Crypto and Art: an Unexpected Match?

Crypto and Art: an Unexpected Match?

Art is all around us. Since the dawn of time, it has been a way for individuals to express themselves, to navigate this world, and to communicate with each other. Art makes things visible that have been erased from the mainstream, and helps expand our horizon. Art is a universal language that can be used when words fall short, free from the boundaries of language, space, and time.

New technological advancements, particularly the internet and social media, have brought on new possibilities for artists and the art world in general. Through social media and the internet, art has become more accessible. The connection between an artist and their audience is more immediate, opening up the conversation and bringing art lovers and artists closer together.

Developments in the technological field also mean that gaining visibility as an artist is easier than ever before. With the help of websites and social media profiles, you can present yourself as an artist to the world and become known as such. The need for an authority denominating who is an artist and who isn’t vanishes. Not all artists have gone to art school, and nowadays you are free to share your

This has completely reshaped the art world. The visibility brought on by new technological advancements can help bridge the gap between artists and possible career opportunities, as well as the gap between artists and art consumers. It also brings to the forefront those artists that have long been silenced or erased from the canon of art history: women*, people of color, indigenous people, disabled individuals, non-binary and trans* artists, to a name a few. In this way, technology can be used to fight the opressive powers of the patriarchy, white dominance, and western imperialism.

The digital age has introduced us to new ways of making art, such as digital art, pixel art, and data-moshing, to name a few examples. Artists have new tools and possibilities to express themselves and create their art, thereby enriching and expanding the horizons of the art world. People have more tools to make sense of the world through new mediums of art.

This also comes with challenges though: art becomes more accessible, which in turn means it is more easy to copy. In the age of screenshots, sharing and reposting, the falsification and plagiarism of art have become normalized and potentiated. These challenges have been present in the art market for decades, and are now harder to fight than ever before, as tracing a piece back to its artist can be nearly impossible.

This is where blockchain comes in to play. At first glance, the world of cryptocurrencies and the art world seem like two separate spheres. What sense does it make to combine them? What potential arises when bringing together these two realms?

Wendy.network and the KONJUGATE blockchain technology are here to challenge the false idea that blockchain and the art world don’t match. This network that connects artists to art lovers and art funding opportunities is here to show us the future of the art world: investing in art through blockchain, to provide artists a secured income, especially in times of budget cuts.

In an oversaturated digital world with retweets, shares, and reposts happening every second, blockchain introduces the possibility for digital assets to become scarce. Scarcity of a digital asset allows it to become rare, thereby causing it to increase in value. Blockchain technology verifies artworks, eternally and unchangeably preserving information such as date of creation, information about the artist(s), and information about an artworks relevant attributes. The result? Falsifying and copying an artwork become nearly impossible. Support and credit is guaranteed to the artist, as the artwork can never be separated from the original artist.

The fact that blockchain is geographically agonistic allows more freedom to the art market. Selling and investing in art becomes permissionless and decentralized, meaning that anyone can create art. It allows for a safe way of making your voice heard as an artist, while guaranteeing you won’t be erased in time. The possibility of keeping your real identity private while preserving information about you and your artwork, allows for anonymity without erasure or plagiarism.

In this day and age, the art and cultural sector are more underappreciated than ever before. They are the first victims when it comes to budget cuts, which was made painfully visible in multiple parts of the world in this daunting time of the COVID- 19 pandemic. Being an artist is often associated with the stereotype of the poverty stricken genius, but blockchain technology, and particularly wendy.network, promises to pose and end to that, with the possibility of providing artists and art organizations with an interpassive income, so they can thrive and keep creating.

Life in the digital age is challenging and confusing, and art helps us demystify, challenge and revolutionize our reality. Tapping into the possibilities of technology and art, especially the possibilities of blockchain and the art world, helps us envision a realistic and improved future for art, artists, and art lovers. Maybe utopia isn’t that distant after all.