The environmental protection organization WWF is offering virtual works of art by ten artists for sale under the label “Non-Fungible Animals” (NFA) in order to use the proceeds to finance the protection of endangered species. The original works of art are then provided with a digital certificate of ownership in the blockchain via NFT (Non-Fungible Token). The NFA artworks are each limited to the number of currently living animals depicted on them.
Based on the NFT technology used, the WWF calls the campaign “Non-Fungible Animals” for non-replaceable animals and thus draws attention to animal species that are becoming extinct, such as mountain gorillas and the vaquita whale. Ten artists, including Eric Peters, Romulo Kuranyi, Gary Lockwood alias Freehand Profit, Lea Fricke and Anna Rupprecht, have made their works of art available for this purpose. According to the WWF, the artists were selected because they had shown interest in animal welfare and could identify with the campaign.
Limited number of NFT artworks
The number of originals of a work available for purchase depends on the number of currently living animals of a species that is depicted on it. For example, 1063 copies of the crypto-art with a mountain gorilla by Eric Peters are for sale. For the individual works of art, the WWF calls up prices between 79 USD Coin and 799 USD Coin, a digital stablecoin that is linked to the US dollar. At the time of writing, one USD coin is equivalent to around 0.86 euros. The prices for the individual works of art are based on the market value of the artist.
Sales of NFA artworks should start on November 2nd, 2021 at 2 p.m.. To do this, buyers need a crypto wallet in order to make the purchase and to be able to store the NFT proof of ownership in the blockchain. As a blockchain technology, the WWF uses polygons, which are said to be particularly efficient.
Recently, various artists have offered their NFT works of art for direct purchase or have their works of art auctioned through auction houses. The NFT work “Everydays: The First 5000 Days” by Mike Winkelmann, for example, achieved a sum of 69 million euros at an auction held by the London auction house Christie’s in March 2021. The NFT technology is also used for other digital copies for authenticity certification and as proof of ownership, for example at the auctions of the first tweet and the first smiley.
(olb)
