A self-proclaimed jack of all trades and master of none, OSF has been a master in the world of Invincible Tokens for just over two years, leaving his former life trading at Barclays to focus full-time on Web3, his digital artworks, his PFP project Rekt Guy, and living a decadent collector's life.
The self-deprecating 34-year-old Englishman has a Swiss Army Knife of creating digital content for the modern world – being a self-taught coder, with an understanding of internet culture, a knack for attention and not taking himself too seriously.
While wearing many hats, OSF, the artist, has been exhibited at Sotheby's and sold several pieces for six figures. He describes himself as an artist and project founder.
“I find it hard to label myself as one thing or another, but it's really a bit of a question. I have moments where I focus more on certain things like business, but overall it's a way for me to express myself as an artist and project founder,” OSF told NFT Creator.
“I hate the idea of limiting myself to one thing. I think maybe it's just a problem in my life. I'm easily distracted by anything and, as you can imagine, I have ADD and all kinds of things. I feel like I enjoy a lot of different aspects. [Web3] space, and I want to be a part of it all.
While initially skeptical of crypto, OSF in 2016 He cut his teeth buying Bitcoin in early 2021, but it was his good friend Mando who provided OSF with the nudge needed to properly catch the NFT bug.
It wasn't long before he applied his decades of experience as a trader in traditional finance to this newly emerging asset class of NFTs. Initially producing 150 Bored Monkeys (0.08 ETH each) at the end of April 2021, OSF sold most of them for five times the mint price about a week later, but partnered with Mando in September 2021 to combine their collection and remained a large monkey holder.
As liquidity returned to NFTs after the Blur Season 1 Airdrop, the duo made headlines in February 2023, selling nearly 70 Monkeys each at a healthy clip for 78 ETH in the Blur auction. Monkey's floor price is set at 25.84 ETH, since that famous trade the price of the NFT has dropped for most sets.
“It's not like we're brave against monkeys. We were not even bullish on NFTs this time. I know it sounds like big business now, but I'd be lying if I said then, I think NFTs are going where they are now. I really don't see that; I think that only became clear later,” says OSF.
“In our old jobs, if someone told you you've got all this money, but you have all this risk and you can clear that risk in two trades and you just took the money. You wouldn't think twice.”
Table of Contents
ToggleCrypto culture, nostalgia and XCOPY
Similar to the likes of Josie Bellini and Trevor Jones, OSF leans into crypto culture with a sense of nostalgia that shines through in his work.
This is an example of the art and Rekt Guy PFP collection that started in May 2022, shortly after Terra's death. Rekt Guy, a collection of around 8,800, was a free mint that saw the ground running while most other PFPs went the opposite way. The floor is still set at 0.47 ETH.
“I really like capturing nostalgia and moments in time. I'm the type of person who looks at my photos from 10 years ago just to see what I was doing then. I organize my music into quarterly playlists. I have 2008 Q1, 2008 Q2 and so on. I've been doing that since Q1 2008, so it's been 15+ years now, says OSF.
“When I listen to a playlist from seven years ago, I remember what I was doing at the time. I really like that idea of nostalgia and capturing moments and looking back. I think art is a wonderful way to do that. “
As a British colleague, OSF's ability to capture XCOPY's art style and culture played a major role in its own creation process.
“I would say XCOPY is definitely an inspiration – obviously, the art style but the ideologies that I love. In the year I would love to see his pieces through 2020. These are the most British pieces you won't find unless you live in the UK during Covid-19. Maybe even Aussies,” he said.
“I think that's what I like. That's what art is all about. It's like when you see something and you just connect with it and get it. I think pieces that can capture culture over time end up being iconic.
“In my art, I think I realize that, and I see that XCOPY did. I guess I want to do the same thing, and I think it can be half successful. But the other half was just for myself.
I'm committed to the Red Light District until I die
OSF likes to experiment, and for owners of the collection, the “Red Light District,” comes with the motto, “Until the Day I Die,” OSF promises to create new art every month until the end of its time on earth.
The story behind RLD, an issue of 210 NFTs that became an airdrop ticket to free art, involves his father-in-law, who loved what would become the first airdrop of “Fuck Cash Grabs.”
OSF was not initially bullied on the piece, but was inspired to create it on the back of many “NFT money grabbers” like Pixelmon. His brother's praise finally convinces him to release the piece, but instead of selling it, RLD decides to throw it up in the air for all who have it.
“A few days after the first piece [Fuck Cash Grabs] I just wanted to say, wow, the price of this piece is the same as the price of the Red Light District. I thought it would be one of those things that cost literally zero. People held it in high esteem, and I thought that was very powerful,” says OSF.
“That's where I thought I'd do it as a monthly thing for anyone with an issue of RLD. After I put the second episode on the air called “Professional Degen 3”, which was supposed to be really good and 1 for 1, I think that's the point that people understood. They're like, ‘Oh my gosh, this RLD must be really valuable' because you're going to get this cool stream of art.
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Following Art's commitment to RLD owners by April 2022, OSF continues to question whether it can actually deliver on that promise.
“There is no doubt in my mind if I can continue this or not. I don't feel pressured to create a new piece every month; I like it very much. I've had hundreds of ideas written to me, and it's probably my favorite part of the month. And because it's my favorite way to release art [when] Compared to the 1 1 or version, there is something to be expected. For example, at what price does it sell? Does the issue sell? You took care of your collectors and things like that,” OSF told NFT Creator.
“When I'm 105, I can't guarantee that my art will be as good as it is now. who knows? Going back to nostalgia, I love that after 10 years, I'm still there to see an air drop or two. Now, in the second phase, it's very early, but I try to look back at all these things, and draw a picture for the rest of the time, like a monthly document of my life or the crypto space or whatever.
From the morning gym session to Sotheby's
OSF has hundreds of art ideas in his notes, but he loves the spontaneous nature that art can bring out of it, like his piece titled “Carnaby Street,” sold at Sotheby's in December 2022 for $75,600.
The origin of “Carnaby Street” is a good example of how things often turn out for me. I went up to Barry's boot camp class and showed up very early. It was 5am and I was sitting outside Soho in London, which is usually busy. He was dead. There was no one there. It was getting close to sunrise, and there were all these purple lights, and I remember thinking, I have to draw this now,” OSF said.
“I had about an hour to kill, so I took out my iPad and sat on this bench on my treadmill, drawing this thing while people were picking up boxes and stuff. That “Carnaby Street” piece just worked in that setting because I was just drawing it.
“The reality is that such instances are few and far between. They can be magical pieces when they happen, but there are often limitations in the artistic process.
Popular sales to date
Quick fire question and answer
Effects:
“I really like Alpha Centauri Kid. I think the reason I like him so much is that he's someone who just puts out art based on his own feelings or emotions or what he's experiencing, without thinking about what anyone else thinks.
I saw his piece, and it goes deep. He does things on his own terms and by his own rules. He's like, ‘I'm creating the things I want to create, and here it is on my terms, and if you want to buy it, you can buy it. If not, then no.'
“I like the way he talks about things and makes people a little nervous sometimes. I think it's brilliant. He is definitely a big inspiration. I love his stuff, but the way he goes about directing his art, I think it's amazing.
Which Hot NFT Artist Should We Pay Attention To?
“I think it's amazing to die with so many likes. I don't know if it's still coming because it's been on the timeline so many times. But that guy is incredible. He's a performance artist, and people haven't seen his performance art yet because some things are in real life. It's just unbelievable.”
“He is also a writer. He writes amazingly, and he just captures this theme of memory that no one else does. His stuff is different from any other artist. Here's these artists, here's all the wrong artists, here's the neo-right artists or whatever, but you can say there's nobody who's like dying with so many likes.
“His stuff is in your face and in your head; I think he's brilliant, and I really think he's going to go to bigger places. He's a very popular artist now, but in a year, I think he could be with the biggest guys in the space.”
Your favorite NFTs in your wallet
“I Am My Own Torment” by EKK and “Retention Pond Baptism” by Death Beloved.
What do you listen to when you create art?
“I have a really weird and broad taste in music. It could be Taylor Swift one day. It could be Creed like back in the day. It's really random based on what I feel like listening to. Like piano covers of popular songs or reggae covers of popular songs. It's pretty random. It's just random stuff. It's probably just an indication of how cruel I am in general.”
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Greg Oxford
Greg Oakford is co-founder of NFT Fest Australia. A former marketing and communications professional at Sports World, Greg now focuses on content creation and consulting at Web3. He is an avid NFT collector and hosts a weekly podcast covering all things NFTs.
Follow the author @GregOakford
