CryptoPunks NFT Art Sparks Backlash Amid ‘Woke’ Controversy

Yuga Labs, the company behind the popular Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs, has decided to step away from its involvement with Cryptopunks, another prominent NFT collection in the crypto world.

Back in 2022, Yuga Labs acquired Cryptopunks to preserve its legacy. Over time, Cryptopunks became one of the most iconic and influential profile picture (PFP) series in the NFT space. Thanks to their popularity among collectors, Cryptopunks even entered museums.

After managing the project for two years, Yuga Labs has decided to move on. In a detailed post shared by Garga.eth (Greg Solano), co-founder of Yuga Labs, the company announced its decision to end all ties with the NFT collection. Instead, they plan to make it fully decentralized to ensure its preservation on the blockchain.

As part of their efforts to integrate Cryptopunks into the traditional art world, Yuga Labs introduced new NFTs consisting of only 500 pieces of artwork. They collaborated with renowned artists to create new works using the Cryptopunks brand, aiming to bridge the gap between the Web3 ecosystem and traditional art.

One such collaboration was with artist Abney, who created Super Punk World using the official Punks stamp. However, this move wasn’t well received by some members of the punk community and collectors. 

They criticized the artworks, which aimed to celebrate diversity and challenge conventional ideas about identity, labeling them “woke”. Some argued that the avatars depicted in the artwork differed from what they believed an original Punk should look like.

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