The Baking Sheet - Issue #177

Exploring the Synergy of Art, Technology, and Gaming: Unpacking Innovations and Collaborations in the Tezos Ecosystem

November 17, 2023

Exploring the Convergence of Art, Technology, and Gaming in the Tezos Ecosystem: From MoMA's Innovative Installations to Madonna's Tour and ORB3's Gaming Roadmap.

Arthur Breitman’s AMA on X


Tune into this insightful AMA with the co-founder of Tezos, Arthur, in which he spends over an hour answering questions from the community.

Fusing Art, Blockchain, and Technology: A Deep Dive into MoMA’s 'Unsupervised


In November 2022, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York embarked on a groundbreaking journey with Refik Anadol's "Unsupervised," an immersive installation that not only reshaped the perception of digital art but also fused blockchain technology to create an innovative installation.

In a detailed interview, Valérie Whitacre of Trilitech, Madeleine Pierpont from MoMA, and Sean Moss-Pultz of Bitmark delved into the intricacies and impacts of this fusion of art and technology.

MoMA's Pioneering Role in Digital Art

Madeleine Pierpont clarified a common misconception about digital art, highlighting that it hasn't been rejected globally but rather has been a bit of a dark horse in the art market. MoMA has a longstanding history of engaging with digital art, as illustrated by the 1969 SPACES exhibition. This project, she noted, aligns with MoMA's mission to foster experimentation and learning.

Blockchain and the Art World

The conversation then pivoted to blockchain technology, particularly NFTs, which stormed the art world in 2021. MoMA's initial foray into the web3 space began with Refik Anadol's exhibition on Feral File. This move into web3 is a part of MoMA’s broader exploration and learning curve in the digital art space.

The Impact of Refik Anadol’s Work

Valérie Whitacre inquired about the role of Refik Anadol’s work in MoMA’s digital journey. Pierpont spoke highly of Anadol's "Unsupervised" installation, noting its unique ability to captivate audiences, a testament to the power of digital art in fostering connections.

Autonomy’s Role in Art Collection

Sean Moss-Pultz introduced Autonomy, a digital art wallet designed to cater to the unique needs of art collectors and institutions. Autonomy, unlike traditional wallets, emphasizes the user experience and interfaces tailored for artworks. It was chosen by MoMA and Refik Anadol to distribute free mementos to visitors, a move that saw over 20,000 new collectors engage with blockchain technology.

Future of Blockchain in Art

The conversation concluded with reflections on the future of blockchain in art. Pierpont sees blockchain as a potential infrastructure layer in the traditional art market, offering new ways of art creation and community engagement. Moss-Pultz expressed excitement about the technological advancements in blockchain, such as account abstraction and ERC-4337 standard, which could significantly improve the accessibility and security of digital art transactions.

Concluding Thoughts

This interview sheds light on an evolving landscape where art and technology intersect. MoMA's "Unsupervised" installation, under the guidance of visionaries like Anadol, Pierpont, and Moss-Pultz, not only expands the boundaries of digital art but also pioneers the integration of blockchain technology in the art world, setting a precedent for future explorations and innovations in this exciting field.


Madonna’s Celebration Tour: A Blend of Iconic Art and Future Visions with Gabriel Massan and Tezos

Madonna, a timeless icon in the music world, recently launched her "Celebration" tour at London’s O2 Arena, blending her musical prowess with a deep appreciation for both past and future art. The concert, which featured hits like "Like a Prayer" and "Vogue," also served as a platform to pay homage to art legends and introduce emerging digital artists, notably Gabriel Massan.

Tribute to Art Legends

The Queen of Pop paid a heartfelt tribute to 1980s trailblazers like Keith Haring, Robert Mapplethorpe, and photographer Peter Hujar. During her emotional performance of "Live to Tell," images of these artists, who had tragically lost their lives to AIDS, adorned the backdrop, creating a powerful moment that connected the audience with significant figures of the past.

Gabriel Massan: The Future of Digital Art

Stepping into the future, Madonna introduced the works of Gabriel Massan, a Brazilian digital artist renowned for his vibrant and immersive creations. Massan’s art, currently on display at the Serpentine Galleries in London, represents a new era in digital creativity, further highlighted by his collaboration with Madonna on her world tour.

Innovative Art and Gaming Experience

Massan’s "Third World: The Bottom Dimension" exhibition at Serpentine North is more than a display; it’s an interactive, multi-level game that invites visitors to engage with digital art in a revolutionary way. This gaming experience, part of the Serpentine’s Arts Technologies program, echoes Madonna’s forward-thinking vision, seamlessly integrating art and technology.

Tezos: A New Frontier in Art and Memory

A key aspect of Massan’s exhibit is the implementation of Tezos. Visitors to the Serpentine exhibition have the unique opportunity to mint their experiences on the Tezos blockchain, creating digital mementos of their interaction with Massan’s art. This integration of Tezos not only enhances the audience’s engagement with the artwork but also aligns with the growing trend of preserving art and experiences forever.

Madonna and Massan: A Synergistic Fusion

Madonna’s decision to collaborate with Gabriel Massan for her world tour carries on this week’s theme of Baking Sheet, building a synergistic fusion of music, art, and technology. By embracing Massan’s artistic vision and the cutting-edge technology of Tezos, Madonna continues to push the boundaries, proving that her artistic vision is as relevant and influential as ever. As fans around the world experience this unique blend of past, present, and future art forms, Madonna reaffirms her status as not just a music icon but a visionary bridging diverse artistic worlds.

Tezos @ South Beach

As the sun-kissed shores of Miami prepare to host the world's art enthusiasts during the famed Miami Art Week, a digital wave is set to hit the coast. Tezos, a name synonymous with pioneering blockchain technology, is marking its grand return to the event. This year's Tezos presence at Miami Art Week is brought to life by none other than Refraction and Trilitech.

A Melting Pot of Creativity: "Most diverse presentation to date" isn't just a tagline; it's a promise. Tezos is rolling out the red carpet for its creators, collectors, and partners. Whether you're a seasoned Tezos enthusiast or someone just dipping their toes into the blockchain waters, the event promises an immersive journey. Timed perfectly with Art Basel Miami, it's the rendezvous point for the global Tezos art community.

What's on the Agenda:

  • Date to Remember: Circle December 6th on your calendar as Tezos takes over the Nautilus Hotel.

  • Exhibitions & Drops: An exclusive showcase of digital art pieces, awaiting your appreciation.

  • Engaging Panels: Dive deep into discussions with leading voices from the Tezos community.

  • Showcases: Experience the best of Tezos, from innovations to success stories.

  • Celebrating Achievements: For the existing Tezos community, it's a time to champion the triumphs of creative innovation across platforms.

  • Introduction to Tezos: New to the Tezos universe? Get a crash-course on the global success and spirit of its creative community.

With anticipation building, spots are filling up fast. Don't miss the opportunity to be part of this monumental event. Reserve your place now at lu.ma/5p2s4xy0 and dive into the fusion of art and technology with Tezos at Miami Art Week.

This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem

ORB3: Boosting Tezos Gaming

Tezos is emerging as a formidable player, thanks in part to innovative projects like ORB3. As someone deeply invested in the intersection of technology and gaming, Cryptonio.tez sat down with the ORB3 team exploring the ambitions and mechanics of ORB3, a project poised to advance Tezos gaming.

The Team Behind the Vision

ORB3's core team is a compact yet highly skilled group, spearheaded by CEO Savvas, known for creating "The Six Dragons," a trailblazing blockchain RPG. Alongside Savvas, CTO Erenia, Lead Developer Socrates, Lead Back-end Developer Mihir, and Strategic Partnerships Manager Kim bring a rich blend of game development and Web3 expertise. Their collective goal? To reshape the future of Web3 gaming.

Choosing Tezos as a Platform

The decision to build on Tezos stemmed from its unique blend of speed, cost-efficiency, low environmental impact, and robust decentralization. The team at ORB3 recognizes Tezos as not just a blockchain platform but a foundation capable of supporting the vast scalability that game development and gamer communities demand.

The ORB Ecosystem Explained

ORB3 is not a singular product but an ecosystem comprising three critical services:

  1. ORB3 Marketplace & Platform: This gamified marketplace is tailored for game developers and gamers, offering tools for project management, transaction handling, and community building.

  2. ORB3 API: Serving as the heart of the ORB ecosystem, this API equips developers with the necessary Web3 features, powering both the games and the marketplace.

  3. UnityORB SDK: Available in both simple and advanced versions, this SDK simplifies the integration of ORB3’s API, making Web3 features accessible to developers of varying expertise.

Governance and Tokenomics

ORB3 introduces a governance model centered around the $ORB token, obtainable either through direct purchase or by owning $ORB Infused Collectibles. These tokens not only back the collectibles but also grant voting rights in the governance process, engaging gamers and developers in the platform's decision-making.

Compatibility and Future Plans

ORB3 initially focuses on the Unity SDK, given Unity's extensive reach across various gaming platforms. However, the ORB3 API’s versatility ensures compatibility with any game engine, promising future expansions to accommodate engines like Unreal. The Six Dragons is already integrating ORB into its gameplay, marking the project’s move from theory to practice.

The Roadmap Ahead

ORB3's roadmap is ambitious yet pragmatic. By early 2024, the team plans to release the API and Marketplace on the Tezos testnet, followed by a mainnet launch. The vision extends to onboarding at least ten games as early adopters, gradually expanding to include more projects.

In-Game Mechanics and On-Chain Integration

A standout feature of ORB3 is its capability to run various in-game mechanics on-chain, as evidenced by The Six Dragons. Players can craft, enchant, and trade weapons and armor as NFTs, showcasing the potential of real-time collectible creation and trading within the game.

ORB3 stands at the forefront of a significant shift in the Tezos gaming ecosystem. Its suite of developer tools and services, coupled with a focus on community engagement and governance. As the gaming landscape evolves, Tezos appears to be a key player in this transformation, with ORB3 taking charge.

This Week in Tezos Development

Nomadic Labs has introduced a update to its Etherlink 1 rollup, now available on Tezos Ghostnet as of November 15, 2023. This new version introduces crucial advancements for community testing and development.

Key Features of the New Etherlink Deployment

  1. Enhanced EVM Node with Transaction Pool:

    • The EVM node includes a Layer 2 “mempool” supporting transactions with future nonces, allowing operations to remain valid until inclusion in Layer 2 blocks.

    • Users can now replace previous transactions by injecting the same operation with higher fees.

  2. Layer 1 Entrypoint Supporting FA2.1 Tickets:

    • Depositing of FA2.1 tickets is now supported, with ongoing work to enable bridging these tickets into ERC20 tokens in future updates.

    • Currently, the entrypoint supports depositing tez-wrapping tickets issued by the bridge smart contract.

Further details on these updates can be found in the EVM Kernel’s Changelog.

Accessing Etherlink MVP

Software and Infrastructure Details

  • The software aligns with a recent Octez development version and will be compatible with the upcoming v19.0 release.

  • An additional Smart Rollup archive node is deployed on Google Cloud Platform (GCP) in Europe, providing a backup of Etherlink’s rollup data.

Reporting Issues

For any problems encountered, please report them on the #evm-testnets channel on the tezos-dev Slack.

Deprecation Notice for Previous Etherlink/EVM Test Deployment

  • The previous deployment’s Smart Rollup address is sr1A5txMPrpjY9d4qCUq1Ke4PGBQ2WNiB7LJ.

  • Discontinuation of the https://evm.ghostnet-evm.tzalpha.net endpoint occurred on November 15th.

  • The Tezos Foundation will operate an endpoint for this Smart Rollup until the end of 2023 at http://evm.ghostnet.pizzainfra.org:8545.

  • Developers interested in operating this rollup post-2023 are encouraged to deploy their own operator and endpoints, with support available on the #evm-testnets channel.

Now Streaming

TezTalks Radio — Champ Medici Arts Fund | Cory Anne

In this week's episode, we're featuring Cory Anne, a selected artist from The Champ Medici Arts Fund.

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