The Interview I Art Collector Archivist
As the philosopher Walter Benjamin once observed in his Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction in 1935: “In even the most perfect reproduction, one thing is lacking: the here and now of the work of art—its unique existence in a particular place.” This notion resonates deeply with Archivist’s mission to preserve the unique stories embedded in each digital artifact, ensuring that the essence of blockchain art is recognized and valued within its specific context.
Kate Vass continues her series of interviews with digital art collectors, and this week, she speaks with Archivist. Much like a paleontologist meticulously unearthing fossils to piece together stories of ancient life, Archivist treats his collection of digital art with the same care and reverence. Each piece he collects is a fragment of history, a clue to the ever-evolving narrative of art on the blockchain. For him, collecting is not about accumulation but about preservation—capturing moments in time and ensuring they endure, both for today and for the future. His role as a collector is akin to that of a fossil hunter, finding rare and meaningful pieces and placing them in a context where their value extends beyond the present moment.
We hope you enjoy reading the interview and finding deeper insights into blockchain art from the Archivist collection as much as we did.
Obvious, Ryan O Reily, 2018
KV: You collect both digital and physical artworks. How do these two forms complement each other in your collection, and what unique qualities does each bring?
A: Honestly, my physical collection is much smaller than my digital one, especially compared to collectors who mainly focus on physical art or collectibles. I’m pretty minimalist and not that materialistic, which means I only have a few physical pieces. That forces me to be really picky and only go for things that deeply resonate with me or that are truly standout. So, in my case, I’m more spontaneous and driven by instinct when it comes to digital art, while I’m super selective about physical pieces. Even though blockchain gives digital art a tangible quality, there’s something irreplaceable about being able to see something physically. Most of my physical pieces are also from periods before blockchain existed or are works that wouldn’t make much sense in a digital format.
Robbie Barrat & Ronan Barrot, Infinite Skull #18, 2018
KV: You have an impressive fossil collection. What draws you to collecting fossils, and how do they complement your interest in more modern or digital collections?
A: I started drawing dinosaurs when I was about five or six, and by the time I was seven or eight, I was collecting small fossils and stones. Like a lot of kids, I dreamed of becoming an archaeologist or paleontologist. My interest in high-end fossil collecting is more recent, though. It really took off when I became friends with a French paleontologist during the COVID pandemic. Without connections in that world, it’s hard to get started collecting these without either overpaying for hyped-up pieces at auctions or settling for lower-quality ones from the public market. But once you’re close to the source, you get a real sense of how the market works and gain access to significant ones before they hit the public or auctions. Collecting fossils—life testaments that are 65 to 300 million years old—humbles you in a way. These objects come with stories that make you reflect on the world. It also makes me a better collector overall because it teaches me how to track, authenticate, and appreciate truly rare pieces. That focus helps keep me from chasing after every new trend or “next big thing,” as it’s difficult to create more fascination for me than these artifacts.
Hope's Horn
KV: Could you highlight one or two curatorial projects that were particularly meaningful to you? What was the concept behind these projects?
A: To be honest, I tend to avoid collecting things that are already heavily curated. That’s just my personal preference. When I come across something that catches my interest—whether it’s an artist, a technical innovation, or a project—my first instinct is to dig into what was maybe done before and actually not curated nor documented. That’s how I fell into the never-ending rabbit hole of historic blockchain assets, and I haven’t stopped since.
Vogler, Face 5, 2015
KV: You often mention documenting historic assets. Why is documentation a significant aspect of your work, and how does this connect with your pseudonym, "Archivist"?
A: I guess I answered this partially in the previous question. I’m really drawn to the idea of “firsts”—the first of anything, really. These moments often represent rarity, innovation, or historical significance, and sometimes all three. But the more you dig into the history of something, the more you realize that there’s almost always an older or earlier iteration hiding somewhere. That’s what led me to start documenting my discoveries. I realized that if I wanted to label something as a “first” in my public documentations, I had to be as certain as reasonably possible. And the more you research, the more you find, the more you document, the more you need to research to corroborate, and so on. It became this ongoing hobby—researching, documenting, cross-checking—to the point where it just became natural. The thrill comes when you uncover something others haven’t yet, and you get the chance to document it before it becomes widely known. Over time, I’ve come to see education and accuracy as essential, especially in a space where misinformation spreads easily, like with claims about Cryptopunks being the first NFTs. As blockchain becomes more mainstream, understanding the foundation it was built on is crucial. That’s how I ended up with the pseudonym "Archivist"—it just reflects my passion for archiving blockchain history.
FUCK YEA, 2012 (Namecoin)
KV: You've analyzed the intricacies and misconceptions of digital assets and blockchain technology through articles you've written. What inspires you to explore these complex subjects, and do you believe that education and investigation are essential roles for a collector?
A: My conviction is that the purer your collector spirit is, the more fascinated and passionate you are about what you collect, the more you want to study it and become an expert about it. As you become more knowledgeable and exigent, you realize how important it is to really understand the details. When it comes to blockchain history, it's kind of like traditional history or archaeology. There’s always excitement and debate surrounding new discoveries, with some people getting overly enthusiastic and others being skeptical. You can’t make everyone happy, but in the blockchain space, at least you can document and prove a lot of things with blockchain data and timestamps.
That being said, I don’t think documenting is a requirement to be a collector. But if you’re the kind of collector who discovers or patrons, it’s an important responsibility to give the subject the visibility it deserves and to be accurate and transparent in how you document it.
Jonathan Monaghan, Mothership, 2013
KV: You have a notable interest in on-chain art. What attracts you to on-chain art, and what potential do you see for it in the art world?
A: Fully on-chain art is the most permanent form of art we’ve ever had, thanks to blockchain. If you look at art throughout history, preservation has always been a major challenge. Imagine if Egyptian art from thousands of years ago was still as fresh as the day it was made—that’s the kind of permanence that fully on-chain art offers. I also see blockchain as a medium in itself, like canvas or paper. Some artists are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with it, and that’s the type of on-chain art I’m most drawn to—the kind that can only exist because of the blockchain.
I don’t think all art needs to be fully on-chain, though. Sometimes the costs are too high, or it doesn’t make practical sense. But I do encourage artists to consider using the blockchain, even if it’s just for part of the provenance of their work, to partially preserve their art or intent in a more permanent way. We’re still in the early days of blockchain, but if you think about it 100 years from now, a lot of today’s digital art may no longer be accessible. Fully on-chain art, however, will still be there. We have many examples, such as Ascribe or KnownOrigin cases, showing us that onchainness is more and more important to preserve art. The sad reality is that a drawing on paper has a higher chance of lasting longer than most of today’s art NFTs.
Chainleft, Chaos Road #52, 2023
KV: Do you think that in the future, collectors will become chain-agnostic? If so, what leads you to that belief?
A: I think some collectors will definitely become chain-agnostic, especially casual collectors who are more focused on the art than the underlying technology. But for collectors who are really interested in the specifics of the medium, each blockchain will have its own significance. Personally, I appreciate the differences between blockchains, but I also enjoy collecting from different ones. Maximalist or purist collectors will always exist, and that’s not a bad thing—they often bring a lot of knowledge and depth to the space. In short, I think casual collectors will go wherever the trends and artists lead them, while more serious collectors will still have their preferences based on the blockchain technology.
0xfff, You Are Here 42161, 2023
KV: Can you share a story about one of your collected works that was particularly challenging to acquire, or perhaps a piece that has personal significance for you?
A: If you don’t mind, I’ll share two pieces—one digital and one physical—because it’s too hard to pick just one.
The digital piece is called 'SOLD'. I’ll not dig that much into the story of it, as I wrote a dedicated article you can find here: https://archivist-eth.medium.com/sold-stamp-of-the-first-non-fungible-asset-trade-in-history-2011-f8c491a2e78a, but basically, after two months of deep research and investigations into this matter, I managed to identify the first non-fungible asset to ever have been transferred (and traded) on the blockchain. Transferability is such a key aspect of NFTs/blockchain assets, so it was important for me to document this. It turned out to be a Namecoin name called 'd/radio', which was sold for 5 BTC on May 6, 2011. That’s when the original owner marked it as 'SOLD' in the name’s value when they transferred it. I was lucky to track down the current owner in 2022 and acquire it. That was probably my most satisfying acquisition, given the effort involved in finding it and the slim chance of actually being able to own it.
On the physical side, there’s 'Hope’s Horn' (that you can see in questions #2 of this interview), a baby triceratops horn showing healing from a large pathology caused by an adult T-Rex's bite, indicating 'Hope' survived an encounter with Earth's most dangerous predator to date. It’s one of the few pieces of evidence we have proving that T-Rexes were predators, not just scavengers. This piece is unique to me without any doubt, also for sure the most fascinating piece of my entire collection, but also unique and fascinating within the paleontological world, for the few who know about it so far. This piece is incredibly rare and special to me, not just because of its historical significance, but also because I acquired it through a private trade before advanced studies were done on it. I’m currently working with my paleontologist friend to document it further. I even managed to identify another smaller trace of the bite pathology myself on the piece, a dream come true for the dinosaur-loving kid in me.
SOLD, 2011
KV: How do you view your role as a collector in both the digital and analog realms? Do you consider your collection to be a part of your legacy?
A: I see myself, as a collector, as both a custodian and an educator. As I mentioned earlier, collectors have a responsibility to preserve the pieces they own and share knowledge about them. When it comes to passing pieces on, I believe it’s more rewarding to find someone who genuinely appreciates the work rather than simply selling to the highest bidder. This is especially true for artists, where finding the right collector can sometimes bring more long-term value to the work than going with someone who just has the most money or followers.
As for my collection being part of my legacy, I’m still figuring that out. I’m 33, I don’t have kids yet, and I’m not sure if I’ll hold on to everything forever. There’s always the possibility that a piece could go to someone else who’s as passionate about it as I am, especially if it’s the right time for me to let it go. That being said, I do hope that the research and documentation I’ve done over the years will become a small part of blockchain legacy, yes. In that sense, I’d like my contribution to live on, even if I don’t keep every piece in my collection forever. I can also imagine myself writing a book about blockchain early history in the future.
Han, Screensaver, 2023
KV: What advice would you offer to new collectors or those just starting to collect digital art?
A: Avoid FOMO at all costs. Collecting out of fear of missing out usually leads to bad decisions and pieces you don’t truly care about. Before buying anything, ask yourself if you’d still love owning it even if no one else knew about it, or if NFTs and blockchain technology never took off again. You want to collect pieces you’ll treasure regardless of their market value, and ideally, at a price you’re comfortable with.
It’s also a good idea to diversify a bit. That doesn’t mean you have to buy from every medium, but finding three or four areas of interest—like AI art, on-chain art, or historical assets—and spreading your budget across them can help. Overall, the best advice I’ve ever heard came lately from @TokenAngels: “Be your own museum.”
Mathcastles, Terraform #3254, 2021
KV: One of the ongoing challenges is how to display and integrate digital art into our living spaces. How do you approach this? Do you have any digital works displayed in your home? Do you believe it’s important to see art every day?
A: I have to admit, I don’t currently display any of my digital pieces at home. The cost of multiple screens and the energy consumption are real issues. My dream, though, is to one day have my own gallery, where I could display my collection alongside pieces curated from other collectors and creators I respect.
As for seeing art every day, I don’t necessarily feel the need for it. Sometimes, the absence of a piece can make it more powerful when you revisit it after a while—like rediscovering something you love. Just like when you enjoyed taking your binders out of the shelf and opening them to look at your Pokémon cards. Of course, there are exceptions where certain pieces connect with you in a way that makes you want to see them constantly, but I think it really depends on the relationship between the collector and the artwork. And it’s definitely an intimate relationship in the end.
Diid, Machine in the Ghost #1, 2024
***
*The responses provided in this interview have been preserved in their original form, with no alterations to the interviewee's stylistic choices or grammar. - Kate Vass
Archivist on X: @punk3606
Collections: