Please note that the following review is not an endorsement of purchasing the NFTs discussed, and the author does not own the collection.
NFTs come in a wide variety of formats, from video clips to still images to audio clips. The most intriguing examples, however, are those that take advantage of the unique functionality of NFTs themselves. A prime example is Canadian NFT artist Mad Dog Jones (aka Michah Dowbak) REPLICATOR collection that takes full advantage of the power of smart contracts to provide some intriguing possibilities.
Taken from a short animated video clip from a photocopier, each item in the collocation retains that central element, but varies the environment. So far so expected for NFT art. But in keeping with the theme of replication, the smart contract in NFTs in the collection creates new NFT generations over time.
The project features seven different generations of custom artwork, all featuring cyberpunk, dystopian styles that fit neatly into Web3 concepts like the metaverse. The original piece was sold by art dealer Phillips for $4,144,000 in April 2021, and 208 examples have been generated so far, according to the artist’s site.
To avoid exponential growth, where each piece could generate new versions indefinitely, Dowbak’s collection is able to produce so-called jams (again referring to the photocopier central to the pieces) that result in unique works of art, but also prevent a generation from replicating further.
The collection
The animation in each piece is usually relatively low-key, aimed at producing an overall atmosphere rather than drawing too much attention. At times that can work to the play’s detriment, but it does ensure that the atmosphere is both intimate, thanks to the cramped spaces and soft lighting, and unsettling, with an ever-present dystopian skyline outside.
The selection of a photocopier as the collection’s main subject is a pointed one, with Phillips noting that it’s a “nostalgic nod to a once-advanced technology, now on its way to obsolescence.” With that in mind, the collection reflects on the current ubiquity of NFTs – serving as a reminder that nothing lasts forever.
Of course, it also thematically ties into the concept of replication and contributes to an 80s aesthetic. “REPLICATOR is the story of a machine through time. It is a reflection on forms of pioneering innovation from the past and serves as a metaphor for the continuum of modern technology. I can’t wait to see how collectors will react as the work evolves and the NFTs they own continue to create new generations,” said Mad Dog Jones.
This means that the collection can contain a story that reveals itself over time. In the original generation, we see a copier turning on and off in an office environment. In part of the collection, the menacing threat from outside has successfully crept in, such as a Generation 6 copy in which the copier and the entire room have been destroyed and sprayed with graffiti. Most, however, are much less important, whether that’s a fire in a wastebasket in Generation 3 or a lizard invasion in Generation 4.
Background
This isn’t Mad Dog Jones’ first introduction to NFTs, as he has previously worked on a collection known as Crash + Burn, which consisted of seven unique pieces. Access to these pieces required possession of five separate examples from a previous NFT drop. Once collected, they could be sent to the artist, who would burn them in exchange for an item from the Crash + Burn collection. In addition, Mad Dog Jones rewarded owners of pieces from his first collection, which increased in value thanks to the sudden addition of a new utility.
The deployment of random chance means that the collection also deals with the wider world of “random” or “random” art, where artists have embraced the role of random chance in their artworks. Randomization is a prominent feature of the NFT landscape, as are the interchangeable properties that characterize the best-known NFT collections such as the Bored Ape Yacht Club.
It raises an interesting broader point about the artistic value of algorithmically composed pieces. While individual elements may have been well thought out, their combination can have an undesirable effect. That possibility has become an accepted part of the NFT market, with the mass of nondescript and ugly examples driving up the price of those that are thematically consistent (although exceptionally ugly examples can become more valuable as a result).
The verdict
REPLICATOR is a great example of the capabilities of artists embracing the unique capabilities of Web3. Thanks to the power of smart contracts, pieces that would otherwise be perceived as fairly disposable artifacts can take on a utility that dramatically extends their lifespan.
