The Romanian Painted Egg, Centuries of Tradition Inspiring 21st Century NFTs
In honour of Project Ark’s upcoming launch and our first project supporting WWF’s conservation efforts in Romania, we take this chance to delve into the rich history behind our NFT eggs that hold an additional reward NFT inside.
Our NFT eggs are ornate, 3D, and come in four tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Furthermore, they only hatch (unlock the BONUS NFT) once we’ve reached our fundraising goal. Our designer Arturo Fernandez took inspiration from the centuries of Romanian tradition to design these incredible art pieces, and we wanted to share some of that history with you.
The tradition of painting Easter eggs in Romania is one of the most colourful, ancient and beloved traditions. You can find these eggs everywhere, bet it the dinner table, shop windows, or even at picnics. The history behind these beautiful eggs dates back centuries, with different styles and meanings evolving throughout various communities around the country over the years. Painting these eggs is a skill few have mastered, with some Romanian artists having transformed these hollowed-out eggs into unique works of art exhibited all around the world.
While the decorative symbols and colours vary across regions, typically, three or four colours are utilised, each with its meaning. Red symbolises love and solar light; black is in eternity, yellow is about youth and rich crops, green relates to nature and blue to health and sunny skies. The symbols used are also incredibly diverse, often mixing typical ones like the cross or the star with plants and animals combined with local or regional elements that often celebrate more rural cultures. The lines used in the painting process bear their meanings as well, if the straight vertical line means life, the horizontal one means death. The double straight line and the spiral symbolise eternity, while the curved line means water and purification. Each egg is unique and tells something about the life of the artist that made it.
Egg decorating is standard throughout Romania, but the region of Bucovina is most famous for its intricate designs and colours used, often depicting the beautiful houses from their village. Two museums dedicated entirely to presenting painted Easter eggs can be visited in this region. In Vama — The Egg Museum — and in Moldovita — the International Museum of Eggs Lucia Condrea, each with thousands of eggs exhibited.
One thing that makes our NFT eggs extra special is that they come with entirely original songs, which utilize traditional Romanian instruments to create some very ethereal sounds. The music was created by the incredible Fredrik Eriksson and Jake Goble from the bands Grizfolk and Enjune. They bring years of experience across the music industry, not only performing but also working with some of the world’s biggest brands in the world via their company PURPLEGANG. Their contribution to Project Ark was born out of their artist project Allauras, which was started as a way to assemble and empower a new generation of digital artists who have the passion to create impact through audio/visual experiences. With incredible energy and momentum occurring in the digital art space, Allauras is focused on projects that support: Mindfulness, Environmental/Ecological Protection, and Indigenous Humanitarianism. Its mission is to connect, create & impact.
“Collectively, our work represents the sum of all light and sound vibrations created to serve a greater good. Interested in being a part of the wave that is shaping a better tomorrow? Join us.” — Jake Goble
So while our eggs take their inspiration from centuries of Romanian history, we’ve added our modern flair to create an NFT that any collector from around the world will want. More importantly, though, is that the sale of these NFTs will directly support the ongoing conservation efforts of WWF Romania. Not only will the impact be seen in the wildlife they protect, but the communities they partner within their shared goal of keeping the Carpathian forests as wild as they were when Romanian egg painting first began.
To learn more about Project Ark as we begin our roll out for the April launch, be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram, or join our Telegram group!
