05/01/2022 Melania Trump to auction off hat, NFT from Macron visit

The three "important one-of-a-kind signed items" commemorate an April 2018 state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Washington -- the first of the Trump presidency.

Bidding for this lot called the "Head of State Collection" will be held online between January 11 and 25, using the cryptocurrency Solana (SOL).

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal signs $11M Astrals NFT settlement
OpenSea users drop securities suit, Whales drive Q3 NFT comeback: Nifty Newsletter
Enjin's EFI token sale nets $20 million as NFT aspirations grow

According to her website, where the auction was announced, bidding will begin at $250,000, currently equivalent to 1,416 SOL.

French-American designer Herve Pierre made the wide-brimmed hat at the request of Mrs Trump, who wore it as she accompanied French first lady Brigitte Macron around Washington.

The autographed collection also includes physical and digital paintings of Trump wearing the hat, both created by French artist Marc-Antoine Coulon.

The announcement states that a "portion" of the proceeds will go towards scholarships for children in foster care to learn computer skills.

Trump's office did not immediately respond to an email by AFP inquiring about the size of the portion that will be donated.

In her first public project since leaving the White House, Trump announced last month that she would be joining the crypto trend by launching her own platform to sell NFTs (non-fungible tokens).

"I am proud to announce my new NFT endeavor, which embodies my passion for the arts, and will support my ongoing commitment to children through my Be Best initiative," Trump said in a statement at the time.

"Through this new technology-based platform, we will provide children computer science skills, including programming and software development, to thrive after they age out of the foster community."

Using the blockchain technology behind cryptocurrencies, NFTs transform anything from illustrations to memes into virtual collectors' items that cannot be duplicated.

NFTs rocketed into the mainstream last year and are now traded at major auction houses, generating several hundred million dollars in transactions every month.

Trump's first NFT was a watercolor of her blue eyes -- also created by Coulon -- entitled "Melania's Vision."

The painting was available for purchase through the end of the year for the price of 1 SOL, or approximately $150 at the time.

Arts

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220104-melania-trump-to-auction-off-hat-nft-from-macron-visit

Interesting NFTs
Who Is The Creator 2
The idea for this piece was borne out of a tweet of mine that caused a bit of a stir. I’d posted a link to a blog article I’d written a number of months previous titled ‘Who is the Creator’ discussing various types of creative collaborations and why I hire people to work on my animations. It generated a lot of debate around creation and attribution with the community split on whether it’s right or wrong for an artist to hire other professionals to help them realize their art projects. I decided to push the boundaries even further and see how the cryptoart community responded. What if I quite literally had nothing to do with the physical or digital elements of the work other than coming up with the concept and coordinating it? I decided there was one artist in the space who could add huge value to this idea on levels that none other could and so I gathered my courage and contacted the great José Delbo to ask him if he’d be interested in a very unique collaboration. I explained to him that to make this piece ‘work’ he couldn't have any say in what I produced and moreover, he wouldn’t even be allowed to see the animation until it was dropped on MakersPlace. To my surprise, Mr Delbo agreed to my proposal. The animation tells the story of the creative process, which includes my roles as writer, director, and producer working with a team and making edits and changes ‘in real time’. The dialogue between myself and my ‘hired guns’ plays out in front of the viewer. The music written for the piece adds to the nostalgia of the comic book superhero theme but other elements such as the snapping and kicking of the pencil and the signing of my signature at the bottom incorporates further layers and challenges the viewer to ask important questions, such as, is the ‘Art’ the final animation (the creation) or is the ‘Art’ the concept/credit for the creation itself?
Like a Human 1 #3/3
Creative Challenge - 0xCert Collaboration
Inner fountain
I'm connected to an infinite source of creative energy. Digital painting - Gif
#50930
By OthersideDeployer
CryptoKitties
Oh hi! I'm Kitty #236150. I want to live in a world where people believe the world is flat. Sometimes I daydream of a life full of glaring at the neighbour's cat, lasagna, and siring for status. It's pawesome to meet you!