Cozomo de’ Medici: A Pseudonymous Patron for the Age of Algorithms

Behind the alias of Cozomo de’ Medici lies one of the most influential digital art collectors of our time. Mysterious, visionary, and fiercely engaged in shaping the legitimacy of cryptoart, Cozomo has become a patron for the age of code and culture. Discover how his anonymous presence is rewriting the rules of curation, collection, and artistic legacy.

COLLECTORS OF MEANING: WHEN ART BECOMES A RESPONSIBILITY

Charlotte Madeleine CASTELLI

7/7/20252 min read

As digital art carves out its place among blockchains, museums, and metaverses, an elusive and powerful figure has emerged, one who is redefining what it means to be a collector: Cozomo de’ Medici. Inspired by the legendary Florentine banker, this pseudonymous digital patron has turned NFT collecting into a global curatorial platform.

It all began in July 2021 with a move that shook the crypto art scene: the purchase of CryptoPunk #3831, a masked zombie now known as “CoZom,” which soon became Cozomo’s digital alter ego. But this was no mere speculative whim—it marked the beginning of a carefully curated narrative, built on bold aesthetic choices and a deep ideological vision. Over time, his collection expanded and matured, featuring iconic works by artists such as XCOPY, Sam Spratt, Claire Silver, DeeKay, Yam Karkai, and Tyler Hobbs. These were not just NFTs—they were visual manifestos of what is now widely referred to as the Digital Renaissance.

Cozomo’s role, however, goes far beyond collecting. His most symbolic gesture came in February 2023, when he donated 22 NFTs to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). This act established the first permanent on-chain collection in a major U.S. museum, bridging the blockchain with institutional contemporary art spaces. It wasn’t simply a philanthropic gesture—it was a curatorial statement, legitimizing generative art, AI-based photography, glitch aesthetics, and digital illustration within the larger art-historical canon.

Meanwhile, the mystery of Cozomo’s identity only adds to his mythos. In September 2021, Snoop Dogg tweeted, “I am @CozomoMedici,” igniting a media storm. But the true identity behind the name remains deliberately concealed. Cozomo has embraced anonymity as a tool for creative freedom and protection—a neutral presence consistent with the ethos of blockchain: decentralization, transparency, and inclusivity without imposed hierarchies.

Active on X (formerly Twitter), where he shares thoughts with over 300,000 followers, Cozomo publishes his now-famous "Medici Minutes", offering reflections on artistic directions and market trends. His language is refined, often ironic, but always grounded in a sincere commitment to elevating digital art. He never simply refers to “NFTs”; instead, he speaks of cryptoart, digital painting, generative aesthetics. Every post reveals a deep belief that these works are not just assets—they are living, breathing fragments of our culture, meant to be preserved and passed down.

What makes Cozomo unique is his refusal to act as a traditional investor. He challenges the very category of "collector," embodying instead the role of a decentralized curator, an architect of visual archives that belong, fluidly and collectively, to a global community. Whether purchasing a work by Claire Silver or uplifting an unknown artist in the metaverse, his gestures shape not just markets, but values—redefining how presence, visibility, and legacy operate in the digital age.

Much like Cosimo the Elder once supported the frescoes of San Marco and the architecture of Brunelleschi, today Cozomo de’ Medici constructs cultural narratives through wallets, Web3 platforms, and virtual museums. And the impulse is the same: to support what is new, risky, and yet full of potential. Every true renaissance begins when someone believes in what does not yet exist.