Trevor Wells
Nifty Gateway
Published in
5 min readJul 7, 2023

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NG Curated: Producer Picks — June 2023

In the pulsating rhythm of the NFT universe, where a minute feels like a month, artworks of profound beauty and intrigue can easily slip into the ether of forgotten masterpieces. Yet, amidst this rush, the curators at Nifty Gateway are your trusted custodians, meticulously combing through each piece released on our platform every month. Their discerning eyes selected remarkable drops that truly encapsulate the essence of our artistic endeavor.

As June 2023 has come to an end, we unveil these hand picked selections that serve as a testament to our platform’s artistic dynamism and enrich your journey through the fascinating labyrinth of digital art.

Selected by niftytime

Bitcoin Certificates by Lucho Poletti

A world without Bitcoin is a world where I don’t own my money.
Where I can’t be financially independent.
Where banks, governments, and corporations control my future.
A world without Bitcoin is a world with less freedom.
And that is no world I’d want to live in.

Lucho Poletti is an eminent digital bitcoin and propaganda artist who consistently sets new artistic standards with his creations. While aesthetically captivating, his work also challenges observers to confront and consider Bitcoin’s potential. Celebrating his 10th showcase on Nifty Gateway, Lucho Poletti continues his mission of propagating the virtues of ‘Better Money’ through the medium of art.

Showcasing an exclusive array of six created pieces, Lucho’s collection, aptly titled ‘Bitcoin Certificates’, delves into Bitcoin’s foundational ethos of trustlessness, scarcity, and censorship resistance. Drawing stylistic influences from vintage US bank notes and government savings bonds, the artworks blend text-based frameworks and angelic illustrations to honor Bitcoin’s integral values. Each piece serves as a tribute to Bitcoin’s unmatched status as a resilient monetary network and revolutionary currency.

View the collection: https://www.niftygateway.com/collections/btc-certificates-poletti

FOUR SEASONS: SUMMER by Matteo Mauro Studio

I came across someone’s bio which said: to perfection, I prefer reality.
I thought it was quite a nice concept and took note of it.
But as I was writing about it, I realized my art practice has always aimed at the opposite.
And actually, I rather prefer perfection than reality.

Matteo Mauro Studio presents the first installment of the artistic project named ‘Micromegalic Inscriptions’, of which the ‘Four Seasons’ series is the premier chapter. This venture is a study of the passage of time and nature’s perpetual dance, from the blossoming allure of Spring to the sun-drenched days of Summer. Each season has graced us with 45 mesmerizing pieces, capturing the spirit and colors of Spring and Summer.

Continually exploring the harmonious marriage of engraving technologies and digital platforms, Matteo Mauro’s artwork transcends the traditional, transforming through a process of abundant abstraction. His pieces are a whirlwind of infinite linear contortions, manifesting as a vibrant homage to the changing seasons — a testament to the artist’s unique computational language and evolving research.

Exclusive to Nifty Gateway, the Generative Art series of these computational engravings will unfold across four curated drops throughout 2023, each corresponding to a distinct season, creating a year-long, dynamic journey through art and time.

I seek perfection intended as a way to achieve the illusion of what’s unreal, and my art has a lot to do with things that do not or cannot exist.

Four of these pieces were released using our new Curated Collector Drop mechanic, which functions like a presale. These drops are available to everyone, but purchasers are chosen using an anonymized ‘Collector Score’ — a metric that considers a collector’s past acquisitions and holding duration. This initiative aims to promote fairness and support artists’ long-term career stability while rewarding dedicated collectors. Read more about our Curated Collector Drop mechanic here.

View the collection: https://www.niftygateway.com/collections/fourseasons-summer

Selected by chrislymac

COMMUNION by King Xerox

Beyond Doubt, Embrace the Unseen. In the Realm of Faith, Miracles Await.

Making his Nifty Gateway Curated debut, King Xerox showcased his unique style marked by a vibrant color palette. Celebrated for his diverse talents in comic book illustration, painting, and more recently, crypto art, this multi-faceted artist initially followed the precise path of architecture, but discovered his true passion in the dynamic canvas of creative arts.

Upon entering the crypto art space in 2021, he rapidly gained acclaim, particularly in the unique domain of glitch art. Through his works, King Xerox explores the intriguing phenomena of the web3 world, leveraging the power of glitch art to convey his interpretations and maintain a journal of his artistic evolution.

View the collection: https://www.niftygateway.com/collections/communion

Lagunak Vol 1 by Muga

The artistic partnership between Zigor Samaniego and Ekaitza gave birth to Muga, an innovative project that transitioned from the digital domain of NFTs to tangible vinyl toys, offering collectors a unique crossover from the virtual to the physical. Now, Muga has expanded into ‘Lagunak’ (meaning ‘friends’ in Basque), the duo’s inaugural collaborative project that breathes life into the Muga character through the eyes of various artists in different releases.

In the first volume, Bryan Brinkman, Des Lucrece, and Van Orton have joined the fray. This endeavor initiated the first of a series of collaborations with over 16 artists in total, who bravely accepted the challenge, some venturing beyond their established styles and mediums, driven by an urge to experiment.

The project debuted as a ‘blind edition’ drop, introducing an element of surprise and anticipation. The artists had determined a minting limit, but kept it under wraps. Once reached, the specific artwork became unavailable for minting, only surfacing in secondary markets. During the drop, it was impossible to discern which token corresponded to which collaboration, adding to the sense of mystery. A placeholder image of the Muga coin greeted each successful NFT purchaser, only revealing the final artwork on June 9th, a captivating creation by either Van Orton, Des Lucrece, or Bryan Brinkman.

More by Muga to follow!

View the collection: https://www.niftygateway.com/collections/lagunak

This recap is written by Nina Knaack

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