Welcome to the fourth installment of the Art Blocks Collector Spotlight series. Through individual collector spotlights, we explore the connections forged between collectors, artists, and the extraordinary pieces that form the essence of Art Blocks. 

The journey of each collector unveils a facet of our community’s shared enthusiasm and the profound impact of Art Blocks in cultivating a vibrant culture around digital artistry. 

In this installment, we’re excited to showcase longtime collector, AC, also known by his Twitter persona, ACthecollector.

AC has been in the aerospace industry for the past 10 years, running a company he started from the ground up. His Cuban and Palestinian roots influenced his early interest in crypto, where his family’s experiences taught him the importance of having access to money that’s permissionless, unseizable, and easily transferrable. He ventured into the crypto world in 2014, beginning with the community-driven /r/Dogecoin subreddit, which helped send the Jamaican Bobsled team to the Olympics. A year later, he started mining Bitcoin, utilizing the resources of his company’s warehouse. When the COVID pandemic struck, it posed significant challenges. His aerospace business suffered a severe blow, losing most of its revenue. In the Summer of 2020, his father, who was also his business partner, tragically passed away from COVID-19. This loss deeply affected him, making it difficult to continue going to the office. During this period, he turned to his crypto investments, focusing on “DeFi Summer” and other exciting developments within the crypto space, often shared on crypto Twitter. He expresses enduring gratitude to the world of crypto and platforms for providing stimulation and support during such a challenging period of grief.

Art Blocks: What initially drew you to Art Blocks, and how has your appreciation for it evolved since your first acquisition?

AC: I was buying stuff on Nifty Gateway before I even heard about the existence of Art Blocks, but I am very fortunate to have known Sofia Garcia for a bulk of my life. In 2019, she sold me a pen-plotted work from Tyler Hobbs, which I cherish so deeply. I knew Sofia did her show with Tyler and Dmitri Cherniak, so those names always stuck with me since then. In early 2021, Sofia and another friend, Sweaters, were like, “uh, why don’t you have a Ringers?” and sent me the Opensea link as they were shopping for themselves.

My first Art Blocks purchase was Ringers #899, like the third most common Ringers. What I loved was how it elegantly and simply represented the algorithm’s description of wrapping string around a peg. I knew it was one of several I would buy, and I was so happy to have a “control” piece. What was amazing to witness was how each Art Blocks drop inspired other generative greats to consider which of their strongest algorithms they would bring to Curated.

In April 2021, Matt DesLauriers’ Subscapes was the second collection that really made me say “holy sh*t.” I think I bought 30, including 2 Waterfalls and 14 Summits … those “generative worlds” in a beautifully intricate and artistic composition—I had to collect one of each landscape. It felt like someone needed to own it like a set. Soon after, in June 2021, Tyler came up with Fidenza. It was like the home run derby.

What I really appreciate looking back is how much of a blessing it was to hang out in the Art Blocks Discord and watch the minting channel, or speak with collectors in #block-talk and the artists’ channels. Collecting was becoming networked on the internet in real time; it felt so new. I have such deep respect for the OGs like Pixelpete, Dmitri, Snowfro, Ponyo, Durtis, Keight, Richard Kim, JDH, Team Dandelion, Sweaters, Nick W, Trill, Jordi875, 0xTechno, Brinkman, Plutonium, Rockland, Han, Andrew, and many others who were active in Discord and helped me refine my collecting taste just by having engaging conversations.

AB: Which Art Blocks piece in your collection holds the most sentimental value, and what’s the story behind it?

AC: It's probably going to be my painted Fidenza, aka “The Ambassador” (Fidenza #163). Because I had collected Tyler's work Quietude in 2019, I knew of his background in art and painting. He was (and is) an incredible painter, along with being a drummer and skateboarder, which is just wild. When Fidenza came out, I think people were instantly taken by the outputs, yet they didn’t know much about Tyler's deeper background because it was really his genesis NFT collection. Around a week or two after Fidenza minted out, I noticed Tyler traded with my friend Andrew Badr for #163, so I was curious about what he was up to. Later in the week, he announced having an auction with the proceeds to be donated to a local home for the aging in Austin, TX which I was interested in. It's the most sentimental piece in my collection because my grandmother had just passed away, so I had already told myself “whatever it takes.” Tyler gave me the option to commission him to paint any of my Fidenzas, but I had to ask why he had chosen #163 for the idea of painting. Tyler said (paraphrasing), “It best represents the algorithm and the other 998 Fidenzas.” This beautiful Fidenza formed the core, or “control,” of my Fidenza collection, similar to Ringers #899. I'm so grateful to look at the painting every day. It reminds me of my own temporality when compared to how eternal the NFT will be.

AB: How do you decide which Art Blocks pieces to add to your collection? Are there specific artists or themes you gravitate towards?

‍AC: Early on, I was only confident about collecting maybe the top five names I had heard of in generative art prior to NFTs existing. When prices started to run away from me, and I wanted to fill a lot of virtual wall space, I had to expand my list. The easiest thing to do then, and still often today, is to see what the artists are collecting. They'd have these successful drops, and then in 1-2 weeks, they're pretty liquid and proud to go get what preceded and might've even inspired them. I never collected much on Tezos, but it was also a great playground to share art and thus give a feel for judging what might feel new and worthy of collecting. Lately, I have been trying to consider what the AIs would collect, which may tail me off into a rabbit hole of GAN/AI works. 

AB: How do you envision the future of Art Blocks and the larger generative art community unfolding? Are there any trends or shifts you’re excited about?

AC: You're witnessing the success of Art Blocks Engine, and I believe “1 of 1 of X” will only gain more popularity in art, fashion, community building, museum engagement, architecture, and other unexpected applications. In the worst-case scenario, Generative Art will follow the path of previous art movements, serving as an expression of an entire generation and its technology. In the best case, it's an open field, as the community of artists consists of society's leading creators: software developers.

Creating beauty from code is akin to conquering Mount Everest for me. I am extremely hopeful about the direction society is heading as we increasingly integrate art and technology into everyday life. We are witnessing Generative Artists who were once part of major tech companies channel their creativity and entrepreneurship into this new tech vertical. Art Blocks played a pivotal role in forming this community, in my opinion. We have the opportunity to engage with and appreciate digital art on a real-time basis—hourly, daily, or weekly, depending on your preference. This experience is incredibly fulfilling compared to other pastimes that used to fill my idle time.

AB: For newcomers looking to start their own Art Blocks collection, what advice or insights would you offer from your journey so far?

‍AC: Collect who you are. If our shared thesis on crypto proves true, the intangibles you own will speak volumes about you, surpassing the significance of the coins you've traded. It’s undeniably more personal, so embrace it and collect with conviction, reflecting who you are and what you believe in. When you witness an artist pouring their essence into their work, and it resonates with you, take pride in collecting from them. Avoid hoarding or excessive collecting, of course. Lead a fulfilling life, cherishing your loved ones and investing in experiences. Then, perhaps, collect what holds meaning for you.

AB: Where can people follow you and see your Art Blocks collection?

‍MG: You can find me on Twitter at @ACthecollector and you can view my curated oncyber gallery here.