Yuga Labs — a prominent Web3 leader known for launching and acquiring some of the biggest NFT projects in the space (CryptoPunks, Bored Ape Yacht Club, Meebits, Otherside, and 10KTF) — has announced a collaboration with Zak Group, the renowned design office behind Virgil Abloh’s ICONS to create an official catalog that will serve as the definitive documentation of CryptoPunks.
CryptoPunks, which consist of 10,000 unique generative collectible avatars, gained popularity as one of the first-ever NFT collections on the Ethereum blockchain, and has since achieved the eminent status of being perhaps the most influential and iconic PFP collection of all time). Created by Canadian software developers Matt Hall and John Watkinson of Larva Labs in 2017, the project stands as one of the early pioneers of NFT collections on Ethereum and has played a crucial role in shaping the CryptoArt movement.
Pixel by pixel
The collaboration between Yuga Labs — which acquired the collection in 2022 — and Zak Group intends to highlight the untold stories behind the CryptoPunks collection. But the book isn’t just targeted toward the Web3 community.
“CryptoPunks is an iconic collection that has transcended crypto into broader culture,” Greg Solano, Co-Founder of Yuga Labs shared with nft now. “This book is a catalog of that rich history, in the highest quality rendering, that we hope will serve as a source of inspiration for the Punks community and beyond.”
“This book is an opportunity to give shape to culture in real-time.”
Zak Kyes
The ambitious endeavor will meticulously detail each individual Punk pixel by pixel while incorporating contributions from influential figures in Web3, digital art, design, and technology. Notable individuals such as SnowFro, Beeple, 6529, Deafbeef, and the founders of Larva Labs will lend their expertise and insights to the project. Furthermore, the book will include content sourced from the vibrant Punks community Discord and Twitter.
“CryptoPunks is a collision between art, design, and the internet in the 21st century,” Zak Kyes, Creative Director of Zak Group said while speaking to nft now. “This book is an opportunity to give shape to culture in real-time. Together with Yuga Labs, we have invited artists, technologists, curators — and, of course, the Punks themselves — to create an all-in-one DIY user manual, archive, and catalogue raisonnè.”
In a departure from traditional publishing methods, CryptoPunks is adopting a unique approach for this book, one that involves the active involvement of the community in the creative process. Holders’ direct input will be instrumental in evolving the brand and shaping the project’s outcome. By engaging the passionate community that has 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 around them organically,” explained Gmoney 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 at the start.”
Pre-sales for the catalog are scheduled to commence in the fall of 2023, with the finished book anticipated to be released this winter. For those interested, the progress of catalog development can be followed at book.cryptopunks.app.
Editor’s note: This article was written by an nft now staff member in collaboration with OpenAI’s GPT-4.
