Yuga Labs, the brand behind the popular NFT collections Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), CryptoPunks, and Meebits, has announced the latest addition to its Punks Legacy Project. CryptoPunk #110 will soon be joining the permanent collection of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, one of the world’s leading contemporary art museums.

The donation comes just in time for NFT Paris and is an initial step of part of a bigger plan by the group The Punks Legacy Project, which aims to bring attention to the provenance and cultural significance of one of the earliest NFT projects, CryptoPunks.

Le Centre Pompidou fait l’acquisition d’un ensemble d’œuvres traitant des relations entre blockchain et création artistique, dont ses premiers NFT ! ?
Ce sont 18 projets de 13 artistes français et internationaux qui entrent en collection.
Plus d’infos ? https://t.co/PXL4O2E9vh pic.twitter.com/sNI7EYtK5E

— Centre Pompidou (@CentrePompidou) February 10, 2023

By donating Punks to renowned art institutions around the world, Yuga Labs aims to ensure that these iconic NFTs are recognized and displayed alongside other exemplary examples of contemporary and modern art. The project also offers resources and guidance to these institutions regarding Web3 education, crypto art history, and NFT security best practices.

The donation of CryptoPunk number 110 to the Centre Pompidou marks the second Punks Legacy Project donation by Yuga Labs. The first, CryptoPunk number 305, was donated to the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami at Art Basel in 2022. Partnering with such a prestigious contemporary art museum signifies that NFTs are becoming more recognized as a serious art movement by the industry — or at the very least a recognized medium of creation.

“With the entry of CryptoPunk #110, from one of the most popular NFT series of its kind, into the collection of the National Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou is pursuing its interest in digital art, in connection with the blockchain,” shared  Xavier Rey, Director of the National Museum of Modern Art, adding that “Web3 is an innovative territory that artists have now seized upon to create original and daring work, and this collection reaffirms our support for artists in their conquest of new means of expression, which is the foundation of modern art.”

Greg Solano, the Co-Founder of Yuga Labs, added, “The Punks Legacy Project is designed to be a cultural bridge between the traditional art world and the Web3 industry, paving the way for a collective understanding of how digital art can be accepted and appreciated for its impact and modern relevance. This next installment is further proof that CryptoPunks belong on the walls of global art institutions,” he said, adding that “seeing CryptoPunk #110 displayed in the Centre Pompidou, arguably the world’s most prestigious contemporary art museum, is a great moment for the Web3 and NFT ecosystem, and we’re honored to help drive this cultural conversation.”

The exhibition dedicated to celebrating digital art at Centre Pompidou, where Punk #110 will be installed, is set to take place in the spring of this year. Over the next year, Yuga Labs plans to continue donating CryptoPunks to museums around the world, bringing attention to the importance of NFTs as contemporary art.

Also joining the donated Punk will be Autoglyph number 25, which is being donated as a united front by Larva Labs, the previous owners and original creators of CryptoPunks. According to an announcement from the Centre, additional works from 18 projects, by 13 French and international artists will also be included in the collection.

Elsewhere in art, learn more about the story and meaning behind the works of Terrell Jones and his popular collection Evil in Colour.