Structure, an experiment in consumer composability

Crypto enables “money legos”: open financial tools that all tap into the same underlying network. These primitives are freely available to combine in endless functional configurations. For a long time, however, only developers could assemble these building blocks into experiences greater than the sum of their parts.

That has changed. Lately the Ethereum ecosystem is teeming with friendly interfaces that put advanced crypto production tools in the hands of nontechnical creators. (We like to think that Splits’ multichain app contributed by facilitating point-and-click management of our smart contract suite.)

Consumer access to practical “money legos” has opened a new frontier in composability. While utmost customization will always require writing code, today you can do a lot by cleverly linking various services, tying things together with asset identities (usually contract addresses) and wallet addresses.

As Splits contended in “Unbreakable agreements”:

Making it easy and cheap to share money will increase experimentation, innovation, and productivity.

To demonstrate the expanded state of no-code crypto infrastructure, this week Splits is releasing a collaboration with artist jpegpowell.eth, also known simply as Cole. The three-part experience is titled Structure.

Puzzle pieces#

First, some essential background. In its mechanisms, Structure is an homage to the artist Ripe, master of creative composability. We’ve explored Ripe’s ingenuity on the blog before.

Ripe’s recent work liquidity layer started with an ERC-20 featuring imagery that evolves dynamically based on buy and sell activity. Ripe’s cut of the trading fees is automatically burned (using Swapper, as it happens).

Admittedly, Ripe is a fluent coder, and liquidity layer is more intricate than would be feasible for a nontechnical creator.

That said, Ripe’s extensions of the initial project show what is possible with consumer crypto tools: subsequent artworks in the series have been published via Manifold as 24-hour time-limited NFTs, only obtainable by burning 1M of the initial liquidity layer token.

Higher calling#

jpegpowell.eth is the artist behind the 100 Days ↑ project. This series visually explores concepts from the Higher ($higher) community. Splits has an affinity for the Higher values of aspiration, dedication, and relentless optimism. We’ve released Higher-themed media in the past, but Structure is more ambitious than previous efforts — which is fitting.

Apropos to the composability theme, Cole started 100 Days ↑ on Zora before the platform shifted focus from NFTs to “cointent,” at which point he continued the series on Rodeo. Since Zora and Rodeo both use Farcaster’s social graph, and Cole synced the durable identity of jpegpowell.eth on both platforms, he could bring his audience along when switching. Cole completed the 100 Days ↑ series last week.

Splits asked Cole to illustrate ideas from our manifesto “Unbreakable agreements.” The resulting minimalist triptych is called Structure:

• Pathway is the opening foray. Technology defines the matrix we move within, but our individual choices determine where our footsteps fall.
• Interlock progresses from solitary sovereignty to mutual association. As you explore the frontier, you form relationships and commitments, leaving an indelible mark with every encounter.
• Guild shows the resilience of the living network, built from voluntary bonds that bolster each other in perpetuity.

At this point, you might want to see the actual art. Well…

Release sequence#

To reinforce the message, Structure will be published as a multiday experience, half scavenger hunt and half puzzle, that draws collectors deeper into creative and economic connection with the artist.

In addition to combining three different consumer crypto platforms, we plan to use Base airdropping tool Infector.fun to incentivize progress through the entire Structure triptych.

Monday, 4/14:

• jpegpowell.eth published Pathway via his Rodeo account. The artwork is available for the next 24 hours.
• Collectors of Pathway will be rewarded as Structure unfolds.

Tuesday, 4/15:

• Interlock will be released as a Clanker memecoin.*
• 100k $interlock each will be airdropped to Pathway collectors (up to 100 recipients).
• 10k $interlock each will be airdropped to collectors of the 100 Days ↑ series (inclusive of both Zora and Rodeo drops).

Wednesday, 4/16:

• Guild will be released as a burn-to-mint NFT that can only be collected by burning 100k $interlock.
• The Guild mint will close at 11:59pm PT on Sunday, 4/20.

Monday, 4/21:

• Guild collectors will each be airdropped 3,333 $higher (up to 10 recipients).

To participate in the project, follow jpegpowell.eth and weekinfarcaster.eth (Splits’ Farcaster ecosystem newsletter) for ongoing announcements.

See you onchain.

*Disclaimer: Buyers should not expect to profit through receipt or ownership of the Interlock memecoin. Neither Splits nor jpegpowell.eth intends to exert any efforts or provide any assistance in bringing about a profit or return for holders of $interlock. You may lose all of the money used to purchase the coins; $interlock is intended for entertainment purposes only.