This piece originally first appeared on September 24, 2021 in the College Hill Independent. Illustration by XingXing Shou. Nearly 20 strangers show up to an unmarked parking garage in Queens on a Saturday night. They’re here for an “art-related ritual” hosted by SHL0MS, a self-described “NFT performance artist.” Everyone has followed directions— they’re dressed in uniform black and have signed nondisclosure agreements that stipulate they cannot share “how devilishly charming [SHL0MS] is” or “...

This piece originally first appeared on September 24, 2021 in the College Hill Independent. Illustration by XingXing Shou. Nearly 20 strangers show up to an unmarked parking garage in Queens on a Saturday night. They’re here for an “art-related ritual” hosted by SHL0MS, a self-described “NFT performance artist.” Everyone has followed directions— they’re dressed in uniform black and have signed nondisclosure agreements that stipulate they cannot share “how devilishly charming [SHL0MS] is” or “...