# 10K GENERATIVE PROJECTS: CREATIVE RENAISSANCE OR SOULLESS CASH GRAB? By [UNDRGRND](https://paragraph.com/@undrgrnd) · 2022-02-09 superlative-secret-society, arief-witjaksana, fvckrender, john-karel --- ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/abb838a307356fb2a96badb086a35bb7.jpg) **FEBRUARY 9TH, 2022** CryptoPunks, for better or worse, opened the floodgates. To the uninformed, the message was: If you want to make a big gobbly-guck of crypto cash – all you have to do is crank out some childish-looking pixelated art under a specific formula. Because in January 2021 – [CryptoPunk #2890](https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2021/01/23/early-cryptopunk-digital-collectible-sells-for-762k-in-ether/) sold for $761,889 ([605 ETH](https://www.larvalabs.com/cryptopunks/details/2890)). Yet, CryptoPunks was a first – 10,000 were generated; and each one had a unique attribute. Creators, [Larva Labs](http://larvalabs.com/), built a generative algorithmic engine that randomly assigned each punk its unique characteristic. And the reason why CryptoPunk #2890 sold for so much; it exemplified early crypto art—significant in the history of NFTs – and that’s why, as an investment, it could keep increasing in value. But thus spoke Zarathustra: Now there’s a rise of 10,000 Generative Projects. Typically themed around a single character, we’ve seen various NFT collections of aliens, robots, penguins, and cats; usually following the CryptoPunk formula: 10,000 pieces are programmatically generated through a set of premade components – to give each NFT a different characteristic – and then formatted as a headshot which can be used as a profile pic. From that we get: [Bears Deluxe](https://opensea.io/collection/bears-deluxe-new) (from the team that brought you the pixelated Honey Hive Deluxe and Bees Deluxe), [CrypToadz,](https://opensea.io/collection/cryptoadz-by-gremplin) and [Punk Cats](https://opensea.io/collection/punkcats) (not to be out-done by [Moon Cats](https://opensea.io/assets/0xc3f733ca98e0dad0386979eb96fb1722a1a05e69/1765)).  And the derivative list goes on and on… If you [look on YouTube,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIVnuER-_4s) there’s an entire niche genre of videos giving tutorials on how to create a 10,000 Generative Project – usually presented by someone with the panache of a pyramid scheme salesman, stating how you can make big $$$ simply by creating a 10,000 Generative Project – with no art skills required! “You can do this in a day and easily put out 10,000 units,” explains one soothsayer. Within this paradigm, the theory is, all someone (or a company) has to do is create a knockoff version of CryptoPunks or the Bored Ape Yacht Club – and then they’ll soon be eating hot fudge sundaes and frolicking on their newly purchased luxury island. It’s so easy, in fact, a 12-year old did - [and made $5 million in three weeks](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/01/12-year-old-helped-code-non-fungible-heroes-nfts-that-made-millions.html)! (Are you going to let a 12-year old make more NFT money than you!?)  But really, what these videos are, is a paint-by-numbers version for the NFT world. Imitation is the best form of flattery - and there are a hell of a lot of flatterers out there in the NFT world. Some (the optimists) might say this is a creative Renaissance. Others (the pessimists) would look at these imitative projects as nothing more than a soulless money grab. Though, it’s not to say there aren't interesting 10,000 Generative Projects; it’s all about pushing the genre forward – rather than doing a hackneyed version of what has proven to be successful. Individual artists lean towards creating more intriguing projects - than teams.  ![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/613978bc7e5cf900cb25f3a9/d8dcd406-71a3-41b7-a147-e65cf2f121df/unnamed.gif) [SuperlativeSS #9284](https://opensea.io/assets/0xa7ee407497b2aeb43580cabe2b04026b5419d1dc/9284) [Superlative Secret Society](https://superlativesecretsociety.com/) is an example of ‘the good.’ It’s the work of artist [Arief Witjaksana](https://theartling.com/en/artists/arief-witjaksana/) – who is based in Tangerang, Indonesia. SuperlativeSS, a collection of 11k programmatically generated art avatars, made using more than 220 pieces of aesthetic, hand drawn artwork - has an abstract impressionist look. If Miro and Picasso had a generative art NFT baby – it would be SuperlativeSS. Rather just pixelating an animal – or creating [a stoner version of a cat](https://www.stonercats.com/cats) – Witjaksana came to the project with a larger idea; finding inspiration from the history of secret societies and medieval guilds. As the manifesto states; “The SuperlativeSS are not human, robot, animal or alien; they are metaphysical beings that inhabit the Superlative Multiverse and appear to us as pieces of art.” SuperlativeSS might be inspired by, say, the CryptoPunk portrait NFTs – but it takes the time and thought -  to push the genre forward. ![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/613978bc7e5cf900cb25f3a9/b5fef015-6523-43bf-92b6-18e1265e8c4b/artifact.png) [GOGO #2645](https://objkt.com/asset/gogos/2645) Other artists to look towards: [Gogos on Tez](https://objkt.com/profile/gogos/created) – puts a smile on my face. Each portrait seems to tell a horrific story that looks like Rick and Morty’s demonic cousin. Background details are mysterious: Artist [Arya Mularama](https://lynkfire.com/aryamularama), who is based in Jakarta, Indonesia, takes his influences from _comic books and skateboard culture and the movies and video games of the ‘90s._ ![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/613978bc7e5cf900cb25f3a9/222da07f-d731-4b12-ab44-2cfe3be7a0ec/ezgif.com-gif-maker.gif) [COMPLETION// #8/10](https://opensea.io/assets/0xea3e382934f77031c95d4feb851c06dd702e140d/35400010008) [Fvckrender](https://opensea.io/collection/fvckrender) is also doing some innovative stuff. The self-taught Vancouver based artist has an affinity for _sharp architectural geometry, beaming future landscapes and brilliant crystalline arrangements_. And Fvckrender’s work is insane. It looks like a futuristic crystallized world or, as Fvckrender puts it,‘his renders pay a dark homage to what may eventually reflect our very existence.’   Fvckrender is one of the digital artists who has pushed through and is selling his work via [old-school arthouse Sotheby’s.](https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/natively-digital-a-curated-nft-sale-2/shift) ![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/613978bc7e5cf900cb25f3a9/02aa9fcc-ca28-401e-86ab-487b507eb029/artifact+%282%29.gif) [🏀🐯🔲♥☔🥦🕳⚫](https://objkt.com/asset/rcs/124251672487254363242625792189194263089584080487870100887917991722247746054207) And holy fuckballs, you got to check out [Skeles by jjjjjohn](https://objkt.com/collection/rcs)– the digital artist based in Philly. There’s a lot to unpack in each frame of these randomly generated skeletons; chock full of great humor – within a dance of visual juxtapositions. I mean, who doesn’t like seeing [a skeleton wearing overalls,](https://objkt.com/asset/rcs/98658915761727410638048649841796058163261352253840389963046766455153254873442)  holding a TV – with falling broccoli behind him. You won't find a sea of instructional YouTube videos - on how to create derivative work in the style of these artists - because they are truly unique.  So, there’s usually a difference when a 10,000 Generative Projects is done by a team – than when it’s done by an individual artist. (And the irony is – that teams rely on the artist but rarely does it benefit the artist.) --- *Originally published on [UNDRGRND](https://paragraph.com/@undrgrnd/10k-generative-projects-creative-renaissance-or-soulless-cash-grab)*