In Dragons, William Mapan transforms generative art into a living mythology, where each piece is more than just an aesthetic variation. It carries a sense of history, evolution, and selfhood. Among the collection’s most conceptually rich traits is Status, which explores themes of life, death, transcendence, and identity.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑩𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈

Unlike most traits, which serve as stylistic variations, Status also acts as a narrative device, charting the journey of a dragon from existence to transcendence.

1. 𝑳𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑴𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕

The vast majority (494 out of 512 dragons) are classified as Living. These dragons are in their prime, actively soaring through their worlds, their colours fully realised. This status represents vitality, presence, and the ongoing journey of growth.

1. 𝑹𝒂𝒘: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝑷𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍

A rare subset of 6 dragons is classified as Raw, appearing in grayscale, stripped of the vibrant hues seen in their living counterparts. These dragons are in an embryonic state, waiting to be defined, symbolic of creation in its earliest form. Mapan embeds the idea of artistic process here (these are sketches before the final strokes, ideas before realisation). Collectors often view these as representations of pure potential, a reminder that every masterpiece begins as a sketch.

1. 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑭𝒆𝒘

Only 7 dragons bear the Turned Gold trait, marking a distinct phase of evolution. Unlike a conventional afterlife interpretation, Mapan inverts expectations. Transcendence does not mean fading away but rather becoming more vibrant, fully embracing one’s identity. Gold here is not an endpoint, but an apex of self-expression, a moment of radiant clarity 🤩

Notably, all Turned Gold dragons reach this state at age 16, the peak of their existence. They symbolise maturity, wisdom, and the culmination of a life well-lived. Unlike the fading imagery associated with aging, these dragons explode into brilliance, leaving behind an eternal imprint.

1. 𝑬𝒔𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒔

The rarest Status trait belongs to just 4 dragons, labeled Esquisse (French for “sketch”). These pieces exist as raw, unpolished outlines. Snapshots of an earlier creative moment. While Raw dragons represent potential, Esquisse dragons are the blueprint of existence, capturing the first strokes of their being. They provide a unique window into Mapan’s process, almost as if he left behind whispers of his initial ideas within the final collection.

𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆

What makes the Status trait particularly compelling is that it breaks the typical hierarchy of rarity. While Turned Gold dragons might be perceived as “the peak,” they are not necessarily superior to Raw or Esquisse dragons. Each represents a different stage of existence rather than a simple progression from rare to common.

Through this, Mapan asks: 🐉 What does it mean to exist at different stages of life? 🐉 Is brilliance achieved in youth, or does it take time? 🐉 Does value lie in finality, or in the endless potential of creation?

The Status trait challenges conventional thinking about age, growth, and identity, prompting collectors to see beyond aesthetics and consider the philosophy woven into the collection.

𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝑳𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒔

With Status, Mapan embeds a deeper mythology into Dragons, one that challenges how we think about art, aging, and the passage of time. Whether living, raw, turned gold, or esquisse, each dragon holds a place in the grander narrative of existence.

In a world where digital art is often reduced to speculation, Dragons reminds us that art is a journey, not just a destination.

Thank you for reading! h/t to @collectors_xyz (yet again 😆) for their amazing interview with William.

In Dragons, William Mapan transforms generative art into a living mythology, where each piece is more than just an aesthetic variation. It carries a sense of history, evolution, and selfhood. Among the collection’s most conceptually rich traits is Status, which explores themes of life, death, transcendence, and identity.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑩𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈

Unlike most traits, which serve as stylistic variations, Status also acts as a narrative device, charting the journey of a dragon from existence to transcendence.

1. 𝑳𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑴𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕

The vast majority (494 out of 512 dragons) are classified as Living. These dragons are in their prime, actively soaring through their worlds, their colours fully realised. This status represents vitality, presence, and the ongoing journey of growth.

1. 𝑹𝒂𝒘: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝑷𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍

A rare subset of 6 dragons is classified as Raw, appearing in grayscale, stripped of the vibrant hues seen in their living counterparts. These dragons are in an embryonic state, waiting to be defined, symbolic of creation in its earliest form. Mapan embeds the idea of artistic process here (these are sketches before the final strokes, ideas before realisation). Collectors often view these as representations of pure potential, a reminder that every masterpiece begins as a sketch.

1. 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑭𝒆𝒘

Only 7 dragons bear the Turned Gold trait, marking a distinct phase of evolution. Unlike a conventional afterlife interpretation, Mapan inverts expectations. Transcendence does not mean fading away but rather becoming more vibrant, fully embracing one’s identity. Gold here is not an endpoint, but an apex of self-expression, a moment of radiant clarity 🤩

Notably, all Turned Gold dragons reach this state at age 16, the peak of their existence. They symbolise maturity, wisdom, and the culmination of a life well-lived. Unlike the fading imagery associated with aging, these dragons explode into brilliance, leaving behind an eternal imprint.

1. 𝑬𝒔𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒔

The rarest Status trait belongs to just 4 dragons, labeled Esquisse (French for “sketch”). These pieces exist as raw, unpolished outlines. Snapshots of an earlier creative moment. While Raw dragons represent potential, Esquisse dragons are the blueprint of existence, capturing the first strokes of their being. They provide a unique window into Mapan’s process, almost as if he left behind whispers of his initial ideas within the final collection.

𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆

What makes the Status trait particularly compelling is that it breaks the typical hierarchy of rarity. While Turned Gold dragons might be perceived as “the peak,” they are not necessarily superior to Raw or Esquisse dragons. Each represents a different stage of existence rather than a simple progression from rare to common.

Through this, Mapan asks: 🐉 What does it mean to exist at different stages of life? 🐉 Is brilliance achieved in youth, or does it take time? 🐉 Does value lie in finality, or in the endless potential of creation?

The Status trait challenges conventional thinking about age, growth, and identity, prompting collectors to see beyond aesthetics and consider the philosophy woven into the collection.

𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝑳𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒔

With Status, Mapan embeds a deeper mythology into Dragons, one that challenges how we think about art, aging, and the passage of time. Whether living, raw, turned gold, or esquisse, each dragon holds a place in the grander narrative of existence.

In a world where digital art is often reduced to speculation, Dragons reminds us that art is a journey, not just a destination.

Thank you for reading! h/t to @collectors_xyz (yet again 😆) for their amazing interview with William.