I first came across Matt’s work through Subscapes, which I somehow missed the mint of (story of my life). Luckily, I was able to collect a great campground palette for 0.75 ETH a month or so later, and when Meridian was announced I was immediately excited to see the early outputs.
 

Part of me doesn’t want to talk about price when discussing such a beautiful collection, but it’s an important part of the history and, looking back now, a fascinating snapshot of that time. Meridian dropped right in the middle of the 2021 bull market, and everyone knew it would be a big deal. The fever around the mint and the secondary activity was wild. I think I spent around 125 ETH on Meridians that day, between mint and secondary. Within days I had sold a pink “Prime” to Alan Howard for 50 ETH and an “Inverted” to another collector, Cygninae, for 80 ETH.

One memory that stands out vividly is seeing the blue one, #689, appear in the listing feed and thinking, I have to have that, whatever it takes. Thankfully, by cranking the gas high on the transaction, I managed to secure it. Back then it was common to miss something even if you clicked “buy” the instant it appeared. Gas wars were a part of everyday collecting.

A year or two later, I had just moved to London when Matt held his book launch on Brick Lane in Shoreditch, not far from my house. Meeting him and seeing the work so professionally presented was a real buzz. I had spent most of the previous two years in the southern hemisphere, so I hadn’t seen much digital art displayed properly. That night shifted my appreciation of the entire space and reminded me how special it really was.

Living in London meant I could finally print and frame my pieces, which I did with the blue Meridian and one of my Folio works, a series Matt created for the London Bright Moments event. The Folios are now possibly my favorite generative art collection, and I have slowly built a small group of them.

We printed the blue Meridian a meter high and hung it in my wife’s home office. Seeing it daily at that scale deepens your connection. You notice how it changes with light and mood, taking on new character every time. That piece in particular opened my eyes to what it means to have a real, evolving relationship with art.

Since then, I have collected each of Matt’s releases, including Hachure, Filigree, and Bitframes, along with several Tezos editions. Filigree was exhibited at the Disrupted Gallery in London and was especially striking. As an avid photographer and lifelong traveler, Matt’s way of capturing terrain, layering, and landscape resonates deeply with me. Beyond that, his ability to strike a balance between distinct outputs and cohesive style in long-form work is remarkable. He is truly one of the very best.

Four years on from that chaotic minting experience, my collecting has evolved from pure excitement into deep appreciation for the generative art medium and immense gratitude for this community, which now includes many artists, builders, and collectors who have become close friends.

My appreciation for Matt’s work continues to grow with every release, and while it is hard to choose a single favorite collection, I can safely say my favorite individual piece, and possibly my favorite of all time, is that bright, beautiful blue Meridian, #689.

- @blockbird