The Satirical Truth About Decentralization, NFTs, and Auction Houses
When I first heard about traditional auction houses diving headfirst into the world of NFTs, I was genuinely excited. For decades, these institutions have been synonymous with exclusivity, luxury, and a level of prestige that only a select few could access. The idea of them embracing decentralization—a concept built on inclusivity and breaking down barriers—was inspiring. I thought, This is it. This is the bridge between the old and the new, a genuine adoption of Web3 principles.
So, armed with this optimism and a collection of NFTs that spoke to the ironies of life, art, and commerce, I decided to test the waters. What started as a naive and genuine attempt to put my work on the map soon turned into an eye-opening experiment about the true intentions of auction houses in the NFT space. Spoiler alert: it’s all satire.
The Journey Begins
My art is different—it’s word-based, conceptual, and satirical. Think phrases like "Everything is monetized, including this," "It’s all satire," and "I am selling this for 500 ETH." The collection is a humorous critique of the absurdities in both the NFT world and the broader art market. With this in mind, I reached out to Christie's first, hoping they’d at least look at my work.
Their reply was polite but demotivating: “We’re unable to provide an estimate.” They essentially told me my art wasn’t “known” enough and had no secondary market value—despite never having seen my work. This puzzled me because, in the NFT space, primary sales often outshine secondary ones. So why the fixation on secondary market value?
Was it about gatekeeping? Or was it that the decentralization narrative was merely a convenient storyline to drive sales and headlines?
Testing the Theory
Determined to give decentralization the benefit of the doubt, I reached out to other auction houses. Perhaps Christie's was an outlier. Spoiler: they weren’t.
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Heritage Auctions: A representative suggested I try Artsy, Etsy, or eBay. Yes, you read that right. eBay (no offense).
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Sotheby’s: No reply to my emails. When I called, they passed me around like a game of hot potato, offering no real answers. Yet, they still send me marketing emails to this day.
The irony was not lost on me. My NFTs, which critique the absurdities of modern commerce and art, were being validated by this very experience. These institutions seemed more interested in using NFTs as a marketing tool to re-engage high-net-worth individuals in the crypto world rather than embracing the principles of decentralization.
The Satirical Reality
Let’s not forget some of the most ridiculous moments in the art world: a duct-taped banana sold for $6 million, personified monkey JPEGs going for millions, and a white sphere breaking records. The story, not the item, is what creates value.
This realization only deepened my belief in the satire of it all. The very institutions claiming to adopt decentralization were cherry-picking the parts that suited their agenda. Decentralization, at its core, is about equal opportunity—the ability to build, create, and transact without central gatekeepers. By prioritizing secondary market NFTs and big-name artists, auction houses are appropriating the concept, not adopting it.
Moving Forward
I considered giving up. For a moment, I even thought about taking Heritage’s advice and listing my work on Etsy. But then I remembered why I created these pieces in the first place: to highlight the absurdity of the systems we navigate daily.
So here I am, sticking to the principles of decentralization, embracing persistence, and sharing my story with you. Whether my NFTs sell for $5, $50 million, or nothing at all, they represent something bigger—the freedom to create, value, and transact on my own terms.
If you’re curious (or just want a laugh), check out my satirical NFT collection here: https://rarible.com/linedletters. Oh, and for added fun, I’ll include screenshots of the emails I received from these auction houses—it’s comedy gold.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Remember, it’s all satire and it’s all an illusion. Keep creating, keep building, and most importantly, keep questioning.
Sincerely,
A hopeful NFT creator who refuses to give up on the power of decentralization.
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