As media artists, Jennifer and Kevin McCoy have always been interested in art that creates effects in real time in unexpected ways. With art historical precedents set by artists such as John Cage and Anni Albers, their work strives to create an initial set of structures that then play out over an elongated period of time. Quantum Leap, with its three-year cycle of evolution, is the longest-term artwork the artists have made to date. With the recent innovations in NFTs and the social dynamics around them, Quantum Leap, as it evolves and multiplies, extends the terrain of the work of art into something akin to an eco-system.
"As media artists, we have always been interested in art that creates effects in real time in unexpected ways."
—Jennifer and Kevin McCoyQuantum Leap is a generative, code-based NFT series inspired by Kevin McCoy’s 2014 work Quantum, the first artwork tokenized on a blockchain. The word “quantum” alludes to the attempt in theoretical physics to develop a theory of the universe. This approach to physics generally also strives to answer questions about the first phases of the universe. This generative, iterative process is emulated in the structure of Quantum Leap which evolves to become more complex, changing states, and spinning off new versions of itself over time.
The Quantum Leap series consists of eight unique tokens, the Primordial Stars. The present lot, Quantum Leap (Primordial Star 1) is the first in the series to be offered for sale. For this project, several levels of code-based systems interact. Visually, each token from Quantum Leap produces a mandala that changes and evolves, inspired by the life cycle of the stars, which shift colors as they age. These stars also change form as they become more circular as the code-generated images mature, evolving from three to twenty sides over the span of their lifetimes.
The code-execution environment that drives the animation exists both on a dedicated website, and eventually, as a downloadable stand alone application. This website allows collectors who have Quantum Leap tokens to visit the site, connect their wallets (or download the .exe) and see the artwork that corresponds to their token. The software will read the specific tokens and derive operational parameters from on-chain data belonging to each token.Tokenomics: Primordials, Descendant Stars, and Darkstars
Works in the Quantum Leap series can do three things: they can generate descendent tokens, they can evolve, and they can go dark after evolution. Each of these actions produces specific animated states.
The code for Quantum Leap contains a function which, over time, slowly complicates the visual pattern of the artwork. When each Primordial Star increases its side count, the previous side count animation will begin to decay and a new Primordial Star token will generate. The timing of this event will vary depending on on-chain parameters.
Initially, the eight Primordial Stars each have a set unique starting value, including their initial number of sides (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10) and unique color palettes. Over time, the side count of the Primordial Star tokens will then evolve from the initial side count to twenty sides.
As these initial tokens progress, they can also produce offspring which the original token owner will also own. Each Primordial Star will contain dynamics which allow for the creation of newly derived tokens with their own parameters that drive unique visual patterns in the rendering software. Each of the eight Primordial Stars will spawn between one and seven offspring that will be generated by random mutations. The entire spawning period will take place over the course of three years, and these newborn descendent tokens will neither evolve nor die.
The code contains a decay function which, once initiated, will desaturate the image to a grayscale animating mandala. The conditions to initiate this ‘death’ are random and must happen at least once before the 3-year limit is over.
After a token sheds its Darkstar, it evolves into a token with one additional side (e.g., from 3 to 4 sides).Quantum Leap’s Art Historical Predecessors
Jeremy Blake, Angel Dust, 2000. Image: Modern Museum of Art, New York, Artwork: © Jeremy Blake EstateJust as new media pioneer Jeremy Blake sought to bridge the fields of painting and film in lush, immersive video works, Jennifer and Kevin McCoy are using new technologies to further explore the possibilities of time-based art.
Anni Albers, Wall hanging. 1926. Mercerized cotton, silk, 80 × 47 1/2 in. (203.2 × 120.7 cm). Purchase, Everfast Fabrics Inc. and Edward C. Moore Jr. Gift, 1969 (69.134). Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, U.S.A. Image copyright © The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Image source: Art Resource, NY As the loom provides the matrix for Anni Albers’ textile based-works, the code provides the generative framework for the visuals in Quantum Leap.
Sigmar Polke, Untitled. 1999. Acrylic, cadmium white, white pigment and mica powder on prepared paper, 199 x 149 cm. AM2000-70. Photo: Philippe Migeat. Location: Musee National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France. © CNAC/MNAM, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY Visual aspects of the mandalas that Quantum Leap produces call to mind the magical and mutable alchemy of Sigmar Polke.
Jeremy Blake, Angel Dust, 2000. Image: Modern Museum of Art, New York, Artwork: © Jeremy Blake EstateJust as new media pioneer Jeremy Blake sought to bridge the fields of painting and film in lush, immersive video works, Jennifer and Kevin McCoy are using new technologies to further explore the possibilities of time-based art.
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Anni Albers, Wall hanging. 1926. Mercerized cotton, silk, 80 × 47 1/2 in. (203.2 × 120.7 cm). Purchase, Everfast Fabrics Inc. and Edward C. Moore Jr. Gift, 1969 (69.134). Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, U.S.A. Image copyright © The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Image source: Art Resource, NY As the loom provides the matrix for Anni Albers’ textile based-works, the code provides the generative framework for the visuals in Quantum Leap.
Further Information on NFTs
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Are there resale royalties due to the artist on secondary market sales?
The NFT is subject to resale royalties on any subsequent resales of the NFT. On any subsequent resale of the NFT, the successful bidder and buyer of the NFT at the auction may be obligated on Seller’s behalf to collect and remit to Seller resale royalties as applicable equal to 10% of the sale price of the NFT. Other resale royalties and transaction duties imposed by law may also apply in relation to such resales.
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Please view the full NFT Conditions of Sale.
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Provenance
The Artists
312
Quantum Leap (Primordial Star 1)
Token ID: 1
Contract Address: 0x8425...9F31
Non-Fungible Token (ERC-721) with executable software application
MP4
Minted on June 22, 2021, this work is a unique variant from a series of 8.
For this particular lot please see the special NFT Conditions of Sale, which govern the sale of this Lot, published on Phillips’ website (https://www.phillips.com/buysell/buy), under the “New York Guide” dropdown menu. Please read the NFT Conditions of Sale carefully before bidding.
Estimate On Request
Sold for $201,600
Rebekah Bowling
Head of Day Sale, Afternoon Session
New York
1 212 940 1250
rbowling@phillips.com
20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale, Afternoon Session
New York Auction 24 June 2021
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