Mezzanotte: New Frontiers in NFT Art
Mezzanotte is an NFT label focused on promoting digital artists, contemporary art, and blockchain technology. Let’s take a closer look.
Launched in 2021, Mezzanotte collaborates with six emerging, yet talented artists: Merukuro, GOODNEWSFORBADGUYS, Thinkpad01, Pedro T.Q.M., and Ophidian Lips. Its primary role is to promote the digital collections of these contracted artists on social media and within creative communities, taking a percentage of the minting proceeds. Essentially, artists release their work under the Mezzanotte brand.
Beyond supporting artists and promoting NFT collections, Mezzanotte runs a podcast under the same name, featuring fascinating guests who discuss cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and NFT technology. Recently, they interviewed Smoovie Williams, co-founder of Sanko GameCorp and creator of the DMT token. The podcast also hosts various artists and developers, including Three and Daniel Keller.
However, art remains the project's central focus. Their most popular NFT collection to date is White Hearts by French artist Merukuro, who draws inspiration from Japanese culture. The series features portraits of anime characters and includes numerous references to Neon Genesis Evangelion and yuri manga, a genre depicting romantic relationships between women.
A standout feature of this collection is access to a semi-interactive visual novel, which runs directly in the browser on the official website, resembling a typical game novel. The story follows Rosaire, an astronomy enthusiast who enrolls at a prestigious university as the only male student. Despite his efforts to focus on his studies, he gets pulled into adventures by his best friend, new classmates, and even professors.
Another notable recent collection from Mezzanotte is Ophidian Lips, which shares its name with the artist’s pseudonym. Owners of this series will gain early access to a comic book where the main character, Margaux, plays in a shoegaze band (a subgenre of indie/alternative rock) and navigates a complex relationship with a fan named Maël. The NFTs depict Margaux in various visual styles.
Beyond supporting artists and promoting NFT collections, Mezzanotte runs a podcast under the same name, featuring fascinating guests who discuss cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and NFT technology. Recently, they interviewed Smoovie Williams, co-founder of Sanko GameCorp and creator of the DMT token. The podcast also hosts various artists and developers, including Three and Daniel Keller.
However, art remains the project's central focus. Their most popular NFT collection to date is White Hearts by French artist Merukuro, who draws inspiration from Japanese culture. The series features portraits of anime characters and includes numerous references to Neon Genesis Evangelion and yuri manga, a genre depicting romantic relationships between women.
A standout feature of this collection is access to a semi-interactive visual novel, which runs directly in the browser on the official website, resembling a typical game novel. The story follows Rosaire, an astronomy enthusiast who enrolls at a prestigious university as the only male student. Despite his efforts to focus on his studies, he gets pulled into adventures by his best friend, new classmates, and even professors.
White Hearts Collection. Source: Official OpenSea website.
White Hearts consists of 2,500 unique NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain, each with distinct traits (hairstyles, emotions, accessories, etc.). At the time of writing, the floor price for one NFT is 0.0279 ETH (about $100), with a creator royalty of 7.5%. Additionally, a bonus series called New White Hearts was airdropped to holders of the original collection.
Another notable recent collection from Mezzanotte is Ophidian Lips, which shares its name with the artist’s pseudonym. Owners of this series will gain early access to a comic book where the main character, Margaux, plays in a shoegaze band (a subgenre of indie/alternative rock) and navigates a complex relationship with a fan named Maël. The NFTs depict Margaux in various visual styles.
Ophidian Lips Collection. Source: Official OpenSea website.
Ophidian Lips comprises 310 unique NFTs (ten with increased rarity) on the Base blockchain, each featuring specific traits (hair, makeup, background items, etc.). At the time of writing, minting is ongoing, with NFTs available for 0.0155 ETH (about $60). Notably, the artist has waived royalties on secondary market sales.
Mezzanotte also features other NFT collections: Dropicall, Unchained Milady, Sim Cards Pack One, and more. While these have yet to achieve widespread popularity, they have garnered recognition within certain decentralized community circles, showcasing the creators' talents. And Mezzanotte is just getting started.
