Just picked up my third NFT from alterego: Modest — the 111-piece genesis collection by @m0dest___ . What a lot of people don't know is that alterego was born from a fascinating experiment by @TransientLabs . The idea was simple: What would artists create if nobody knew who they were? Nine creators were invited to participate anonymously during @ArtBasel Miami 2023. Using Transient Labs' Doppelgänger contracts, they could continuously add and evolve artwork over several days while hiding behind a digital mask. The focus was deliberately shifted away from reputation, followers and established artistic brands. The artwork would be judged on its own merits. Not on the identity of its creator! M0dest's contribution ultimately evolved into alterego, a collection of 111 mutable NFTs that collectors can personalize and transform over time. A fitting outcome for a project that began as an exploration of hidden identities and creative freedom. Fast forward to today M0dest is still creating some of the most fascinating experiments in Web3. With Death & Taxes, he is now running what may be the craziest on-chain game I've ever seen. Nearly 500 ETH (!!!) are already trapped in the game. 128 citizens currently remain. Only 69 can survive. And every week the taxes get higher. Players are caught between greed, conviction and financial pain. Stay too long and risk ruin. Leave too early and watch others claim the prize. 😵‍💫 As if that wasn't enough, M0dest also just released a song that can only be listened to by one person at any given moment. One listener enters. Everyone else is locked out. Identity. Scarcity. Behavior. Game theory. Looking at alterego, Death & Taxes and the one-listener song together, a pattern emerges: M0dest isn't just making art. He's designing experiments for humans. That´s conceptual digital art at it´s best. Even if it hurts and some people get ruined... 🫣