The Artists Shaping the New Art Worlds
Words Shemaiah Gold
I can only imagine how tired you must be of hearing the word 'NFT'... I bet you're wondering what it is all about or maybe you have 0 interest and are just waiting for the hype to die down. Unfortunately, I don't think either NFTs or talk of the metaverse is going anywhere anytime soon and whether you're reading this to discover more within the world of arts and culture or just reading out of curiosity, I think you may benefit from knowing why it's so spoken of, especially considering the fact that NFTs almost act as a glue, merging industries that I thought would never see eye to eye.
You may have noticed that in the title of this article, we used the word 'worlds', mainly because with all the talk on NFTs and the metaverse, it is important to note the defining moment of us now entering a new era of the art world, a now 3D, interactive, technological and innovative space. Artists are the creators of the different metaverse worlds that consumers would exist in. For a long time it seemed as though artists had been sidelined and overlooked in comparison to those in more corporate industries, often being seen to be 'broke' creatives struggling to create demand for their work in an oversaturated market. However, from the youngest to the furthest away geographically, NFT platforms such as 'OpenSea' have opened up opportunities for anyone who has the skill to be able to create and sell their artwork through a process called 'minting'. Oh yes, there is no other time than now that an artist has been more relevant, we are seeing 14 year old artist, Abigail using her art to raise over £100,000 for the conservation of whales. What I'm finding particularly enjoyable about this all is the collaboration between experts from different corporate industries and seeing the harmonious way they are working together with the experts from creative industries.
The question on everyone's lips is what is this new found craze all about?
Digital art has been here since the dawn of computers. But it goes without saying that NFTs have empowered digital artists more now than ever before. The metaverse has opened up the possibilities of what a world of art would look like not only through NFTs but also through gaming, collectibles and VR galleries within the metaverse. I'm calling them 'Art worlds' within the metaverse which are ever changing and being shaped based on how the creator sees their own world. What's interesting, is also how this is translated into the real world through NFT features called 'utilities' which gives you an advantage as an owner. Utility NFTs are those that assign a use to the piece of artwork, such as access to an event, exclusive in-person membership, or assets in a game.
For example, one of the most popular NFTs right now, 'The Bored Ape Yacht Club' gives users access to one of the largest communities with celebrity owners amongst the likes of Eminem and Steph Curry as well as exclusive events. So is the NFT craze all about community? This is one of the main attractions, many are looking for community, a group of people who believe in the same ideals and have the same vision.
The metaverse quite simply shifts ideas of where art is made, collected and exhibited. It is a term for a fully formed online existence coined by Neal Stephenson in his 1992 sci-fi novel Snow Crash a now ubiquitous concept, with virtual reality, augmented reality and other technologies contributing to the expansion of the online world.
To some artists, the metaverse isn’t here to replace reality rather here to probe it, to deepen it and to create space for new questions.
So what exactly are NFTs? NFTs stand for non-fungible tokens which are uniquely encrypted assets that cannot be plagiarised and allow you as an artist to sell your work independently on a blockchain profiting from a large percentage even after it is sold on. They can also be described as a unique unit of data employing technology that allows digital content—from videos to songs to images—to become logged and authenticated on cryptocurrency blockchains, primarily Ethereum.
This all sounds very forward thinking however there are many concerns, amongst one of them are NFTs being considered more about ego and money than art.
I can see that if you take into consideration some of the artists jumping on the NFT bandwagon, the likes of Damien Hirst, you may know him as creator of the famous pregnant lady emoji album cover that went viral, who released the project 'The Currency' in July last year, that statement wouldn't be so hard to believe. Hirst put 10,000 NFTs up for sale, each corresponding to a unique spot painting, for $2,000 a piece. But there was a
catch: after two months, the collector had to decide if they wished to keep the NFT or the physical art work. Whichever one they didn’t choose would be destroyed, forcing the owner to gamble on which version will be more valuable in the future.
Interestingly, there would always be opinions and questions asked whenever there is change or something new arises in the world. These new technological crazes lead to the conversation of how art should be traded and viewed. Who gets to ascribe value to art? Previously, for example, digital artists could build up large followings on social media, attract freelance commercial work, and maybe sell prints and other merchandise with their designs, but they had trouble monetising digital art directly, as consumers asked, Why should I buy what I can screenshot for free?
"Everyone can be an artist. Everyone is creative. That’s what crypto art means to me – open access to art. The world beats it out of us, but creativity is in our DNA. With crypto art, all you need is internet connection and an idea.” A statement made by XCOPY, London based NFT artist.
So what does this all look like in 2022?
Works from Mike Winkleman aka Beeple such as his collection titled 'EVERYDAYS: THE FIRST 5000 DAYS ' have sold for over £60,000,000. He made one piece of art every
day from May 1, 2007 and posted them on social media without a break. On 11 Mar 2021, the collection was sold at Christie’s and went on to become the most expensive NFT ever. We could also say that it played a key role in driving mainstream media attention to the digital art form. Throughout 2022, there is no doubt that we are going to see younger artists emerge and take over the digital art space, something I think is well overdue.
It is evident that the art world has now become the central point for the merging of different industries with all the talks on top corporations and businesses getting involved in the conversation, recently we saw fashion brand PrettyLittleThing launch their own exclusive Bored Ape NFT collection having many confused as to what would be the point and why they would make such a move. As the NFT world is still in it's very early stages, we don't know what it could evolve into within the next 10 years but it's very exciting to imagine what it could be, the possibilities are endless.
We are seeing the fashion world dipping their foot into NFTs even more with luxury fashion houses like Givenchy partnering with graphic artist Chito who Givenchy had already worked with for their spring 2022 pre-collection. Givenchy's creative director Mathew Williams has co-created a series of 15 unique graphic designs. The collection will feature the same bold prints used in the spring pre-collection, building on the air-brushed characters and symbols. The difference is, these rare images will be NFTs.
Not only are we seeing brands and businesses get involved, but we are seeing political leaders like Melania Trump collaborate with artists to create their own collections. Her first NFT offering, titled Melania’s Vision (2021), is a watercolour piece of the former First Lady’s eyes by French artist Marc-Antoine Coulon. In an Instagram post, the artist said, “I am very glad and honoured to collaborate in this operation with Mrs. Melania Trump. This collaboration has taken place under the best possible auspices with full artistic confidence and with great efficiency and understanding on both sides of the common expectations for such a charitable operation.” The Melania’ Vision also comes with an audio component, a recording of Trump that serves as a “message of hope” in which she says, “My vision is: look forward with inspiration, strength, and courage.”
Artists have always been world changers but I think now, it may be more evident to see the importance of being able to translate ideas through a particular medium and the affect it would have psychologically. If you're an artist, don't hesitate to explore this new world or as an art collector, it is now much more accessible to have your own art collection of pieces worth thousands.
Here are some artists making a mark in the NFT world:
Maliha Abidi created her collection with the goal of making the NFT space more inclusive and diverse by introducing more female characters as well as donating a percentage of primary sales to funds that focus on gender equality, girls’ education, and mental health in marginalised societies.
Blake Kathryn is an L.A-based 3D artist who creates dreamlike experiences across various forms of media. Her vibrant palettes in neons and pastels have ethereal undertones that transport the viewer to a surreal world and demonstrate themes of nostalgia. 'Iconic Crypto Queen', an artwork inspired and purchased by Paris Hilton is her most celebrated NFT to date.
Trevor Jones seamlessly blends art and technology. His highest-selling piece, Genesis, which depicts Batman in his own unique style is the result of a collaboration with the comic book designer José Delbo and is one of his highest sellers.
“Although I’m a traditional comic artist, NFTs have allowed me to evolve my art and collaborate with other artists to create pieces I never thought were possible,” Jose Delbo.
He has worked on Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, Supergirl, The Transformers, NFL SuperPro, among other comic books.
Hackatao are an artist duo experimenting with a variety of different digital art pieces in the crypto art space. According to Hackatao, '10 years in the crypto art space are the equivalent of 100 years in the physical art world, everything moves at the speed of light.' The contemporary artworks from them, dwell on a wide range of social issues from environment and humanity to crypto with references to art history, symbolism, psychology, and gaming. The intrinsically crafted pieces pair black and white details against vibrant pops of colour. Each work of art leaves a HACKATAO signature, which is now iconic in the NFT industry.
Last but not least, there are the 'Crypto Barista's' who aims to build a community of like- minded individuals that appreciate art, caffeine, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The project’s ambition is to initially open a physical space in NYC where art and innovation are at the forefront. The future of Crypto Baristas beyond that will be up to the holders and followers of their campaign. They offer exclusive party and club access for holders of their 'rarest characters' as well as exclusive merchandise.