06/08/2021 Fortune is dropping its latest cover as NFTs

Fortune is selling 256 limited edition NFTs of its latest cover art, plus three special editions, designed by the artist pplpleaser.

When we at Fortune were discussing the possibility of publishing a crypto-themed issue, there was no doubt about who should design the cover: pplpleasr, the graphic artist whose work has defined the look of the “decentralized finance” movement. (She ranked No. 5 on Fortune’s inaugural NFTy 50 list of the industry’s top influencers.)

For the August/September 2021 issue, titled “Crypto vs. Wall Street,” pplpleasr depicted the down-the-rabbit-hole world of so-called DeFi in all its playful vitality. Mascots of popular projects—like Uniswap (the unicorn), Aave (ghost), and MetaMask (fox)—are partying on the cover alongside various crypto influencers. An Alice-in-Wonderland-like crypto-portal towers above the legacy financial system, dwarfing silhouettes of banks, skyscrapers, and the iconic stock market bull. It’s a stunning—and statement-making—piece.

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The message? Crypto is here, whether or not Wall Street is prepared for it.

True to her nom de pixel, pplpleasr pleas’d the ppl. Based on the cover’s ecstatic reception, we decided to mint 256 limited editions of pplpleasr’s animated art as non-fungible tokens, or NFTs. The number is a nod to the 256 bits that make up the cryptographic keys associated with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ether. The NFTs will sell at a fixed price of 1 Ether (ETH) each, rather than auctioning off a single, one-of-a-kind NFT for a large sum, and thereby giving more people access to the series.

In addition to supporting democratization, we believe in the power of open markets, cutting edge tech, and fun—so, as an added perk, we worked with the tech wizards at Manifold on custom smart contracts to enhance the bidding experience for three additional, rarer NFTs. These bonus versions feature more in-depth graphics, and they are programmed to react to a certain list of “buyer” Ethereum addresses.

Here’s how it works. If a bid comes from one of the listed buyer’s addresses, the NFT will update to a special edition artwork designed specifically for the target buyer. If a non-targeted buyer out-bids a targeted one, then the NFT reverts to its original artwork. In case you find that confusing, pplpleasr has a lucid video explanation here.

Bottom line: This is a crazy experiment and even we don’t know what’s going to happen.

What is clear to us is, however, that decentralization and digitization are profound forces that are fundamentally reshaping the world of business—and beyond. We believe the technology behind NFTs could shift power away from an oligopoly of corporate giants and back into the hands of creators and fans alike. It has the potential to be a great equalizer.

If you want to join Fortune for the journey, we are dropping our first-ever NFTs on the marketplace OpenSea on Friday starting at 12 p.m. ET. The auction is set to last through Monday at 9 p.m. ET. You can place a bid, or watch the action, here.

At Fortune, home of the Fortune 500 list, we don’t just chronicle big industrial transformations. We live them.

Robert Hackett
@rhhackett
[email protected]

Arts

https://fortune.com/2021/08/05/nft-drop-pplpleasr-cover-art-opensea-auction-ethereum/amp/

Interesting NFTs
Pixel Story
This happy-go-lucky tribe made of lovable pixel Kitties have so much to talk about. While their language skills are simplistic, each Kitty still manages to express themselves with a variety of colorful emoticons and poses. From communicating their basic emotions, to discussing the economic implications of rising Ethereum gas prices, Pixel Tribe Kitties will keep each other entertained for hours. As their communications evolve and become more sophisticated, the inhabitants will come to realize that certain combinations of emotes will unlock secrets within their world. Try it out for yourself, if you're lucky enough to adopt a Kitty. Use the coordinate guide at: https://share.getcloudapp.com/7KumW6Lk to position your kitty Layer.
SolPunk_#400
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Michael Jordan - Crown Collection
“All you needed was one little match to start that whole fire.”- Michael Jordan. In regards to both the action on the court and everything that happened off of it, Jordan provided a spark that changed the future in so many different ways throughout his tenure in Chicago, and even decades after the fact. And, in the end, he got everything that he wanted when he began his NBA journey: he turned the team and organization as a whole into a respected program, like the dynasties he looked up to as a child. Having steered the Chicago Bulls to an incredible six championship rings in eight years from 1991-1998, scooping up five MVP awards in the process, Jordan is one of just a handful of superstars who have truly transcended their sports. Jordan and Scottie Pippen’s (right) relationship both on and off the pitch was arguably the foundation of the Bulls’ incredible success. Scottie Pippen was present with Jordan for all six championships in eight seasons. Dennis Rodman (left) His relentless and smart play perfectly suited what Jordan and Jackson wanted to do to take the Bulls to greater heights. Although his exploits off the court earned him special fame, Rodman was unquestionably one of the greatest basketball players of his generation and one of the finest defensive players in the history of the game.
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The Pixel is a single pixel statement. It is created to validate. The Pixel is a digitally native artwork visually represented by a single pixel (1x1). It is a token that signs the most basic unit of a digital image in a traditional global auction house. It is a tiny mark to carry digitally native art to a potential future history.
Bush warbler and roses
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) Bush warbler and roses 1834 - Japan