Pantone, Tezos Blockchain and Polygon1993 team up on NFT giveaway in crypto-art foray

09 Mar 2022 --- Color-aesthetic design company Pantone is teaming up with Paris-based multidisciplinary “crypto-artist” Polygon1993 and “eco-friendly” crypto-currency company Tezos Blockchain to announce a free art giveaway. The giveaway will feature nine non-fungible tokens (NFTs) inspired by Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri: Pantone Color of the Year 2022.

The first two pieces will drop today at 12 PM EST, with the second two going live tomorrow at 7 AM EST. Polygon1993 is set to release each unique NFT over Tezos’ largest NFT marketplace, Objkt.

Laurie Pressman, vice-president of Pantone Color Institute, tells PersonalCareInsights: 

“It made sense for us to plan an NFT release for Pantone Color of the Year, Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri as it organically reflected one of the salient messages of this color, which is its ability to project a sense of futurism and due to its vivifying red undertone and dynamic presence, symbolizes how the digital and physical worlds are colliding to create a new immersive reality.”

Pictured: still from one of the NFTs to be given away over Instagram.NFTs are pieces of data stored on blockchain, a sort of digital ledger. These tokens may be sold or traded, with blockchain taking note of ownership. NFTs thus function as proof of authenticity or ownership over the given piece of data, which may take the form of photos, videos, music and other art. 

Winners of the first five NFTs will be selected through an Instagram giveaway from March 9-10, while the other four NFTs will be exclusively available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the “Pantone Very Peri” room inside the Tezos “Block/Space” at SXSW 2022 from March 11-14. Users at the Block/Space will have an “immersive” experience of the NFTs.

Making art accessible to all
Pressman says Pantone chose Instagram to host the giveaway of Polygon1993’s first pieces as it is the platform where Pantone has the greatest number of devoted followers.

“Additionally, the goal is to help bring our broader creative community in to explore the metaverse and NFTs and make it more accessible, so Instagram is a great way to do that.”

The move is Pantone’s first NFT collaboration and is part of its ongoing strategy to expand its reach within the digital world and “make art accessible to all.”

Embracing blockchain
Pantone announced its plans to team up with Tezos to “explore color in the digital world” last December as a part of its Pantone Color of the Year 2022 reveal in December. The collaboration with Polygon1993 is the result of this collaboration.

In order to obtain the NFTs, users will need to possess a Tezos digital wallet. Pantone directs first-time NFT collectors to set up a digital wallet via Kukai, using DirectAuth to link an existing Reddit, Twitter or Google account.

Artist Polygon1993 created the “digital glitch art” NFTs using techniques that incorporate analog cameras, merging them with current digital tools to create a sense of motion despite working with still imagery. Through a process known as circuit bending, Polygon1993 used small knobs and buttons to capture subjects and models in high definition. Truly moving art is hard to capture.

According to Pantone, slight knob movements can create entirely new shapes, meaning the process must be handled with care and precision.

“With digital tools, I was able to create something new that stems from the old but makes it new and futuristic. It showed me we don’t have to erase everything we learned as kids – instead, we can transform it and give it a new purpose,” says Polygon1993 about the NFT series.

The fusion of digital and physical life
Pantone’s Color of the Year, Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri was reportedly chosen to highlight personal inventiveness and creativity. According to Pantone, the color “illustrates the fusion of modern life where people expect to interact with the digital and physical interchangeably,” which will affect the future of color.

“The appeal of the NFT medium for Pantone is to highlight the engaging role color can play no matter the context or environment in where it appears, digitally where it appears to those interested in collectibles in the crypto space or IRL for those wanting to view something physically,” she highlights.

Pressman alludes that the company is only expanding its digital presence: “Pantone is continuing to explore our role in the digital space.” She is set to speak at the Block/Space alongside her colleague Elley Cheng, vice president and general manager of Pantone, about color and the metaverse.

The company is growing its presence in various sensory fields. In December, Pantone partnered with fragrance giants Firmenich to create a collection of scents inspired by Pantone Color of the Year, Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri.

Recently, GNT started developing natural color solutions inspired by Pantone Color of the Year, Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri to create foods with the same periwinkle hue.

By Olivia Nelson