Exhibits

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November 2, 2023
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Field of Dreams: A Tribute to Chicago Sports on the Blockchain

About
the Exhibit

In the heart of Chicago, where the streets echo with tales of epic comebacks, underdog triumphs, and the undying spirit of the Windy City, legacy matters. As a curator and artist and graduate of the esteemed American Academy of Art in Chicago, the mosiac of the tragedy and triumph of Chicago sports has been prevalent throughout my life. I believe that our stories reach far beyond the game, immersing us in the cultural tapestry woven by sports in the American landscape. We inherit the colors and legends of our teams like a like a rite of passage. This collection of work embodies the childhood dreams of one day being the champion of the world.

Sports, more than just contests, serve as metaphors for life's trials and triumphs. We often use sporting idioms to describe our achievements and losses, demonstrating how deeply intertwined they are with our everyday narratives. The Legacy of our teams and players are passed down through generations. Our fathers, mothers, and grandparents handed down stories of the greats, turning sports figures into mythical characters in our family legends. The hues of our favorite teams become part of our very identities; “We Bleed Blue”.

Each piece encapsulates the essence of the Windy City's sports legacy available on Makersplace. In our digital age, legacy and provenance are cemented on the blockchain, preserving its history for generations to come.

This collection crescendos on a momentous day in Chicago sports history—the seven-year anniversary of the Cubs World Series victory on November 2nd, 2016. The victory ended a 108-year drought and the Cubs went from “Loveable Losers” to World Champions. The memories, the elation, and the shared joy of that day are captured in the painting I gave my father as gift that found its way to SportsCenter's Top Plays. With the advent of the blockchain I’ve been able to turn my “Field of Dreams” into something “Totally illogical” like Ray Kinsella in this 1 of a kind phygital crystal that’s only available on Makersplace.

Join me this celebration of Chicago's sporting soul, a tribute to the legends, and a reminder that in the realm of sports, the game is just the beginning of the story. It's an invitation to explore the enchanting intersection of art and sport, where our love for the game becomes a canvas for creating memories that stand the test of time.

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About

Nominated "Best Traditional Artist Turned NFT Artist" NFTNYC 2021, a graduate of the esteemed American Academy of Art J.J. Weinberg exploded onto the NFT scene in 2021. In a history-making sale at a premier NYC auction house alongside Banksy & Warhol, Weinberg cemented his incendiary "Well Regulated Militia" series into articles in Yahoo Finance and the Chicago Tribune.

Referred to by critics as "Mark Twain with a paintbrush" & "Norman Rockwell with a Sledgehammer", his diverse body of work has been featured on Good Morning America and SportsCenter's Top Plays. The verified OpenSea artist brought acclaimed comedian George Lopez to tears of gratitude with the NFT he created for the Lopez Foundation. The same tears came from the director of "The Joy of Painting", Sally Schenck, as Weinberg shared his vision of visiting Lurie's Children's Hospital dressed as Bob Ross as an extension of his collection of 10K Happy Little Hairdos. "Bob would have LOVED this, he would have loved YOU," Sally told J.J.

Paying homage to the man and his legacy, Weinberg is assisting Bob's son Steve into NFT space.

J. J. Weinberg
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