The Evolution Project

The Evolution Project

Kate Daudy, James Viggers and Kostya Novoselov are proud to present The Evolution Project – their first NFT collaboration. CryptoKD trees in The Evolution Project are themselves generative artworks. They also aim to make proper use of the novel functionality made possible by NFTs to become much more than simple digital fine art.

On a visual level, the project initially builds on Kate Daudy’s long-established “trees” series. The artworks take Daudy’s traditional collage methods and materials into the digital space. The visual DNA of her physical trees has been identified, codified and incorporated into the new NFT artworks. Critically, the digital works retain the DNA structure from their creation, which allows for the future interbreeding of digital trees to create new “seedling” NFTs.

Our first physical gallery show “If There Are No Questions? An Exploration of the Medium of NFTs” was on display at The NFT Gallery, 5-7 Dover Street, London W1S 4LD, United Kingdom from July to September 2022. Further details here. The NFT artworks in the exhibition are for sale either through the gallery or on OpenSea.

Everything is Connected

In time, the creation and breeding of new trees will build a network of interconnected works expressing both the worldview of the creators and the collective choices of individual collectors.

The project also aims to connect the real and virtual worlds. Continuing Daudy’s long-standing charitable relationships, in particular with Syrian refugees, the digital artworks make use of traditional crochet elements made in refugee camps in Jordan and elsewhere. The incorporation of smart contract technology will allow direct financial contributions from the sale of current and future digital artworks to support the original creators of the digitised elements therein. 

Similarly, the platform will allow the traceability and ongoing recognition of future artistic collaborations across generations of the artworks.

Kostya Novoselov
and Kate Daudy

The Evolution Project is a collaboration between internationally acclaimed visual artist Kate Daudy, digital artist James Viggers and Kostya Novoselov (artist and Nobel prize winning physicist).

Kate Daudy is a visual multi-media artist based in London. Her practice explores and re-evaluates the human experience in the context of the natural world. Although disruptive, her work exudes optimism; current world circumstances seem dire, but the future remains in our hands. Previous highlights include exhibitions at Saatchi Gallery, St Paul’s Cathedral and Yorkshire Sculpture Park in the United Kingdom. Globally, she has exhibited in cities including Moscow, New York and Palermo. 

James Viggers is a digital artist and technology investor with a background in engineering and finance. He and Kate Daudy dreamed up the concept of The Evolution Project together and his role on the project has been to bring Kate’s very tangible works into the digital world. He is particularly interested in the challenge of translating lyrical artistic concepts into rigidly deterministic digitised processes without losing beauty and meaning along the way. James also happens to be Kate’s brother.

Professor Sir Kostya Novoselov is the youngest man to receive the Nobel prize for Physics, in 2010 for his work on graphene with Andre Geim, and is an expert in condensed matter physics, mesoscopic physics and nanotechnology. Professor at the Centre for Advanced 2D Materials at National University of Singapore, and the Langworthy Professor in the School of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Manchester. He is also known for his fine ink drawings.

Other collaborations between Kate and Kostya include Everything is Connected and WONDERCHAOS.

Connecting NFTs and Fine Art

The project has already been exhibited in prototype form. We intend to continue to work with galleries, critics and collectors to help bridge the gap between fine art and NFTs.

“No Matter What, There is Always Hope”

From WONDERCHAOS, Yorkshire Sculpture Park 2021

Still from “As I Came to the Edge of the Virtual Forest”
Animation, with Michael Lohr

NFT to be auctioned on behalf of The Hermitage Foundation

The Roadmap

The platform is being designed to be used as a basis for future artistic collaborations and real world interventions. This builds on the concept of Everything Is Connected on five different levels, to be developed sequentially as the project continues. We are actively seeking partners and collaborators as we develop this exciting project.

Stage 1

Unique digital artworks – procedurally generated and owned through NFTs

Stage 2

Creation of a web of connections expressing Kate’s emotional worldview

Stage 3

Owners will be able to connect pairs of artworks to create new, related NFT artworks

Stage 4

Real world “everything is connected” interventions funded by smart contracts

Stage 5

Collaboration with other artists using this platform

Essays

Further exploration of the themes of The Evolution Project, by its creators.

Kate Daudy

We must cultivate our garden

Our EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED project has at its heart a humanitarian goal, and this new forest of NFTs too offers shelter in the metaverse, not just directly through its warm message of hope and connection but literally through material donations to charity. We are proud that the first iteration of our NFT project will support The Malala Fund.

Kostya Novoselov

The winner is always the one you feed

There is an old parable about a wise, old man and a boy. The sage suggests that there are two wolfs inside all of us: the white wolf who represents the good and the black one – representing the evil. And the two wolfs are in a constant, deadly fight. “Which wolf will win at the end?” – rushes to the conclusion the curious boy. “The winner is always the one you feed.” – replies the old man.

James Viggers

Yes, but how does it actually work?

When faced with something new and confusing, one response is to ask how the thing actually works. What does “fungibility” do? What is a “token” really? And then deeper: why are these blocks chained together? What are these blocks, anyway? What does this do? What does it imply?