Ancurated: Preserving Culture On-Chain
Ancurated is an artist-led production company dedicated to preserving and elevating culture through curated and experiential projects. By integrating the power of technology, physical art, and editorial narratives, we create opportunities that celebrate and protect the rich cultural stories of Africa and its Diaspora, ensuring they are represented and preserved on-chain. As Head of Media, I assisted in developing the marketing and structure for our on-chain summer experience.
During OnChain Summer, Ancurated spearheaded multiple groundbreaking projects on the Superchain, highlighting diverse talents from Africa and the African Diaspora. We believe in the critical importance of safeguarding and amplifying these interconnected stories, breaking barriers to showcase the vast and diverse artistic expressions from across the African continent and beyond. Our mission is clear: Africa is not a monolith but a continent of vast influence and creativity that resonates globally.
Key Projects:
Ancollective: We launched Ancollective, an African-based guild fostering a vibrant community for the next generation of African artists on the blockchain. Ancollective is now one of the largest African-based accounts on Zora, with a following of 3.5k. Through this platform, we’ve onboarded 15 artists from various regions of Africa. As part of ancollective, we also developed their own digital zine "The Community Chronicle." Our special "Africa Day" edition achieved 213 mints and attracted 163 collectors, a record that underscores the impact of our efforts to educate and celebrate African history, created through the support of AI technology and IRL stories. (wallet address on zora : 0x8344d047332b3c8f5573fd54a87025c5e9409698)
REMX and Base Collaboration: Partnering with REMX, a platform bridging digital assets with physical art, we curated a drop featuring the artist vintagemozart. His piece "Stable Environment," sold out to 600 collectors, marking a significant milestone in his journey toward physical art. (wallet address: 0x1b44c859a41a57ba05e380b0eb803481ea342c74)
Fxhash "OnChain Summer" Partnership: In collaboration with Fxhash, we curated Ngozi Nao’s generative on-chain collection "Ultimate Time Crystal" via Base. This collection, reflecting her passion for time, space, and astrology, was a resounding success, with 349 NFTs sold and 135 unique owners. Alongside this, we produced a digital zine, "16x9," offering an editorial deep dive into her creative process, resulting in 118 mints and 30 unique holders. (contract address: 0xF0dEeef444E6f5f87f19ba5e90DEBF4F46390A87)
Superchief Gallery Collaboration - "Remote Control": Ancurated was part of the curation team in partnership with Superchief Gallery, showcasing African and Diaspora artists in a unique vote-driven event. We picked seven artists from West Africa, the Caribbean, and Southern Africa regions, with Swiss-Ugandan artist Samora 'Oibel1' Bazarrabusa winning the top spot and being showcased in Times Square for the first time in his career. Overall, our curated selection garnered 154 votes, uniting the community in a powerful celebration of African and Diaspora art. (wallet address: 0x1b44c859a41a57ba05e380b0eb803481ea342c74)
Through these projects, Ancurated has made significant strides in promoting and protecting African and Diaspora cultures, leveraging the blockchain to ensure these stories and talents are preserved and celebrated globally.