It’s not necessarily a combination that most people would think of right off the bat. However, blockchain and the fine art world have been carrying on a pretty cozy relationship as of late. This relationship was on display during Art Basel recently. The Miami event routinely draws some of the richest people in the world into its clutches, so perhaps it shouldn’t come as a shock that there were even panels on the ways in which art and blockchain intersect.
In a world where fraud can so often be a factor, the though of having an immutable, decentralized ledger to track art suddenly sounds like a fantastic concept that could even revolutionize the industry. An artist called VESA is particularly drawn to the ways in which blockchain can impact the art world. When prospective buyers go on his website, they see something that they likely won’t find on other artist’s sites—paintings are actually verified as being on the blockchain already. By using Codex Protocol, VESA is setting up his paintings for success—even before they switch hands and become part of a buyer’s collection. He also made a documentary about the traditional banking system, and this caused him to reflect upon all the ways we move money in our society.
However, VESA and other artist don’t stop there. Let’s face it—even going back to the Renaissance age, the things that get painted are often dictated by the super-wealthy. In the Renaissance, a Medici would commission a portrait. These days, those who have become supremely wealthy off of cryptocurrency crave their own paintings that reflect their particular journeys. VESA’s “Fork and Flip (Gold)”, for instance, depicts a golden globe in the middle of a bull and a bear. For those who are familiar with crypto Twitter, this represents the bull runs and bearish markets that are experienced by investors.
But VESA is far from the only artist to capitalize off of the blockchain. An artist named Nanu Berks, who hails from Argentina, had seen firsthand what can happen when fiat currency is the law of the land. Her family had lost their life savings through the traditional South American banking system. As soon as she could, she started trading art for experiences and accommodations. And once she became more aware of blockchain and how it supported the lifestyle she’d come to know and love, she created crypto art.
