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What is Neo-Rococo?

This digital art by Oddly Oaktree is an example of “Neo-Rococo”—an evolution on the Digital Brutalism movement that epitomizes said movement’s kaleidoscopic nostalgia with increased emphasis on its ironic fun.

Unlike the Rococo of history, Neo-Rococo is firmly in the hands of the people—proudly standing in criticism of the elites. That’s because Neo-Rococo is a celebration of the ultra ornate; a rejection of the bland, boring, and basic minimalism pushed onto us by the culture lords financing our institutions, and driving our art.

Through another lens, the Rococo was the last hurrah of feudal aristocracy, the final stage of the Baroque, the decorative calm before the storms of revolution to come. In this sense, Neo-Rococo embodies a word of caution to its observers, “The world you know and love is not absolute, as the only constant in this universe is change, chaos.”

Neo-Rococo celebrates this chaos with unconditional love.

What are NFTs?

Without getting too technical, NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are a way to turn digital assets into collectables. NFTs themselves function like receipts, or proof of ownership.  A common use for this technology is in NFT art, meaning digital art that’s secured by non-fungible tokens, NFTs. For investors, these pieces behave similarly to trading cards, or fine art. However, NFTs can be used to secure any digital asset including music, applications, and more!

It should be noted, Although NFTs are built upon the same technology as many popular crypto currencies, NFT trading is NOT like investing in crypto currency. NFTs are simply a means to enable people to trade digital assets in a similar way to physical collectables, like fine art or vintage baseball cards. 

Will NFTs Appreciate in Value?

Not necessarily. Now more than ever, many people are eagerly searching for the best crypto currency to invest in, resulting in a massive influx of interest around NFTs. However, as stated earlier, the NFT market is NOT like crypto currencies.

NFTs function far more like any other physical collectable than like a crypto currency investment. In other words, while some NFTs may raise in value overtime akin to vintage baseball cards, others may age like Beanie Babies. Not all NFTs are equal, they are simply receipts to secure a digital asset, and some digital assets will mature better than others.

Unfortunately, the hype surrounding NFT trading is resulting in many individuals making poor investment decisions—purchasing assets that likely won’t mature as desired. It is incredibly probable this hype will result in an economic bubble.

However, although all bubbles inevitably pop, this doesn’t mean all NFTs will pop with it. It’s far more likely this pop will serve as a market correction where certain assets will retain their value, and others flop. Those that flop will be assets without long-term mass appeal, or historical importance.

Conclusion

Like all investments, purchasing NFTs comes with risks. Always be cautious when buying a digital asset. Just because something has an NFT, doesn’t mean it will appreciate in value. As a rule of thumb, if your intention is to get a return on your investment, only make purchases that either bring you joy, or you believe will retain interest within communities long-term. Otherwise, your NFT trade may result in you buying an expensive Beanie Baby!