A night at Slonem’s Manhattan studio mansion for the launch of “The Hunt Slonem Experience: A digital Bunny Retrospective”.
Hunt Slonem's famous Small Bunnies paintings in their vintage frames.
“I don’t really understand what NFTs are, I’m just happy to try something new” mentions Hunt Slonem looking over the printed QR codes on the tables over the first floor of his studio. His invite-only cocktail launch event presented “The Hunt Slonem Experience: A digital Bunny Retrospective”, an ongoing limited-release of 991 NFTs featuring variations on Slonem’s most iconic motifs.
Since the 1970s, Slonem has been acclaimed for his vibrant colorful exotica, a style that pivots from the fantastic to the natural inspired by his many travels. In New York, he met Andy Warhol and discovered pop art and the art of repetition which he quickly adapted to his favored subjects bunnies, birds and butterflies. Over the next decades, Slonem has created thousands of artworks, paintings, prints and sculptures, and went on to design home collections in collaboration with the luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman. His works have amassed a huge following with collectors including Kris Jenner, Sharon Stone, Julianne Moore, Kate Walsh and Jimmy Fallon.
Hunt Slonem's painting with new motifs with his bears, tucans, tropical birds and bunnies.
Taking the leap from traditional fine art systems to tokenization on the blockchain isn’t an obvious move for every artist. This past year has proven to be a rocky experience for art collectors and galleries. Many blue chip galleries have tried their hand at onboarding blockchain technology, but quickly got cold feet after major market collapses and decreases in NFT values. Though, extreme hype and fluctuations have never scared innovative artists and curators. For true creatives and visionaries, building resilience is key. They understand the difference between the speculative aspects of the art market and the genuine potential for artists to explore new technologies.
Inspired by this new reality, Slonem has partnered with an accomplished Christie’s veteran and well-connected art collector, Prince Zain Talyarkhan. “I’m looking forward to bringing the energy from my physical works into the digital realm,” said Slonem. Notable.art is Mr. Talyarkhan’s new high-end digital art platform, production studio, blockchain-enabled issuance platform, and marketplace for digital art assets. Through buying a Digital asset, collectors are granted complimentary perks from exclusive event access to behind-the-scenes experiences with partnership artists. The platform is billed as the first created by the art world for the art world. Mr. Talyarkhan emphasizes a frictionless experience for traditional collectors, mainstream audiences, and Web3-native consumers alike. The interface was indeed user-friendly to purchase with or without a crypto wallet. In just a few clicks collectors on-site purchased a twinned digital artwork by Hunt Slonem for $1500 or 0.6 ETH (rate value in February 2024). Added to the cost is a sales tax corresponding to your zip code and a minor gas fee for those buying with crypto currencies. Each of Slonem’s 991 pieces are digital works, individually numbered and paired with a physical artwork. To add sentiment to his digital collection, Slonem deliberately chose the number 991 for its spiritual connection with angel numerology. The divine messages present in the 991 number are said to be a good omen for achieving your dreams.
View of Hunt Slonem's paintings and sculptures with Bunnies, cockateels, owls and ocelots.
To celebrate the last day of the year of the Rabbit, the launch event was set within Slonem’s magnificent 40.000 square foot three story high studio. The scale of his environment only added to the experience of the event as guests were introduced to a fully immersive experience in the glass mansion. Small groups were invited for private viewings to wander around, gazing over the multiple showrooms.
Slonem’s long-standing routine of creating paintings daily was on full display, guests were able to see the evolution of an ever-growing collection of works. The floors and walls were populated by thousands of works, sculptures and paintings of all sizes. A true feast for the eyes. Guests were able to access various highly decorated art salons through an elevator and a large metal staircase.
Hunt Slonem's painting with his metallic Bunnies.
On the top floor, we discover the artist's current color palette. Bright colors emerge from large tubes of oil paint and easels positioned around the room are covered with drips and layers of fresh and dried colors. Taking a cue from Warhol, Slonem also uses diamond dust in his works, which he applies in multiple layers over resin and oil paint. What results creates a feeling of eternal joy with protective animal energies. Shimmering colors even taint the furniture. The playful tropical feel continues across the studio floor where Slonem's in-house aviary sits. Eight of his tropical parrots fly freely between large glass walls and enormous white cages, a significant downsizing from his former studio which was home to forty five parrots.
View of Hunt Slonem's Manhattan studio mansion
View of Hunt Slonem's Manhattan studio mansion
Back on the first floor, the ambiance was lively with jazz-duets, cocktails and gourmet snacks. Among the guests were celebrities, royals and trending influencers like Brooke Shields, Anna Rothschild, Megha Bajaj, and Her Serene Highness Princess Shamina Talyarkhan.
“The Hunt Slonem Experience: A digital Bunny Retrospective” offers unique 1:1 NFTs generated from a hand-picked selection of Slonem’s favorite bunnies from over the years. They will be paired with museum-quality prints and redeemable on March 19, 2024, the day the entire collection will be minted in a batch. The private sale ends on February 26th, then the sale is open to the public.
Hunt Slonem's painting with his Bunnies in metallic colors.
Hunt Slonem's painting with his Tropical Birds
Afrodet Zuri and Diana Sinclair
Brooke Shields, Hunt Slonem and Zain Talyarkhan
For more information about Hunt’s NFT project visit notable.art or email sales@notable.art.
For other inquiries: HUNT SLONEM is represented by
SPACE GALLERY ST BARTH | NEW YORK