An appreciation post. To anyone that has ever collected a work from any of the artists and platforms exhibiting at @ArtBasel: you have played a massive role in this journey, and you were there in spirit with us all week long. Taking a step back from the recent heroic efforts of the galleries, artists, patrons, and sponsors, not to mention Benny, Eli, and countless others whose unwavering determination and support for our flavor of contemporary art have led to where we are, it’s important to acknowledge that absolutely none of this would be what it is today without the initial participation of the web3 community. Whether you came here for the art, the tech, the money, the camaraderie, or purely by accident, you made this possible by contributing an intrinsic value in the form of validation to what has become a meaningfully accepted recording format for contemporary culture. At the end of the day, the common denominator of the week for these artworks is the recording format, with the variety of work presented at the fair ranging extensively from animated robot dogs to fine art prints, from thoughtful AI driven dialogue to meticulously hand crafted code. The recording format is what ties it all together. Because it’s fucking awesome. Contemporary art, art of the times, art created with the tools and processes available to artists in that moment, inspired by the moment, shared across continents in real time. The way the galleries and platforms came together to present these exceptional artists’ works is remarkable. It’s encouraging to see how all three communities (artists, collectors and platforms/galleries) came together to make this an undeniably interesting part of Art Basel this year. I think that’s one of the things that no matter what’s happening in the market I believe what we are all doing is interesting. I truly believe what we are doing is interesting to a broader not just art world but society at large. I believe what we are doing is capable of not just introducing art and artistic culture to a larger percentage of humans, but making it compelling enough to want to participate in the movement long term. There’s something for everyone here, at every price point. And it’s all held together, reinforced, authenticated and made more durable by this beautiful technology we have collectively spent the last almost decade exploring. As someone continuously caught up in the tumultuous timeline and weighed down by the loudest voices expressing negative sentiment, it has never been easier for me to zoom out as it was this week. I encourage you to do the same. I created Art Blocks in defiance of an art world that often overlooked mine and my heroes’ passion for the generative medium. I value my web3 native experiences and achievements over the last five years as priceless. And at the same time I value this incredible opportunity to have dialogue with a new audience. Because in the end I truly believe that the single greatest way I can contribute to this community of artists, collectors and founders is to demonstrate that what we do is compelling to a broader audience. This is the rock in LIFT. Art Basel Miami served this ambition more effectively than my collective efforts over the last few years. And I’m incredibly grateful for that opportunity. I want to extend my personal gratitude for each and every one of the galleries and exhibitors that played a part in this. It was hard work. It was expensive. It was time consuming. It was a lot of standing, talking, negotiating and preparing. I am beyond proud of us. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, stepped up big time. The quality of the entire experience was on par with the best art fair experiences I’ve had in the past. In a recent post I shared that we need to evaluate our progress in years and decades not days and weeks. This entire thing is a testament to YEARS of commitment to the medium of digital art, to the technology of NFTs, learning from every mistake, writing the playbook in real time, and doing it with passion and conviction every step of the way. The art fair does not define who we are. But it has given us an opportunity to give a glimpse into the beauty of our culture to a new audience. It’s something to celebrate. From the bottom of my heart I want to thank the organizations that not just brought this experience to life but participated in lock step, supporting one another on this journey. @AOTMgallery @artblocks_io @artxcode_io @beeple @bitforms @AspreyStudio @eli_schein @fellowshiptrust @heft_gallery @onkaos__ @opensea @PaceGallery @nguyenwahed @redbeardnft @shape @UBS @verse_works / @solos_gallery @visualizevalue (@jackbutcher and @jalilwahdat) Along with all of the incredible artists represented: @Andrea_Chiampo @beeple @dmitricherniak @ix_shells @jackbutcher James Turrell @joepease @kimasendorf @larvalabs Lu Yang @manfredemohr @mayaonthenet @mpkoz @quasimondo @REAS @tylerxhobbs @XCOPYART @yatreda RE: Quine and Art Blocks' participation, I’m just so proud. Somewhere in the middle of the gallery and platform role, without trying to fit inside a preconceived notion of what art should be, I found myself having some of the most valuable conversations I’ve ever had with strangers from all over the world. Couldn’t have done it without the beautiful work of @matthall2000 and @pents90, the incredible support from @NaughtalieStone, the human presence at the booth of @iam0xHouston, @jeffgdavis, @roxyfata, @MVP44USC, @DeFiStaker, the exquisite booth design and execution of the @trameparis team, a ton of prep and support from the Art Blocks team, and the emotional support of community members and collectors that fed us with constant encouragement while we skipped meals to engage with the crowds. Every Quine was on display at Basel. Every Quine collector was represented on the beautiful vitrine for everyone to see. Every print a story of a collector that’s vehemently supported Art Blocks, Larva Labs, me personally and countless other platforms and artists across the ecosystem. Every artist that has ever graced Art Blocks with your work. You were there, with all of us. And you looked damn good too. I hope we made you as proud as I was to be there. I’m filled with anticipation for what comes next. Thank you.