Introduction

POOL VOID is a conceptual artwork created by artist JIMMY. It utilizes an Ethereum ENS domain, poolvoid.eth, as an experiential interface, combining elements of cryptocurrency, onchain art, and blockchain technology. The work is meant to be an immersive “sculpture of liquidity and data” that has psychological and social elements.

Purpose and Vision

POOL VOID is designed as an onchain wishing well, inviting users to engage in an act of release and "letting go". The artwork aims to evoke a range of emotions, from joy to regret, through the experience of deliberate loss by one’s own volition. It challenges participants to confront their intentions in giving, creating a unique intersection between art, finance and transcendent experience.

User Experience and Interaction

The interaction with POOL VOID is intentionally simple: users send cryptocurrency or NFTs to poolvoid.eth, effectively releasing them into the onchain "void". This offering is an intimate act of personal expression, allowing users to confront their own psychological and emotional motivations, while considering the public and immutable nature of blockchain transactions. This also creates what JIMMY describes as a “sculpture of liquidity and data” that can be shaped and molded by transactions with the wallet address.

Engagement

Utilizing X/Twitter as a primary platform, JIMMY has engaged an audience of blockchain enthusiasts with frequent, enigmatic posts. These posts, characterized by humor and mystery, employ gamification techniques to build excitement and anticipation around POOL VOID. JIMMY explicitly informs his audience that he is using AI, cognitive heuristics, neurolinguistic programming (NLP) and gamification to create lore around the work.

This performance has led to a cult following of participants (aka voidooors) who have reported transcendental experiences with POOL VOID. In addition, the followers have created thousands of meme content around the artwork.

Conceptual Foundations

Drawing inspiration from Yves Klein's immaterial artworks, POOL VOID explores the concepts of Immaterialism, Existentialism, Relational Aesthetics and Net Art. It challenges traditional notions of art creation and ownership, emphasizing the less physical, more conceptual nature of digital assets.

The Void as a Liquidity Sculpture

The artwork reimagines The Void as a cryptocurrency liquidity sculpture, shaped by the accumulation of blockchain data generated through user contributions. By merging artistic expression with the structures of finance and technology, it intends to blur the boundaries of digital art. POOL VOID explores digital finance as a sculpture medium, explicitly framing it as an artistic practice. This dual-purpose approach is both educational and experiential, challenging traditional notions of art while fostering active audience participation and engagement.

Conclusion: A New Paradigm of Digital Art

POOL VOID is a virtual wishing well that allows for deep exploration of psychological, social, and metaphysical ideas. The artwork is framed by the ENS poolvoid.eth, with the wallet acting as a container for the liquidity and asset-based sculpture. This work aims to usher in a new era in digital art, where blockchain technology is not just a medium, but a critical component of the artistic expression.

Update: Effective December 2024, a majority of the assets have been secured to a gnosis multisig at void.eth