On Tuesday, the NFT Multichain Holograph protocol unveiled its latest collaboration, bringing together a renowned “blue chip” NFT and one of the most iconic memes.
Dubbed “KilroyPunk,” this collectible intertwines the renowned CryptoPunk #8527, owned by the pseudonymous Delegate Cash creator and Crypto Twitter personality foobar, with the artistry of Eric Elms, a California-based artist. The collectible, offered as an open-edition mint, allowing for unlimited claims, is priced at $15 and accessible for 48 hours.
The collaboration presents Elms’ interpretation of the iconic Kilroy alongside foobar’s widely recognized NFT, which has been his profile picture for a long time.
It also marks the multichain protocol’s third offering through its consumer-facing application, right as Holograph strives to establish its presence in the NFT realm.
Prior to the launch, the collaboration was promoted in a way inspired by counterculture influences found in streetwear and skateboarding communities, as explained by Jeff Gluck, the CEO and co-founder of Holograph. The teaser campaign took place on the streets of New York City.
— foobar (@0xfoobar) May 19, 2023
Getting to know KilroyPunk
KilroyPunk’s profile on OpenSea calls the collaboration “a celebration at the intersection of digital and street culture,” as foobar is well-versed in the NFT realm while Elms is in street culture, working with big names like Nike, Supreme and Stussy.
With origins tracing back to the 1940s during World War II, “Kilroy Was Here” gained prominence as a symbolic American presence on battlefields across Europe and the Pacific, frequently appearing as graffiti.
“It’s a nice remix on top of the classic Punk,” foobar told Decrypt.
Elms, known for his cultural commentary using the character, brings unique underlying meaning to his venture into the NFT space.
“Kilroy has a rich history dating back to World War II and has evolved culturally through different eras,” said Elms.
He talked about how Kilroy shares similarities with CryptoPunks, particularly in terms of its originality and historical significance within the NFT space.
As someone not originally from the NFT space, he recognized the importance of honoring CryptoPunks’ pixelated style.
“Such an OG history in the NFT space, both conceptually and stylistically,” he said.
Holograph’s previous work
Holograph, developed by CXIP Labs, adopts a multichain strategy for digital collectibles, allowing users to create NFTs on their preferred blockchain or transfer them across multiple networks. Currently, the protocol supports Ethereum, Polygon, Avalanche, BNB Chain and Optimism.
According to Gluck, many investors mint NFTs on Polygon to avoid high gas fees associated with networks like Ethereum. This highlights one of the advantages of adopting a multichain approach.
Previously, Holograph showcased the artwork of Jasmine Monsegue, also known as Spacebrat. Her debut NFT, titled “Gleam,” was offered for free. Within 48 hours, it was minted over 300,000 times. The majority of these NFTs were minted on Polygon, an Ethereum scaling platform.
“[I] cannot believe planet Earth minted my first NFT 30,762 times in the last 23 hours,” the artist said on Twitter. “You guys are on another level!”
Prior to the NFT mint, Monsegue’s work had gained recognition and exposure through features in prestigious publications like Vogue and Hypebeast. The artwork was also exhibited at WHAAM!, an art gallery in New York, as part of Monsegue’s solo show titled “Pipe Dream.”
The artist has designed murals for Virgil Abloh’s OFF WHITE and completed commissioned work for Drake. However, this collaboration with Holograph represents her first venture into the Web3 space.
