Philip Colbert is launching his most advanced community project to date, “Lobstars”, a new collection of NFTs. Each unique “Lobstar” – not just a covetable artwork in Colbert’s hyper pop style – is a chance to become one of the 7777 Lobstar Citizens of his surreal metaverse. “Lobsteropolis City” is the largest art world on Decentraland, covering 57 parcels.
“I have always believed that artists create worlds, and being an artist today, I have more creative possibilities to push this idea further than has ever been possible. I see the Lobstars project as a real opportunity to build my art world community and begin a journey never seen before. Buckle up, fellow Lobsterites – we are heading to the Lobster Planet.” – Philip Colbert
The gateway to Lobsteropolis citizenship, this collection of unique Lobster Portrait NFTs are also Lobster ID cards and are an intrinsic part of what the artist intends to be the most innovative community art project in the metaverse. Of the 7777 “Lobstars,” the NFT rarity remains hidden until after purchase, ranging from ‘Every Day’ right through ‘Star,’ ‘Superstar’ and ‘Legendary’ to the rarest of all “Lobstars,” the ‘Masterpiece.’
As a lobster-loving project, merging digital and real worlds, Colbert Studio has partnered Lobstars with The National Lobster Hatchery in Cornwall and the Whitby Lobster Hatchery in Whitby. For every “Lobstar” holder, research will be funded, and for each NFT sold, hatcheries will be sponsored to release a real lobster into the wild, ensuring real-time sustainable outputs with every digital interaction. The Lobstars launch follows the new UK government declaration that lobsters, crabs, octopuses and related species will be included under the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill. This paves the way for legal protection from practices like being boiled alive and having the tendons of their pincers cut. *
“Lobsters are truly amazing animals. The more we learn about these incredible animals, the greater inspiration our society can take from natural design. Also, these species play an important role in the ecosystem. By unlocking the mechanisms of their life and biology, the greater equipped we as humans will be to help protect and conserve lobsters and our marine environments.”
Joe Redfern, The Whitby Hatchery “The European lobster is a fascinating but vulnerable species, as its high-value results in intense fishing pressure. Research and observations into their unique lifecycle, morphology, genetics and habits continue to unearth new and exciting discoveries all the time. By releasing baby lobsters into the wild, the NLH aims to protect the long-term future of our vital marine food resources and help safeguard our rich coastal
heritage.”
Clare Stanley of The National Lobster Hatchery: Colbert has spent the last 12 months working at a deep level with the Robotics development at University College London, as well as Dr. Kevin Scott at the St Abbs Marine Station to explore the intelligence of these iconic mystical clawed crustaceans, which have held a prominent place in history for over 100,000 years. Lobsters have appeared in menus and in symbolic ways throughout history, from the Moche people of Peru to the Viking period. They have consistently been explored for their seeming immortality –Often referred to as the ‘godson of Andy Warhol,’ Colbert has created a global following for his cartoon Lobster alter ego. His energetic, hyper pop expansive paintings, sculptures and collectables have become something of an art phenomenon, populating museums and private collections worldwide. Throughout his work, Colbert explores the patterns of contemporary digital culture and its relationship to a more profound art historical dialogue – his digital and virtual projects are logical evolutions.
The minting of the “Lobstars” follows the opening of Lobsteropolis City in June 2021 – which was marked by an exhibition and auction at the Lobster Land Museum, curated and hosted by globally renowned art auctioneer and dealer Simon de Pury, a live DJ set at Lobster Land Records by legendary American New wave band DEVO, and a physical launch event at the Serpentine Gallery in London.
“I love the democratic spirit of digital community art projects, it’s creating a whole new possibility for art. I love the concept of developing this art machine system which can push creative uniqueness and boldness for everyone at an accessible price, turning the traditional model upside down and allowing a much wider audience to engage with my work.
Philip Colbert graduated with an MA in Philosophy from St. Andrews University, Colbert’s work has received international acclaim in museums and galleries worldwide for his energetic new approach to painting and pop theory. Following on from early Pop painters such as Richard Hamilton, Roy Lichtenstein and James Rosenquist. Colbert’s paintings cross high art themes from old master paintings and contemporary art theory with everyday symbols of contemporary mass culture, and all narrated through the eyes of Colbert’s cartoon Lobster alter ego. As a result, he has been championed as a contemporary Pop master by art world figures such as Charles Saatchi & Simon de Pury.
Decentraland is a decentralised virtual reality platform powered by the Ethereum blockchain. Within the Decentraland platform, users can create, experience, and monetise their content and applications. The finite, traversable, 3D virtual space within Decentraland is called LAND, a non-fungible digital asset maintained in an Ethereum smart contract. Land is divided into parcels that are identified by cartesian coordinates (x,y). These parcels are permanently owned by community members and are purchased using MANA, Decentraland’s cryptocurrency token. This gives users complete control over the environments and applications they create, ranging from anything like static 3D scenes to more interactive applications or games. Some parcels are further organised into themed communities or Districts. By organising parcels into Districts, the community can create shared spaces with common interests and uses.
7777 lobster portrait NFTs launching on www.thelobstars.com as a ‘lucky dip’ on 18 March 2022.