works by contemporary artists Zheng Guogu and Pak Sheung Chuen (presented by Vitamin Creative Space) and historical paintings by artist-activist Keith Harin.

We're also anticipating a special presentation by Proyectos Monclova that will see works by Eduardo Terrazas, Gabriel de la Mora, and Edgar Orlaineta — Mexican artists from different generations offering insight into the evolution of contemporary practices in the country.

This year's edition will also welcome 16 newcomers, including Lucie Chang Fine Arts and Mine Project from Hong Kong, Vin Gallery from Ho Chi Minh City, Galerie Mitterrand from Paris, Maia Contemporary from Mexico City, Jan Kaps from Cologne and Galería Cayón from Madrid among more "Discoveries".

And given the current international travel restrictions, Art Basel will again be offering "satellite booths" — a concept it successfully introduced last year: a clever way for exhibitors who are unable to come to Hong Kong to present their curated showcases on the ground in booths staffed by a local representative appointed by Art Basel.

82 galleries will use satellite booths, including long-time exhibitors Yumiko Chiba Associates from Tokyo, 47 Canal from New York, Carlos/Ishikawa from London, Esther Schipper from Berlin among others. International galleries Meyer Riegger (with spaces in Berlin and Karlsruhe) and Sies + Höke from Düsseldorf will participate with a special joint satellite booth.

The art fair's physical-digital hybrid format will include its Art Basel Live initiative: Online Viewing Rooms, virtual walkthroughs, social media broadcasts, and live-streamed conversations and lecture/performances.

What else? As the leading international art fair in the Asia-Pacific region, Art Basel's "Insights" project will see curated presentations of important artists from Asia and the Asia-Pacific. These include James T. Hong’s dual-channel landscape film, presented by Empty Gallery, that juxtaposes imagery of sites from the historical Opium Wars with contemporary footage of the South China Sea and Hong Kong’s skyline.

And "Discoveries", a section of solo shows by emerging artists, will feature 18 galleries, including first-time participants Maia Contemporary (presenting a new series of paintings and sculptures by Cisco Jiménez incorporating 'obsolete devices') and Catinca Tabacaru, showing works by Surinamese artist Xavier Robles de Medina.

In addition, to really emphasise Hong Kong's art community and local scene, Art Basel has partnered with notable institutions, non-profit organizations, and established and emerging artists — including the still-new M+ museum, Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Museum of Art!

Without a doubt, Art Basel is the highlight of our city’s art month but what makes the fair so significant is its work to push boundaries and start conversations about representation, storytelling and community.

"The past year has been challenging but incredibly rewarding for Art Basel Hong Kong, as we work with our local and international communities and partners to develop a hybrid fair that continues to forge meaningful connections across Asia and the rest of the world," says Adeline Ooi, Director Asia at Art Basel.

"We are deeply moved by the commitment from galleries to present curated selections of art that further deepen our understanding of Asia from a global perspective."

Find out more.

The post Here’s What To Expect From Art Basel Hong Kong 2022 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

There's no better way to mark the occasion than with good food — and lots of it. Here's our pick of the best Chinese New Year luxury puddings and treats.

With the start of the new lunar year just around the corner, stock up on the best desserts on offer. Turnip puddings (also called radish cakes) are traditional Chinese dim sum snacks, commonly served in Cantonese yum cha. Don't underestimate the small dish — in Cantonese, its name “leen goh” or “loh bak goh” is a homophone for “year higher”, ushering in new heights of prosperity for the coming year.

And we adore the Chinese New Year chuen hup, or traditional candy box, portion of the holiday. A bright red circular box set enticingly open upon coffee tables, filled with all kinds of sweet and savoury treats — it's a time-honoured custom, along with the coconut and turnip puddings. Each neat little segment houses a treat with an auspicious meaning of its own: lotus seeds are symbolic signs of improved fertility; lotus root, of love; tangerines and kumquats sound phonetically similar to "gold"; melon seeds to money and wealth. Chocolate coins, well, are coins.

To celebrate new beginnings and the new year, we've compiled the best Chinese New Year luxury puddings and treats for you and your loved ones to welcome the Year of the Tiger with.

The Best Chinese New Year Luxury Puddings and Treats

China Tang

China Tang's artisan Chinese New Year puddings are a modern take on the classic recipe, serving up two whole new flavours to welcome the Year of the Tiger: a turnip pudding with dried tiger prawn and local preserved meat and a handmade rice pudding with Taiwanese brown sugar and purple rice. Both are crafted by executive chef Menex Cheung and dim sum chef Mok Wing Kwai, and come in these stunning gift boxes decorated with China Tang’s signature Narcissus pattern — symbolizing grace and fortune. You can order the puddings and pick them up from the restaurant.

China Tang Landmark, Shop 411-413, 4/F, LANDMARK ATRIUM, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 2522 2148

Duddell’s

Michelin-starred Duddell's selection of Chinese New Year puddings is a trio of classic favourite flavours: turnip (HK$348), taro (HK$348) and a "New Year" Pudding (HK$298). Pick up one, all three, or a gift set including the restaurant's signature X.O. Sauce. It's all packaged in a specially designed gift box created in collaboration with G.O.D. (Goods of Desire), with an ornate hand-drawn pattern typical of the embellishments found on Chinese teacups and soup bowls, a nod to its Hong Kong heritage. You can purchase at the restaurant or order online for delivery — find out more here.

We also love the look of the "Prosperous New Year Hamper", stocked with six traditional delicacies: a new year pudding; braised South African 5 head abalone with Duddell’s Abalone Sauce; a signature X.O. Sauce; homemade walnut cookies; Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Yellow Label Brut, Champagne; and Fook Ming Tong Fuding Jasmine Mao Feng Tea.

Duddell’s, 1 Duddell Street, Central; +852 2525 9191

Godiva

To no one's surprise, it's all about the chocolates at Godiva. The Belgian chocolatier has drawn up a new motif for the Year of the Tiger, auspicious red and gold packaging printed with swimming koi and a tiger portrait set amongst crackling fireworks as a symbolic image of wealth. For the chocolates, the bijou creations feature the same lucky tiger motif over the surface and are packed in three distinct flavours: Raspberry Orange White chocolate, Pecan Praliné Milk chocolate and 85% Dark Ganache chocolate. Order before 31 January to enjoy special offers including free gifts, including a complimentary box of chocolates, or 10% off any purchase of HK$688. Find out more and order here.

Godiva, various locations across Hong Kong

Little Bao

Little Bao is paying tribute to lucky colour red with a beetroot turnip cake, replacing turnip with fresh beetroot for a natural bold red cake. Ingredients include Sam Hing Lung rose wine sausages, Thai dried shrimp and natural seasoning for extra-healthy eating. You can also opt for the taro cake, made with Okinawan sweet potato and fresh taro for an extra soft and pillowy texture, and also to help boost the immune system. You can order them and more here.

Little Bao, 1-3 Shin Hing Street, Central; +852 6794 8414

Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel

Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel is celebrating the new lunar year with traditional Chinese recipes, serving up three classic puddings — a savoury Chinese Turnip Cake with Conpoy made from Chinese sausage and Jinhua ham; a sweet Coconut Pudding with Gold Leaf decorated with golden leaf glutinous rice and coconut milk; and a Water Chestnut Cake filled with crunchy water chestnut pieces. Bottles of homemade XO Chilli Sauce are also available to order. You can find out more here.

Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, No. 3 Canton Road, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; +852 2118 7283

Ming Court

Located inside Cordis, Michelin-starred Ming Court is offering an array of festive treats to ring in the Lunar New Year. Executive Chef Li Yuet Faat has prepared three auspicious puddings: a coconut Chinese New Year Pudding; an abalone, conpoy, and air-dried preserved meat and turnip pudding; and a red date and coconut pudding. Go for the deluxe Chinese New Year hamper, with a coconut pudding, homemade XO sauce, South African premium 12 head abalone and more. You can order it here.

Ming Court, Level 6, 555 Shanghai Street, Cordis, Mong Kok, Kowloon; +852 3552 3301 

Rosewood Hong Kong

Rosewood Hong Kong is offering an array of Chinese New Year sets for gifting, featuring everything from traditional puddings to homemade XO sauce, festive candies, afternoon tea sets and more. Don't miss the well-wishes themed hampers: Harvest (HK$9,988), Fortune (HK$3,388), and Joy (HK$2,288) — for every CNY hamper purchased, Rosewood will donate 5% of the proceeds to support ImpactHK and their work to support those experiencing homelessness in Hong Kong. Find out more here.

We also love the clever Chinese New Year advent calendar from Rosewood — rather than counting down, you count on from the first day of the lunar calendar into the new Year of the Tiger. The whole set holds 15 special treats from the hotel, one for each day of the Chinese traditional holiday that lasts for two weeks. Tug open the jewel-toned drawers to discover a selection of delicious snacks from fortune cookies and egg rolls to XO sauce, palmiers, nougats, ginger candies and crunchy peanut bites. Much better than your usual melon seeds. You can order it here.

Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 3891 8732

Paul Lafayet

No crème brulée from Paul Lafayet this Chinese New Year. What you can get, though, is the patisserie's Lucky Tiger Gift Box with French illustrator Emilie Sarnel's hand drawing of two dancing tigers. The gift box set pulls open to reveal three different tiers featuring a whole afternoon experience: “Cookirons" — a cookie-based iteration of the brand's famous macaron; jasmine and hojicha tea tins with pots of honey in the second and a special fine bone china porcelain dish at the base to hold it all. The plate is specially tailored to the Year of the Tiger, featuring a sketch of two smiling tigers amongst a flowery meadow filled with macarons. You can order it online here.

Paul Lafayet, various locations across Hong Kong

Saicho

So this might not fit into traditional Chinese candy boxes, but it will still sit very prettily amongst red-adorned decor around the home. For the Year of the Tiger, Saicho has launched a very special creation of only 900 bottles — Eight Immortals — featuring the special Dan Cong Oolong tea grown atop Phoenix Mountain's Tian Liao village in Guangdong. From harvest to roast and rolling, the Dan Cong Oolong leaves are looked after by a qualified tea master. The result is a fragrant blend that adheres to the leaves' distinct complexity: bright notes of ginger mango and tangerine that rounds into a bitterness, then herbal, the likes of anise, fennel and tarragon. With Eight Immortals' earthy savouriness, Saicho recommends pairing with traditional Chinese New Year dishes including Chinese steamed fish and tang yang (glutinous rice dumplings). You can shop Saicho's Chinese New Year selection here.

Smith & Sinclair

Candy box fillings will be extra exciting with the addition of Smith & Sinclair treats, they're made after your favourite tipples! The UK-based brand crafts vegan-friendly gummies — or "Edible Cocktails" — from anything, including classic Gin & Tonic to special concoctions like Passionfruit Mojito. For the Year of the Tiger, the brand has designed a special red, tiger-printed sleeve as a symbol of good luck and fortune. These can be fitted over any of Smith & Sinclair's nine signature sets, from spirit-based "Gin Obsessed" or "Tequila Time" to themed "Love Box" or "Night In". You can order and find out more here.

Sugarfina

Sugarfina's candy cubes are a delight, both to give and receive. For this Chinese New Year, the confectioner has crafted a series of Candy Bento Boxes for easy gifting (and enjoying!) — with anything from a single cube to a lucky set of eight, featuring the brand's sweet creations in fun, auspicious names. There's the Lotus Flowers flavoured with lychee, Tangerine Bears, berried-flavoured Royal Roses and Golden Pearls. If not for the sweets within, get this set for the beautifully artistic packaging: a hand-crafted shadow box of red and gold decor motifs of lanterns, flowers and a temple to mark new beginnings.

Sugarfina, various locations across Hong Kong

The Peninsula Boutique & Café

One of the traditional elements of the Year of the Tiger is the big cat's head, symbolising strength and good health. Inspired by traditional Chinese "tiger head shoes" worn by children, the Peninsula Boutique & Café is celebrating the new year with plenty of tiger head-decorated gift sets — you can hang the box up as a Chinese New Year decoration! Pick up the festive "Robust Tiger Gift Set" (with cookies, candies, chocolate, tea and more), and any of the Chinese New Year puddings. You can find out more here.

The Peninsula Boutique & Café, The Peninsula Arcade, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; +852 2696 6969

Venchi

You may be spoilt for choice with Venchi's range of Chinese New Year gift boxes, but one thing's for sure: the range of lucky red and gold packaging all feature the Italian brand's signature 140-years, Piedmont Master Chocolatiers-approved sweets. Pick up The Chinese New Year Double Layer Hexagon Gift Box, an extensive collection of the brand's favourite chocolates: Cremini, Chocoviar, Truffles, and Dubledoni. Or consider the Chinese New Year Round Hamper, which features Venchi's latest creation Gianduja N.3 with Hazelnut, and is a close replica of the traditional chuen hup with the rounded exterior and organised sections within.

Venchi, various locations across Hong Kong

Yat Tung Heen

Led by celebrated chef Tam Tung, Michelin-starred Yat Tung Heen is celebrating the new year by bringing back its highly sought-after turnip pudding, classic Chinese New Year pudding and the restaurant's signature gift box (which includes housemade premium XO sauce, candied walnuts and hand-selected Ginseng Oolong tea leaves). And to minimise the environmental impact of the gifting season, each pudding is thoughtfully packaged in a 100% recyclable eco-friendly paper box. You can find out more here.

Yat Tung Heen, Level B2, Eaton HK, 380 Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, +852 2710 1093

Ying Jee Club

Two Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Ying Jee Club is serving the finest delectable pastry duo, a savoury turnip pudding with conpoy and air-dried meat and a sweet coconut milk pudding with red bean and Ceylon tea. Both are handcrafted daily by executive chef Siu Hin-Chi, who has amassed 20 Michelin stars over the past decade alone — rest assured, the preservative-free puddings epitomise the highest standard of Cantonese cuisine in both texture and flavour. You can order in-person at the restaurant, or by calling 2801 6882 or emailing reservation@yingjeeclub.hk — find out more here.

Ying Jee Club, Shop G05, 107 & 108, Nexxus Building, 41 Connaught Road Central; +852 2801 6882

(Hero image courtesy of Yat Tung Heen, featured image courtesy of Duddell's, image 1 courtesy of China Tang)

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Art takes place in many forms and one such artist is Johnathan Schultz, who is known for fusing art, precious metals, and diamonds into pieces of artwork. Schultz will headline Le Art Noir, Diversity in a Color exhibition, which took place during this year’s Art Basel Miami Beach, from December 2 to 5. Schultz’s latest […]

The post Artist Johnathan Schultz and Diamond Art Pieces appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.