An award-winning New York artist is releasing the first-ever serialized graphic novel NFT where winning bidders can change the plot of subsequent episodes.
Boo Paterson’s Hearts in Darkness is an adult fairytale of New York and tells how the buildings come to life when the city is asleep and have their own lives, fights, and love affairs.
The graphite illustrations are drawn in an ageless vintage style, similar to the bestselling book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
Paterson – who has just won an American Illustration Award for the second year in a row – will release a new scene from the story every month, and whoever wins the auction of each NFT can have their favorite New York building drawn in to a future episode of the story.
She explained: “While a small number of NFTs have been released as serialized stories before – this is the first time that the winner of an auction can affect the illustration of further artworks in the series. This could make Hearts in Darkness NFTs more sought after, as bidders have never before had the chance to be part of the creation process.”
Each illustration includes hand-lettered text by Paterson, describing each particular scene.
The tale centers round an unrequited love affair between the Chrysler and the American Radiator buildings, but other well-known structures, such as Grand Central, 70 Pine, the Woolworth, and the subway system, all feature prominently.
Paterson said: “I love the architecture of New York and I fantasized that the buildings have secret lives when we’re not looking. If you’re tossing and turning in bed at night, maybe it’s not the cheese you ate – it might be because your apartment block is out dancing with the McGraw-Hill Building in the Lower East Side.”
Paterson is best known for her political papercut illustration, book sculptures, and papercraft books, such as First Art Kit: 25 Creative Papercraft Remedies for What Ails You, which was released worldwide by Simon & Schuster last year.
The first episode of her Hearts in Darkness series will be minted on Foundation on May 21st, 2022.
Paterson said: “I imagine collectors will buy images featuring their favorite building – or maybe one collector will try to buy the whole story, especially if they had a hand in creating it.”
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