The King of Midtown issues a letter from the King. | NFT CULTURE | Web3 Culture NFTs and Crypto Art

New year, new trend.

Just over a month into 2023 and we have already experienced a pivot in the digital art market. Open Editions (OEs), a once unusual drop mechanic many artists shied away from, have now gone viral following Manifold’s latest burning features.

From Nessgraphics’ record $2.2 million sale, to Vincent Van Dough’s Checks – Pepe Edition, we’ve seen this trend take over our Twitter feeds and inspire many to jump on the OE bandwagon.

Including NYC-based collector, curator and founder of The Crypt Gallery, King of Midtown.

For those unaware, King of Midtown is a highly respected collector based in New York City. He has quickly gained a reputation in the art world due to his unique Twitter personality and his vocal support of the digital art community. With a passion for bringing life to the digital marketplace, King recently founded The Crypt Gallery, an exhibition space that aims to educate the public and encourage greater participation in collecting digital art. He has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Forbes, Haute Living, KTLA and Business Insider. King sees artists as the “new celebrities” and continues to support them as they create groundbreaking work. The launch of The Crypt Gallery at Dream Hollywood and a showcase at Christie’s have helped establish King as a key figure in the digital art world, and the recent launch at Dream Downtown has further cemented his position.

He has become a bold and unapologetic figure in the art world. He is not afraid to speak his mind and call out bad actors in the industry, providing authentic and heartfelt views on the NFT space. He is a vocal advocate for the digital arts community, and his expertise and passion for the subject make him a valuable resource for those seeking to understand the opportunities and challenges of the NFT space. In addition to launching The Crypt Gallery, King is dedicated to moving the NFT space forward and addressing the issues holding it back. His straightforward approach and commitment to creating a more just and thriving digital art world has made him a respected voice in the community.

A message to the community

On Wednesday morning, King released a tweet and link to his own open edition called A Letter from the King, Part 1. Unlike the usual artwork we see KOM curate, this piece took a different approach. Emphasizing solely the message he had to deliver, King released a picture of his pfp with the following text superimposed:

“gm. Two infamous letters we see daily circulating in this room. But what happens when it no longer feels like a good morning?

Always gm. Because the digital market we created never sleeps. The demand to always be active, regardless of weekends, holidays or personal relationships, consumes us, isolates us from our normal lives and destroys our mental health.

Emphasize. Anxiety. Depression. Anger. Frustration. Overwhelm. Solitude. Confusion. Self-doubt. Insecurity. Panic. Hopeless. Lost. Discouraged. Beaten down.

Celebrates everything, but sees that the place rewards and praises the wrong characters. Mesmerized by online personas but not digging beyond the surface, we allowed our support to be bought, our attention captured and swept up in the hype, with none left for those who deserve and need it most. And when the noise subsides, we look around and notice that fewer of us are left standing.

This is a message to society. To survive, we need recognition and support for the right individuals. Skilled creators who provide value, vision, high-level execution, genuine intent and contribute time to build real impact. Choose your leaders carefully, before there are none left.

gm everyone. Time to wake up.”

To add to the ambiguity, the description says: Focused on speaking my truth and sharing art that depicts it. This message is the key to unlocking what may not be apparent at first glance.

Although open to interpretation, many wondered exactly what King meant by this and what, if any, purpose the letter would serve in terms of additional access or utility.

Real Talk with King

Seeing certain trends and movements in society has definitely caught King’s eye. And with the latest OE craze, he would break the silence.

“I just found it crazy… OEs were hot a long time ago but died out. Then suddenly we see another massive OE boom. The technology has been around, so why this reaction? I’m also curious why some individuals got certain results and, frankly, confused about how the community is quick to support certain others here.”

As a builder in this industry, King has experienced and taken a look behind the scenes of many projects, environments, artists, marketplaces and collectors here. And a message he keeps repeating is the importance of realizing who “the right people here are and looking beyond their wallets,” especially as those who contribute their time, energy and creativity will be the ones driving this industry forward. He warns that if we continue to overlook those who deserve and need the support the most, there will no longer be any of these people left. In his words…

“Especially in a time where we’ve all seen inexplicable behavior and bad grades taken advantage of, I think it’s important that we wake up and start having a conversation, before it’s too late.”

Inspired by a recent interview by Matt Medved discussing mental health and the negative reinforcements the NFT industry can have, along with his current situation and struggles on the personal side of things, King also wanted to open up and bring awareness to the toxic aspects of this industry. . Referring to the constant pace and the constant demand for commitment, these unrealistic standards have consumed many lives and violate previous personal boundaries.

What comes next?

For anyone wondering what King meant in his cryptic description, we summarize below.

• Originally, the OE was to be published as a work of art, but after realizing that both the message and the art are equally important to emphasize, King decided to publish this letter as Part 1.
• Part 1 because this is an ongoing collection. Holders will be sent more letters in the future with messages from King.
• As the description says, these letters are keys. They unlock exclusive access to artwork that embodies the message shared by King in his letter.

By implementing a different approach to OEs, King not only responds to current trends, but also uses NFTs to document our history forever and delivers a timeless message that society can always relate to.

Join King’s Twitter Space Friday at 10.00 to get all the details and ask questions at your leisure.