The XANALIA NFTART AWARDS 2021, planned and operated by NOBORDER.z FZE (CEO: RIO TAKESHI KUBO), in collaboration with Pony Canyon Planning Co., Ltd., and Fujiland Co., Ltd., aimed to spotlight new NFT creators globally. The event saw an overwhelming response, with 1248 entries from across the world. From these, 479 extraordinary works were shortlisted, including three award-winning pieces and special prizes. The event’s grandeur was further amplified by its venue – an NFT art virtual gallery in the XANA Metaverse.
Award-Winning NFTs & Artists
The competition was fierce, but a few artists stood out, winning the prestigious awards:
- Gold Award: “Great cormorant flying city” by YUYA
- Silver Award: “Zeus” by Obliraj Krishnaraj (video work)
- Bronze Award: “Square human alpha Rainbow” by WING LAY
- Kosuke Tsumura Special Award: “skull” by T (video work)
- Asako Tsuji Special Award: “TO THE SECOND NOAH IN 20XX” by T & K photo unit
- Ikeda Ambassador Award: “Daily life of screw screw donut director” by Miura Donut
Following NFTs Won the Jury Prize & XANALIA Special Prize
- Jury Prize (Creator): Acknowledging exceptional creativity
- XANALIA Special Prize (work): Highlighting unique NFT works
About the Prize
The prizes were not just limited to accolades but also included a feature in the notable “NFT. NEW FREEDOM THINK” exhibition.
About the Exhibition “NFT. NEW FREEDOM THINK”
This prestigious exhibition, held by the “MADS ART” gallery in Milan, Italy, and the XANA Metaverse Museum from mid-April, showcased the top three works. Additionally, all nominated works were available for auction at the NFT Marketplace XANALIA until the end of April, offering the highest bidders an opportunity to own these unique and creative NFTs.
Award-Winning NFTs & Artists
■ Gold Award: “Great cormorant flying city” YUYA
Winners’ comments:
My eyes are not like everyone else; they only see a narrow area.
I can’t see all of my paintings, but only some of them.
Small things look so good that I like to see birds flying far away.
I drew this picture when I saw the great cormorant spreading its wet wings and ruffling its feathers.
■ Silver Award: “Zeus” Obliraj Krishnaraj (video work)
Winners’ Comments:
I am a fine arts graduate with over 15 years in art. Nature has always fascinated me as everything is derived from it. I always like to experiment with different mediums to express myself—this time, I chose sand to narrate a little thought visually.
■ Bronze Award: “Square human alpha Rainbow” WING LAY
Winner’s comment:
We make dot picture works of characters by randomly combining parts.
This work will be the final work of the project “Square human alpha”, which was created by automatic generation at the very beginning.
I remember arranging 10,000 works I made and making them into one piece, and I said, “Oh …” better than I expected. I want to continue working hard to make more NFTs. Thank you very much. May everyone involved in NFT have a happy future!
■ Kosuke Tsumura Special Award: “skull” T (video work)
■ Asako Tsuji Special Award: “TO THE SECOND NOAH IN 20XX” T & K photo unit
■ Ikeda Ambassador Award: “Daily life of screw screw donut director” Miura Donut
Following NFTs Won the Jury Prize & XANALIA Special Prize
Jury Prize (Creator) Prize
- SAYAKA ASAI “ICE DYE # 1 / ICE DYE”
- Prize Ofir K_design “In And Ou”
- Prize / * Evercraft * / “/ ** Maze ** /”
- Prize REI Kajitani. “INDEPENDENCE”, etc.
- Prize HIROMU KONNO “Diffusion of magnetic field”
- Prize Lightmaru “72 Spirits of Solomon” Prize
- Prize Qlippers “Deer Matryoshka”
XANALIA Special Prize (work)
- Special Prize “The Cat Woman “ERINA MUKAIJO
- Special Award” A girl and spirits “Hoshi Hiro
- Special Award” META GIRL “saorikashimura
- Special Award” MODEL-type A-BC- “Arisa Nakane
- Special Award “Self Sacrifice Syndrome” Shinome Aya
About the Prize
The three best entries selected by the jury’s vote will receive the following cash prizes as extra awards. (Payment in legal currency)
| Gold Award | “Great cormorant flying city” | YUYA US | $ 10,000 |
| Silver Award | “Zeus” | Obliraj Krishnaraj | $ 5,000 |
| Bronze Award | “Square human alpha Rainbow” | WINGLAY | $ 3,000 |
- The prize money will be given to the winners as an advance. Later on the royalty fees will be distributed to the artists from the subsequent sales (profit from sales) of their relevant work (advance payment => profit guarantee).
- The original copyright fee will be permanently allocated to the creators (original creators) in the case of sales in the initial auction and subsequent permanent secondary transactions through the NFT Marketplace system.
About the Exhibition “NFT. NEW FREEDOM THINK”
An international exhibition on the theme of “NFT” art held by M.A.D.S. ART GALLERY, a gallery based in Milan, Italy. Additionally, the event will be held simultaneously at two other locations: a gallery on the Spanish resort island of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands) and a gallery on the XANA Metaverse.
There are no borders that cannot be crossed, no doors that cannot be opened, and we are welcomed by the freedom to travel with our minds, aiming for new horizons. “No progress is possible without deviation from the norm” is the verbal statement of the famous American revolutionary composer Frank Zappa. We must remember to look back to the past and look forward to the future. Change means a new beginning.” (from the concept of the event)
Conclusion
The XANALIA NFTART AWARDS 2021 marked a significant milestone in recognizing and celebrating the burgeoning talent in the world of NFT art. The event not only honored the artists but also bridged the gap between virtual and real-world art appreciation, paving the way for future innovations in the art industry.