With apologies to F. Scott Fitzgerald, sometimes there are indeed second acts in American lives. Sometimes they even involve NFTs. That’s the case for the Winklevoss twins, who are perhaps best known for their lawsuit against Facebook, and for competing in the 2008 Olympics in rowing. Since then, they’ve been involved in a number of high-profile (and high-earning) tech ventures.
Last year, the Winklevosses purchased a digital art marketplace, Nifty Gateway, from another set of tech-minded twins, the Cock Foster brothers. Earlier this year, 10 drawings by Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland sold there for $1.65 million, according to a report at Intelligencer. At this juncture, it’s unclear if this was a wise investment — or a scandal waiting to happen.
In a new investigative report at Air Mail, Nimrod Kamer explored some of the more controversial elements of the Nifty Gateway deal. He writes that the pairs of twins “have maintained their image as tech-world titans while also becoming some of the most hated figures in the digital-art world.” Why? It involves a number of factors, from issues with Nifty Gateway’s design and user experience to some contentious policies about the selling of art.
A strategist in the digital art space referred to Nifty Gateway as “amateurish and riddled with bugs,” which are not qualities generally associated with sites where people go to spend large sums of money. Air Mail’s article also features quotes from several artists who had work commissioned but never had their expenses covered.
It’s a worrying set of events that sound alarming for artists and prospective buyers alike. It wouldn’t be a second act without some tension, but Kamer’s article details issues that sound like they go deeper than that.
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