CHICAGO—Global art activation agency Muros stirred up the Windy City’s art scene when, for its fourth annual art gallery, it incorporated the “it” tech of the moment: NFTs. The NFT gallery experience, dubbed Titan Vision, took place on Aug. 11 as part of Muros’ Titan Walls Mural Festival.
The exhibition took over the West Loop’s Loft on Lake and outfitted the space with art from nine global creators. Admission was free for the 700 attendees who perused Titan Vision, which featured “a truly unique, 360-degree structure with oversized screens to display the artwork,” said Dave Seidler, CEO and co-founder of Muros.
The event welcomed 700 guests and showcased NFTs by Steven Baltay, A.L. Grime, Thibault Zeller, Alexy Préfontaine, Serwah Attafuah, Juan Carlos Montes, Jason Naylor, Robin Velghe, and Nephro.Photo: Courtesy of Titan Vision
At the doodle station, graphic artist Blake Jones and muralist BirdMilk customized prizes—such as an Oculus Quest, a Keurig coffee machine, or Chicago Bulls-branded hat—with whimsical designs.Photo: Courtesy of Titan Vision
“Actually, we curated the artwork to only include motion-based NFTs,” he added, attributing the movement as to how Titan Vision could be differentiated from other non-fungible token-focused exhibits. And for onlookers who were interested in a piece, an adjacent QR code allowed them to scan “to learn more about the art and/or purchase the artwork.” Seidler also made sure to note that “Muros does not make money off any Titan Vision NFT sale,” plus that non-fungible tokens “allow for artists to receive ongoing royalties from their sale, [thus] helping more art be created.”
Attendees could scan QR codes adjacent to the NFTs to either purchase or learn more about the artwork.Photo: Courtesy of Titan Vision
Festivities included a doodle station where Chicago-based graphic artist Blake Jones and muralist BirdMilk customized prizes with whimsical designs. “They sometimes collaborated on a theme given to them by the attendees, ultimately making a custom piece of artwork for guests to take home,” Seidler said.
Additionally, the first 100 people to enter Titan Vision won anything from an Oculus Quest to a Keurig coffee machine, Chicago Bulls-branded hat, Polaroid camera, and more. And not to be forgotten—an on-site bar served up drinks in partnership with Maplewood Brewery and Distillery and Topo Chico, including the “Liquid Lightning” signature cocktail, and catered fare courtesy of Kuma’s Corner.
The addition of Titan Vision marked the first NFT-centered event to be added to the Titan Walls Mural Festival. Seidler said that when the fest was launched in 2019, it was “a passion project, fueled by the desire to create a platform to foster artistic expression and give back to our hometown.” What began as a one-day event has grown into a week-long all-about-art extravaganza.
The event was produced by Chicago-based global art agency Muros. The agency's CEO and co-founder, Dave Seidler, told BizBash that the exhibit was curated "to only include motion-based NFTs."Photo: Courtesy of Titan Vision
And thanks to the NFT boom of the past year, the addition of Titan Vision has put Titan Walls—now Chicago’s largest mural festival—on the map. Seidler said on the introduction of Titan Vision: “In alignment with Muros’ company ethos … [it] serves to provide a new and unique platform for artists—in this case, digital and NFT artists.”
He also hoped that Titan Vision allowed “more people to see the value in NFTs and recognize the artists as brands continue to expand on the utility or merit they offer.” Seidler also predicted that “there will be many creative ways NFTs will become part of our everyday lives in the years to come.”
An on-site bar served up "Liquid Lightning," a signature cocktail that, in a fun touch, was made with ice cubes that lit up.Photo: Courtesy of Titan Vision
