Pace Gallery has introduced an innovative NFT art project, “CP1919,” which promises to include previously unheard vocal samples from the legendary English rock band Joy Division. The project is a collaboration between Pace Gallery, Joy Division’s drummer Stephen Morris, renowned album artist Peter Saville, and the official Joy Division Archive.
The “CP1919” series, presented by Pace Verso, the gallery’s NFT art division, consists of two NFT drops. These drops will showcase a soundtrack created by Stephen Morris and archival vocal samples from the late Ian Curtis, Joy Division’s frontman.
Additionally, the project expands upon Peter Saville’s iconic cover art for Joy Division’s seminal album, “Unknown Pleasures,” released in 1979 on Factory Records. The NFT series takes its name from the original pulse of a collapsed star, which inspired the album’s distinctive artwork.
One of the NFTs, “CP1919: Sweeping Sun Black 2023,” is a unique, one-of-a-kind digital artwork. It includes exclusive imagery and a soundtrack that will never be released to the public. The highest bidder in Pace Verso’s auction will receive this special NFT as a commemorative hard drive in a unique slipcase.
The other NFT, “CP1919: Sweeping Sun White 2023,” is an open edition digital collectible. It features an “auditory component” comprising the newly discovered vocal samples from Joy Division, with owners entitled to claim a corresponding free t-shirt. Both editions will be available for $100 each on October 9, purchasable using cryptocurrency or credit cards.
Moreover, a portion of the proceeds from “CP1919” artwork sales will be donated to the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), a suicide prevention charity, in memory of Ian Curtis, who tragically took his own life in 1980.
Pace Gallery’s project offers a unique fusion of art and music, providing an immersive experience for Joy Division fans and NFT enthusiasts.