Lux Perpetua - The Infinite Expression of Art and Economics
The creator, Vikki Bardot, reminds us that time is an illusion—a concept deeply embedded in the 2000 exceptional pieces of her Lux Perpetua collection. Indeed, one can spend countless hours lost in the intricate details, navigating through corridors of LED lights and shadows, embarking on underwater adventures, and exploring mysterious rooms belonging to either the past or the future. Past or future? As we go through the pieces, time is blurring because the magic of this collection is expressed out of the perception of time.
A world beyond rarity
Unlike many 'traditional' NFT collections, this collection embeds a profound layer of rarity characteristics within its creation process. Although it's possible to seek out rare traits by using filters, it's more common to be surprised by pieces that stand out in unexpected ways. For instance, the rare piece #1241, divergent from the collection's overall theme, mirrors a painting reminiscent of Japanese art, specifically Uta Garuta.
Uta Garuta is a traditional Japanese card game rooted in poetry, deeply intertwined with Japanese literature and culture. Its name, "Uta," meaning poem or song, combines with "garuta," denoting a type of playing cards. I think this piece is quite fantastic.
On the other end of the spectrum, some pieces may not exhibit a high level of rarity based on the 'traits' standard displayed on Magic Eden, yet they captivate immensely with sheer beauty and emotional impact. It is also possible to discover numerous 'hidden traits'—traits not listed on the website—adding layers of surprise and depth to the exploration (more on this below). This greatly upgrades the "originality levels" of the entire collection and brings a substantial amount of rich randomness to the discovery process of each piece and of the collection as a whole. I personally think this choice was totally intentional and is another hint at Vikky's genius.
The collection's Takeoff
The factors I've described above significantly complicate the pricing process for the collection. Not all NFT collectors have a background in art, adding another layer of complexity to determining prices. I've observed discerning individuals refraining from listing their pieces, each guided by unique personal reasons. One of these reasons might be that they simply want to keep their LP, or another reason might be that they don't know how to price it yet; in light of what we are discussing, this is entirely understandable. I said a couple of times in earlier posts that my team and I had purchased "mispriced" pieces, and now we understand why this phenomenon is occurring.
(I want to specify that I'm not judging anyone's choice to sell at any given price; everyone goes through their own personal journey through art and life.)
I have witnessed many collection launches, but I have rarely seen a price discovery process such as this; it definitely is another very strong point in favor of the collection. We can say that while the collection is immensely efficient from an artistic point of view, the interactions between all the aspects described in this post make it fascinating to analyze from an economic point of view. The specific appeal of the art and economic game theory interplay we are witnessing here is rare and deserves our greatest attention. With that said, the pricing of the collection will continue to evolve and surely rise until it finds its equilibrium, which is fascinating to witness, isn't it?
Traits and Minds Hidden Through Time
As mentioned, the collection is enriched with a considerable amount of "hidden traits," increasing its complexity and adding charisma to the pieces, influenced by an individual's subjectivity. Here are a couple of these "hidden traits" that I have noticed; however, this is not an extensive list, and it is entirely possible that you may still find other hidden traits while going through the collection.
Environment: Foggy (Ex #1605 - #717) - Smoke (Ex #1893 - #953 - #101) - Balloon (Ex #1505) - Near the sea (Ex #1475)
Face: Partially visible (Ex #1945 - #1890) - Entirely visible (Ex #887)
Helmet: Vertical LED light (Ex #1108) - Laced LED light (Ex #1694) - Full illumination (Ex #924) - Sending ray of light (Ex #560)
Background: Classical frame display - Aerospatial door (Ex: #733) - Corridors (ex #56) - - Galactic window (ex: #1183)
Breast: Partially visible (Ex #1496 - #86 - #379)
Necklace: Choker (Ex #382) - Pearl Carcan (Ex #1934)
Please note that this list is not exhaustive**
The Defying Lux Perpetua
Lux Perpetua truly defies categorization, with each piece serving as a portal that transports observers beyond conventional rarity into a mythical realm where traditional boundaries blur and surprises await at every turn. As the collection evolves, so too does our understanding of its value, obfuscating the lines between perception and reality, much like the hidden traits that lie beneath the surface of each work. From the ethereal fog that envelops certain environments to the enigmatic faces that peer out from within, each piece has to be "seen" to really be minted into existence, and we all see these pieces from our subjective standpoint, influenced by our lives, pleasures, and struggles.
As a result, LP is challenging the very notion of what it means to create and collect art in the digital age. In Lux Perpetua, one may find a library of infinite possibilities, visions of the future, or astonishment in the present. Minted on chain, roaring into existence, finding their way into the digital worlds, we are reminded once again through these mind-altering pieces of art, that the concept of imagining tolerates no limitations.
Collection link: https://magiceden.io/item-details/BDfmdsfpRJkKa2QjKy7hBH4jvCZGfyJkBtwBMGpqYUBf?name=Lux-Perpetua-%23382