The Artist: XCOPY
Something changed when XCOPY released the happy, cheery summer.jpg in August 2021…and something changed again when XCOPY released Remnants. Inside you are two wolves. One wolf, gets the inside joke of using a 1 of 1 Grifter as your profile picture. The other, realises that Remnants is perhaps the most distilled voice of XCOPY to date. Which wolf are you?
The Collection: Grifters
In amongst peak market euphoria in December of 2021, the Grifters collection of 666 were released. As if to say, take a look in the mirror everyone. The Grifter pfp is venerated with the crypto community for its irony, its collectoor status and every so often, its truth. Each Grifter is a 1 of 1 making each as unique as the hodler. Yellow is especially sought after for its numerical rarity.
The Collection: Remnants
Remnants were minted almost two years later in November 2023 to the reception of a completely transformed market. Weak sales for most artists and slow sales for the known names. In the heavy atmosphere, Remnants destroys the pfp, leaving only the glitch detritus.
There were signs. In February of 2023, XCOPY declared a bookending of mints on SuperRare. LA Whenever, Mesco Tetro, Aisle 5 Wormhole, Luxury Microwave Mash and Clutches marked the last five mints of SuperRare all going to the vault of XCOPY.
Grifters vs Remnants
Each draws on a completely different thread of commentary. Grifters says something about the broader crypto culture in 2021. Remnants is more open to interpretation. An outward looking interpretation would say that only the leftovers and brain rotted remained two years later when Remnants was minted in November 2023.
A more circumspect analysis might suggest that Remnants is about the internal state of the artist not outwards commentary crypto culture. Remnants feels pure and timeless in a way that pfp centric art is more from a specific era. Would you hang a Remnant or a Grifter 12 feet tall in your home? Would you prefer to roam the digital newsfeed as a Grifter or a Remnant? The answer to these two questions are probably going to determine which is most suited to your palette.