Yuga Labs – a prominent Web3 leader known for launching and acquiring some of the largest NFT projects in the space (CryptoPunks, Bored Ape Yacht Club, Meebits, Otherside and 10KTF) – has announced a partnership with Zak Group, the renowned design firm behind Virgil Abloh’s ICONS to create an official catalog that will serve as CryptoPunks’ final documentation.
Consisting of 10,000 unique generative collectable avatars, CryptoPunks gained popularity as one of the very first NFT collections on the Ethereum blockchain (and arguably the most influential). Created by Canadian software developers Matt Hall and John Watkinson of Larva Labs in 2017, this project stands as one of the early pioneers of NFT collections on Ethereum and has played a vital role in shaping the CryptoArt movement.
Pixel by pixel
The collaboration between Yuga Labs – who acquired the collection in 2022 – and Zak Group intends to showcase the untold stories behind the CryptoPunks collection. But the book isn’t just aimed at the Web3 community.
“CryptoPunks is an iconic collection that has transcended crypto into a wider culture,” said Yuga Labs co-founder Greg Solano. “This book is a catalog of that rich history, rendered in the highest quality, that we hope will serve as an inspiration to the Punks community and beyond.”
“This book is an opportunity to shape culture in real time.”
Zak Kyes
This ambitious venture will accurately detail each individual Punk pixel by pixel, while incorporating contributions from influential figures in the fields of web3, digital art, design and technology. Notable individuals such as SnowFro, beep, 6529, Dump beef, and the founders of Larva Labs will lend their expertise and insights to the project. In addition, the book will feature content sourced from the vibrant Punks community Discord and Twitter.
“CryptoPunks is a clash of art, design and the internet in the 21st century,” said Zak Kyes, Creative Director of Zak Group. “This book is an opportunity to shape culture in real time. Together with Yuga Labs, we invited artists, technologists, curators – and of course the Punks themselves – to create an all-in-one DIY user guide, archive and catalog raisonnè.”
A departure from traditional publishing methods, CryptoPunks takes a unique approach to this book, actively involving the community in the creative process. The direct community input will play an important role in developing the brand and shaping the outcome of the project. Engaging the passionate community that fueled CryptoPunks’ rise to cultural prominence, the project aims to capture and reflect on their experiences.
“What makes CryptoPunks important is that a community grew organically around it,” Gmoney explained in a previous interview with nft now. “There is a provenance around them because they are one of the first NFT projects on Ethereum – and they were free to claim from the start.”
Pre-sale for the catalog is scheduled for fall 2023, with the finished book expected to be released this winter. For those interested, the progress of the catalog development can be followed at book.cryptopunks.app.
Editor’s Note: This article was written by an nft now contributor in collaboration with OpenAI’s GPT-4.