The political expression of NFT art

Welcome to GM, BFF, a newsletter hitting your inbox every week with key insights from web3, crypto, our community and beyond.?This newsletter is written by?Guest Editor Megan DeMatteo ?while I am on maternity leave.

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Are non-fungible tokens (NFTs) political? Not inherently, but the technology is causing a wake of disruption that has the power to upend traditional institutions. Art has always had the power to disrupt the narrative, but blockchain technology has catalyzed its power to do so.?

On the eve of International Women’s Day, Sotheby’s and UnicornDAO announced “My Body, My Business,” an auction to celebrate women artists and champion reproductive healthcare. The benefit auction began on March 7, the eve of International Women’s Day, with a live panel and exhibition at Sotheby’s NYC. Bidding will run through 2pm EST on Tuesday March 14.

Curated by UnicornDAO founder Nadya Tolokonnikova, the collection consists of physical and digital artworks by Marina Abramovi?, Latashá, Jenny Holzer, Cindy Sherman, Nancy Baker Cahill, Fawn Rogers, Zhanna Kadyrova, Ellen von Unwerth, Annie Sprinkle, Beth Stephens, Katie Bush and more.

“One of the things I've loved in the digital art and crypto space is this ‘f*ck you’ energy to all the old institutions,” Tolokonnikova said during the Sotheby’s panel on March 7. I think using that energy we can actually build a better world.”

This collection is truly a dialogue between some of the most established artists in the traditional art scene as well as trailblazing digital art creators and crypto early adopters. The combination of both traditional mediums and digital artforms marks what some artists consider a much-needed disruption allowing creators to rally more support behind their causes.

“I was able to raise more money for activist causes than through traditional fundraisers,” said Tolokonnikova about her first NFT drop,?Panic Attack . “It's proven to be really useful and successful.” ???

?? There is still time to participate in the auction. Here are the details:?

1. Bidding closes on Tuesday, March 14, 2pm EST.?
2. Proceeds will support organizations that advocate for sexual and reproductive healthcare and education, including Planned Parenthood.
3. The art catalog with all works and details can be found on?Sotheby’s dedicated site .

?? Support by bidding and sharing this benefit auction with friends, collectors, art lovers and activists alike.

Banner artwork (above): Michele Pred

Catch Up Quick

DAOs do Utah . The Utah State Legislature passed Act HB 357, the Utah Decentralized Autonomous Organizations Act (Utah DAO Act). The new law provides legal recognition and limited liability to DAOs, naming them “LLDs.“?

Centralized banks shuttered. ?The collapse of three federally insured banks — California's Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Silvergate Bank and New York's Signature Bank — caused widespread concern over the weekend. Crypto wallets withdrew over $900 million in USDC from centralized exchanges by Friday, as many worried about the stablecoin service provider Circle, which keeps billions in cash reserves at banks like SVB and Silvergate. By Sunday night, the U.S. government?stepped in ?to ensure depositors at SVB and Signature Bank will have uninterrupted access to their money.

A day in the life of a DeFi community lead. ?BFF holder Po On Yeung takes us on a work trip to LA with Warbler Labs.

Moving beyond #GirlBoss culture.?During the week of International Women’s Day, Contributor Isabel Doonan heard from women about the realities of working in a male-dominated world.

From Our Founding BFFs

MAVION Cofounder & CEO Michelle Reeves?wrote a?guide to NFTs ?that your grandparents will understand.

Unstoppable Domains COO Sandy Carter?(who recently?got a promotion ) wrote about?why brands are embracing the metaverse ?for VentureBeat.

Marketing Expert Amy Porterfield?shared her?secrets for success ?with CNBC Make It.?

BFF Events

Thanks for reading! We’d love to hear from you. Feel free to let us know what you think of this newsletter and what you’d like to see from it in the future by emailing [email protected].

?? This newsletter and all the information in it does not constitute financial advice. If you don’t want to invest money or time in Web3, you don’t have to. As always: Do your own research.