A collection of 16,384 digital artworks, titled Hashmasks, has recently taken the digital world by storm. The unique crypto artworks that make up the collection each feature vibrantly colored figures sporting masks that can range from gasmasks to demonic horned masks to skulls in the style of Dia de Los Muertos. The artworks themselves are striking, but that’s not the only intriguing aspect.
The creators of the collection, who remain anonymous, have given the responsibility of naming each Hashmask to the buyer. Their intention is for the consumer to have a fundamental role in completing the artwork and defining its value. This idea has great potential for democratizing art and the world of collecting.
The Creation of Hashmasks
Masterminded by Suum Cuique Labs from Zug, Switzerland, the Hashmasks project involved the collaboration of 70 artists from across Europe. These artists were engaged to create specific features to be used in the Hashmasks. The defining features in each Hashmask include the mask, eye color, skin color, an item and the background. The creators of the project took the features and combined them, mainly using an algorithm, to create the final 16,384 Hashmasks. Work began on this project in 2019 and the Hashmasks launched on Jan. 28, 2021.
Each Hashmask is unique and there are varying degrees of rarity. The rarity, however, is quite complex. As the founders explain on their website, “On the highest level, there are 14 different types of masks. 12.5% of all characters wear an animal mask and only 5.9% wear a pixel mask. At first sight, pixel masks may seem more exclusive, but upon further inspection, you realize that there are only 13 Hashmasks that feature a unicorn mask, which is much more exclusive than the rarest of all pixel masks.” Rarity can also be determined by background, clothing and hairstyle.
However, whether buyers worked out the exclusivity or not of certain Hashmasks had no influence on purchasing. During the first 14 days that the Hashmasks were on sale, buyers couldn’t know which they had obtained. They were only revealed after the 14 days.
Hashmasks’ Hidden Surprises
After purchase, buyers began discovering extra hidden traits that created greater rarity amongst the Hashmasks. The subtle messages included Fibonacci symbols and a QR code that transpired to be an elaborate Rickroll (an internet prank that redirects users to the music video of Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up). Some Hashmasks also work together as collections within the collection. There are some whose backgrounds fit together like puzzle pieces. There is also what has been described as a “royal flush” over several pieces. These additional rare traits had been included later by the creators using Adobe Photoshop.
While these hidden traits add rarity to the Hashmasks, they also encourage community interaction. Buyers connected with each other in their quest to find Hashmasks that formed part of a series, thus forging digital communities.
The Novel Name Changing Token
The crowning quirk of the project, however, is the possibility for purchasers to choose the unique name of their Hashmask. The Hashmasks accumulate 10 native Name Changing Tokens (NCTs) each day. Once 1,830 NCTs have been collected, the holder can change the name of the Haskmasks. This would require about six month’s worth of NCTs, but Hashmasks sold in the first 14 days of auction are already assigned enough NCTs for one name change.
The process is not infinite, however. “After exactly 10 years, on 26 January 2031 (Timestamp: 1927206000), the last NCT will be emitted and from then on, the supply will only decrease until one day, the last NCT token is burnt and the art piece is complete,” the creators write. These unique names, the creators assert, endow these digital art collectibles with the greatest level of rarity.
Consumer as Collaborator
This ability to choose the name of your artwork poses intriguing new avenues for the roles of artist and collector. In the words of the creators, “You are not simply buying a piece of rare art. You are part of the art piece. The smart contracts allow you to assign a name to your Hashmask giving you the ability to add your unique stroke to the canvas. Thus, you become one of the founding creators that shaped this raw canvas into a timeless work of art. Your NFT can serve as your digital identity as we shift towards a fully digital economy.”
With the buyer adding rarity to their own purchase, there is also a sense of taking power away from the art world institutions that traditionally dictate taste and value. Galleries and auction houses tend to lead the art market, which is patronized by an exclusive clientele. Digital artworks and online marketplaces are far more open and inclusive, however, and could bring about a shift in the way art is bought, sold, and valued in general.
