Oneiric story of a young woman

About the #NFTimbre2 — Triptych (AI-assisted) 2024

The #NFTimbre2 trilogy — consisting of #NFTimbre2.1, 2.2, and 2.3 — is the second NFTimbre edition and the first multi-block edition of the programme. It introduces the narrative storytelling structure that becomes the dominant pattern of the NFTimbre series from #NFTimbre4 onwards. Notable: the first AI use in programme history — applied in hybrid mode with human curation, contrasting with Deutsche Post's DALL-E-only approach.

The Three Acts Over Six Months

Total: 90,000 booklets across six months. The temporal distribution creates a narrative cycle with tension build-up (Act I → Act II → Act III) — similar to a literary triptych. This differs from previous crypto stamp programmes where editions appeared individually.

VivaTech as Programme Stage

The official presentation of the first edition (#NFTimbre2.1) took place on 23 June 2024 at VivaTech in Paris by Nathalie Collin, Deputy Director-General of La Poste Groupe (Branche Grand Public et Numérique). The choice of VivaTech — France's largest tech trade fair — as presentation venue:

• Contrasts with philatelic events (classical collector setting)
• Positions NFTimbre as tech innovation, not just collector product
• Addresses Web3-savvy buyers and tech investors

The VivaTech staging contrasts with the German Brandenburg Gate presentation at Berlin's Museum für Kommunikation — La Poste positions itself as a tech player.

First AI Use — Hybrid Mode

#NFTimbre2 is the first and only NFTimbre edition with AI involvement. La Poste described the approach as hybrid mode:

Pour cette série, La Poste a fait le choix d'être accompagnée pour la première fois de l'IA, comme un outil ou un processus innovant dans le parcours de création artistique du timbre.

The wording specifies AI as a tool or innovative process — not as sole generator. The hybrid combines l'humain + l'Intelligence Artificielle. The AI provides drafts and variations that are curatorially processed by the studio.

Contrasting with Deutsche Post (DALL-E output adopted unchanged, image-error discussion at Cologne Cathedral):

This AI use — limited to #NFTimbre2 with human curation — remains singular within the programme. All other NFTimbre editions (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) were designed by named artists.

The Narrative in Three Acts

#NFTimbre2.1 (27 May 2024) — Act I: Connection

A young woman in a soft, muted atmosphere. She represents the collector's connection to the digital world — the transition from classical philately to NFT collection. The mood is intimate, contemplative.

#NFTimbre2.2 (2 September 2024) — Act II: Anticipation

The young woman, seen from behind, stands before a large, open window. She contemplates a hot air balloon in motion — symbol of an encounter to come. Soft, colorful light. The scene is oneiric, with an atmosphere of dream and tranquility.

#NFTimbre2.3 (4 November 2024) — Act III: Encounter

The story reaches its epilogue: the meeting of the young woman with a young man — symbol of digital art. Shared journey in the hot air balloon. This oneiric scene marks the union of physical object and digital component into a new aesthetic experience.

Connecting motif across all three acts: L'hirondelle de La Poste — the historic swallow as French post logo appears in each of the three stamps and creates the narrative thread between classical philately and digital art.

Each act contains its own video animation element in the NFT — the digital twin includes moving images that extend the mood of each act. Together, the three NFT animations form a continuous narrative in moving images.

Strategic Significance

The #NFTimbre2 trilogy is programmatically significant for several reasons:

1. Multi-block concept as programme identity: Opening of storytelling mode that becomes dominant from NFTimbre4 onwards
2. First and only AI use in NFTimbre: Hybrid use with human curation, not AI-first programme
3. VivaTech staging: Tech-innovation positioning (not classical-philatelic)
4. Six-month distribution: Longer sales period than atomic editions
5. Animations per act: First consistent use of video components in NFTs
6. Historic swallow motif: Connection to La Poste's classical brand identity

Commercial performance of the individual acts is not publicly documented in detail. The fact that NFTimbre3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 subsequently appeared on schedule indicates acceptable sales results — without repeating the strong first-day performance of NFTimbre1 (13,050 NFTs in 4 hours).