10 Async Art Projects That Made Crypto Art History
Pioneering crypto art platform Async Art announced Monday (Oct. 23) that it will be shutting down, spurring a wave of heartfelt tributes from artists and collectors.
Async Art Founder and CEO Conlan Rios cited shifting market conditions as an existential challenge that made the path forward unviable. “We began encountering some less glamorous aspects of this world as motivations of the industry changed,” he explained. “We did not see the growth required to ride out the current market.”
Launched in 2020, Async Art made its name as a creative sandbox with innovative creator tools. From experimenting with programmable dynamic NFTs to using its Blueprints template to create generative art and music without code, artists quickly embraced Async Art as a quirky and beloved cornerstone of the early crypto art community.
While no one list can do justice to all of the incredible art and music on the platform, here are ten notable Async Art projects that made their mark in the annals of crypto art history.
“The First Supper” by Various Artists

Async Art’s star-studded genesis token features contributions from 13 artists — XCOPY, Coldie, Hackatao, Josie Bellini, Matt Kane, Alotta Money, Connie Digital, Twisted Vacancy, Sparrow, Vans Design, Shortcut, Mlibty, and Rutger van der Tas.
Owned by collector Metakovan, who famously purchased Beeple’s “Everydays: The First 5,000 Days” for more than $69 million, this debut mint represents a singular moment in crypto art collaboration and has become an iconic symbol of the Async ecosystem.
“Grifters” by XCOPY

Perhaps the most recognizable project launched using Async Blueprints, “Grifters” launched in March 2022 and has done more than 8,000 ETH ($14.2 million) in total sales volume to date. Lampooning the prevalent PFP trend of the time, the collection by blue chip artist XCOPY features 666 generative pieces and is frequently used by collectors as a tongue-in-cheek PFP.
“DecentralEyesMashup” by Coldie

A generative spin on the artist’s iconic “Decentral Eyes” portrait series, this mashup collection remixes many of Coldie’s favorite subjects in 623 unique portraits with layers from the likes of Vitalik Buterin, Edward Snowden, Warren Buffett, and more.
“(un)limited” by Josie Bellini

Long before the CyberBrokers project launch, Josie Bellini first garnered attention for her iconic Bitcoin-inspired art. Symbolizing the Federal Reserve’s loss of control and positing Bitcoin as a solution, this dynamic release featured two different states, four ownable layers, and 21 prints.
To learn more about Josie’s early days and journey, revisit our 2022 podcast.
“Right Place & Right Time (Bitcoin Hourly Price Offset)” by Matt Kane

Anyone familiar with “Gazers” knows that Matt Kane has a penchant for dynamic NFTs. Featuring daily image generation using a data feed of Bitcoin’s price action, “Right Place & Right Time (Bitcoin Hourly Price Offset)” is an innovative and ever-changing visual canvas for the cryptocurrency’s volatility.
For more information on Matt Kane’s artistry and approach, check out our recent deep-dive on his “Contractual Obligations” project.
“Thousand Headers Coterie” by Alotta Money

As the debut Async Blueprint project, “Thousand Headers Coterie” broke new trail for the platform. The late crypto art legend minted 1,000 unique editions featuring recognizable showcasing the creative whimsy for which he was known and beloved.
Learn more about Alotta Money’s career and legacy in our 2023 retrospective piece.
“Across the Face” by Osinachi

“Across the Face” is a collection of 1,000 unique generative pieces by the Nigerian crypto artist. Inspired in part by Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte, the series made Osinachi’s work more accessible to a broader range of collectors.
Learn more about how Osinachi rose to crypto art prominence in our 2021 feature.
“Cyber Watch” by The Guild

Based on Rembrandt’s famous painting “The Night Watch,” this composite contains 107 states made by 33 artists — including Sarah Zucker, pplpleasr, Sam J, Stellabelle, Angie Taylor, Danil Pan, The Perfesser, Fabin Rasheed, Shelly Soneja, and more.
Following in the spirit of “First Supper,” the piece is a visual reminder of early crypto art’s vibrant spirit of collaboration and how it manifested on the Async platform.
“Digital CD.v1” by @ConnieDigital

An early foray into music NFTs by early crypto artist Connie Digital, the first-ever Async Music Blueprint release featured 100 limited-edition generative discs and delightfully random tunes.
Featuring five different tracks, five-disc types, and three-disc conditions, the project is a formative experiment in how to release a collection of music in web3.
“Betty’s Notebook” by Bryan Brinkman & Verigris Ensemble

“Betty’s Notebook” is a dynamic music NFT that explores Amelia Earhart’s disappearance through a 15-year-old girl’s eyes with visuals by Bryan Brinkman and musical arrangements by Verigris Ensemble.
This delightfully quirky and ever-evolving project was accompanied by a physical short wave radio piece that was recently featured at Brinkman’s solo exhibit in New York.