Technology

The First Artist with Down Syndrome and Autism to Release An NFT Collection of 1,000 Unique Artworks: Santiago Releases His ABSTRACTO Collection on December 9th

Published

2 years ago

December 1, 2022

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — At just sixteen years old, Santiago is a non-verbal artist with Down syndrome who is changing the face of modern art. On December 9th, the emerging artist will launch his large-scale NFT collection, ABSTRACTO by Santiago. This groundbreaking project will make Santiago the first artist with Down syndrome and autism to release an NFT collection of 1,000 unique artworks.

The ABSTRACTO collection champions the Down syndrome and autism communities, and shines light on new opportunities for artists with disabilities. At a very young age, Santiago began using art as a means to express himself. While Santiago is non-verbal, his art speaks loud and clear.

“Santiago embraced what makes him different,” says Nico Segura, Santiago’s brother. “Instead of looking at his disability as a weakness, he turned it into his greatest strength. Santiago’s uniqueness is exactly what gives him a distinct artistic perspective, and what makes his art special. We wanted to give him a platform for him to shine on his own, and to leave a legacy through his art.”

To create the ABSTRACTO collection, Santiago painted over 200 paintings over the course of 5 months. He used a diverse range of materials, including oil paint, acrylic paint, gesso, oil pastel, and charcoal.

Next, Santiago’s 200 canvas paintings were all scanned to digital format. Then, following an algorithmic editing technique, different elements of the paintings were combined to create brand new digital artworks. As such, Santiago’s 200 physical paintings yielded 1,000 unique digital artworks comprising the complete ABSTRACTO collection.

The first 22 NFTs sold will include both the digital NFT artwork and the original physical paintings on canvas that correspond with each NFT. These are the most exclusive NFTs from the ABSTRACTO collection. The physical paintings range in size from 11″ x 14″, to 36″ x 48″.

ABSTRACTO will be sold in a Dutch auction format on the Ethereum blockchain (which uses the Ether cryptocurrency Ξ). The auction starts at 5.0Ξ and drops by 0.2Ξ every 5 minutes until it rests at 0.2Ξ or sells out.

In traditional art auctions, artists get paid once for the initial sale of their creations, but NFTs now allow artists to earn residuals every time a sale is made. Proceeds from the auction will be used to continue funding Santiago’s specialized, life-long care. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the National Down Syndrome Society and the National Autism Association.

The ABSTRACTO auction kicks off December 9th, 2022 (6 PM EST) on www.abstracto.io. Visit the website, and the Twitter page @SantiagoArtwork for more details. Join Santiago during the ABSTRACTO auction as he unveils the most important art project of his life.

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SOURCE ABSTRACTO by Santiago

Technology

Max Stock Limited Announces Change in Shares Held by an Interested Party

Published

2 hours ago

November 24, 2024

CAESAREA, Israel, Nov. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Max Stock Limited (TASE: MAXO(; )the “Company”, “Max Stock“) today announced that on November 20th, 2024, Phoenix Financial Ltd. and Phoenix Investment House Ltd. (“Phoenix reporting group”), including their respective nostro account, provident funds and provident fund management companies, as well as mutual fund management companies and market maker sub entities, informed the Company that they had sold shares of the Company thereby lowering their joint holdings to 4.8% of the Company’s issued capital (4.15% and 0.65% respectively). As a result, Phoenix reporting group will no longer be an interested party in the Company.

This is an English translation of segments of a Hebrew immediate report that was published on November 24, 2024 (Ref. No: 2024-01-618032) (hereinafter: the “Hebrew Version”). This English version is only for convenience purposes. This is not an official translation and has no binding force. In the event of any discrepancy between the Hebrew Version and this translation, the Hebrew Version shall prevail.

About Max Stock

Max Stock is Israel’s leading extreme value retailer, currently present in 64 locations throughout Israel and 2 locations in Portugal. We offer a broad assortment of quality products for customers’ everyday needs at affordable prices, helping customers “Dream Big, Pay Small”. For more information, please visit https://ir.maxstock.co.il

Company Contacts:

Talia Sessler,
Chief Corporate Development and IR Officer
talia@maxstock.co.il

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SOURCE Max Stock Limited

Technology

Qatar Development Bank announces strategic investment in global Islamic FinTech, Wahed

Published

6 hours ago

November 24, 2024

DOHA, Qatar, Nov. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Qatar Development Bank (QDB) announces a strategic investment in Wahed, a global Shariah-compliant fintech.

Wahed currently manages over $1 billion in assets and has attracted over 400,000 clients worldwide. The company is built on the principles of democratizing access to financial services and offers clients access to Shariah-compliant investments in its mobile app. Wahed removes the barriers to sophisticated investment management services that have been traditionally reserved for high-net-worth investors.

Khalid Al Jassim, Executive Chairman of Wahed MENA said: ‘We are delighted to welcome our new shareholders, QDB. We believe Qatar is fully aligned with our mission in creating a technology-first Islamic finance leader that unlocks a financial ecosystem free from Riba. We look forward to supporting the Qatar National Vision 2030 of becoming a leading knowledge-based economy.

Ali Rahimtula, Partner at Cue Ball Capital said: “Qatar Development Bank’s strategic investment is a clear signal of the faith the industry has in Wahed and its ability to create the future of Islamic Finance.”

About Wahed

Founded in 2015, Wahed is a financial technology company that is advancing financial inclusion through accessible, affordable, and values-based investing. The company has made significant inroads in the world Shariah compliant investing by creating an easy-to-use digital platform that provides a suite of Shariah compliant investing products including managed portfolios and venture and real estate investments. Wahed caters to over 400,000 customers globally and manages over $ 1 billion in assets.

For more information, visit: www.wahed.com

About Qatar Development Bank

Qatar Development Bank’s mission is to advance the economic and innovation development cycle of Qatar, supporting and contributing to the nation’s economic diversification. As well as a focus on the development of Qatar’s private sector, QDB is a powerful catalyst for socio-economic development in the country, empowering the local economy and bettering living standards.

For more information, visit: https://www.qdb.qa/

SOURCE Wahed

Technology

Wahed appoints Khalid Al Jassim as Executive Chairman of Wahed MENA to help guide the strategic growth of Wahed in the region

Published

6 hours ago

November 24, 2024

DOHA, Qatar, Nov. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Wahed, a global Shariah-compliant fintech, has appointed Khalid Al Jassim as Chairman of Wahed MENA.

On this appointment, Khalid commented, ”I am excited to guide Wahed’s growth in the region. Wahed’s mission of furthering Islamic Finance is one I resonate with deeply and I look forward to supporting its growth ambitions.”

Khalid has over twenty five years of investment banking and corporate advisory experience gained with some of the most innovative and groundbreaking institutions in the world.

His career spans leading firms including SABIC, Arthur Anderson and Arcapita Bank in Bahrain, where he was instrumental in making it into one of the PE powerhouses in the region. His responsibilities started in the earlier years with establishing the Investment Placement Team and transforming it into one of the most robust teams in the industry. At the time that Khalid left Arcapita to build his personal business, he was an Executive Director. Today he is Chairman of Afkar Vision, a private advisory house specialized in mergers and acquisitions with offices in Manama, Dubai and Riyadh.

As well as being one of the earliest investors in Wahed, he is currently Chairman of the Audit Committee and Board Member at Bahrain Islamic Bank, the 4th oldest Islamic Bank in the World and Board Member at SICO Bank and SICO Capital in Saudi, an $8bn asset manager in the region.

Mohsin Siddiqui, Wahed CEO said, “We are delighted to announce Khalid’s appointment. His unique understanding of the financial landscape in the MENA region is unparalleled and we are excited to bring this expertise in continuing to grow our presence in the region.”

About Wahed

For more information, visit: www.wahed.com

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