Anonymous artist XCOPY has been creating glitch art NFTs for years — so long that even his earliest collectibles have become something of a legend.
Fans of his work often tell stories about how his first NFTs disappeared because early art platforms failed to survive like him, stories that pay tribute to XCOPY’s deep connection to NFT history.
For those unfamiliar with XCOPY, there is a lot to know about the NFTs that have made him one of the best-selling artists in the industry, however, there is very little information about the man himself, the only publicly available information being that XCOPY has a connection to London.
Who is XCOPY?
XCOPY is a highly respected digital artist known for creating bold and unique NFT works in his signature glitch style. His true identity remains unknown, which adds to the mystery of his works. XCOPY's works often feature dark, futuristic and disturbing themes that deeply fascinate audiences in the NFT world.
In addition, he also uses a lot of neon colors and flashing animations. His anonymity and unique style make him one of the most outstanding digital artists. Many of his NFTs are sold for thousands of dollars on major platforms. The way he combines technology and art makes him a leader in the field of digital art.
Here are five things you need to know about XCOPY.
Tumblr was one of his first digital art homes
Although XCOPY released his first NFT in 2018, the artist was sharing his work on microblogging platform Tumblr as early as 2010. XCOPY’s page is still active, and the further you scroll, the easier it is to see the aspects of the artist’s style that have remained unchanged, as well as the elements that have evolved over the past fifteen years.
First, XCOPY has never abandoned the Glitch Art movement. Glitch Art is a style that intentionally distorts the medium, whether it is a digital image, sound file or photograph. XCOPY's use of Glitch Art includes intentional visual movement and color changes.
The artist’s themes remain consistent, XCOPY shares on his website, incorporating “themes of death, chaos, and encryption into chaotic visual cycles,” and the essence of these themes is clear at a glance with the artist’s use of skulls, neon colors, and black backgrounds.
XCOPY's art style and creative process are inspired by glitch art
XCOPY's artistic style cleverly blends traditional and digital art techniques. He combines software tools and manual processes to create unique digital artworks. His creative process is highly experimental, using different digital tools and techniques to achieve the desired effect. XCOPY's works are highly recognizable and often feature skulls, strobe lights and other grotesque elements that have become the hallmarks of his style.
His dedication to his art is reflected in the time and effort he invests in perfecting each piece, ensuring that every digital file he releases reflects his meticulous artistic process, and this persistent pursuit of excellence has earned him a loyal following among many digital artists and collectors.
Many of XCOPY’s NFTs are on the list of the best-selling NFTs of all time by NFT artists
Many of XCOPY's works have been listed on the list of the best-selling NFTs in history selected by art news media Artnet. This list covers artworks from multiple NFT trading platforms such as OpenSea and Art Blocks.
For example, one of XCOPY’s earliest creations (All Time High in the City), a red and black NFT originally minted in 2018, sold for nearly $6 million less than four years later in 2022.
Another high-priced NFT from XCOPY is the “Right Click Save As Guy NFT,” which breaks the common misconception that NFTs are worthless because anyone can “right click” and “save as.” Digital art collector Cozomo de’ Medici purchased this NFT, originally minted in 2018, for $7 million in December 2021.
XCOPY’s public NFT series Max Pain sold 7,394 NFTs in less than 10 minutes, earning $23 million, and since XCOPY is known for its 1/1 NFTs, the Max Pain series made the artist’s work accessible to a wider audience.
The name XCOPY probably refers to the XCOPY command
The name XCOPY is believed to be derived from a command in Microsoft's operating system for copying files between directories or networks, and a blog on NFT art collaboration site Edicurial noted that the name embodies the copying and distribution of digital art, just as the ERC-721 token standard functions on the Ethereum blockchain and NFT marketplace.
This clever connection ties together XCOPY’s identity with the essence of NFTs — moving and sharing collectibles in the digital world.
XCOPY adopts CC0 protocol, shocking the NFT community
Creative Commons Zero (CC0 for short) is a public domain dedication agreement that allows artists or creators to use their works in the public domain. Although other NFT collections (such as "Nouns NFT") also follow CC0 principles, XCOPY's decision is notable for the timing and manner in which it applied CC0.
In 2022, XCOPY stated that he would not continue to use CC0 principles in future portfolios, but would retroactively apply CC0 principles to all artwork he created.
Since embracing CC0, XCOPY has released other series of works, such as "DAMAGE CONTROL", in which five NFTs reflect XCOPY's signature glitch art style, use of neon and black, and multi-layered dynamic effects.
Now, his glitch art works can also serve as the basis for other creators’ art forms.
#XCOPY #NFT #OpenSea #ArtBlocks
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