My first NFT conference

NFT Paris in entry 7 of a crypto poet's guide to the metaverse.

AI-generated image based on the idea of a fractal line outside a conference venue

If you want to know how fast the web3 world is growing, just try to figure out how many conferences and other events are being organised this year all around the globe. It's a growing number of events, with a growing number of participants. So, when one of them is organised close to where I live, I had to take a look for myself to see what it was all about. In this entry of my travelogue, I share my impressions in nine poems.

I. Fractal line

A line shaped
like a fractal curves round
the Grand Palais Éphémère, proving
how the new world order
is on chain.

It started with a line that curved around the venue and then managed to take a fractal shape as it grew. So many people wanting to get in. So many people clearly knowing what an NFT or web3 is. Very interesting to see that fractal line.

II. A flock of degens

Scrambled voice,
a jpeg on a screen.
Still, many degens flock to listen
to what this cryptopunk
has to say.

Degens, that is what the inhabitants of the metaverse call themselves. It's about being decentralised. It's also about self-custody. About having control over which things about yourself you share with the world. With companies. With authorities. It's about choosing how you represent yourself. For many, that also means being anonymous and using an avatar and a name. Even with that, you can become a leading figure in this brave new world. Like Punk 6529. And that people wanted to hear what he had to say, with his pixelated profile pic on screen and a scrambled voice, was clear: the room was overflowing.

III. Decentralized plumage

The guy banned
from all social networks,
two anonymous pixeled jpegs,
and many cool artists.
I saw them.

The vibe in the metaverse, or the web3 crowd, or the crypto cool kidz, or whatever you want to call it, is very much like the early days of the internet. A lot of characters of different plumage are roaming this space. Some have suddenly attained wealth and status, some are just curious, some are visionary and a lot of it all is being made up as we go. And binding it all together is... art.

By the way, sometimes NFTs are jokingly referred to as (overpriced) jpegs.

IV. The art of fog

Fog rings float
into space, then onto
a digital seascape, bridging the
gap between now and the
future.

The artists also come in different shapes and sizes. Like their artwork. Something very interesting was going on with one specific art installation, that bridged the gap between the physical and metaverse. Fog rings were created in the physical space and moved into the metaverse. Experimentation on the new frontier.

V. Curating the market

Curators
make great market makers:
the undervalued hands moving your
art to the most caring
collectors.

But how to find the art that fits your taste in that global sea of NFTs? Well, for that there are curators. Like Eleanora Brizi from Breezy art. Now the question is how the curators can become creators and turn the added value they bring into hard cryptocurrencies.

VI. Display this

Station board
repurposed as art to
tell the story of the newest tech
that keeps your crypto, and
your art, safe.

That art is the utility at the moment, the thing that brings actual value to the metaverse, was clear in one of the presentations about the new wallet, the stax, of hardware wallet maker Ledger. The wallet has a screen to display art on, to show your identity by showing a piece of art you own. And they want to include artists into their ecosystem, by giving them the tools to create an image that fits the display requirements of the stax. And if you find a creative way to do so, and share it on Twitter with the hashtag #formattedforstax by 10 march 2023, they even give you a chance to win one of the claim tokens for the stax that is expected to start shipping in June.

UPDATE: Ledger has informed me they have postponed the competition to let it better coincide with when they start shipping the stax. Follow them on Twitter for more info. The good part is: you have more time to come up with a creative way to create a display image for the stax.

This was a nice bridge from art to corporations.

VII. Three stripes

When three stripes
go to market, they bring
over seven decades of working
with creators building
fresh culture.

Present at NFT Paris were many companies. New ones, but also established ones venturing into this new world, trying to figure out how it fits. From betting companies to consulting companies, to luxury alcohol brands. Most visible, and likely the company that truly gets how to get a grip on this transformation, is the brand with the three stripes. Not only were their tracksuits that came with some of their NFTs, quite visible, but the way they are bringing their history into this new cultural movement is also impressive.

VIII. Not the enemy

We are not
each other's enemy.
To make it all, the best thing we can
do is ensure that we
are diverse.

And when you talk about companies and culture, you also have to talk about diversity and inclusivity. It is great to see that the web3 community is diverse, and that a lot of women are in positions of control. That is so good. And as one of these women said: the other is not the enemy. We have to work together to get the best out of it. And so it is.

IX. Connecting

Connecting
dots, and people, more than
just a gesture, shown with the gesture
of embracing a friend's
kid on stage.

To close off with, the thing I like most about wandering around the metaverse is the sense of community that is so present all around. During one of the presentations, a toddler walked up to the stage. The mother tried to call it back, but the kid was determined. Determined to go sit on daddy's lap. Even if daddy was on stage. Now, somehow, we have come to find it normal that our kids are not part of our lives. Like the guy in this clip from a news item a few years back. I hope COVID and working from home have changed that. I think it did. In any case, in the metaverse, kids are part of our lives. And so it showed during this presentation. The host told the mother to relax. It's okay. And the toddler was helped onto the stage to sit on her dad's lap. In web3, we are family.

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Featured poet: Doodleslice

There’s a lot of poetry that makes you feel good. Happy. Cheerful. The poems of Doodleslice often do that. The use of the rhythm and rhyme we know of those childhood books and songs contributes to that, but also the way the poems are constructed, with often a turn or a reveal that is the hallmark of jokes. On top, most of his work is illustrated with lovely drawings he creates as well. I got to know Doodleslice when I had just set my first steps into the wonderful world of cryptopoetry, and he certainly formed the way I perceive that world. His kindness and generosity are heartwarming. I really like his Ewe Rock NFT, which is made and minted to share with people who could use a pick-me-up. He also appeared in this magazine before. In short, Doodleslice is a wonderful poet and person. Go check out his work and collect some. Like his latest Inquisitive.