It’s that time again! Here is my monthly roundup of the web’s best NFT offerings. I’ve curated a list of my top five new and exciting NFT artworks, including why I love them and where to find them.

‘Modroocko’ by Johana Kroft

Available on Dissrup

Inspired by a Czechian summer folk song about a girl with blue eyes sitting by the river, this original 1/1 NFT by Czechian artist Johana Kroft encapsulates the shifting seasons from spring to summer. The piece combines an abundance of textures, perspectives and motifs, from underwater coral and anemone to a bouquet of daisies. The depiction of features is Picasso-esque in its abstraction, combining multiple viewpoints within the one composition. The color scheme echoes the artist’s usual exuberant use of tone and lighting, suggesting a playful take on her exploration of themes. Even the inspiration of the piece, a whimsical folk song, lends a lightheartedness to the work that immediately lifts the spirits.

‘Body Lines #1’ by Khlebnitsa aka Bread Box

Available on Foundation

Photography duo Vitaliy Khlebov and Victoria Hlebova have teamed up to document their daily lives in Ukraine, including intimate and cinematic portraits of friends and family. This soft lit, closely cropped image is of their friend Michelle, and it embodies the feel of the rest of ‘Our Film Story,’ their collection of photography NFTs. The narratives are raw, untouched and honest depictions of life in the Ukraine, where the world’s gaze has suddenly been turned in the recent past. The photographs themselves are also untouched, captured on analog film cameras in the moment. The artists bring an artful eye to the everyday – grocery shopping, dressing and undressing, applying makeup. These banal activities take on a hint of the cinematic under the watchful lens of Khlebov and Hlebova, elevating personal experiences and viewpoints to that of fine art. Each 1/1 NFT is a snapshot of history, of contemporary life in a country which is experiencing an unprecedented level of international scrutiny, for reasons both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

‘MOON’ by Vexx

Sold on SuperRare

An incredibly exciting work that the artist himself calls “one of my most important works”, this NFT spans physical, digital and redeemable form. The animated NFT is written on a customized smart contract, which includes 100 dynamic NFT states tied to the real-time price movements of Bitcoin and Ethereum. The NFT is also accompanied by a physical sculpture, with LED screens in the eyes, which are connected to WiFi and will mirror the dynamic states executed by the smart contract. Finally, the NFT also entitles the owner to future airdrop benefits which will, again, be linked to the price of the world’s two biggest cryptocurrencies. The artist has teased drops for when the price of Bitcoin reaches $100,000 and Ethereum $10,000. What bear market?! For me, this piece embodies NFTs at their best, with a savvy combination of physical and digital display, one foot in the real world and one in the digital; an engagement with cryptocurrencies and the market, which are inextricably (for now) linked to NFTs; and the potential for future rewards. The lucky owner of this piece is 33NFT, an infamous collector who also holds iconic pieces by SixnFive, Lushsux, Fewocious, and more. Here’s hoping there are more artists out there with the foresight and creativity to create and produce complex, clever pieces like MOON.

‘The Hero’ by Vini Naso and Lance Victor Moore

Available on Dissrup

This phygital NFT is part of the ‘Masks of the Immaterial’ project by artist Vini Naso and physical mask maker Lance Victor Moore. The collection is inspired by Carl Jung’s book The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious, an examination of the universal archetypes that play a role in influencing human behaviour. ‘The Hero’ mask was designed for and worn by Lady Gaga in her ‘911’ video clip, and is now available to purchase as a digital art wearable. The owner will also receive the actual mask worn in the video, a once in a lifetime opportunity. The way NFTs create connections between fans, artists, and artisans such as Naso and Moore, is potent. Since the archetype of The Hero represents our collective aspiration to greatness, it’s only right that the NFT invokes the cult of celebrity with someone as galvanising as Lady Gaga. The owner of this unique, 1/1 NFT will hold a close connection to the star by owning the actual mask she wore in the iconic video, and has the power to become, through the wearing of a mask (both literal and metaphorical) a hero in their own right.

‘The Chess Player’ by Yuri Movshovich

Available on SuperRare

The artist has captioned this work “acceptance of no more moves is the final move of every thinker.” For me, this is a profound recognition of our finite capacity as humans, a reflection on the inherently flawed nature of our minds and lives. Yet it also captures the way we continue to try and think our way out of every problem, as if we can somehow conquer fate. Visually, the image is simple, with various references to a chess game to make the lexicon of the work clear. It’s ironic that the artist shares a name with the famous chess player Yuri Averbakh, who died at the age of 100 in May this year as the world’s oldest living Grand Master. Perhaps it’s an homage to the artist’s fellow Russian master, or perhaps a more personal investigation of a lifelong attempt to devise and execute a winning strategy.

Stay tuned for next month’s new + noteworthy!