Artist Blakelee Pieroni’s Meta Betties project fractally brings together art, activism, and digital innovation, offering a forward-thinking approach to how performance and conceptual art can engage with blockchain technology. By addressing societal norms and advocating for social change, her work has discovered a powerful outlet in the digital world.
Her roots as an artist are deeply tied to dance and performance art, but her university education introduced her to painting and sound design, leading her to blend these mediums into her evolving practice. When COVID-19 hit and galleries closed their doors, Blakelee, like many other artists, turned to new digital platforms to reach her audience. This led her to discover the possibilities of the blockchain as a new medium for her work.
“Since then, I’ve been involved in Web3, trying to create space for performance art on the blockchain. It’s a rare and challenging field, but it’s something I’m passionate about,” she explains.
Blakelee started Meta Betties out of a desire to confront and overturn the traditional, often problematic depiction of the WWII era pinup girl. Historically, these women were symbols of sexualized femininity, paid for their poses yet denied ownership or royalties for their image. Blakelee wanted to take the traditional concept and reshape it through a feminist lens, bringing in messages of empowerment, resistance, and social activism.
“By reinterpreting the pinup girl image for the digital age, I wanted to shift the narrative,” she explains. The Meta Betties are portrayed with symbols of strength, such as chess pieces, birdcages, and birth control pills, replacing the typical props that signify submission and stereotypical femininity. Using comic-style speech bubbles and visuals, each Meta Bettie addresses modern social issues such as climate change, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ+ activism. Blakelee has curated a collection of 10 personas within Meta Betties, with 2,500 pieces per persona, created with a focus on relevance and immediacy. “I choose themes based on what’s most important right now,” she says, noting that each persona reflects both personal and societal conflicts. “For example, the Political Persona includes traits like raw steak and chess pieces to comment on power structures and societal consumption.”
At the heart of Meta Betties is Blakelee’s commitment to using art as a tool for social change. Meta Betties is not just about owning art; it’s about taking action. One of the core features of the project is the act-to-earn model, which replaces the typical “play-to-earn” approach (a model where participants can engage in digital activities, such as playing video games or completing tasks, to earn real-world rewards) common in NFT communities. Each Meta Betties item, such as a hoodie, includes an NFC tag that links to digital advocacy campaigns, from petitions to activism challenges. By sharing these campaigns and gathering signatures, participants can earn rewards like free art or exclusive event access. “I love that it gamifies activism in a way that’s appealing to young people,” Blakelee explains. “It helps them engage with real-world causes and see how their actions can make a tangible difference.” In addition to the act-to-earn system, a percentage of each NFT sale is donated to nonprofits through Meta Betties’ partnership with The Giving Block.
In a recent collaboration with Hug, Blakelee curated Reclaim the Chain, a group exhibition at Canvas 3.0 Gallery at Oculus in New York. The exhibition brought together more than 100 female-identifying artists, addressing the persistent gender imbalance within the NFT and blockchain space. With Web3 remaining largely male-dominated, Reclaim the Chain set out to provide visibility and representation to women in the space. The exhibition’s central goal was to demystify NFTs and blockchain technology for the artists, many of whom were unfamiliar with minting NFTs. Blakelee and Hug worked closely with the artists, guiding them through the minting process and using OpenSea to digitally showcase their work.
Blakelee is also known for her Meta Betties performances, which take place in gallery spaces and involve intense, often confrontational acts of performance art. One such recent performance in New York, The Last Supper, delved into themes of capitalism and gender dynamics. The performance featured a dinner table with 12 chairs, reminiscent of the biblical Last Supper, where the performers engaged with symbolic items. “We used symbolism like red tape and red meat to highlight societal issues, especially around women’s rights and oppression. Performances like this force the audience to reflect on their own perceptions and challenge the way they engage with art, activism, and gender, “ Blakelee explains. She continues “The Last Supper followed the Red Meat performance we did before the election. Red Meat encouraged women to vote and highlighted the urgency of protecting women’s rights. The Last Supper, on the other hand, was more of a grieving process after the election, with an opinionated response to what lay ahead.” As the performance unfolded, Blakelee and the other performers engaged in a ritualistic breaking of bread, drinking wine, and eating apples. At the heart of the table, a man was bound with cash, covered in it. When the performance reached its climax, the Betties began to eat the cash, symbolizing the suffocating grip of capitalist pressures on society.
As Meta Betties grows, Blakelee is focused on expanding its influence and engagement. The next phase, launching in January, will feature token-gated performances and a weekly series of conceptual short films. These films will continue to address the important social issues central to the Meta Betties project. NFT holders will have exclusive access to these films, further blurring the lines between the digital and physical aspects of the project. “I’m excited for the future of Meta Betties,” Blakelee says.
“This is a long-term project, and I see endless possibilities. The goal is not just to create art, but to empower women and marginalized voices and create a community that is actively engaged in social change.”
The project’s impact is already being felt, with Blakelee’s work attracting attention at global art events like its recent headline of the Satellite Art Show during Art Miami. She is actively seeking to collaborate with other women in Web3, further helping them access the same digital tools she herself has utilized.
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To learn more about the project, visit Blakelee’s website, the MetaBetties’s website, and stay tuned for updates on upcoming exhibitions and performances.
Photographer
Julian Lazaro https://www.instagram.com/julianlazaro?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
Meta Betties
IG: https://www.instagram.com/metabetties/
X: https://x.com/MetaBetties
Blakelee Pieroni ( co founder)
IG: https://www.instagram.com/blakelee_mover/
Meta Betties Collective
Molly Williams
IG: https://www.instagram.com/thatmomogirl/
X: https://x.com/NotMollyGirl
Chelen Middlebrook
IG: https://www.instagram.com/chelen.ashley/
Karely Wasaff
IG: https://www.instagram.com/kineticswithkarley/
Christina Torres
IG: https://www.instagram.com/torrestial/
