Technology and art have a rich but significant history of collaboration and influence. To get to where they are in the world today—the digital age where they constantly overlap and present new ideas—they have, in many ways, evolved alongside one another. The art world has been significantly impacted by technological advancements, and this impact will only grow in the future, according to Christie’s Education.
Innovations in Art
Art changes along with every new technological advancement. This doesn’t, however, only apply to their output. The way that art is viewed, communicated, consumed, and subsequently sold is also evolving constantly. Art is now much more widely available thanks to technology.
The internet, like so many other aspects of contemporary life, has made it possible for art to be consumed more directly, exposing the field to a larger and more varied audience. Online museums present collections, and artists have all the resources they require at their disposal to market and sell their own works – frequently without the difficulties of managing a physical exhibit.
It is obvious that the interaction between art and technology has produced a wide range of innovative new works and methods. The following are notable advancements from the last few decades:
AI-Generated Art
Is AI the upcoming great artistic movement? Even though experts try to restrain us and claim the revelation is still in its infancy, it’s difficult not to be impressed by this remarkable advancement in the field of art.
Artificial intelligence-created art offers us a new kind of unconventional creativity by fusing the lines between humans and machines. However, new discoveries are not always welcomed. Some contend that artwork produced using computer science is neither art nor creative. But as the example image above by Mario Klingemann demonstrates, artists are still experimenting with new ways to merge art and technology.
Blockchain
The art world can use blockchain technology for a variety of things, and it has the potential to have an even bigger impact. According to a report published in 2014 by The Fine Arts Expert Institute (FAEI), more than 50% of the works of art it had examined were either fakes or weren’t credited to the right creator. The emergence of blockchain technology has the potential to change this and preserve the crucial authenticity in the sector.
Prior to the upcoming Art and Tech: Blockchain course, which she will be instructing on at Christie’s Education in New York on December 10, we spoke with Anne Bracegirdle, Senior Director, Pace X, about the fundamental applications of Blockchain technology.
What is blockchain art?
It’s interesting that the term “blockchain art” isn’t entirely accurate. To help readers ask the right questions, I’m happy to outline the various ways that artists use blockchain technology.
Physical artworks that have been tokenized can be referred to as “blockchain art”. It’s more likely to be a reference to digital art, which can be editioned on a blockchain using a “hash,” or digital identity equivalent (digital art can be TIF files, gifs, jpegs, etc.). Blockchain is also being used by artists; two notable examples are Kevin Abosch’s IAMA Coin project and his collaboration with Ai Wei Wei, Priceless.
Blockchain technology allows artists to fractionalize (or divide) their creations into pieces that can each be owned separately. The Public Key/Private Key project at the Whitney Museum is a fantastic illustration of how fractionalization can lead to new types of ownership, and I urge your readers to look into it. Last but not least, trading platforms for digital collectibles like CryptoPunks and CryptoKitties use blockchain technology.
How can you sell art on a blockchain?
Digital art marketplaces are currently using blockchain technology to publish and sell digital art, but these platforms aren’t yet widely used. One must be familiar with cryptocurrency and digital wallets in order to access them. I believe that more people will feel comfortable trading digital art once these selling platforms begin to accept fiat money. Here is a chance to teach people about digital scarcity, how to use a blockchain, and how to purchase digital art. I think that in order for digital art to become more widely accepted, education is required.
Second, it may be possible to use blockchain platforms to streamline the exchange of real-world artwork and establish sector-wide title registries. However, the industry must choose how to link the actual works to a blockchain registry before moving forward with this solution. Several businesses are currently working on solutions to this problem. In my opinion, for a solution to be a true supply chain, the data must be linked to the property. We will also need to decide which registry to use, and this choice may necessitate the formation of a consortium from the art world.
How can you sell blockchain art?
When reputable industry leaders and specialists agree on the platforms we should use, blockchain adoption will truly succeed. Blockchain gives businesses the chance to share information while maintaining institutional and individual privacy, greatly improving the lives of our clients. Data availability and increased transparency would also increase the number of people who can access our industry. But in order to get there, we must first choose an industry provider, or providers, with platforms that can communicate with one another.
On our upcoming course in New York Art and Tech: Blockchain, which starts on December 10, learn more about blockchain and art.
Virtual Reality
Institutions and artists are experimenting with virtual reality to create and share dynamic and immersive art experiences. These experiences are made possible by headsets and technologies, including hardware like the Oculus Rift and Google Glass. One of the most innovative art forms, especially for the consumer, is the creation of these three-dimensional and simulated environments. It has fundamentally changed the creative process in many ways.
On the other hand, questions about who owns the pieces are raised throughout the art world. Artists own their work, for instance if it was made with Tilt Brush, but Google retains a worldwide licence to reproduce or alter it for marketing or platform development. In fact, such a new piece of technology is bound to experience some growing pains. These will probably be resolved as the industry catches up to the speed at which technology is developing.
It is clear that as technology becomes more pervasive, the world of art is changing dramatically. These two fields may appear to be dissimilar or at odds with one another, but as we have demonstrated, there is much that unites them. We can anticipate exciting new developments over the upcoming decades, as well as a better understanding of how these will affect the creative world as a whole, given the rapid new technological advancements and shifting perceptions of art in both its creators and consumers.
