Discover how visionary artist Ryan Hawthorne's work 'Onchain + Optimistic' was inspired by the promise of an interconnected Superchain future, where collective action and creativity thrive.

What if the future of the internet is less reliant on centralized services, putting the power in the hands of each participant? That’s the vision of the Optimism Collective. Powered by the OP Stack, an open-source codebase that enables the development of L2s like OP Mainnet and Base, Optimism is building towards an interconnected Superchain future where blockchain technology is interoperable and collaboration and standardization lead the way to a more unified approach to development and community growth.

To celebrate Onchain Summer and allude to this Superchain future, Optimism looked to Ryan Hawthorne, an artist whose work ‘Onchain + Optimistic’ encapsulates the upward trajectory of onchain communities and nods to the OP Stack’s open-source principles. This visual ode reverberates with a promise of the Superchain future where builders, creators, and communities harness the power of the new internet to coordinate, collaborate, and thrive.

"I got into this space,” says Hawthorne, “Because I sensed an opportunity for artists and creators that I hadn’t ever seen before." For Ryan, immersion in the space came alongside a profound realization of the importance of owning what you create. "To take ownership of your art in a way that's never really been done before made me excited," he asserts.

To get to that idyllic future, there’s a lot of work to be done. As Makena Walsh, team member at OP Labs which is a contributor to the Optimism protocol, aptly states, "Even as a crypto-native person, it can be quite difficult to accomplish some things onchain. It needs to be much simpler for anyone to come into crypto and build a dapp, create an NFT collection, participate in governance, or do something onchain with the click of a few buttons." This push for accessibility drives the ongoing effort to make onchain interactions easier for everyone, democratizing access to the technology.

Increased adoption of the OP Stack signifies a shift towards a more inclusive, collaborative, and user-empowered digital realm. As Walsh underscores, "We are at the whim and mercy of these megalithic tech companies." This mission to restore the internet as a global public utility is a call to action, inviting all to partake in reshaping the digital landscape.

The interwoven fabric of onchain communities, creators, and collectors propels us toward an internet that is not merely a tool, but a collective endeavor. It’s also an encouragement to participate. "The best way to learn about crypto,” says Hawthorne, “is by getting your hands dirty." It’s time to collectively create a future where openness prevails, connectivity thrives, and the internet is restored to its place as a global public utility, accessible to all who dig in.