Pantone has always been on the leading edge of color in the design world, and now it's taking it a step further into the digital realm with its first-ever release of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) inspired by its Color of the Year 2022, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri. The global color authority collaborated with Paris-based multidisciplinary artist, Polygon1993, to give away nine NFT artworks on the eco-friendly Tezos blockchain.
As part of its Pantone Color of the Year 2022 reveal in December 2021, Pantone announced it would be building on Tezos to explore color in the digital world. The first five NFTs were offered for free on Tezos’ largest NFT marketplace, Objkt.
The first drop of two pieces went live on March 9, and the second drop of three pieces launched on March 10. An additional drop of four, brand new NFTs created by Polygon1993 were available exclusively at Tezos’ SXSW 2022 experience, Block/Space, between March 11-14, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Visitors were also able to immerse themselves in the color and view the NFTs inside the “Very Peri” room at the activation. In addition, Laurie Pressman, the vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, and Elley Cheng, the general manager of Pantone, discussed color and the metaverse as part of Tezos’ speaker series.
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“As we further explore and create products and services for our community that complement the digital and physical landscape, we are excited to continue our partnership with Polygon1993 and Tezos to explore new avenues for creativity like NFTs and how color can influence this creation,” said Cheng.
Creating Digital Glitch Art
Polygon1993 collaborated with Pantone to create this collection of digital glitch art using a combination of techniques that incorporate analog cameras and merge it with current digital tools—creating a sense of motion while working with still imagery. A process called circuit bending, Polygon1993 utilized small knobs and buttons to capture everything in high-definition. The slightest movement of a knob creates a completely new shape, so it had to be handled with precision to ensure each piece was executed correctly.
“When I first saw PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri, it immediately took me back to my childhood. The blue and red undertones gave the color a retro vibe that inspired me to incorporate nostalgic effects that transport people to the past,” explained Polygon1993. “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.”
The Pantone Color of the Year is chosen by the Pantone Color Institute, as their group of color experts around the world research global and cultural trends to determine the color that best symbolizes the global zeitgeist at a particular moment in time. This year’s selection, Very Peri, is a newly created color highlighting personal inventiveness and creativity; a color that illustrates the fusion of modern life where people expect to interact with the digital and physical interchangeably and how that affects the future of color. Very Peri is a dynamic blue hue, whose vivifying red undertones are best rendered on high-definition screens and in 3D, making it the ideal color for this NFT collaboration and virtual explorations. This is the first time that Pantone is exploring the blockchain and NFT space.
Tezos’ energy-efficient design and low costs to mint and transact NFTs have subsequently attracted a diverse community of creatives around the world. With Tezos home to major NFT platforms, more brands are choosing to build on Tezos than ever before. Notable organizations include Gap, Ubisoft, Team Vitality, Formula 1 racing teams Red Bull Racing Honda and McLaren Racing, Societe Generale, music NFT platform OneOf and more. Tezos also recently exhibited a highly successful NFT interactive experience as a premier blockchain partner at Art Basel in Miami Beach 2021.
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