Casey Reas Creates a2p (artist-to-peer)

Casey Reas’s precursor to Feral File was inspired by Harm van den Dorpel’s Left Gallery from 2015. Named a2p (artist-to-peer) and built on Bitmark with Sean Moss-Pultz, it was Reas’s early exploration of blockchain, promoting peer-to-peer art trading. In each iteration, three to four curators invited 25 artists, who minted one original artwork as an edition of 10 plus one artist proof. Over a week, artists curated their collections by swapping artworks, all recorded on the blockchain, with lively discussion reminiscent of IRC chats. A2p stands as a critical moment in this history because, in many ways, it helped legitimize the blockchain for pre-blockchain generative artists. For many, a2p marked their initial foray into NFTs, inextricably linking generative art and blockchains. The platform did more than introduce; it ignited a curiosity that set the stage for the increase in interest that was to come while laying the groundwork for Reas’s Feral File.