Alright, now onto this Forexus Exhibit “Brass Coin” NFT collection. Sold out in minutes? That’s 4,000 ETH in one day on the MegaETH testnet! The art critic within me may just be raising an eyebrow, but the numbers are literally screaming. As someone who's spent more time staring at memes than Monets, I'm uniquely qualified to ask: Is this actually art, or just a really well-marketed pump-and-dump scheme disguised as digital scarcity?
Art or Algorithm? Does it even matter?
It’s clear that Forexus—a 36-year-old 3D artist from Ecuador—has serious skills. The images floating around are visually striking. Dynamic textures, next-level lighting, web3-infused aesthetics… incredible right? We know, we know—all of this sounds great to hear about on paper, until you realize you need to them. I’ve been noticing the phrase “photorealistic,” along with “Cinema 4D” and “Redshift,” popping up everywhere. Great! Does that automatically make it art?
Here's the thing: I'm not convinced. We've seen this before, haven't we? Remember the Beanie Baby craze? The Tulip Mania? Everyone drinks the Kool-Aid, fueled by a healthy dose of FOMO and dreams of easy riches. And sure, some people make money. Too often, everyone on the trip gets left holding the bag. In such an instance, they discover too late that they’re stuck holding a shiny brass coin that is currently worth less than the digital gas required to mint it.
The unexpected connection? It's like those "paintings" elephants make. They’re fun, they’re fascinating, and they generate funds for a worthy purpose. But nobody's hanging them in the Louvre. Is the algorithm the new elephant?
Utility vs. Aesthetics Where's the soul?
The pitch for these NFTs always comes back to utility. First access to Forexus’ mainnet release on MegaETH expected in Q4 2025. Okay...so it's a glorified coupon? A digital membership card? I understand that people are seeing through the speculative hype and betting big on long-term utility. New entrants, according to analysts, are focusing on long-term utility rather than chasing speculative hype. If I was after utility, I’d just purchase a Swiss Army knife, not a thing on the blockchain.
I understand the appeal. This is not just about having a nice piece of art. It's about being part of a community, gaining access to exclusive content, and potentially profiting from the artist's success. Tiered engagement models are the future, supposedly. What’s the role of the art itself in all of this equation? Or is it merely a means to an end? Is the art secondary to the access?
MegaETH has been making headlines by claiming to be able to do 100,000 NFT transactions per second. Fantastic! Just because something is produced faster and more efficiently doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better art. Second, an additional cost that is ineffective. Does a faster car equal a better driver?
Generational Divide Old Art vs. New Hype
Here's where the generational divide comes in. To my parents—bless their hearts—anything without a frame hanging in a museum is… well, not art. They perceive NFTs as a passing trend, a make-money-quick ploy for tech bros with too much time—and cash—on their hands. And honestly, sometimes I'm inclined to agree.
Yet each time I doubt, I think back to the pure joy of stumbling across a new meme that perfectly sums up what we’re all going through. The excitement that comes from developing anything digital and being able to share it with the entire world. The unique ability of online communities to bring people together in ways they couldn’t have imagined.
Perhaps the beauty lies not in the photograph. Perhaps it’s in the collegiality of the community it sparks. Perhaps it is the act of creation and subsequent ownership, now democratized by the innovation of blockchain technology. Perhaps it’s in the communal joy of seeing the floor price increase (or, as is more often the case, decrease).
I’m reminded of Duchamp’s “Fountain.” One urinal, marketed as art, that ended up calling into question the definition of art as we know it. Is Forexus’ Brass Coin the digital equivalent? Or is it an unintentional commentary on value, scarcity, and the absurdity of the art market? Or is it just a urinal?
At the end of the day, the question isn’t whether Forexus’ “Brass Coin” makes great art. The question is: What even is art anymore? Picture this—you’ve just gotten home after a long day, and you receive an email notification. Why should my judgment count if someone else is willing to spend 194 ETH on it? Let's talk about it. I’m interested in frank feedback, good and bad. If you just happen to have an extra Brass Coin sitting in your pocket, send it this way! For research purposes, of course.
