It began a few days ago with a member of the CryptoPunks Discord, Scott (emergence.gallery) seeking helpful advice on an ‘upcoming project’ of his own, from community members and even other platform creators whose projects had already achieved what he was himself hoping to. His full intentions were not entirely clear to those being helpful enough to advise.
Only a couple of hours to launch for @EmergenceGal (https://t.co/6uZulMduZj) - 5pm UK time. Carbon offset + 10% of all sales going to @CR_UK. 999 pieces in the collection. Generative art hosted immutably on the Ethereum blockchain. pic.twitter.com/pLStI3qY4e
— Scott Taylor (@ScottTaylor) July 2, 2021
Can't Wait!!!
So, this new platform's initial generative art series ‘AERIALS’ begins their minting process and there’s some excitement in the Punk Discord (as well as a few warnings about contract audits and garden variety FOMO). Minting ends with many people mentioning they can’t see what they minted. There are lots of questions in the chat. Then as some mints finally do render people begin to compare their new art. Some fun discussion about colors and shapes goes on for a few minutes, then a most appreciated heads up came from a popular Art Blocks artist, Dmitri Cherniak, who happens to know and appreciate SYM, the original artist of the work!
So here is what looks like the same art used ‘without credit’ by Emergence gallery, credit seems to have been given to Scott…
Hmm.. Maybe just a simple misunderstanding?
With the help of another fellow Art Blocks Artist Alexis Andre, Dmitiri reached out to SYM to confirm directly if he was indeed aware that his work was being used by Scott for AERIALS on the emergence gallery. SYM is Japanese and doesn’t speak english so communication wasn’t easy.
Impressive work by an impressive pair of concerned NFT artists and Art Blocks community members
Making it look like you came up with the idea, putting your name as the artist and when called out, do a half-assed job at making it look like it was someone's else art from the beginning? If that's an honest mistake, I'm waiting for them to transfer all funds to the true artist.
— Alexis André (@MacTuitui) July 3, 2021
At the time of writing the Punk Discord community is waiting on word back from Scott. The Ethereum spent on the AERIALS can still be found here at this address. The community is still hoping for a happy ending, one where the appropriate artist is somehow compensated for his work. There are also the many collectors who put faith in the new Emergence generative minting platform who are less than thrilled right now...
