Coldie: Pascal Gauthier Has 'Strong Features' in Personality and Facial Makeup

As part of our special NFT series, we asked the artist Coldie to make an image of Pascal Gauthier, the CEO of crypto hardware-wallet maker Ledger.

Click here to view and bid on the NFT created by Coldie. The auction will begin on Monday, 12/4 at 12p.m. ET and ends 24 hours after the first bid is placed. Holders of a Most Influential NFT will receive a Pro Pass ticket to Consensus 2024 in Austin, TX. To learn more about Consensus, click here.

We spoke with Coldie about his work for the question and answer below.

Tell us about how/why you became an artist. Why do you choose to create NFTs?

I began creating art around 2009 after years of being the cover designer at LA Weekly. My fascination has always been surrounding stereoscopic 3D imaging. This originally started as being one of the only 3D concert photographers in the world, shooting my favorite bands live on stage in 3D with a custom-hacked 3D camera I built. In 2017 I found the blockchain and wanted to do my part to help tell the story about it and art was the best medium for me to be involved. In 2018 when I began tokenizing there as no such thing as a "NFT" and I still do not relate to that as a term of what I create. I started tokenizing my digitally-native artworks on R.A.R.E. ART LABS and SUPER RARE in 2018 and since then have continued to create and experiement with this new technology. I create art and use the technology of an NFT for provable scarecity, provenance, and worldwide peer-to-peer exchange.

Talk about your artistic approach to creating an image for this year’s Most Influential.

Pascal is the front-facing person that millions of crypto investors trust with the most valuable digital assets they own. The face gives many cues about what might be inside a person's head. I play off these themes in the stereoscopic 3D artwork. The art can be viewed in a variety of 3D methods including anaglyph 3D glasses, 3D TV, 3D tablets, VR and whatever comes in the future. Much as ledger has grown over the years and is positioned for the future, so is this art piece.

What aspects of Pascal Gaulthier's personality and profile did you want to emphasize, and why?

I feel that Pascal has very strong features both in his personality and facial makeup. Zooming in up close and looking all around his face represents the amount of scrutiny and pressure he is under and his strength to lead.

Who do you think are the most influential NFT artists today?

Collectively, digital artists engaged in ecosystem are showing the world the future of how tokenized assets can be traded peer-to-peer. This will lead to the tokenizing of many aspects of life, outside of the specific use of art. Artists are always the willful guinea pigs who take risks that sometimes find larger use cases for the masses in the process. Paying attention to the artists who take risks to better the space is valuable. This is the influence I am here for and pay attention to.

What was the most disruptive NFT project in history?

I think Rare Pepes are the most ongoing disruptive project in rare digital art history. They were ahead of the curve from the beginning and to this day the 'dank culture' is one that is growing exponentially and always inviting artists to create their own Pepe and expand the reach of the culture.

Describe your style in three words.

FAFO in 3D

Given the rise and the fall of the NFT market over the last 18 months, what’s your outlook on the future of NFT art?

I am an artist and all I want to do is make art. No matter digital or physical, all my art can utilize tokenization in unique applications based on each art work. The road for rare digital assets is still very new and largely unpaved. Artist secondary royalties is one of the paradigm changes in the art world that cannot be overlooked. All artists should benefit from their own success in perpetuity. This can evolve what it means to support artists and hopefully get us further away from the awful reality of 'the starving artist.' As this continutes to happen, that is the bright future of tokenized art.