CryptoCubes has been a defining presence in onchain art since its debut in 2020, and its creator, Han, has continued to expand the project’s shape, meaning, and technological ambition. What began as an exploration of generative 3D form, has evolved into a multifaceted practice that spans virtual worlds, artificial reality, and a growing set of tools and experiments built around a single foundational idea.

As CryptoCubes enters a new chapter, Han is unifying the Creators series under a single contract, commemorating the moment with a new limited edition, and continuing to invite artists to reinterpret the Cube through their own lenses. In our conversation, he reflects on the project’s origins, the philosophy behind its evolution, and the expanding ecosystem of artists, collectors, and experiences that continue to shape its legacy.

Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

OpenSea: When you launched CryptoCubes in 2020, what drew you to generative 3D art onchain, and what did you hope people would take away from those early works?

Han: I came into crypto in 2016 and discovered NFTs around late 2018 through CryptoPunks. I have an architecture background and I am obsessed with 3D. I wanted to treat generated forms like sculptures you might see in the physical world. With CryptoCubes I explored spatial form, color, and scale as code, then placed that logic fully onchain. People were already using avatars as identity. I wanted to see if algorithmic objects could become landmarks and galleries in digital space. The project started simple and it has kept growing as I continue to build new experiences around it.

OpenSea: CryptoCubes is described as a metaverse native project. How do you define that today?

Han: For me it means the work lives and behaves in 3D environments. From the start I thought about places like OnCyber and Decentraland, and now I am exploring artificial reality. In OnCyber I do not place pieces by hand. I feed the script and data and the sculptures render and transform in the space. Artificial reality is the next step. I am building interactive versions where you can play with movement and color and feel the sculpture come alive.

OpenSea: You often describe CryptoCubes as a dialogue between generative structure and individual expression. What did you learn by inviting other artists into that dialogue through CryptoCubes Creators?

Han: A lot. Working with 113 artists so far has been inspiring and also a big project management challenge. Every artist interprets a Cube differently and brings their own technique. I try not to guide them conceptually. I want the final artwork to be one hundred percent theirs, built from that specific Cube form. Early on, fan works by TooMuchLag and Roger [Kilimanjaro] helped spark the idea for the Creators series, and the community energy around those pieces showed what was possible.

OpenSea: How has the vision evolved over the years as the project and your practice have grown?

Han: It keeps evolving. I began fully inside crypto and NFTs, then widened into the traditional art world and into more physical contexts. CryptoCubes mirrors that journey. It started my path and still moves with me. I also write about the project and keep building tools and experiences around it, including a playground on the web and a version for Vision Pro.

OpenSea: For readers who may be new to the ecosystem, can you clarify the difference between the original CryptoCubes collection and CryptoCubes Creators?

Han: The original generative collection launched in 2020 with a supply of 256. CryptoCubes Creators began in 2021. In Creators, an invited artist chooses one of the original Cubes and makes a one of one artwork inspired by that form. Those works are released as a separate collection. The original collection remains the historical core.

OpenSea: How do you choose the artists you collaborate with, and what do you hope they take away from reimagining a Cube in their own style?

Han: I work in sets every few months. I look for artists with strong voices who can converse with the Cube form without losing themselves in it. The framework is simple and open. Pick a Cube, then build from that structure. I hope each artist feels complete freedom to push it in a direction that only they could see.

OpenSea: What will the Creators series look like when it is complete, and what legacy do you hope it will carry?

Han: The goal is 256 artists, one per original Cube. At the end you will have two pillars. First, a historical one of one collaboration series that maps who was creating in this ecosystem and how they interpreted the form. Second, the original generative collection, which gains even more context and strength through that narrative. Together they tell a long story about onchain creation and community.

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OpenSea: You recently announced a major migration to bring all CryptoCubes Creators works under a single unified contract. What made this step necessary, and what does it unlock for artists and collectors?

Han: Earlier drops for Creators lived on another platform under several contracts. That setup made communication difficult and limited our control. Moving to a self sovereign contract with Manifold consolidates everything. We can reach holders directly, coordinate announcements for each new drop, and keep the series consistent. The migration lets collectors burn and redeem older tokens for new ones under the unified contract, which sets us up for continued collaborations.

OpenSea: You also introduced a new limited edition of 256 to mark the migration. What does this edition represent in the broader CryptoCubes story, and how is it being distributed?

Han: It is a way to commemorate a new chapter and show how the visuals continue to evolve. There are 256 pieces. One hundred twenty eight are available for public sale. The other one hundred twenty eight will be sent to collectors who complete the burn and redeem process for their earlier Creators tokens. The edition honors the history and celebrates the path forward.

OpenSea: Beyond the Creators collection and limited edition, what are you building next?

Han: I have been developing a model where each artwork is its own smart contract that also includes marketplace functions. You connect to the artwork itself to collect or transfer. The script and logic live onchain and I cannot change them after deployment. Since 2023 I have released around thirty pieces with this approach and sold about twenty. I even released my first self portrait with this system on my birthday. It made me want to put more personal themes into my work. People can find more information at art.han.io.

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