SEED x NEWTRO

We wrote these words on a Tuesday, exactly 11 days before the joint exhibition of Newtro (Argentina) and S.E.E.D (Brazil) collectives of onchain artists, which took place on February 15th.

The exhibition—open to artists from both collectives, friends, and family—featured works from artists of both communities, followed by a day filled with panels and discussions. Our ultimate goal? To distill these conversations into a Manifesto, something that captured our shared visions and ambitions. And, of course, there were onchain activations, including our first-ever Objkt Gallery collection—a milestone for Newtro and a special opportunity to celebrate and create alongside our friends and colleagues from S.E.E.D. <3

As expected, those were busy and exciting days! Though occasionally clouded by minor worries, as is common in event production. One that lingered in our collective mind was the challenge of communication: we were in Argentina speaking Spanish, while our partners in Brazil spoke Portuguese. How did we bridge this linguistic divide? A small concern, perhaps, but it cast a tiny shadow on an otherwise sunny outlook.

As we prepared to welcome S.E.E.D and pondered these communication challenges, we kept thinking about the power of words. And one image kept returning to us—the image of a spider’s web.

A spider’s web, after all, was more than just a tool for survival—it was a finely-tuned, living sensor. Sensitive, fragile yet resilient, connecting every thread with purpose. It was a powerful thing! Once, a spider’s web had even saved a prophet hiding in a cave from persecutors who couldn’t stand his message.

“This cave is blocked by a spider web! Probably no one has entered here in a long time.”

Little did they know, the web had been spun in just one night to protect something precious.

When needed, we did work fast for something worthwhile.

The blockchain, too, had felt like a web—a tool of great opportunity for artists, but also a fragile thing. The opportunities this technology had given artists might not last forever. It was something worth protecting.

We—S.E.E.D and Newtro—had built something more than just a casual digital space to entertain ourselves. A web was delicate, easily formed by simple connections, but its true strength lay in the entire network. In this network, we didn’t just exist beside each other, linked by a thread or two of shared interests. Instead, we had created bonds that were sensitive, alive, and responsive to each other’s movements. Our connections went beyond the virtual; they were grounded in our local realities—Newtro in Argentina, S.E.E.D in Brazil—while stretching across the digital realms of the blockchain. And just as a spider could feel the faintest tremor in its web, our communities had always read the cultural onchain landscape unfolding before our many eyes... And we had felt the urge to keep nurturing something precious.

Much could be said about the complexities facing onchain artists at the time, but we didn’t think this article was the right place for it. We hoped, instead, to reach some collective conclusions during that IRL gathering of Latin American artist collectives. In the meantime, for context and better mutual understanding, you, dear anon, could have read our brief document outlining our general approach to onchain art and its potential:

VISION FOR ONCHAIN ARTS AND CULTURE

Despite the challenges ahead, some of the good in this ecosystem remained, hopefully, evergreen. Platforms like Objkt—to whom we were deeply grateful for their constant support of artists and for playing "the long game," always championing onchain creators—were a shining example. We also owed thanks to the S.E.E.D collective, who filled the onchain space with their incredible energy and creations, serving as both inspiration and reflection in our own efforts to be positive agents of change. We had hoped for more artist collectives to emerge and for stronger bonds between them. And if we could assist in that mission, all anyone had to do was reach out—help was just a message away. <3

Finally, an invitation! Back then, you could have checked out our very first Gallery collection, an open call to artists from both communities, created to help fund the event. We hoped you found it eye-catching—and that you discovered some incredible artists!

That was all for now, dear friend.

We reminded you then, as we do now: Keep weaving and dreaming.

And remember... the spider had always waited patiently for the fly to come. <3

Until next time.

With love,

Newtro & S.E.E.D.