Proof Collective, the NFT studio behind Moonbirds and run by CEO Kevin Rose, is unveiling a fourth season of Grails, a series of artistic non-fungible tokens.
With this new installment, the company is trying to create additional intrigue by keeping the names of the artists initially secret.
“Grails IV features artworks from 20 artists whose identities will stay hidden until after collectors have minted their works,” Proof said in a statement.
Despite trading and pricing for NFTs having fallen off a cliff since crypto’s latest bull run, Proof aims to “ further the digital art renaissance” according to Eli Scheinman, Proof’s curator of this latest season of Grails.
‘Art and artist on two distinct pedestals’
“By requiring collectors to choose their desired pieces before knowing the identities of the creators behind each piece, the experience puts the art and artist on two distinct pedestals,” added Scheinman.
Backed by top crypto VC a16z, Proof also recently expanded on its existing PFP brand Moonbirds with the release of a 20,000-strong collection of NFTs called Mythics. The minting process for Mythic will unfurl during at least 200 days.
Unlike PFPs such as Moonbirds — or the popular Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks collections — the Grails collection is presented as fine art and has featured work from well-known web3 artists like Tyler Hobbs, Larva Labs and Refik Anadol.
Famous auction house Sotheby’s recently netted millions of dollars from selling Grails NFTs once owned by the failed crypto venture firm Three Arrows Capital.