Noor Riyadh Festival 

At the end of November, TAEX team personally witnessed the groundbreaking opening of the 4th edition of Noor Festival, the world’s largest light art festival, in the framework of Ryadh Art.

<h3 dir="ltr">Curated by Dr Effat Abdullah Fadag, Dr Alfredo Cramerotti and Auronda Scalera the festival highlighted the connection between Althara (the earth) and Althuraya (the stars). Featuring more than 60 large-scale artworks, Noor Festival celebrates the power of creativity and ambition in bridging vast distances, both literal and metaphorical. A key part of the fundamental Saudi Vision 2030 program, the festival will highlight both 18 Saudi artists and 43 international artists. </h3>
<img src="https://cdn72109500.ahacdn.me/news/upload-815524838.jpg" alt="Heart Space, Krista Kim" width="1500" height="826">
Krista Kim, Heart Space: 3256, Available on request
The Noor festival transformed the Kingdom’s capital into a gallery without walls and intertwined life, art and technologies across Ryadh’s major centres of gravity—the King Abdulaziz Historical Center, Wadi Hanifah district with long pedestrian paths, rest zones and the industrial JAX District. Using light as the main medium, most of the works are digitally-driven whether it is an immersive experience, projection mapping, or an installation. The program featured 62 light-based artworks, including Heart Space, the world's first biometric AI installation by Krista Kim; Spark a magical cloud of biodegradable light sparks inspired by fireflies and stars by Daan Roosegaarde; Aether, a 1500 drone show by British collective United Visual Artists.
<img src="https://cdn72109500.ahacdn.me/news/upload-4121783010.jpg" alt="Nick Verstand, Aura, 2017" width="800" height="491">
Nick Verstand, Aura, (2017), image: riyadhart.sa
In order to grasp the intense programme, the festival <a href="https://riyadhart.sa/en/noor-riyadh/festival-trails/">suggests</a> various paths from 3 hours to a 7-hour ‘Marathon of Light’. The artworks are supported by a public programme, including workshops, panel talks, and performances.
Former cultural capital of the Arab world according to UNESCO, Riyadh is now the heart of the global transformations of the cultural sector. Over the last years, Saudi Arabia <a href="https://hbr.org/sponsored/2024/08/the-vibrant-culture-of-saudi-arabia-today">made</a> unprecedented investments and efforts in the cultural sector supported by socio-economic reforms in the country. With <a href="https://www.christies.com/en/events/christies-middle-east/about">an expansion</a> of Christie’s to the Kingdom in the past September Saudi Arabia became an important art player not only in the region but worldwide.
The Noor festival is open to public until December 14th, take your chance to see it.

Stars are the limit at Noor Festival in Saudi Arabia

Refik Anadol, In Search of Vera Molnár, 2024

We encounter algorithmic art much more often than we may think. Ornamentation, kinetic art and digital generative art share common structures, grounds, and concepts. More about them—in our new column.

When we hear about algorithms today, the first things that come to mind are AI and machine learning, social network feeds and advertisements. In one way or another everything that has to do with algorithms is strongly associated with computers. So would it be truthful to say that algorithmic art is always related to computers? Spoiler—not at all. Algorithmic art has a way longer history than we could have imagined.
Algorithms lie in the core of calculation, regardless if they’re performed by a human or a machine. Being a series of steps they lead toward the resolving of a problem or getting a result. So what makes an artwork an algorithmic one is, in fact, the principle of calculated evolution and/or repetition. Of course, we can always dig deeper as Johanna Drucker did by writing that “the algorithmic condition of computationally generated work is merely the case that demonstrates a general condition. Works of art, be they literature, music, visual, or performance pieces, are instances of rule sets. They manifest the possibilities of the conditions for their production.”
Whether it is the linear perspective, Golden Ratio or a Fibonacci sequence that underlines an artwork, it is based on algorithms. So each time you see ornaments of the Islamic Golden Age, Renaissance frescoes or visionary architecture graphics by Piranesi or Escher—all of it is indeed algorithmic per se.
<img src="https://cdn72109500.ahacdn.me/news/upload-470446613.jpeg" alt="" width="1024" height="683"> M.C. Escher, Day and Night, 1938
It appears that algorithms do not always have to be executed by artists themselves and could be redirected to the audience. Christiane Paul pointed out that the “instruction- and rule-based practice” was taking an important place in various art movements including Dada, Fluxus and conceptualism as they had focused on the conceptual and participatory side of the artworks. For instance “score events” by Yoko Ono from her Grapefruit book 1964, or Marina Abramović Method cards (2022) by Marina Abramović are in fact algorithms designed for the audience to perform.
The major moment when algorithmic art entered the world of digital art (and one of the first pieces of digital art itself) was in the 1960s when such pioneering artists as Vera Molnár, Frieder Nake and Manfred Mohr started to do digital drawings via plotters, based on mathematical functions. This new approach led in 1965 to the two first-ever exhibitions of “computer art”, as it was called at that time. Under the umbrella of digital art, both algorithmic and generative aspects were reunited. Being one of the first generative artists, Vera Molnár brought algorithms throughout her eight-decade career and reached the first major digital auctions.
Meanwhile, kinetic and optical art focused on the contemplation of the movements and light was emerging. Based on mechanisms or computer software a significant part of kinetic art is algorithmic as well.
<img src="https://cdn72109500.ahacdn.me/news/upload-2679330610.jpeg" alt="Victor Vasarely, Feny, 1973, image: artblart.com" width="1107" height="1103">Victor Vasarely, Feny, 1973, image: artblart.com
Within the rapid evolution of computer software and technologies and the AI boom starting from the 1980s to this day, algorithmic art has become more immersed in digital art. An art project aurèce vettier by Paul Mouginot who creates graphics, sculptures and installations using algorithms as a source of “raw material expanding conceptual possibilities and complementing the initial knowledge of art history”. Aurèce vettier explores the borders between the physical and virtual worlds.
<img src="https://cdn72109500.ahacdn.me/news/upload-2855706148.jpg" alt="AD.VM.AV.IA, aurèce vettier x Vera Molnár, photo: Marc Domage: " width="1089" height="553"> AD.VM.AV.IA, aurèce vettier x Vera Molnár, photo: Marc Domage
Refik Anadol, known worldwide for his site-specific three-dimensional data sculptures and digital paintings, uses machine learning algorithms to create abstract artworks. This year he opened Dataland—the first museum focused entirely on AI art. Krista Kim creates abstract digital algorithms as well, but, in her case, she reconsiders the modern state of this tool in everyday life. “Algorithms are everywhere, and they are controlling what we see through social media platforms, "sharing" and "liking" has created a narcissistic and egocentric society that is lacking in humanity and authenticity.  It is our very "connectedness" on social media platforms that is diminishing real human connection”, she wrote ten years ago in her Techism manifesto. By turning this tool upside down, Krista turns all the disadvantages of algorithms into healing artworks.
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Alper Derinboğaz, an architect and digital artist used algorithmic modelling tools to process geological data for his project Neogene. The curiosity towards movement continues to capture the minds of digital artists, following their kinetic predecessors, including MAOTIK and IX Shells. Known as well as Itzel Yard, IX Shells created an educational group Creative Code Art, focused on algorithmic and generative art, using her background in Architectural Technology and Computer Science.
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Whether it is a captivating pattern, a sequence of movements or the funding core of generative art, algorithms play a significant role in contemporary art, both traditional and digital. With the evolving technology in art, algorithms are taking more room in the global art sphere. The question is— where will they take the art community?

Algorithmic art: from graphical and kinetic to digital

CIF Dialogues Stage

A panel talk with the participation of TAEX Head of Development which took place at the 19th edition of Contemporary Istanbul art fair on October 23.

<h3 dir="ltr">CIF Dialogues by İGA Art in partnership with Artsy reopened in the framework of the 19th edition of Contemporary Istanbul. This annual series of panel talks focuses on the changing landscape of contemporary art through a variety of perspectives, the social and public impacts of art collecting, and digital art in the age of AI.</h3>
TAEX Director of Development Stefanie de Regel was eager to participate in the CIF Dialogues panel talk “How To Own &amp; Exhibit Digital Art Today?” moderated by Digital Sales Strategist Sureyya Wille with Founder and Director of bitforms gallery Steven Sacks, and Art + Tech Consultant and Director of Sales at Feral File Lauren Jones. An intensive conversation touched on the dynamics of the changing art market, the emergence of a new generation of collectors and the rise of new features specifically related to digital art collecting. A panoramic view from players in the digital art market with various backgrounds gave a stimulating picture of this doman’s future.
Sureyya Wille: The first use of the term 'digital art' was formed in the early 1980s, when computer engineers devised a programme which was used by the pioneering digital artist Harold Cohen. So the point is that digital art has a long and I think much overlooked history if you put it in the canon of the history of art. And here we are today, where it is increasingly accessible in this contemporary moment, there are infinite ways and also more affordable ways to own digital art and to present it in your home. Knowing all that, can you tell the audience and myself what are the advantages to collecting digital art versus traditional art? 
Steven Sacks: I think that digital art, it is really what someone is interested in, but if they do want to purchase these I’d say ‘new media artworks’, as I prefer this term more than the TATE’s definition mentioned previously. When we speak of digital it’s really almost everything, a tool that's being utilised for so many things. ‘New media’ is a way of producing in an experimental way, which of course uses modern technology.
I started bitforms gallery 23 years ago. Back then I would have answered differently to the same question. But today its accessibility is incredible, the amount of people who have a better understanding of what ‘new media’ is, and how to collect this type of work has grown dramatically. This sounds trite or simple, but even the equipment that is utilised today is much more affordable and way better quality and it lets people showcase works much easier now. Actually it is letting artists create work more affordably, which is in fact a big deal.
Stefanie de Regel: The dialogue that I often encounter with collectors is that, of course, people want something tangible, right? They are used to collecting something that they can physically see or feel by placing their house and the digital is a bit different. Indeed, the development, the quality and accessibility of software is increasing. Around a year ago I had a conversation with a collector who said to me "I'm not interested in this kind of art". When I asked "Why not?", he replied "I don't really understand this. And I cannot hang it in my house".
Then I started to explain that it is the contrary, you can hang a digital artwork basically everywhere you go and always have it with you, whether it is your summer house or your residence. It is extremely easy to transport, the taxation is different. It is important to understand all these advantages. What I see, is that there is an obvious need for communication and education. That’s why at TAEX we are investing a lot in dinners and panel talks. Even participating in art fairs might be challenging for us, for instance it was quite tricky last year to join Contemporary Istanbul. I’ve heard that ‘in Turkey people are not interested in digital’, but what I see this year even after one day of work is quite the opposite. People are very curious, they collect. We’re very happy that the dynamics are changing.
Lauren Jones: Everybody collects for different reasons. And one of the reasons is indeed an investment. In my perspective, there is a better and exciting opportunity to collect and see an increase in value. Since media art has been so undervalued for so long, all other paradigms shift, our next Gen-Z collectors are younger, they are about to inherit a great amount of wealth. They are more likely to appreciate the value of digital media and disrupt the top level of media where we see canvas and sculpture. This is exciting, as it makes the market more accessible for younger collectors. 
There's been a lot of talk about how auction sales are down about 20% to 25%. But at the same time in 2024, prints and multiples are up, as younger collectors become more obsessive about them.
Sureyya Wille: Taking it from the accessible pricing, we cannot not talk about NFTs and their insane rise and fall. Do you treat NFTs as distinct from the rest of ‘new media’ or ‘digital art’ or are they a part of it? 
Steven Sacks: For my gallery that emerged way before NFTs it was incredibly disruptive and stressful. This was a completely new community that was not really part of the traditional art world which my gallery and I personally was part of.
We tried and succeeded, however it took a long time to integrate this type of work into the mainstream contemporary art world. Of course the Beeple sale of $70 million attracted a lot of attention. The art world woke up and started to get involved. For me in the beginning it was challenging because I don't think that at first the audience was looking at those works as art, it was more of a financial asset and a certain way to legitimise crypto. And many of those works were not art at all. And the big thing, which maybe we'll get into, was that the presentation was completely discarded, which is a huge part of experiencing art. 
But on the positive side, the market did grow for 4-5%, which is a big deal. Of course, we're in a different moment where the market has somewhat crashed. Now, there are more thoughtful and interesting projects being made, than when NFTs actually started.
Lauren Jones: Well, I've worked with different collectors and in the traditional gallery. I had to onboard people to use MetaMask and that was impossible. I did not have success with it, but I'm always interested in talking to traditional art collectors and asking them what they think about this media. 
I always start with art itself. Area Harvey is a pioneer in digital sculpture and 3D modelling, and her practice is very much within the tradition of sculpture. So for her NFT is just a media, and each of her pieces has a certificate of authenticity. 
Recently, the ArtNews Top 200 Collectors list came out and I did outreach to a bunch of them. I tried to get in touch with collectors of contemporary art, especially when they were investors in technology, or who worked in technologies. I reached out to at least 40 of them, and I ended up with five people that got back to me, and I’ve sent them a presentation or set up a meeting.
I have a feeling that after the bubble and then the crash of the NFT market and the crypto market, that followed up with negativity, that now the dust is settled. A lot of banks are now offering ETF for cryptocurrency. And people started to come back and ask: What’s happening over there? It’s a time for some optimism and more thoughtful interest.
Sureyya Wille: I'm curious about the overlap or lack of our collectors. Who are they? Who are the people buying digital art versus traditional art? Are they a completely different distinct group of aficionados, or are they kind of one and the same? Are there trends that you see from traditional art collecting that are similar to digital art collecting?
Stefanie de Regel: At TAEX we are onboarding a lot of traditional art collectors towards digital art. We don't even like to make that distinction: it is all contemporary art. And it's just a different way of collecting, receiving it, and having it at your place.
NFT is a word that scares a lot of people away, but essentially it is a vehicle. It is a smart contract—the most contemporary way to actually possess a digital piece of art. But if you're not familiar with how to create a crypto wallet, then, of course, it can scare people away. I think, a very important mission for galleries, platforms, and art advisors is to guide collectors through that journey, which is actually not that complicated as it may seem. And once you get a hold of it, you'll find it very enjoyable and want to collect more. I see a lot of people from the tech industry, like tech entrepreneurs, traditional collectors.
Three weeks ago when we had an event in Geneva a big Swiss collector who is around 75 y.o. approached me and said “I love this piece”. It was a work by our artist MAOTIK. He was mesmerised and asked “How can I collect this?”. So what we do at TAEX, we create a room to have this kind of dialogue. It just has to be the right format, right space, right artworks and artists, and magic will happen.
Sureyya Wille: Steven, since your gallery has been around for 23 years. When I think of a traditional art collector as someone who just ‘has to have it’ and they keep buying more and they are running out of space and pass their collections in storage. Do you see a similar enthusiasm and zeal in the digital art/new media collectors?
Steven Sacks: If you come to my stand at Contemporary Istanbul, you could see it's not always a moving image. It is not always plugged in. I am a big supporter of artists utilising new technologies but actually creating very traditional formats. Not just because the artist is doing it. I think it is nice to have that diversity in the programme and to offer collectors different ways of participating in this new type of work.
One of the most interesting things over the years, which kind of relates to all of us on the panel is that having the screen in your home devoted to art was a very, very new concept when I started. Once collectors understand that conceptually it is incredible, because I have very wealthy collectors and their apartments can only be so big, right. And a lot of them become very upset about putting artworks in storage and not having an opportunity to live with it. So works that are screen-based in many cases you could have 10/20/30 pieces in a single screen and be your own curator of that work. 
And that is the pinnacle moment for these collectors, once they figured that out. They don't have to deal with moving work. They just have to have the hardware like a screen. It has been a really interesting shift that I saw and once the collector gets this idea.
Sureyya Wille: What do you recommend to your collectors in terms of how to install the work, how to live with the digital art collection and enjoy the works? Shall one have screens up all over your house? Do you carry around your phone? 
Lauren Jones: The fact that most people now have a digital canvas in their home, in a television smart TV is also a game changer. We are not far from the moment when people would say “gosh, you can't believe we just have these black boxes, these black culture boxes”.
<blockquote>
We all saw a little test case with the Samsung frame and the popularity of the Art Store, but those are high resolution photographs of Old Masters works, and as it looks for me just like elitist posters. The theorist and philosopher Walter Benjamin talked about the aura of art and the way that it's lost when it's mechanically reproduced. But digital art, that file based art, is digitally needed. 
</blockquote>
Most collectors take into account the aesthetics of what they are, you know, they want something that would look nice in their interior. The ability to live with that kind of work is their opportunity to change it over with our app. You can make playlists and set up the time for them, for example for a dinner party. I think that a smart TV is a great starting point to start living with digital art. 
Stefanie de Regel: There's also the psychological element and the power of habit. For most people TV is used as a medium for watching news, movies, and entertainment. A sudden switch to use it as a canvas, it requires some time. There are also really nice frame solutions like digital frames. When last week collector Hélène Nguyen-Ban opened up her house during Art Basel Paris, I spotted a beautiful frame that was 2-3 metres high. It didn't look like a TV.
Steven Sacks: I can't force this situation, but what I suggest to collectors is to have a devoted screen to art because it changes everything. Once that destination is about art versus you flipping to a football game. One very ridiculously simple way to achieve that is to make the screen vertical. Where they'd be having some trouble watching TV. And not all works of course are in that portrait landscape, but actually it's a lot are. And in my home, for example, I have one landscape, one portrait. They're only devoted to art. 
And once again collectors experienced this and they understand the ease of doing it; they won't want to watch television and will feel that connection to the screen as an art experience.

CIF Dialogues: How To Own & Exhibit Digital Art Today?

Hôtel Plaza Athénée

Digital Dialogues are spreading all over the world. This time, the stop was in Paris, where Art Basel, TAEX and Digital Art Week co-hosted a very special evening.

At the peak of Art Basel’s Paris art fair, TAEX co-hosted a dinner in Paris together with Art Basel and Digital Art Week. An exclusive evening celebration of the intersection of digital innovation and art gathered over 50 thought leaders from the contemporary and digital art worlds. A cocktail reception was followed by a dinner at Hôtel Plaza Athénée on avenue Montaigne.
<img src="https://cdn72109500.ahacdn.me/news/upload-4233010500.jpg" alt="Art Basel, TAEX, and DAW dinner during Art Basel Paris 2024" width="1200" height="800">
It was a pleasure to host prominent collectors, curators, writers, museum and fair directors, and crypto pioneers, and exchange about the perspectives of digital art and its expansion in the art field. The synergy of great minds boosted our ideas and plans over the moon. 
Over a glass of champagne our guests have observed a video recap of our past projects. The dinner started with a welcoming speech by Art Basel Chief Digital Officer Craig Hepburn who pointed out that “the bridge between contemporary art and digital art has to be built.”. 
“That is essentially what we’re trying to do at Art Basel: to create conversations, dinners, meetings like that to bring together these two poles. Digital Dialogues started one year ago in Hong Kong where we brought together some collectors, artists and it went down really well. I’m glad that we’re starting to build into bigger ideas and concepts. We believe that the future of digital technology is exciting.”
<h4>Craig Hepburn, Art Basel Chief Digital Officer</h4>
<img src="https://cdn72109500.ahacdn.me/news/upload-2162689538.jpg" alt="Art Basel Chief Digital Officer Craig Hepburn" width="1200" height="916"> Art Basel Chief Digital Officer Craig Hepburn gives a welcoming speech
TAEX Head of Development Stefanie de Regel expanded: “Last June we were really excited to participate in Digital Dialogues in Basel. It is amazing to see how Art Basel puts real efforts and attention to the digital sphere. It is such a vibrant, exciting part of contemporary art. And it is a delight to see in this room so many important players of the digital world and very esteemed guests”.
<img src="https://cdn72109500.ahacdn.me/news/upload-2495772086.jpg" alt="TAEX Head of Marketing and Communications Francesco Marchiaro and Head of Development Stefanie De Regel and " width="1024" height="682"> TAEX Head of Marketing and Communications Francesco Marchiaro and TAEX Head of Development Stefanie De Regel
Co-Founder and CEO of Digital Art Week Shaina Silva shared that the ultimate reason to create Digital Art Week was “to fill the gap between traditional and digital art worlds.” “We wanted to make sure that everyone can come together, learn about each other, and build new relations.”
We’re hoping to see you soon in Miami Beach from December 4th to 8th among the audience of our further panel talks with Art Basel.
See the video recap of the event on our <a href="http://link/">YouTube</a>.
Please explore the integrity of TAEX’s collections of curated digital art from world-renowned artists in our <a href="/drops">Collection section</a>.

How it went: Digital Dialogues cocktail reception and dinner  for Art Basel Paris 

Photo courtesy: N°OW’HERE”

Digital art ideas start from N°OW’HERE”. TAEX co-hosted a private event and a panel talk with Art Genève and private members club N°OW’HERE”.

A special event in Geneva co-organised by N°OW'HERE", TAEX and Art Genève on September 24th was beyond a doubt a night to remember. A full house of digital art lovers gathered to attend a panel discussion you heard the latest inputs by the prominent art world professionals: collector Pierre Sigg, the Museum of Art &amp; History of Geneva’s curator Samuel Gross, and Stefanie De Regel, Head of Development at TAEX moderated by Santiago Rumney-Guggenheim, Director of Arts and Culture at N°OW’HERE”, and to continued to exchange ideas over a cocktail. The support of Art Genève ensured the high-level of our event. 
<img src="https://cdn72109500.ahacdn.me/news/upload-532049280.jpg" alt="TAEX Head of Development Stefanie De Regel giving an introductory speech" width="1512" height="1010">
TAEX Head of Development Stefanie De Regel giving a speech
The panel talk “Redefining Value: The Intersection of Digital and Traditional Art” showed a panorama of accelerating ideas and opened-up the process of the pioneering thinking that will become tomorrow’s reality. The principal goal of the discussion was to provide an extensive perspective of the contemporary digital art market, whether they are art platforms, museums, art foundations or curators. The welcoming space of N°OW’HERE”, created as a space of exploration for the tech elite, leaders in the fields of art, fashion, entertainment, and business was boosting the creative and entrepreneurial networking on a higher scale.
Visionary strategies are impossible without talents. That’s why TAEX and N°OW’HERE” presented a selection of digital artworks by pioneering digital artists at N°OW’HERE” Club—a historic mansion dating back to 1875, renovated by the Italian firm Galante-Menichini. Right by the entrance at the reception area we presented two works by MAOTIK—MATERIA: Liquid and MATERIA: Gas—that reflect on the eternal and the natural. Continuing to ponder the nature we showed Neogene by  Alper Derinboğaz, who invites the audience to rethink our perception of time by contemplating the transformation of one of the oldest metals on Earth, bismuth. 
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Moving further to the Satoshi room, TAEX offered a moment of a digital escape created by Krista Kim. Her Continuum Collection is inspired by Buddhist philosophy and turns digital technologies at the service of mental health and mindfulness. Further to the next room, TAEX displayed the HOLO Collection by Oğuz Emre Bal, whose digital droplets represent a raw material of urban elements and an architectural equivalent to a cell in biology. 
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At the Conference room, where a panel talk took place, TAEX showed a brand new artwork SUPERNATURAL by MAOTIK, a generative art piece which allows the viewers to enter the mind of an artist at the precise moment — when the artist’s entire self is captured under the spell of creative forces. In the same room, the Face of Universe series by Tatsuru Arai was presented as well. It focuses on the physical nature of the Universe. Particularly interested in geometric structures and perception of sound, Arai offers a fundamental pillar that allows us to understand the true nature of the universe.
Please explore the integrity of TAEX’s collections of curated digital art from world-renowned artists in our <a href="/drops">Collection section</a>.

How it went: N°OW’HERE”, TAEX and Art Genève special event in Geneva

Two weeks before the official closure, TAEX summed up the group show in Venice and presented a new book on art and crypto by curator Antonio Geusa.

For many the beginning of September is the start of a new education year. On the 2nd of September, after five months of sharing with you the main vectors of digital craftsmanship, we are finally letting you—art lovers, collectors, artists and explorers—to float free. Certainly, we didn't want to let you go empty-handed, so we've prepared for you the new guide by Scoletta dell’Arte curator Antonio Geusa on the mutual influence of art and the crypto universe, that is available for download <a href="/news/50/new-book-antonio-geusa">here</a>. A limited hardcopy edition of the guide was distributed among our guests.
We presented the exhibition’s newest collection—You’re Making Art collection by Andrea Meregalli—that comprises 350 images. The artist personally guided our collectors and friends through his AI-powered installation. Each visitor got a unique printed image. We’re looking forward to minting the collections by two other participants of the show—Accurat and MAOTIK.
Just to remind you that three other artists of Scoletta dell’Arte: Digital Reform are already available on our platform:
• <a href="/drop/43">Error#0 by Franceso d’Isa</a>
• <a href="/drop/40">Neo-Mastr by Funa Ye</a>
• <a href="/drop/18">Сollection by Shu Lea Cheang</a>
 
This year TAEX had proved itself as one of the fastest-growing digital art platforms. We’re delighted that our values and mission are shared with so many of you. Our Head of Development, Stefanie de Regel, presented a recap of this intense season and our plans for the next one. Stay tuned, however, for a huge project to come that has not been unveiled yet!
 
Enjoy the full image archive of the event via the link. Note, that any reproduction of the photographs must be credited.

How it went: Scoletta dell’Arte all'infinito

We're delighted to announce the release of a guide written by TAEX curator Antonio Geusa titled What Crypto Can Do for Art — What Art Can Do for Crypto.

New book by Antonio Geusa

What Crypto Can Do for Art — What Art Can Do for Crypto is available for free download

<h4 dir="ltr">We're delighted to announce the release of a guide written by TAEX curator Antonio Geusa titled What Crypto Can Do for Art &mdash; What Art Can Do for Crypto.</h4>
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It is designed for the art community that is curious about crypto input into the art field. At TAEX, we believe the art community requires not only navigation through the crypto universe but theoretical reflections and analysis of its potential development.
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Geusa starts by exploring the possible discoveries that can be brought by crypto into art. Then he offers a brief overview of NFT art and crypto art history in 10 artworks each. Then Geusa reflects on the reciprocal influence of art on the crypto world, by raising the financial, psychological, and institutional aspects. After the conclusion, Geusa points out the bullet points and provides to readers a room for further thoughts.
<h4> &nbsp;You can download an electronic copy right away via <a title="Download new book by Antonio Geusa" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/11YgUtGbw_B-N6VAc8cIB4BdzVtXN1ikT/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the link.</a></h4>

New book by Antonio Geusa is out now

Tatsuru Arai, "FaceOfUniverse" Korea2

Digital art market news, blockchain releases, TAEX collections—you name it. Highlights of August in our new monthly digest.

TAEX Digest: August 2024

Please note that TAEX launched a special column and newsletter about digital highlights of the month. Please <a href="https://forms.sendpulse.com/14ae90e13c/">subscribe</a> to learn first the news selected by TAEX.&nbsp;
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<h3 dir="ltr">World News</h3>
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<h4 dir="ltr">Investors halting stablecoin accumulation caused Bitcoin to become unstable.</h4>
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As major institutions have stopped accumulating stablecoins, Bitcoin price <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/bitcoin-price-drops-below-59k-institutional-stablecoin-pause">fell below</a> $60,000 in the first two weeks of August, with its low point being just under $54,000. It has since been unstable, but close to the psychologically important price of $60,000.&nbsp;
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<h4 dir="ltr">Artists brought a lawsuit against SEC regarding security issues of NFTs</h4>
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Two American artists <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/artists-sue-sec-over-confusing-nft-security-status">reportedly have sued</a> Securities and Exchange Commision (SEC), a US securities regulator, over a confusing treatment of NFTs. Filmmaker and law professor Brian Frye and songwriter Jonathon Mann filed a subpoena against &lsquo;unlawful enforcement actions&rsquo; by SEC towards their NFT projects.
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The attorneys representing Mann and Frye based their strategy on the example of secondary sales of Taylor Swift concerts. They argue that neither concert tickets, nor NFT art projects should be considered as securities or collectibles just by the fact of being NFTs.&nbsp;
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As they stated, &ldquo;the SEC&rsquo;s approach threatens the livelihoods of artists and creators that are simply experimenting with a novel, fast-growing technology or have chosen it as their preferred medium&rdquo;.
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<h4 dir="ltr">Scotland to open a first &lsquo;fully digital museum&rsquo;</h4>
&nbsp;
Scottish Historic Building Trust just <a href="https://museumsandheritage.com/advisor/posts/objects-optional-designs-revealed-for-scotlands-first-fully-digital-museum">unveiled</a> their plans to transform a Georgian building in Edinburgh to Scotland's first &lsquo;fully digital museum&rsquo;. As stressed by the Trust's director Mr Gallagher, a future museum will incarnate a &lsquo;world-leading approach&rsquo; to share local history through a lens of &lsquo;Leith and Scotland outstanding digital creative sector&rsquo;.
&nbsp;
The concept of eight digital exhibition halls is currently presented at Leith Custom House. The creators of the venue aim to combine the civic museum structure with digital art innovations.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Sony launches a new blockchain platform&nbsp;</h4>
&nbsp;
Sony Block Solution Labs <a href="https://nftplazas.com/soneium-blockchain/amp/">announced </a>a release of the beta version of a new blockchain platform Soneium. Its goal is to give room to everyone to create crypto projects by providing necessary up-to-date tools and creating a community of innovators and collaborators. Soneium seeks to overcome &lsquo;social, economic, and regional constraints, allowing every idea to flourish&rsquo;.
&nbsp;
By creating a public blockchain platform Sony is reassuring the global spread of Web3 technologies and the transformation of the current agenda.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Cryptopunk and Beeple at Sotheby&rsquo;s Digital Art Day</h4>
&nbsp;
The end of August was marked by <a href="https://blockchainreporter.net/cryptopunks-leads-weekly-nft-sales-with-7-19m/">Sotheby&rsquo;s Digital Art Day</a> featuring NFTs by Cryptopunk, Beeple, Vera Molnar and Tyler Hobbs. The auction was running for an entire week from August 15 to 22. This time, the sales were specifically focused on pioneering women digital artists.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Among the lots are &lsquo;CryptoPunk #491 created by Larva Labs (est. of $ 70 000 - 100 000) and &lsquo;Mother of Evolution&rsquo; by Beeple in collaboration with Madonna (est. of $ 70 000 - 100 000)
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">TAEX News</h3>
&nbsp;
Last but not least, TAEX ends summer with its own diverse agenda :
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Scoletta dell&rsquo;Arte all&rsquo;infinito, TAEX&rsquo;s Finissage of the Scoletta dell&rsquo;Arte: Digital Reform to be held on September 2 in Venice</h4>
&nbsp;
On September 2, our Venice exhibition will be closed to the general public, as we will be hosting our Finissage, Scoletta dell&rsquo;Arte all&rsquo;infinito. Head of Development, Stefanie de Regel, will be sharing our upcoming plans, curator Antonio Geusa will present his special guide, while Andrea Meregalli will help the guests in the exploration of his AI-powered installation. More details via <a href="/news/47/scoletta-dell-arte-all-infinito">the link</a>!
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">TAEX joins Contemporary Istanbul 2024 gallery lineup</h4>
&nbsp;
We are delighted to join the 19th edition of Contemporary Istanbul this October, presenting artworks by Krista Kim, MAOTIK, and Alper Derinboğaz. Stay tuned for more details!
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">How has digital art been represented at the Venice Biennale?</h4>
&nbsp;
Read a comprehensive <a href="/news/46/digital-path-of-venice-biennale">article</a> by our Editor Anastasiia Spirenkova on the half-century-long digital journey of the Biennale and its complicated relationship with the medium.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Interview: Francesco D&rsquo;Isa on AI art</h4>
&nbsp;
Renowned theorist, philosopher and artist of the Scoletta dell&rsquo;Arte: Digital Reform exhibition Francesco D&rsquo;Isa <a href="/news/48/francesco-d-isa-on-ai-art">spoke at length</a> about the integration of AI into the arts. 
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">New Collection: Natively Digital</h4>
&nbsp;
Following our open call, we present <a href="/drop/44">a group collection</a> of the winners &mdash; artists with a Natively Digital mindset &mdash; Maria Mavropoulou and Tatsuru Arai. Just as digital natives seamlessly navigate the ever-evolving landscape of technology, we sought out artists who harness this mindset to push the boundaries of artistic innovation. The collection is curated by Daniel Peace and is available for purchase via the link.
<h4> Not subscribed to the TAEX Newsletter yet? Click <a href="https://forms.sendpulse.com/14ae90e13c/">the link</a> and stay in the loop of current news and upcoming collections!</h4>

Francesco D'Isa, Errors, Installation view.

Philosopher, theoretician, and prominent digital artist Francesco D’Isa shares his thoughts on challenges and benefits brought into the art field by artificial intelligence.

Francesco d’Isa on AI art: data, errors and kitsch

Philosopher, theoretician, and prominent digital artist Francesco D’Isa shares his thoughts on challenges and benefits brought into the art field by artificial in telligence.

Acronyms:
FI - Francesco D’Isa
AS - Anastasiia Spirenkova
 
AS: In your work for the TAEX exhibition Scoletta dell’Arte: Digital Reform, curated by Antonio Geusa, you raise the topic of the aesthetic beauty of errors. In the course of creating this artwork you even taught artificial intelligence how to make mistakes. How did you come up with this idea? Is the pursuit of perfection a bad thing?
 
FI: Let's say that AI in its production of images often repeats biases and prejudices and therefore provides very stereotyped images. When I work on it, I find it more interesting when the machine is ‘taken away’ from this. Normally, AI has this tendency to create average, mediocre images that are more stereotyped, even kitsch. By forcing a machine to make mistakes I prefer to detect its potential creativity, novelties and elements of surprise or interest. 
 
So let's actually say that it's a ‘malfunction’ of the machine that is able to return images that are not exactly the most predetermined, but more unusual and where, from an artistic point of view, much more material of interest can be discovered. It also happens in art in general, when through a mistake you can distinguish the new potential ideas.
 
I find it to be a part of creative thinking. Errors are invaluable for an artist as they lead to new perspectives and unveil the freedom of thought. If you think about it, all new visions were mistakes at the beginning. 
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/cr7jgearprek5an8pn90.png" alt="Francesco D'Isa, Errors, Installation view" width="670" height="447">
<pre>Francesco D'Isa, Errors, Installation view. <a href="/news/21/scoletta-dell-arte-digital-reform">The exhibition is open till September 15 in Venice</a></pre>
 
AS: You often evoke probability theory. Are errors the products of calculation?
 
FI: From statistics and quantitative perspective, generative artificial intelligence produces the average image based on the most probable answer. With error, instead, you get the most improbable answer, the least likely one that can be, in my opinion, the most interesting one, where you can find the most creative scope.
 
AS: What can these mistakes teach us? How errors influence us on the level of concepts and our perception of aesthetics?
 
FI: Errors teach us, first of all, to escape from the classical, stereotyped representation. They make us realise how often the new look at something that is at first judged to be a mistake is getting out of the ordinary and becomes a new way of looking at things or showing us the different paths.
 
AS: Is there still something interesting in the aesthetic of camp and kitsch that can be detected through AI? 
 
FI: There is indeed, if camp or kitsch is an aesthetic part of one’s artistic approach. But only if somebody makes a true creative path out of it, but most mass-generated images are essentially always the same thing. 
 
AS: You are a philosopher by training. But you are an artist, journalist and curator as well. What is your main professional identity? 
 
FI: I have never understood which identity is most important. For me making art means performing a philosophical investigation, it’s a way of doing philosophy with images instead of verbal or written language. It’s a part of the same intellectual journey. Internally, I do one thing even if it looks from the outside as two separate paths. On the other hand, I use images to do philosophy as well. Sometimes I can express a concept or do a philosophical investigation better with images than with text. 
 
AS: You say that every work is an accumulation of experiences, of ideas, of predecessors. Hence the question: what becomes stronger in the case of AI, the probability theory or the free will and the choices of the artist?
 
FI: Here I have to answer as a philosopher, in the sense that I don't believe in free will and that we are free to choose things. I’m sure that we simply cannot predict our own actions in the future. But even setting aside the physical inevitability of events and <a href="https://thephilosophicalsalon.com/uncausal-seterminism-why-the-future-cannot-be-otherwise/">other philosophical arguments</a>, the social and political context in which a work of art is created is very important.
 
The “will” of the artist plays a crucial role as well, without a shadow of a doubt, because it is the one through which the whole social and cultural context is filtered. The final result is unpredictable only because we are not able to foresee it, not because it is given a priori, but every element contributes to it.
 
AS: We all know that some artists are stronger than others. How does it impact the artworks made with AI technologies?
 
FI: I believe that every true artist makes a personal contribution that differs from others with respect to the context. Of course it’s not only the context that drives them. Behind every artist lies their own sensibility, their psychology, their life, their history that influences them. Many of those personal things are not chosen, such as native country or language. Certainly the individuality of the artist filters through the whole cultural world and each time does so in a different and original way. So the artist always gives a different imprint to the work. 
 
AS: You say that artificial intelligence accumulates experiences. However those experiences vary, could you develop on that?
 
FI: AI processes an immense amount of data, which comes from certain parts of the world. Some of it is more Western, some—more Eastern, it depends on where the AI was initially created. Each AI has the limitation of the dataset, which is immense, but it turns out that it was given. So the artist may force this situation and play with this data in such a way as to obtain something unexpected and different. But AI in itself will always be restricted by the data. Humans are restricted as well, we simply possess much more of it.  
 
AS: This experience of predecessors includes biases such as sexism, xenophobia, etc. As you say there are no universal ethics. So who will decide what we should get rid of and what we should preserve?
 
FI: That's a good question. At the moment, unfortunately, the production companies decide, and they are full of prejudices. They tend to do so by virtue of the era of the place where they are, so an American company will implement American ethical principles, a Chinese company—Chinese ones. The time is also a significant element as now we’re operating ethical criteria of 2024. If we had an AI from the 17th century or from the 1930s, ethics would vary. Moreover we have no idea what ethical criteria we’re going to have in the 2300s.
 
AS: Is there a possibility to create a truly free AI? Without biases and without prejudices?
 
FI: In my opinion, no, as it is data-dependent anyway, and all data is always biassed per se. The fact of choosing which data to put in is already a bias. A ‘truly free AI’ is impossible from a logical point of view. Still we can improve the situation. For instance, the more data there is, the more diversification there is in the data, the more possible it is to go in various directions. If instead it gets circumscribed, the more closed the data is and more likely it will end up as a strong bias. 
 
AS: How about the subconsciousness of AI and its difference from the subconsciousness of human beings? 
 
FI: I don't know because we don't really know fully how the human brain works yet. Same goes for AI. Subconsciousness is possible in both cases. Some biases come from a certain accumulation of data in AI, as well as human beings, tend to give the most probable answer. After all, if you ask me, “How are you?” I reply to you “I’m fine”, the most probable answer. In this sense the fact that there is a statistical factor behind even unconscious mechanisms and therefore that the most probable answer is always given, creates a habit that produces a certain behaviour. Then the rest is a bit of a mystery, we don’t know our subconscious, let alone what it does. There's the element that we don't know how it's calculated, so it's still mysterious to us, always. 
 
AS: What advice would you give to artists starting to work with AI? Why are there still so few of them? Is there anything to avoid for an artist starting to work with AI? 
 
FI: Probably the thing to avoid is to stop the process at the very beginning, when you realise that you get immediately the results that do not satisfy you. It’s the first wall to break through. You should understand that AI is not a tool that will provide you a desirable result immediately and easily. As with any other media you have to work hard enough. In short, you must not settle for the first thing. And it’s not as easy as it seems. 
 
AS: What is the potential of artificial intelligence in art now? Is there something undiscovered?
 
FI: Certainly, the AI potential is enormous. A new tool was born, just as the camera was born in the past. We still have no idea how it will influence art for those who use it and therefore choose to explore this tool. 
 
Moreover it will eventually influence those artists who do not use it. As will still live in a world where artificial intelligence exists. In the same way as it happened with the invention of photography.
 
AS: AI accelerates quite fast. Does the theory on AI follow its development fast enough?
 
FI: The theory is much slower for now. And still we are left to deal with the first questions. Whereas technology is moving forward. So we are chasing it, but from a theoretical point of view we are still behind. In my opinion it will take some time.
 
AS: There is still a lot of scepticism towards AI, including the academic sphere. Does the theory follow the actual AI agenda? 
 
FI: It's more of a practical problem. We still don’t know all the effects of AI and without it we can’t provide decent theory. We can only imagine, speculate, think about what might happen. The theory should be built not only on technologies but on its effects.
 
AS: And how can we collect the information about these effects? 
 
FI: In my opinion we have to look at those who use them in the first place, the artists. We have to observe the fruits of their work, their reactions to technology and their experiments. If we look at how technologies of the past have changed the social structure we may notice that our reactions are always the same, it's the technologies that are different. However we react to them more or less always in the same way. Someone would be afraid, someone would be passionate and excited.
 
AS: And what is the role of the institutions including museums and universities? We know that most of them are quite conservative and slow, there's so much bureaucracy. Is there anything we can do?
 
FI: I would like that, I would be happy. I think we should, in the sense that institutions, especially cultural ones, like museums, universities and so on, should experiment with AI a lot more. If they won’t experiment they won’t be able to study. Many of them stop at conservative positions, without getting their hands dirty, without experimenting a bit. Thus they stay away from the avant-garde of technology. 
 
So I think all institutions, especially cultural ones, should be much more courageous in experimenting with AI to better understand the limits, the problems, the potential, and study it more profoundly.
 
AS: As a professor what feedback about AI do you get from your students? 
 
FI: I teach at the Academy LABA in Brescia where I show students how to use these tools and how to integrate them with other artistic practices. It is very interesting because in this way you also discover a lot of reactions that you won’t get otherwise. They use AI in so many different ways showing impressive results. In fact it is one of the reasons why I believe they should be taught precisely. 
 
AS: You sound very enthusiastic. Do you feel any kind of scepticism or decay? Looking at what’s happening in the world and how AI may be used. The unprecedented amount of information is also quite difficult to grasp and to make a choice between something precious and ordinary.
 
FI: Indeed, I’m enthusiastic about artistic use of AI but I have to say that I share many criticisms of this instrument. Obviously there are dangers and very critical points that need to be addressed. For instance the military use is quite worrying, or the pollution and energy consumption. These are quite technical aspects. But there is also the risk that, precisely, prejudices brought with artificial intelligence will spread and will be reinforced in society. And any work-related issues, even if these are not technological but social problems.
 
The impact of AI on the world is not clear yet, whether positive or negative. They seem to be questions of the existence of technology but in fact they are problems of the society that produces and receives it. And it’s the society that has to react and reflect on it. 
 
AS: What is the real hierarchy between technology and humans?
 
FI: Actually we can never separate human beings from their technology. If you take language and writing, it’s still a technology, and yet it has also changed us at the level of the brain, precisely the brain structure on the physical level. Therefore human beings can never be clearly distinguished from technology. Maybe we are hybrid creatures? 
 
AS: Are the first results produced by artists with AI less valuable than the later ones?
 
FI: Generally yes, because at the beginning there is still some learning to do with the machine. So the results of first interactions tend to be worse.  Then they get better. It’s like sketches before an oil painting. 
 
AS: Would it become necessary for artists to use AI?
 
FI: No one is forcing artists to use layout programmes, Photoshop, Midjorney and others. However they have to be part of the basic knowledge, because one day they can serve you. It may happen that you will never use them in life, but they can be useful. 
 
Artists who learn to use AI even if they won’t use it will have an advantage because it is a technology that is helpful. I don’t think that the knowledge of AI replaces everything or that AI steals work from artists. Certainly it makes the field more competitive. AI just should be included in the syllabus of art academies. The more tools you know about, the better. 
 
AS: Would it be truthful to say that thanks to AI the whole structure of the art world became more horizontal, more open to every person, and that everyone now became an artist? 
 
FI: No, I don’t think so. More people now know how to use technologies, but very few use them to their full capacity. It is very similar to photography, that is, anyone can take pictures. It is indeed very easy, but only a few people can take a good picture. It’s the same with AI. 
 
AS: Which skills for artists are most important in your opinion? 
 
FI: Well, in my opinion the most important skills are never technical, but are more mental, that is, creativity is the most important skill for the artist, whether you pour it into painting, into artificial intelligence, 3D, video, drawing. If you don't have a creative mind or you haven't educated your mind to be creative you will always stay behind.
 
AS:  So we can’t learn creativity from scratch, can we? 
 
FI: From scratch or not, you can develop it. Like muscles. There are people who are born stronger, the others may train. Musicians require constant practice of their skills as well.
 
<h4>Read more:</h4>
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/cr7jkoqrprek5an8pn9g.png" alt="" width="670" height="1064">
La rivoluzione algoritmica delle immagini (The algorithmic revolution of images Art and artificial intelligence)
Francesco D'Isa, published by Luca Sossella Editions, 2024.
<a href="https://lucasossellaeditore.it/libro/arte-intelligenza-artificiale/">https://lucasossellaeditore.it/libro/arte-intelligenza-artificiale/</a>

Francesco D’Isa on AI art: data, errors and kitsch

Scoletta dell’Arte: Digital Reform, Exhibition View

TAEX is throwing a finissage of a group exhibition Scoletta dell’Arte: Digital Reform that united six artists in the heart of Venice.

Scoletta dell’Arte all'infinito

<h4 dir="ltr">Two weeks before the closing of the Scoletta dell’Arte: Digital Reform exhibition, TAEX is throwing a special event in Venice. With lots of news and projects to share, we decided to gather our friends and art lovers to experience, talk, and think together about the future of digital art.</h4>
 
TAEX Head of Development, Stefanie de Regel, will provide a brief recap of the season's highlights and explain how our platform has become one of the fastest-growing digital art platforms. She will also share some of our upcoming plans, but not all of the secrets! It is very important for us to share our mission, recent accomplishments, and insights with our community.
 
To honour our commitment to research and education (and to further celebrate the exhibition's main concept), TAEX Curator Antonio Geusa will present What Crypto Can Do For Art, What Art Can Do for Crypto—a guide for artists, curators, collectors, and all art lovers to get to know better how blockchain technology and art interact. In the course of the evening, a limited print edition of the guide will be distributed among our guests. Whether you’re a collector, an artist, or an explorer, this book is a must have. 
 
Among the works of the artists presented at the exhibition Scoletta dell’Arte: Digital Reform, three collections are already being showcased by TAEX:
 
• <a href="/drop/43">Error#0 by Franceso d’Isa</a>
• <a href="/drop/40">Neo-mastr by Funa Ye</a>
• <a href="/drop/18">Сollection by Shu Lea Cheang</a>
 
We are happy to announce that the exhibition will continue its journey in digital format on our platform, TAEX. During this special evening, TAEX will launch the freshly-minted You’re Making Art collection by Andrea Meregalli, which consists of 350 images, and we also will know what is new with Accurat and MAOTIK. 
 
Meregalli will personally assist our guests in their interactions to make art together with his AI-powered installation, a real hit among the public of the exhibition with over 10,000 works produced since the opening in April this year. Moreover, our guests will have a chance to receive a personal art gift from the artist—a unique image gednerated via the installation.
 
The exhibition will be open to the public until September 15, 2024*, with an exception of September 2nd.
 
*closed on Mondays
 
To access Scoletta dell’Arte all'infinito, please RSVP via <a href="https://6kdkkh9ypk4.typeform.com/to/dBiJrNYY">the link</a> till August 23.
 
<h4 dir="ltr">Date:</h4>
 
September 2, 2024
6pm till 9pm 
 
<h4 dir="ltr">Location:</h4>
 
Scoletta Battioro e Tiraoro di Venezia
Salizada San Stae, 1980, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy
 
<h4 dir="ltr">For any inquiries please contact:</h4>
 
TAEX Head of Development 
Stefanie De Regel 
<a href="mailto:stefanie@taex.com">stefanie@taex.com</a>

Scoletta dell’Arte all'infinito 

I Will Follow The Ship by Matthew Attard

A recap of digital art representation at Venice Biennale over the last half of the century.

Digital path of Venice Biennale

Throughout decades the Venice Biennale has been witnessing and hosting various steps of digital art in its evolution. In the 1960s, the Venice Biennale prize was awarded to the international network and movement New Tendencies created in Zagreb in 1968, which according to scholars Jussi Parikka and Darko Fritz was at the time “the only long-term initiative” that “started to contextualise digital art within contemporary art with a historical discourse”.
 
Later on in 1970, 35th Venice Biennale was featuring computer art by showing Running Cola by a Japanese collective of art and engineering students The Computer Technique Group founded by Masao Kohmura and Haruki Tsuchiya, which according to Jussy Parrika and Darko Fritz were believed to be “one of the earliest examples of the computer image morphing technique”. Descendants of the post-war generation, they were positioning themselves as a think tank aiming to “deliberate carefully the relationships between human beings and machines” by a “strategic collaboration with artists, scientists” without falling into praising or criticising the computer era.
 
In 1986, when the Venice Biennale was focused on art and science, the presence of digital media, in the framework of Laboratoria Ubrica curated by Roy Ascott, Tom Sherman, and Tommaso Trini presented Planetary Network, which was a worldwide computer network–slow-scan TV project with participants from all over the world. The pictures and faxes that were created in the process were then exchanged between different continents and the texts were sent via the medium of ARTEX. The project was questioning the very principles of an established art system of museums and galleries. Its results, as Ascott later mentioned in his book Das Gesamtdatenwerk (1989) “broadened the scope and possibly the nature of individual creativity” by activating “a whole stream of interactive communications media” including “electronic mail, computer conferences, videotext, slow scan TV” and various kinds of interfaces.
 
In the early 2000s, the Venice Biennale was among major art events that according to the philosopher and specialist on digital art Hervé Fischer ‘reignited the debate over the state of the arts’ and the return of traditional and digital arts towards craftsmanship.
 
The 59th Biennale in 2022 celebrated a new milestone of digital art by featuring 200 NFT artworks at the Decental Art Pavillion. The Digital Odyssey summed up the preliminary results of the development and transformation of digital art over the past almost six decades since mid 1960s. That year's Biennale definitely inscribed artificial intelligence and phygitals into the context of contemporary art.
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/cqv0da2rprek5an8pn70.png" alt="Artwork by Matthew Attard" width="670" height="377">
<pre dir="ltr"> Will Follow The Ship by Matthew Attard, 2024</pre>
 
However, as <a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/04/17/venice-biennale-2024-the-must-see-pavilions-in-the-arsenale">noticed</a> by art critics, the current 60th Biennale of 2024 lacks a visible input of digital art, with an exception of Malta pavilion project I Will Follow The Ship by Matthew Attard curated by Elyse Tonna and Sara Dolfi Agostini. Attard’s artwork lies on the intersection between the physical and digital realms. He even <a href="https://www.labiennale.org/en/art/2024/malta">shares</a> the credits of the project with a machine—an eye-tracker. By comparing old anonymous ship drawings with contemporary digital drawing Attard invites us to reflect on the shifts of power in the era of latest computer technologies.
 
Reflecting the contemporary era, the Venice Biennale has made several attempts to approach digital art over more than half a century, sometimes in juxtaposition with different disciplines. One way or another, digital art, constantly changing predicates and names, is as imminent as climate change, and its waves have already reached the threshold of the exhibition halls.
 
<h4 dir="ltr">Read more:</h4>
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/cqv0bdarprek5an8pn50.png" alt="Histories of Post-Digital: 1960 and 1970s Media Art Snapshots" width="670" height="1202">
<pre dir="ltr"> Histories of Post-Digital: 1960 and 1970s Media Art Snapshots Jussi Parikka, Darko Fritz. Edited by Ekmel Ertan. The catalogue of the exhibition curated by Ekmel Ertan and Darko Fritz, took place at Akbank Sanat between 17th December 2014 and 21st February 2015. <img src="/storage/news-image/cqv0bsqrprek5an8pn5g.png" alt="At a Distance. Precursors to Art and Activism on the Internet" width="670" height="856"> </pre>
<pre dir="ltr">At a Distance. Precursors to Art and Activism on the Internet Edited by Annmarie Chandler and Norie Neumark. 2005 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005.</pre>

Daniel Peace

<pre dir="ltr">Acronyms: Daniel Peace &mdash; DP Anastasiia Spirenkova (TAEX) &mdash; AS</pre>
&nbsp;
AS: Daniel, how did you become a curator in the first place? How did you decide to do that and why do you find it important?
&nbsp;
DP: Originally I was doing event management in London, where I moved in 2010 from my hometown. I was doing music and teaching before that, and in London I started working with lots of venues and was trying to push the local scene. I don't think that back then I really thought about being a curator or having a gallery myself. At that moment I was a photographer. It was the main path I wanted to pursue, but couldn't really afford to practise it fully. That&rsquo;s why I moved to Berlin. There I started to work a lot in the fashion industry with brands, models, and artists. Finally, when I was working as a photographer for Alternative Fashion Week (AFW), I ended up being asked to do an exhibition during the AFW, because I knew so many artists in the city.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Later on, still being a photographer, I moved to Mexico, where, again, I was surrounded by artists. I left the country quite abruptly but that time helped me to understand better what I&rsquo;d like to do on my own.&nbsp; In a city that doesn't have a lot of contemporary art but a lot of artists and good ideas, I felt that it&rsquo;s really important to promote the underrepresented artists. I was reflecting more and more about opening my own gallery, which I did. Eventually, I moved to Athens and focused on curation and promotion of other artists' works.
&nbsp;
AS: And at what point did you start to focus on digital art?
&nbsp;
DP: The gallery space that I set up myself was predominantly based on photography and video. There is a big crossover anyway with photography and digital art, even in the way the works are produced and sold. It really falls in line with how one adds value to prints.
&nbsp;
I was researching more on how we can commission works as a gallery. For photographers, it can be very difficult to sell works, particularly when the realms like blockchain were becoming popular, as well as virtual exhibitions, and virtual art spaces (VAS). So photography and video art sales could become digital as well, essentially a new class of value to artists who were producing works this way in the same way an edition could be done in different formats of print photographic work displayed virtually and sold as a digital asset made a lot of sense. Mediums were crossing over.
&nbsp;
At first it was a natural progression, but the real dive into everything was when COVID-19 hit. Virtual projects like Discord Club and Clubhouse appeared. The virtuality was part of a lot of panel discussions. During the pandemic, we were not sure that it wouldn't stay forever. So I was reflecting on how we can still be proactive within art scenes. I got really interested in digital art entities, virtual exhibition spaces, VR exhibitions, and so on.
&nbsp;
AS: You're also a researcher working on cultural representation in virtual art spaces. Can you tell a little bit about the subject of your study and what does cultural representation mean to you?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
DP: I decided that I really want to expand my knowledge and was trying to pursue a practice-based PhD. In a way I&rsquo;ve already written my PhD proposal, which was accepted, but I had to complete a separate course first. I ended up applying to do a Postgraduate certificate (PGCert), which is an MA level degree, about digital curation and collections.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Traditional galleries always got their &lsquo;white paper&rsquo;. They select artists which typically have been white, especially Western male artists. However, in the last 20-30 years, curators got more inclusive and liberal in their selections. Sometimes it's not really a choice, many people do it because they feel it's just a necessity to say which isn&rsquo;t true representation, which is something that is very important to me and what my PHD proposal specifically about &ldquo;Cultural representation and inclusivity of under-represented artists in digital spaces&rdquo;.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
I suppose that NFT's give control back to the artists for work sales and virtual exhibitions. Virtual galleries, spaces, or viewing rooms essentially give artists a platform to choose their own curatorial topics, to select their own artists from around the world without a cost, and then to be able to share audiences without people having to physically attend the shows.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">NFT's give control back to the artists for work sales and virtual exhibitions.</h3>
&nbsp;
One can create immersive exhibitions very easily on any curatorial topic. This type of inclusivity allows a curator to incorporate in the exhibition people with various backgrounds. This gives artists an opportunity to share their audiences and to reach out to new people and collectors without being physically present. It then opens up this huge, this huge door to establish new ideas by new artists.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
I&rsquo;m sure that one may live on the other side of the planet and make their work visible to a brand new audience. I sincerely do see the world moving more towards it. I love that all these new augmented reality, VR headsets, the big consoles and computer companies are pushing these applications and developing them. More people are sitting down and creating from the comfort of the living room and becoming visible for the people from every country of the world. One can create any form of collectives and meetings and put on amazing exhibitions and have complete freedom over the type of work they're showing.
&nbsp;
AS: In this situation, how do you gain the trust of potential collectors?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
DP: I&rsquo;m pretty sure that there won&rsquo;t be a lot of traditional old style collectors diving into the NFT world except maybe the more forward thinking ones, but a new type of collectors of artworks produced with an essentially new medium. It's a whole new crowd. There are new artists who are computing new artistry and becoming successful in this digital space right now. It opens the doors for people who might have no formal interest in Art History or anything like this.
&nbsp;
There is no real historical research written about it yet, because it's happening right now. There's not enough data yet, to see where NFTs and virtual art spaces are going.
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">It&rsquo;s a pinnacle moment at the minute.&nbsp;</h3>
&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s a pinnacle moment at the minute. Either everything will get pushed back under the water and fall back into a traditional system, or people will really pioneer the way for this. Currently, there is a lot of scepticism about NFTs and VAS, but I'm quite optimistic. It is important that artists and curators are able to take control of these new spaces and exhibitions away from galleries with a completely different attitude.
&nbsp;
AS: Do you see any place for sort of &lsquo;underground&rsquo; crypto art there? You just mentioned that many artworks are getting viral, what about the non-viral ones?
&nbsp;
DP: It's very interesting that even some of the stuff, which has become super hype about the value of crypto art, cannot disappear and is archiving. In 20 years from now, we could be witnessing a museum of underground artworks stored as NFTs, which might have been popular once. We may even be nostalgic about it one day.
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">It's like the Wild West.&nbsp;</h3>
&nbsp;
It's like the Wild West. Twitter is the main marketing force for crypto art, then some curatorial platforms enter the room and provide guidance. It's a minefield in some respects because there's so many people spending their own money to make works, without really a clue, and making money or losing it in the process. You may call it &lsquo;the stock market of art&rsquo;. A new medium for art sales.
&nbsp;
AS: In this new system, with new artists, new collectors, what is required from a new type of curator?
&nbsp;
DP: I suppose a new type of career path and an open mind is required. A number of things have been changing rapidly since the Industrial Revolution, but things are changing especially rapidly now in the Internet era that we're living through.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
And I think concepts will become more important for our time. There's a massive resurgence obviously off digit lot, software and the technology quality work is important especially in the abundance of it. There is so much going on. From a political standpoint, I think the environment needs to be inclusive. This is a perfect opportunity to really shout about amazing artists which haven't been traditionally represented.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cqpoulqrprek5an8pn40.png" alt="Helin Sahin, Sanguine Spirit" width="670" height="905">
<pre dir="ltr">Helin Sahin, Sanguine Spirit, Available to purchase on TAEX</pre>
&nbsp;
AS: When you see established art institutions that are trying to adapt to the crypto art world, do you think that they are really capable of doing it?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
DP: It&rsquo;s funny because these institutions, galleries, art fairs have all the resources to do something great. However, still, many virtual viewing art rooms look more like PowerPoint presentations. Also, rather than pushing to validate new artworks created as NFTs they&rsquo;re just using them as marketing tools to look relevant to what's going on.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Smaller galleries and institutions end up doing more with fewer resources. The big players in the art world are way behind with what can actually be done to represent themselves and artists in this new realm. Smaller galleries find a much more proactive and exciting way to pave the way for more than just the future of digital art and how it's viewed, archived, and collected.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Developers are creating much more immersive types of experience, where people are able to communicate through a chat room as little avatars and walk around a space designed for VR. In other communities for instance there are virtual DJ sets from Berlin, where you can go to a club virtually and actually meet your friends in essentially a virtual chat room rave.
&nbsp;
AS: Do you think it's possible that the crypto art community will have a huge impact on traditional art institutions? Do crypto artists need to approach and persuade huge art fairs and museums at all?
&nbsp;
DP: If we look at it from a standpoint of archiving, as you know many museums keep so many artworks in storage. However, the access to it is vital for Art History and for people to research. So it is always up to the curator to bring out what is in the museum to be seen by the general public.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">NFT technologies may provide&nbsp; a next step in the evolution of archiving and provenance.</h3>
&nbsp;
But museums and galleries are archiving online anyway, taking pictures, collecting information about the provenance &mdash; they have&nbsp; metadata. With NFT technology, art pieces could be completely available for people to view, explore and purchase. For instance, if an institution needs to raise funds, it may sell digital versions of artefacts which are stored in archives which people would really love to own or have ownership of, but not necessarily have it physically, you know. I see it as a next step in the evolution of archiving and provenance.
&nbsp;
AS: You were talking about these virtual rooms and some spaces where collectors and artists can all chat together. And what's the best way for you personally to present crypto art?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
DP: When crypto art started booming, many exhibitions had floating artworks in the middle of the universe or some sort or other background. Curators have endless opportunities. You can literally put an artwork on the sides of a volcano, in the middle of a rainforest, in space, or anywhere else. I prefer traditional white wall spaces however, I'm a minimalist.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
I also love seeing digital lots displayed physically, as well on monitors, or screened with projection mapping. I think a lot about the way we display things, and the value attached to NFTs. It's hard work to display video art and to figure out what gives the video its value.
&nbsp;
If Mona Lisa was tokenised, then became a crypto art piece, people could have ownership of it and show it in their own virtual exhibition spaces. You know, there's always a talk about this sort of thing that may happen. It's just a very thin line, which is why I think, as it matures, this will become a bit more clear.
&nbsp;
AS: I see this concept of sharing in this different notion of ownership: one can own an artwork in order to let others see it.
&nbsp;
DP: Exactly, I think it's a really fascinating time to be in and I think it's really growing at the moment.
&nbsp;
AS: Where do you think this potential for support of emerging and underrepresented artists lies? Where do you think it's possible to find resources for it?
&nbsp;
DP: One unknown artist on Instagram on one side of the world who follows another unknown artist on Instagram on the other side can contact each other and put a virtual group show together and have their works displayed online and exposed to completely different audiences, who had never crossed their works before. It has a huge potential for growth and audience building. It&rsquo;s a socialist way to share work when I think about it.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cqpov9qrprek5an8pn4g.png" alt="Tatsuru Arai, &quot;FaceOfUniverse&quot; Korea2" width="670" height="375">
<pre dir="ltr">Tatsuru Arai, "FaceOfUniverse" Korea2, Available to purchase on TAEX</pre>
&nbsp;
AS: How can a curator help collectors to navigate in all these endless numbers of artists and galleries?
&nbsp;
DP: I suppose the role of the curator is to explain the value of artworks. It's a bit of a gamble in a way &mdash; which one has the value? Collectors need some guidance in this new asset class. It's harder for some people to wrap their heads around this new collectible.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
I feel that there's going to be so much value added to crypto art in the future because that's the way technology is going and has been going for years.
&nbsp;
AS: When you started working with TAEX, why did you choose this particular platform to collaborate with?
&nbsp;
DP: First of all, it was good timing. At some point I wanted to launch a Patreon campaign and raise funds to onboard new artists into the world of NFTs and guide them through minting their artworks and helping promote them. Then I understood that the platform I wanted to do was already built. I mean, completely ready. So instead of putting in 100 hours a week to establish it I was essentially able to join an already existing platform that shared the same ideology which is rare and it's been great.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
It's important that I follow the same ethics in regards to ideas about duration and development of crypto art. I had the same mission statement with TAEX. We share the same views on curation and the kind of oversaturation of crypto art in marketplaces and why curation is important in such a new sort of asset class.
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">With these artists we are like-minded in our politics and our sense of darkness and beauty.</h3>
&nbsp;
AS: You travel a lot. Do you see any difference in the attitude towards crypto art among artists, collectors, and institutions in different parts of the world?
&nbsp;
DP: I was in Athens before, and there, the concept of NFTs and such is pretty much nonexistent at the moment. No one is really talking about it other than perhaps a couple close circles. Then I moved back to Berlin, which has such a big tech startup industry. Surprisingly, although there are events and snippets of things going on, I am not seeing here as much as I would expect, compared to places like Los Angeles, New York and Asian markets such as Japan, China, Korea. Perhaps, the States are currently at the forefront of NFT's in the West and the way it's promoted and spoken about.
&nbsp;
AS: And if we take just Europe, which country is going to be first?
&nbsp;
DP: I have to say Germany, specifically &mdash; Berlin. I believe that Berlin has a huge potential, since it has so many artists and a massive tech industry. That&rsquo;s why I moved back here. I think it's a melting pot of artists and creatives alongside developers and a good place to explore new ideas, so in theory it seems like a perfect place for a big boom. Obviously, people also want to monetise crypto art without being vulgar about the financial aspect. I think that soon, here the tech people, 3D designers, and artists are going to collaborate with each other more. I hope it progresses in that way while I'm here.

Daniel Peace: Сrypto Art is like the Wild West

Digital art market news, blockchain releases, TAEX collections—you name it. Highlights of July in our new monthly digest.

<h4 dir="ltr">From now on TAEX will keep you posted about digital highlights of the month in a special column and newsletter. If you&rsquo;re already subscribed, there is no need to worry, you&rsquo;ll be first to know. We present the first, July edition. To stay informed, please <a title="Subscribe to TAEX Newsletter" href="https://forms.sendpulse.com/14ae90e13c/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">subscribe</a> to our newsletter.</h4>
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">ETH ETF is live!</h4>
&nbsp;
After a long legal and political discussion, the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/8e4aef77-4ba6-4a26-91f0-912bac779f06" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ETH ETF is finally live</a>! Last Tuesday three major investors in Ethereum, BlackRock, Bitwise Investments and Fidelity, entered US stocks. The funds of approximately $267m, $204m and $71m stood, according to FT, &lsquo;in line with expectations&rsquo;. The best news is that they&rsquo;re going to invest directly in the world&rsquo;s second largest cryptocurrency.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Bill Viola dies at 73</h4>
&nbsp;
A prominent American video artist Bill Viola passed away on 12 July at the age of 73. His artistic legacy comprises 45 years of work in new media. Viola will be remembered as a true pioneer of video and web2 art. In 1985 as a part of Whitney Biennial his video works were the first ever to be exhibited side by side with paintings, graphics and sculpture. Ten years later, in 1995, his piece The Greeting was the first video work included in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Through his aspirational video works Viola was reflecting on human life, death, time, and eternity. Read more about his artistic path, influence and insights in the obituary written by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/07/15/remembering-bill-viola-the-artist-whose-video-work-expresses-the-heights-and-depths-of-human-emotions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Art Newspaper.</a>
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">AI, digital art market and technologies at Christie&rsquo;s Art+Tech Summit</h4>
&nbsp;
Christie&rsquo;s Art+Tech Summit in NYC was definitely the major digital art event of the month. TAEX attended the key panels of the conference dedicated to the future of AI, current challenges of the digital art market and new paradigms of technology.
&nbsp;
Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, stated that the investments and costs necessary for AI advancement are far from reflecting its actual value. Others, including Kevin O&rsquo;Leary from Shark Tank, also question the cost-effective side of AI.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Stay tuned for a TAEX review of the event and for now read more at <a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/artificial-intelligence-christies-art-tech-summit-1234712444/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ARTnews</a>.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Was it worth it? A pioneering NFT trading platform is to be shut down two years after being acquired by eBay</h4>
&nbsp;
KnownOrigin NFT trading platform announced its closure on 17th of July after six years of existence. As shared in their official statement: &ldquo;After careful consideration and evaluation we can confirm KnownOrigin will continue to wind down its on-chain marketplaces &amp; minter (and signpost to secondary marketplaces) over the upcoming weeks.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
KnownOrigin is not the first among the early influential NFT marketplaces that didn&rsquo;t survive the current market challenges: in 2023 it was Async Art that announced its shutdown.
&nbsp;
However, no worries &mdash; any purchased NFTs aren&rsquo;t going anywhere. Check out the full coverage by <a href="https://nftnow.com/news/knownorigin-ebay-nft-marketplace-announces-shutdown/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NFT Now</a>.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Olympics in Paris: is the art world suffering?</h4>
&nbsp;
Paris art galleries are dramatically <a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/paris-olympics-gallery-closures-dealers-respond-1234712523/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">influenced</a> by the ongoing summer Olympic games in Paris. The high-level security measures as well as the unusual opening ceremony and impossibility to cross the river Seine had basically blocked the access to art spaces in the city centre.&nbsp;
Art galleries that happened to be in &lsquo;red&rsquo; and &lsquo;grey&rsquo; security zones were eventually closed due to the absence of visitors. The unprecedented flow of Olympic guests and fans that was expected by French business, including cafes and restaurants, had the opposite effect. French prime minister Gabriel Attal however promised to count the indemnities. It&rsquo;s still a question whether art galleries will be satisfied by the state reimbursement.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Last but not least, TAEX has its own intense agenda without any summer breaks:</h4>
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cql6jfqrprek5an8pmh0.png" alt="Error#0 by Francesco D'Isa" width="670" height="670">
<pre>Error#0 by Francesco D'Isa </pre>
Please check out a new collection Error#0 by a pioneering Italian digital artist and theoretician Francesco d&rsquo;Isa. His new book &lsquo;The algorithmic revolution of images Art and artificial intelligence&rsquo; just published by an Italian editor Luca Sossella is already making headlines. A prominent philosopher Francesco d&rsquo;Isa offers a profound and serious analysis of the use of artificial intelligence in art. Check out the fruit of his work in <a href="/drop/43" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our latest collection</a>.
&nbsp;
We promised to provide you with guidance once you purchased a digital artwork. In <a href="/news/38/how-to-keep-and-expose" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this article</a> we break some myths and prejudices about crypto art and suggest the best ways on how to preserve it in your private collection and show it at its best capacity.
&nbsp;
At TAEX we truly believe that one of our goals is to overcome the scepticism around digital art. Here we unveil three axes of crypto art evolution that prove <a href="/news/39/digital-art-remedy">it can solve social issues</a>. If you were at Digital Art Week in London you may have seen yourself on the example of Krista Kim&rsquo;s Continuum how digital artwork can heal your emotional state. The artists are rethinking our new reality at all levels including the existential one. Moreover digital art is transforming the entire artworld by establishing a truly open horizontal structures for curators, artists, collectors, and the audience.
<h4> Not subscribed to the TAEX Newsletter yet? Click <a title="Subscribe to TAEX Newsletter" href="https://forms.sendpulse.com/14ae90e13c/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the link</a> and stay in the loop of current news and upcoming collections!</h4>
&nbsp;
Cover image: ARTnews, SHANTI ESCALANTE-DE MATTEI

TAEX Digest: July 2024

How digital artists reflect on technologies, our eventual co-existence with them and the changing forms of communication.

Digital art as a social remedy in solving technologically-induced problems

<h4 dir="ltr">Digital technologies make our everyday life easier in many ways. However, excessive use may bring us some struggles such as anxiety from doom scrolling, insomnia, eye strain, and a feeling of social isolation (powered by 5G). At a glance, it could seem that screens and what we see on them are the overbearing evil of today. Hence, one might rightfully question how to &ldquo;recover&rdquo; from technologically-induced problems? One of the answers, other than straight-up digital detox, is digital art!&nbsp;</h4>
&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s face it &mdash; the digital world has become an inevitable part of our life, to the point that there is no way back, whether we like it or not. The artists&rsquo; goal, as usual, is to conceptualise it on an existential and aesthetic level. This includes artistic reflection on technologically-induced challenges that we&rsquo;re facing. When some artists ponder the prospects of humans coexisting with technology, others analyse the medium &mdash; from software to screens.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Emotional state</h4>
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cqbskbqrprek5an8pm1g.png" alt="Continuum Collection v.2" width="670" height="350">
<pre dir="ltr">Continuum Collection v.2 by Krista Kim. Available to purchase on TAEX</pre>
&nbsp;
Staying in front of the screens for hours and days may let us lose track of time, get us stressed or anxious. However, the very same screens or augmented reality glasses often serve as a tool of psychological and medical support, certified by ministries of health. Indeed, healthcare gets digitised, and mental well-being is no exception. COVID-19 pandemic followed by a global crisis era only increased the demand for new digital ways of healing. No wonder artists have embraced it as well.
Thus, the renowned artist Krista Kim created the digital work Continuum that travels around the globe and was presented in the framework of the last World Economic Forum in Davos. With her shifting abstract minimalist landscape inspired by the Ryoanji Temple Garden in Kyoto she invites each and everyone to take a moment for themselves by offering an environment to mediate. <a href="/news/31/continuum-extended">Currently Continuum is on show at Outernet London</a>, proudly presented by TAEX. Please note that some NFTs from Continuum collection are still <a href="/drop/39">available</a> for collecting on our platform.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">New existence</h4>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;<img src="/storage/news-image/cqbsku2rprek5an8pm2g.png" alt="Entangled Others" width="670" height="377">
<pre dir="ltr">'specious upwellings' by Entangled Others</pre>
&nbsp;
The eventual cohabitation of humans and non-human entities becomes a focus of artistic reflection. The art group Entangled Others is convinced that it&rsquo;s not only about coexistence but about the intertwining of these two worlds. &ldquo;The rich substrate of the uncanny, eerie spaces between us and the non-human world cannot remain as an aesthetic space, our world cannot bear this self-imposed distance and denial of our inter-twined state of us and others&rdquo;. Entangled Others co-founder Sofia Crespo in her solo work shares the idea that on the ontological level &ldquo;technologies are a biased product of the organic life that created them and not a completely separated object&rdquo;.
 
Digital technologies affect our self-perception as well. For an American artist Petra Cortright, the fact of constantly recording and being watched became the subject of her artwork Vvebcam (2007).
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cqbsl3irprek5an8pm30.png" alt="Petra Cortright" width="670" height="483">
<pre dir="ltr">Vvebcam, Petra Cortright</pre>
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Inclusive spaces</h4>
&nbsp;
Many curators see digital art as a tool to overcome the social boundaries of the traditional art world and to facilitate contact with the audience. As curator Daniel Peace admitted in an interview with TAEX, the development of digital art had &ldquo;at first a natural progression, but the real dive into everything was when COVID-19 hit. Virtual projects like Discord Club and Clubhouse appeared. The virtuality was part of a lot of panel discussions. During the pandemic, we were not sure that it wouldn't stay forever&rdquo;
&nbsp;
Digital art environments have offered this unique opportunity to bring together renowned artists and underrepresented ones. 
&nbsp;
Facing a digital era, artists are rethinking self-perception, communication patterns and conceptualising the new existence of organic and artificial entities. Where will this new cultural age take us? Hopefully, to a place of progress, minus the eye strain.&nbsp;
 
<pre dir="ltr">Visuals on cover: 'specious upwellings' by Entangled Others</pre>
&nbsp;

Continuum Collection v.9 by Krista Kim

TAEX guide for culturally curious collectors who’d like to gain a clearer vision on how one can proceed after acquiring a digital art piece.

How to keep and expose digital art after purchase?

Our guide for culturally curious collectors who’d like to gain a clearer vision on how one can proceed after acquiring a digital art piece.

<h4 dir="ltr">As tempting as digital art may be, many collectors, still, are hesitating to take the first step. We often get simultaneously excited and scared while encountering the unknown: lots of variables stay unclear, some technical terms seem obscure. It&rsquo;s fully understandable to ask yourself: &ldquo;How is this artwork going to look at my place, how do I even expose it?&rdquo; Here are some tips in a special TAEX guide.</h4>
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Your place is ready for digital art</h4>
&nbsp;
Today it&rsquo;s hard to imagine a home without any TVs or film screens. What you may not know is that if you already have a set of screens in your space, the proportion of artworks could be adapted to a particular screen upon request. If you already possess an up-to-date digital screen, you may have a basis to project your first digital artworks.
&nbsp;
What we do know for sure is that it would take less effort than bringing home a new sculpture or a painting. In the case of digital art, only the resolution and proportion need to be adjusted to show artworks from your collection.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Get art collection adapted to your current mood and lifestyle</h4>
&nbsp;
If frequent travels, multiple residency, or even a nomad lifestyle speaks to you, think about the idea that from now on your art collection will always follow you around the globe, with no shipping costs involved. Moreover, depending on your mood, time of day, or social situation you&rsquo;re free to switch to a precise artwork that feels the most right to you. And when you&rsquo;re out, it could be switched off, respecting the sustainability.
&nbsp;
At last it&rsquo;s not you visiting a major art vault from time to time, but your collection approaching you at any moment you need it.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cq788u2rprek5an8plug.png" alt="" width="670" height="382">
<pre dir="ltr">Image: 6pm Eternal (Ancient and Broadly Compliant) by Massimo Magee, available for purchase on TAEX. Background: freepik.com </pre>
<h4 dir="ltr">Leave the myths behind</h4>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Don&rsquo;t get intimidated by digital migration
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
You may have heard that in order to preserve digital artwork they need to be &ldquo;migrated&rdquo; to an up-to-date format that corresponds to current technologies. Well, it's not much more demanding than sweeping dust from a fragile sculpture or maintaining a special light and climate regime for paintings.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s be clear, one does not need an outsourced IT department in order to take care of digital art. Once you purchase it from a solid art platform, you&rsquo;ll always get technical advice. Sure, digital screens do need software updates as any smartphone or computer. Nothing more, nothing less.
&nbsp;
Among the advantages are no worries about any physical damage. Even if somehow your screen gets scratched, it will do no harm to your tokenized artwork.
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
The blockchain doesn&rsquo;t bite
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
With digital technology, establishing the authenticity of an artwork and its provenance has never been easier, clearer, and more reliable. The information is stocked in the decentralised system that holds all the information linked to the acquisition of your artwork. The very idea of this technology is designed to protect the original artwork and its owners.
&nbsp;
Once and for all you may not worry about someone copying anything from your collections, as it&rsquo;s under solid protection.
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Auctions, assets and museums. They would still be there
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
As soon as digital artwork is yours, you are in power to keep it, gift it, donate it, or bid on the major auction. Among the benefits of digital art minted on blockchain, you can obtain a clear and verifiable provenance of every item.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cq789earprek5an8plv0.png" alt="" width="670" height="1005">
<pre dir="ltr">Image: Everything flows, nothing dies by MAOTIK, available for purchase on TAEX. Background: freepik.com</pre>
<h4 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h4>
<h4 dir="ltr">Get ready for new adventures</h4>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
It&rsquo;s your say
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Being the curator of your place has never been as easy and exciting as it is with digital art. Whatever the situation or the moment is, it&rsquo;s you who can easily switch from one artwork to another.
&nbsp;
We&rsquo;re glad to observe a dramatic improvement in screen devices that enhance collector experiences. It changes the entire art scene for good.
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Take your place in the pioneering collectors&rsquo; community
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Perhaps what&rsquo;s the most tempting about the digital art world is the fluidity with which all community members, whether collectors, artists, or curators can exchange artworks and have a mutual influence. Thanks to digital platforms, art fairs and conferences, the latest news is accessible immediately. Innovative technologies and the way artists employ them require ongoing reflection and dialogue between all of us.
&nbsp;
The accelerating dynamics of digital art are followed by a great responsibility of all the actors. Which is why this field simply requires to engage more passionate and extraordinary art lovers.
&nbsp;

The impact of digital art in Basel is more significant than one may think.

ARTnews on Basel’s First Digital Art Fair

“There is a need to educate, to show collectors that digital art is an interesting and rich genre,” Georg Bak, the founder of The Digital Art Mile, told ARTnews. The extensive media coverage and the positive response prove that this goal was achieved. As a <a href="/news/30/digital-art-mile">participating platform</a>, we feel the same.
 
Read the ARTnews <a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/art-basel-digital-art-mile-recap-2024-1234710074/">article</a> with interviews of fair artists and founders to learn more about The Digital Art Mile's significant debut.

Highlights from the panel talks powered by Art Basel with participation of TAEX featuring a special Krista Kim biotech installation.

How it went: Digital Dialogues by Art Basel

<h4 dir="ltr">Nothing feels better than fetching the chairs urgently for a great number of attendees of <a href="/news/32/digital-dialogues">Digital Dialogues</a> hosted by Art Basel last week. TAEX was honoured to participate in this talk. Three people-packed panels were followed by a poetry reading by Sasha Stiles and wrapped by a cocktail reception hosted by TAEX. Our capacities and expectations were indeed exceeded.</h4>
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cpqqiqirprek5an8pl00.png" alt="Digital Dialogues by Art Basel" width="685" height="457">
<pre dir="ltr">Digital Dialogues by Art Basel, Panel Discussions</pre>
&nbsp;
The curiosity, initiative, and energy of both participants and the audience was truly intense. Introduced by Art Basel Global Head of Digital Platforms Alain Brusch and TAEX Head of Development Stefanie De Regel, the first panellists artists Cory Arcangel and <a href="/artist/42">Krista Kim</a> moderated by the Editor-in-Chief of Right Click Save Alex Estorick shared their thoughts on social engagement of digital artworks and their own experiments around it.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cpqqg4arprek5an8pku0.png" alt="Krista Kim, Cory Arcangel and Alex Estorick " width="700" height="467">
<pre dir="ltr">Krista Kim, Cory Arcangel, and Alex Estorick </pre>
Later on renowned artists Rebecca Allen and Refik Anadol moderated by the Art Basel Head of Editorial Dr Jeni Fulton discussed the impact of digital media on the art world and reported firsthand the latest insights of the avant-garde artistic production.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cpqqjairprek5an8pl0g.png" alt="Refik Anadol, Rebecca Allen and Dr Jeni Fulton" width="700" height="466">
<pre dir="ltr">Refik Anadol, Rebecca Allen, and Dr Jeni Fulton</pre>
&nbsp;
Last but not the least Director of The House of Electronic Arts (HEK) Sabine Himmelsbach and Director of LAS Foundation Bettina Kames moderated by Shaina Silva of Digital Art Week London exchanged their thoughts on the everlasting challenge of introducing new art forms to the public.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cpqqk9irprek5an8pl10.png" alt="Sabine Himmelsbach, Bettina Kames, and Shaina Silva" width="700" height="467">
<pre dir="ltr">Sabine Himmelsbach, Bettina Kames, and Shaina Silva</pre>
&nbsp;
The official part of the day was concluded by a poetry reading by Sasha Stiles, a poet, language artist, and AI researcher. She gave the audience a chance to witness how text and technology intertwine with one another.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cpqqlgarprek5an8pl1g.png" alt="Sasha Stiles" width="700" height="468">
<pre dir="ltr">Sasha Stiles</pre>
&nbsp;
Finally all the participants and guests continued to exchange continued the vigorous discussion over a cocktail hosted by TAEX. The reception featured a large-scale installation Heart Space: 3256 by <a href="/artist/42">Krista Kim</a>. The number reflects the quantity of heartbeats collected by artists from 3526 people. Each individual algorithm forms a collective visual symphony created with the biometric AI generative technology. Here, Krista Kim is exploring the concept of oneness and the possibility to establish profound connections between people.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cpqqmvqrprek5an8pl20.png" alt="Cocktail reception by TAEX" width="700" height="467">
<pre dir="ltr">Cocktail reception by TAEX</pre>
&nbsp;
It was rare to move theory directly to practise by contemplating the work of one of the digital art leaders in her own presence.
&nbsp;
Please enjoy the full image archive from the event&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MxWYZ1zkIdNgtzjg1iLF-mjIOeAsBKJd?usp=share_link">here</a>. Note, that any reproduction of the photographs must be credited.

TAEX Booth at The Digital Art Mile

Crypto News reports on the opening of The Digital Art Mile, “an innovative digital art market held alongside one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious art fairs, Art Basel”. 

Crypto News: Sigg Foundation, TAEX and Tezos combine to showcase NFTs at the Digital Art Mile in Basel

“The event transformed Rebgasse”

<h4 dir="ltr">Crypto News reports on the opening of The Digital Art Mile, “an innovative digital art market held alongside one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious art fairs, Art Basel”. </h4>
 
Featuring TAEX, the article dives into the overview of the wonderful platforms and galleries, that occupied the 2 spaces in the heart of Basel for digital and analogue audiences to enjoy.  Read more about TAEX and our booth via <a href="https://crypto.news/sigg-foundation-taex-and-tezos-combine-to-showcase-nfts-at-the-digital-art-mile-in-basel/">the link.</a>

errr10 (2024) by Qubibi

Check out the latest copy of TAN for a take on The Digital Art Mile, where TAEX presented Krista Kim

The Art Newspaper on the rise of the digital in Basel 

Check out the latest copy of TAN Dailies for a take on The Digital Art Mile, where TAEX presented Krista Kim

<h4 dir="ltr">When Art Basel rolls in, there are many things to get excited about.</h4>
&nbsp;
One of them is undoubtedly The Art Newspaper Dailies &mdash; exclusive daily editions of the newspaper. This year, TAEX was featured both in the offline and online editions through the lens of Aimee Dawson, who pondered the question: how will Art Basel respond to a surge of digital-art initiatives in Switzerland?&nbsp;Find out via&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/06/12/art-basel-digital-art-initiatives-in-switzerland">the link</a>.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Image: errr10 (2024) by Qubibi
&nbsp;

The Art Newspaper on the rise of the digital in Basel

TAEX booth at The Digital Art Mile

Digital galleries unite for a screen-packed show in Basel

Artribune on TAEX’s participation at The Digital Art Mile

<h4 dir="ltr">"The rise of digital art is unstoppable" - writes Artribune in its latest article covering the new digital art fair in Basel, The Digital Art Mile.</h4>
 
Situated in the heart of Basel and coinciding with the main Art Basel show, the fair united leading digital art platforms and galleries, including TAEX. Read more about the show and TAEX’s showcase of Krista Kim via <a href="https://www.artribune.com/progettazione/new-media/2024/06/the-digital-art-mile-basilea-arte-digitale/">the link</a>. The article is available in Italian.

Heart Space:3526 by Krista Kim

TAEX is delighted to invite you to the Digital Dialogues, a series of talks hosted by Art Basel. TAEX will participate in and curate the conversation for the occasion of a digital art show with Krista Kim.

TAEX participates in Digital Dialogues by Art Basel

<h4 dir="ltr">TAEX is delighted to invite you to the Digital Dialogues, a series of talks hosted by Art Basel. TAEX will participate in and curate the conversation for the occasion of a digital art show with Krista Kim.</h4>
&nbsp;
On June 13, tune in to the thoughts and insights of the most influential people in digital art, while they ponder the questions that expand our vision for the future. The event will feature a large-scale installation Heart Space by Krista Kim.
&nbsp;
The doors will open at 3 pm, the programme commencing at 4 pm with introductions by Alain Brusch, Global Head of Digital Platforms, Art Basel and Stefanie De Regel, Head of Development, TAEX.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Moving to the first panel of the evening at 4.15 pm &mdash; Digital art: transforming public spaces, pixel by pixel &mdash; artists Cory Arcangel and Krista Kim will discuss the socially engaged potential of digital artworks and talk about their experiments with it. Alex Estorick, Editor in Chief of Right Click Save will guide them along the curves of discourse.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Up next, at 4:45 pm, Dr Jeni Fulton, Head of Editorial, Art Basel will moderate a conversation on how digital media transformed the art world. Artists Rebecca Allen and Refik Anadol will dive into new forms of avant-garde artistic production.
&nbsp;
The last Digital Dialogue of the evening will be dedicated to the question that never gets old: How to introduce new art forms to the public? From 5:15 pm, Sabine Himmelsbach, Director of The House of Electronic Arts (HEK) and Bettina Kames, Director of LAS Foundation will discuss the issue through the lens of digital media, with the help of the moderator Shaina Silva of Digital Art Week London.
&nbsp;
To conclude the official part of the evening, renowned artist Sasha Stiles will do a poetry reading.
&nbsp;
At 6:30 pm, the Dialogues will turn bubbly at the Speaker and VIP cocktail reception (by invitation only), followed by the Speaker dinner at 8 pm, hosted by TAEX (by invitation only).&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Digital Dialogues are open to the public! Please RSVP via <a href="https://rsvp.link/taexatartbasel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the link</a>&nbsp;to secure your seat.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Date</h4>
&nbsp;
13 June
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Time</h4>
&nbsp;
3 pm - 6:30 pm (Including Panel Talks and Poetry Reading)
6:30 - onwards (VIP cocktail reception and Speaker Dinner)
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Location</h4>
&nbsp;
Rheingasse 2, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">For any inquiries, please contact:&nbsp;</h4>
&nbsp;
TAEX Head of Development&nbsp;
Stefanie De Regel&nbsp;
<a href="mailto:stefanie@taex.com">stefanie@taex.com</a>
&nbsp;
and&nbsp;
TAEX Client Advisor
Darja Kočerova
<a href="mailto:darja@taex.com">darja@taex.com</a>
&nbsp;

Krista Kim

TAEX is excited to announce that the Continuum project at Outernet by Krista Kim is extended until October 2024. Check the screening schedule to see it at Outernet London. 

Continuum by Krista Kim is extended until October

<h4 dir="ltr">TAEX is excited to announce that the Continuum project at Outernet by Krista Kim has been extended until October 2024. Check the screening schedule to see it at Outernet London. The screenings were originally presented by TAEX at <a href="/news/26/continuum-daw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">London Digital Art Week</a>.</h4>
 
Continuum, a digital Zen garden created by Krista Kim in the heart of London will stay in <a href="https://www.outernet.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Outernet</a>—the largest digital exhibition space in Europe—until the beginning of October. “We’re always on our digital devices, we’re bombarded by information and we’re relentlessly distracted. So I wanted to create a place where people can actually breathe,” admitted Krista in her interview with Katy Wickremesinghe, the founder of The Wick Culture.
 
Conceived in 2018, Continuum was shown at Times Square NYC and at the World Economic Forum. At the end of April 2024 TAEX proudly presented this fundamental project by Krista Kim to Londoners in the framework of Digital Art Week. Due to the vivid response of the audience the project was extended for four months and will be accessible at the same venue, the Outernet London.
 
Inspired by Japanese Buddhist Zen gardens Krista Kim invites us to take a moment for a personal reflection in the era of massive and infinite social media interactions. As a prominent digital artist she has redirected the tools that normally make us ingest huge volumes of information and may cause anxiety towards providing a space for self-awareness and meditativeness.
 
By placing Continuum inside a busy megapolis Kim inserts her digital Zen garden in the London urban landscape. Krista is not only offering each and everyone to decompress from the stresses of everyday life using an up-to-date digital language, but proposes to accept it as a part of a new and more mindful routine of contemporary humans. TAEX is very pleased to present this opportunity to Londoners and to remind you that one of 10 unique NFTs from the Continuum project <a href="/drop/39">may join</a> your collection.
 
Check out the interview with Krista Kim in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y21yE2ZeVs8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the special edition</a> Culturally Curious Hop by The Wick Culture.
 
Photograph courtesy of Digital Art Week.

Continuum Collection v.6 by Krista Kim

TAEX is proud to present artworks from the Continuum project by the renowned artist Krista Kim at Digital Art Mile Basel from the 10th to 16th of June 2024.

TAEX presents Continuum by Krista Kim at The Digital Art Mile Basel

<h4 dir="ltr">TAEX is proud to present artworks from the Continuum project by the renowned artist Krista Kim at Digital Art Mile Basel from the 10th to 16th of June 2024.</h4>
 
We’re bringing to Switzerland a digital Zen landscape created by Krista Kim in response to the disconnection and distraction pervading society today due to technology overuse. Krista sought to transform digital screens into spaces for mindfulness rather than distraction. The collection includes 10 unique NFTs, segments from the whole Continuum artwork, available for collecting on our platform.
 
The artwork consists of subtle gradients on the screens that gradually shift over time, creating an ever-evolving tranquil scene. Krista’s inspiration came from her time spent in the serene Ryoanji Temple Garden in Kyoto combined with seeing the potential of digital interfaces as portals to peace.  
 
Krista Kim’s intention is for Continuum to serve as a bridge between digital and human - a place for us to reconnect with our presence and tranquillity. This guided meditation we are about to embark on is meant to transport us into that state.
 
Krista Kim is a contemporary artist and a founder of the Techism movement. Having an interest in both digital and physical realms she developed her signature technique that involves a wide range of media including digital software, light, video, glass and plexi. Kim focuses on the concept of digital consciousness and the effects produced by digital technology on human perception, media, social structures, and communication.
 
Krista is a contributing Metaverse Editor for Vogue Singapore. She is a cultural leader at the World Economic Forum (2023) and a member of the Meridian Institute for Cultural Diplomacy. Kim is a keynote speaker of major metaverse conferences all over the globe.
 
Kim’s works are featured in the permanent collections of Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris (2023), LACMA museum in Los Angeles (2022). Her works were shown at major art events such as Triennale di Milano (2022), Times Square Arts (2022), Venice Architecture biennale (2021), Paris biennale (2018) and art fairs. Kim’s exhibition list includes significant museums and galleries in Europe, US, Canada, China and Singapore. Among her artistic collaborations with brands are projects for Louis Vuitton, Lamborghini, Mercedes Benz AMG and Lanvin.
 
Kim’s artworks were featured on the cover of Bazaar Art, Vogue Hong Kong, and featured in AD, Artnet, NYT, Dezeeen, Vogue (UK, Singapore), FT, The Times, Forbes, New York magazine, The Art Newspaper and many others.
 
Kim holds a master's degree in fine arts at the LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore (2014) and a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Toronto (2001).
 
Kim has been featured in UNESCO's list of “50 Minds for The Next 50” and recognized as “the new digital Rothko” by Forbes. Her name appears in the ranks of top 30 Most Influential People of the Metaverse by Read and Write Magazine (2021), top 100 by Architectural Digest (2021), and top 50 “NFTy50” by Fortune Magazine (2022). Kim won the Excellence in Digital Art prize from the Createurs Design Awards (2024).
 
space31 is one of the main Digital Art Mile venues located in a reimagined retailer’s warehouse. It will spotlight the premier NFT galleries, platforms, and projects. and host the Digital Art Mile’s public lounge-an inviting space for visitors to relax and enjoy refreshments amidst the buzz of innovation. 
 
TAEX is a curated digital art platform that is building a new community whose aspirations spread beyond the material. We showcase and co-produce works by leading artists with critical acclaim. Together with like-minded individuals, who believe that the central value in art is created by exciting ideas and expertise, not media hype, we work to reform the art scene.
 
 
<h4 dir="ltr">Date</h4>
 
June 10-16, 2024
 
<h4 dir="ltr">Opening hours</h4>
 
Monday, June 10 — Saturday, June 15, 12:00-20:00
Sunday, June 16, 12:00-17:00
 
<h4 dir="ltr">Location</h4>
 
Booth 5, Space31, The Digital Art Mile, 
<a href="https://www.google.ch/maps/place/Rebgasse+31,+4058+Basel,+Switzerland/@47.5600149,7.5954945,17z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x4791b9b058b87191:0xd42b93188f40c71f!8m2!3d47.5600149!4d7.5954945!16s%2Fg%2F11c29fx0s5">Rebgasse, 31</a>
Basel, Switzerland 
 
<h4 dir="ltr">For any inquiries please contact:</h4>
 
TAEX Development Advisor
Stefanie De Regel 
<a href="mailto:stefanie@taex.com">stefanie@taex.com</a>

Neogene Collection by Alper Derinboğaz

Music and visual arts have been merging much longer than we may think.

Music in contemporary digital art

<h4 dir="ltr">Music and visual arts have been merging much longer than we may think. Throughout the centuries, one observes an ongoing interest of artists, composers, writers and philosophers in combining the aesthetics of sound, light, and colours into a unified simultaneous effect. The human ability of synesthesia to associate certain letters, numbers, or sounds with a certain colour attracted various theoreticians, poets, and artists. From Gesamtkunstwerk by Wagner to the theories of Kandinsky, creators never stopped to reflect on the potential of synergy of the visual and the acoustic.</h4>
&nbsp;
Music as well as visual art faces the challenges of the computer-powered era&mdash;materiality, agency, and authorship. As fairly pointed out in Music and Digital Media edited by Georgina Brown (UCL Press, 2022), when we&rsquo;re speaking about digital music, we have &ldquo;to consider the materialities of code, of electromagnetic waves, indeed of sound itself: entities that stretch or defy orthodox definitions of an &lsquo;object&rsquo;&rdquo;. As noted in the same book, reviewing the research of the last 30 years, digital music&rsquo;s materialities are &ldquo;additionally complex in being inherently multiple, built of many communicating and articulated layers of hardware and software&rdquo; and &ldquo;digital and analogue devices and processes are invariably combined and mutually compounding&rdquo;.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cpc9kkirprek5an8pk50.png" alt="Pipe Dream by Massimo Magee" width="668" height="455">
<pre dir="ltr">Pipe Dream by Massimo Magee </pre>
When an artist happens to be a musician themselves, it provides a unique opportunity to individually create both visual and musical aspects of the artwork. That&rsquo;s the case for Massimo Magee, an experimental musician and abstract artist who <a href="/drop/32">combines</a> his discoveries into audiovisual digital art. Otherwise, the requirement for the musical dimension leads to collaborations with composers and sound artists. Thus, Alper Derinboğaz for his Neogene collection <a href="/drop/35/neogene">collaborated</a> with Xtopia studio which specialises in immersive sound environments. Krista Kim for her Continuum project <a href="/drop/39">invited</a> long-time guitarist of Smashing Pumpkins Jeff Schroeder to write and perform a 20-minute healing frequency composition.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cpc9ll2rprek5an8pk5g.png" width="663" height="346">
<pre dir="ltr">Continuum Collection v.6 by Krista Kim</pre>
&nbsp;
No surprise that musicians who are open to such collaborations are observing and testing the potential of interdisciplinary art. As their fellow visual artists, this row of composers and music performers is heading towards new theoretical discoveries by taking risks and as a result pioneering the future of art. The key question is that visual and music aspects of digital art will remain on the same level of its aesthetic and technological development.
&nbsp;

TAEX had joined an intense programme of London Digital Art Week by presenting a one-day exhibition Multimodality: The Audiovisual Avant-garde by Massimo Magee, curated by Aurora Garrison. 

How it went. Multimodality: The Audiovisual Avant-garde

Exhibition and performance by Massimo Magee at London Digital Art Week

<h4 dir="ltr">TAEX had joined an intense programme of London Digital Art Week by presenting a one-day exhibition Multimodality: The Audiovisual Avant-garde by Massimo Magee, curated by Aurora Garrison. We were delighted to see our fellow partners and collectors at Cromwell Place in the heart of London and present digital art in all its polyphony. The show featured the installation 3 Colours in 3 Modes including six digital and three physical artworks by Magee. The digital pieces were generously powered by Muse Frames.</h4>
&nbsp;
The Audiovisual Digital Abstraction Collection was conceived as sound polyptych, where each of the pieces having its own length intertwine with another. The developed sonic conversation evolved over time, changing the image of the exhibition. Together with static colours they shape, as Magee says, a Superformula.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cop10darprek5an8oun0.png" width="664" height="442">
&nbsp;
Since TAEX takes the notion of multimodality very seriously, the show included a first-time music performance composed by Magee. The piece coincides with the Superformula harmonic framework and is called Quartet Derivation. A repetitive music performance by world-renowned contemporary classical music ensemble Apartment House with Massimo Magee&rsquo;s solo on alto saxophone fused the changing electronic backdrop of the audiovisual installation allowed our guests to expand aspects of their perception.
&nbsp;
Accompanied by live-performed music, TAEX guests were invited to embrace various aspects of Magee's work united by his signature concept. Even the score of that music piece written by Magee for a string quartered was written with digital tools, including glitching and MIDI degradation.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cop10kirprek5an8oung.png" width="669" height="446">
&nbsp;
Audiovisual Digital Abstraction <a href="/drop/32" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consists </a>of 23 uniquie NFTs that are already available on TAEX.
&nbsp;
Massimo Magee is an artist, writer, and musician focused on challenging traditional perceptions and representations by interweaving sound and visuals in digital art. In 2017 Magee authored Manifesto (New Unities), a seminal call to action passionately advocating for a radical new approach to creating and consuming art.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
We greatly appreciate London Digital Art Week for featuring our exhibition in the official programme. We&rsquo;d like to thank our partner Muse Frame for the opportunity to exhibit Massimo Magee&rsquo;s digital artworks in the highest quality and to demonstrate how digital art could be shown in a flawless way.
&nbsp;
Digital Art Week centres on bringing digital experiences to life in exciting spaces and iconic locations. Powered by NextGen technologies, they bring brand storytelling to life through experiential digital arts.
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.museframe.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Muse Frame</a> was founded in 2021 by a group of art collectors, artists, and friends who all craved a simple, yet extraordinary way to display their digital art collection in their homes. They developed projects in gaming, tech, and consumer electronics.
 Please enjoy the full image archive from the event <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1pNfvWm8CzknXX_fqr4skQYu6rPuqfhSo?usp=sharing">here</a>. Note, that any reproduction of the photographs must be credited.

On April 18th, TAEX welcomed guests and friends in Venice, at Scoletta Dell’Arte Digital Reform exhibition opening. The visitors were invited to experience pieces that visualise the process of learning to make digital art and its direct links with the History of Art in a playful, yet profound way.

How it Went: Opening of Scoletta dell’Arte: Digital Reform Exhibition in Venice

<h4 dir="ltr">On April 18th, TAEX welcomed guests and friends in Venice, at Scoletta Dell&rsquo;Arte Digital Reform exhibition opening. The visitors were invited to experience pieces that visualise the process of learning to make digital art and its direct links with the History of Art in a playful, yet profound way. Scheduled to run until the 15th of September, the show features works by renowned digital artists &mdash; <a href="/artist/14" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shu Lea Cheang</a>, Francesco D&rsquo;Isa, <a href="/artist/32" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MAOTIK</a>, <a href="/artist/33" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Funa Ye</a>, Andrea Meregalli, Accurat &mdash; alongside a collection of artworks by old masters &mdash; Theodore Gericault, Abraham Bloemaert, George Rouault, Kazimir Malevich.</h4>
<img src="/storage/news-image/cols9i2rprek5an8ouag.png" width="692" height="461">
<pre>Andrea Meregalli, You Are Making Art, Installation</pre>
Emerging from the wind and intermittent rain of Venice, people from all ways of art streamed towards the ornate gates of the former scoletta-turned-digital-art-hub, where TAEX proudly presented its truly foundational exhibition. Despite the unstable weather and the art events overload, <a href="/news/21/scoletta-dell-arte-digital-reform" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scoletta dell&rsquo;Arte: Digital Reform</a> garnered a crowd of renowned guests (even the busy Hans Ulrich Obrist paid a brief yet curious visit) &mdash; art collectors, gallery and museum directors, artists of La Biennale.&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cols9qarprek5an8oubg.png" width="691" height="460">
<pre dir="ltr">The busy entry to Scoletta</pre>
&nbsp;
Greeted at the front by the curator <a href="/curator/3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr Antonio Geusa</a> and TAEX Team, the visitors began their journey with a glass of champagne and an interactive installation by Andrea Meregalli. The work, which invited guests to generate their own artworks with their presence, produced over 400 images and many conversations that night.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/colsa4qrprek5an8ouc0.png" width="695" height="463">
<pre dir="ltr">Opening guests interacting with Vera AI</pre>
&nbsp;
The evening began at 4 pm and went very much over time, with guests packed tightly across the 3 levels of the exhibition. Vera &mdash; TAEX&rsquo;s text-to-image AI software garnered a queue of users, eager to generate their own images in the 4 genres of digital art.
&nbsp;
We would like to thank our wonderful guests for their precious time during the La Biennale opening days and of course, the stimulating conversations that keep us going.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Please enjoy the full event image archive <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19MUl_xsNi-jA_AYJ9ChHud9-Ppu5uKgJ?usp=share_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Kindly note that any reproduction of the photographs must be credited.
&nbsp;
<h4>Location&nbsp;</h4>
Scoletta Battioro e Tiraoro di Venezia
Salizada San Stae, 1980, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Opening times</h4>
19 April - 15 September
Tuesday to Sunday 10 am - 6pm, Mondays closed
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">For any inquiries please contact:</h4>
TAEX Head of Development&nbsp;
Stefanie De Regel&nbsp;
stefanie@taex.com
&nbsp;

Continuum by Krista Kim

TAEX presents Continuum, a one-day exhibition by the renowned artist Krista Kim at Outernet London on April 26th, 2024

Continuum by Krista Kim at London Digital Art Week

Continuum is a digital Zen landscape created by Krista Kim in response to the disconnection and distraction pervading society today due to technology overuse. Krista sought to transform digital screens into spaces for mindfulness rather than distraction. Continuum Collection includes 10 unique segments from the whole Continuum artwork, featured at the Outernet during London Digital Art Week.
&nbsp;
The artwork consists of subtle gradients on the screens that gradually shift over time, creating an ever-evolving tranquil scene. Krista&rsquo;s inspiration came from her time spent in the serene Ryoanji Temple Garden in Kyoto combined with seeing the potential of digital interfaces as portals to peace.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Krista Kim&rsquo;s intention is for Continuum to serve as a bridge between digital and human - a place for us to reconnect with our presence and tranquillity. This guided meditation we are about to embark on is meant to transport us into that state.
&nbsp;
Krista Kim is a contemporary artist and a founder of the Techism movement. Having an interest in both digital and physical realms she developed her signature technique that involves a wide range of media including digital software, light, video, glass and plexi. Kim focuses on the concept of digital consciousness and the effects produced by digital technology on human perception, media, social structures, and communication.
&nbsp;
Krista is a contributing Metaverse Editor for Vogue Singapore. She is a cultural leader at the World Economic Forum (2023) and a member of the Meridian Institute for Cultural Diplomacy. Kim is a keynote speaker of major metaverse conferences all over the globe.
&nbsp;
Kim&rsquo;s works are featured in the permanent collections of Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris (2023), LACMA museum in Los Angeles (2022). Her works were shown at major art events such as Triennale di Milano (2022), Times Square Arts (2022), Venice Architecture biennale (2021), Paris biennale (2018) and art fairs. Kim&rsquo;s exhibition list includes significant museums and galleries in Europe, US, Canada, China and Singapore. Among her artistic collaborations with brands are projects for Louis Vuitton, Lamborghini, Mercedes Benz AMG and Lanvin.
&nbsp;
Kim&rsquo;s artworks were featured on the cover of Bazaar Art, Vogue Hong Kong, and featured in AD, Artnet, NYT, Dezeeen, Vogue (UK, Singapore), FT, The Times, Forbes, New York magazine, The Art Newspaper and many others.
&nbsp;
Kim holds a master's degree in fine arts at the LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore (2014) and a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Toronto (2001).
&nbsp;
Kim has been featured in UNESCO's list of &ldquo;50 Minds for The Next 50&rdquo; and recognized as &ldquo;the new digital Rothko&rdquo; by Forbes. Her name appears in the ranks of top 30 Most Influential People of the Metaverse by Read and Write Magazine (2021), top 100 by Architectural Digest (2021), and top 50 &ldquo;NFTy50&rdquo; by Fortune Magazine (2022). Kim won the Excellence in Digital Art prize from the Createurs Design Awards (2024).
&nbsp;
Krista Kim is currently based in Los Angeles.
&nbsp;
Outernet is a global media and entertainment company. They create connected city-centre entertainment districts where music, film, art, gaming and retail experiences come to life in new breath-taking ways courtesy of our unique creative and technical capabilities.
&nbsp;
Digital Art Week centres on bringing digital experiences to life in exciting spaces and iconic locations. Powered by NextGen technologies, they bring brand storytelling to life through experiential digital arts.
&nbsp;
Screening of Continuum will happen twice every hour in the Outernet space.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Date</h4>
&nbsp;
April 26th, 2024
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Screening Times</h4>
<h4 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h4>
10:00, 10:31, 10:39, 11:08, 11:25, 11:45, 12:15, 12:35
12:51, 13:08, 13:34, 13:43, 14:08, 14:25, 14:45, 15:15
15:36, 15:52, 16:08, 16:34, 16:41, 17:08, 17:25, 17:45
18:15, 18:36, 18:52, 19:08, 19:37, 19:44, 20:08, 20:25
20:45, 21:15, 21:36, 21:52, 22:08, 22:37, 22:44, 23:08
23:25, 23:44
<h4 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h4>
<h4 dir="ltr">Location</h4>
&nbsp;
Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 8LH
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">For any inquiries please contact:</h4>
&nbsp;
TAEX Head of Development&nbsp;
Stefanie De Regel&nbsp;
<a href="mailto:stefanie@taex.com">stefanie@taex.com</a>
&nbsp;

Scoletta Battioro e Tiraoro di Venezia

Exhibition at the peak of the 60th Venice Biennale

TAEX Presents Scoletta dell'Arte: Digital Reform

<h3 dir="ltr">TAEX is delighted to announce the exhibition Scoletta dell'Arte: Digital Reform, dedicated to digital art in a truly foundational way.&nbsp;</h3>
&nbsp;
Taking place at Scoletta dell&rsquo;Arte dei Tiraoro e Battioro &mdash; an 18th-century college of the guild of artisans who produced gold threads and leaves &mdash; the exhibition provides a journey through digital craftsmanship. By observing the works of contemporary digital artists, the pioneers of the genre, and some of the most notable old masters, the visitors are invited to experience pieces that visualise the process of learning to make digital art and its direct links with the History of Art.
&nbsp;
Curated by digital art researcher Dr Antonio Geusa, the exhibition restores the old building to its original role as an informal school &mdash; gold threads and leaves replaced by lines of code and audio-visual artefacts. Yet, the learning process is nothing but conventional. The visitors are invited to grasp the most important skill &mdash; of looking at, contemplating, and enjoying digital art oeuvres. Among the artists involved are TAEX&rsquo;s Shu Lea Cheang, MAOTIK and Funa Ye; alongside new artists to the platform with a very established past: Andrea Meregalli, Francesco D&rsquo;Isa, and Accurat.
&nbsp;
The route of learning begins with an interactive installation by Andrea Meregalli You Are Making Art, which places the viewer in the role of both the art maker and the art piece with the help of an artist-programmed AI platform constantly producing new images throughout the 6 months of the show. The roots of this installation go back to the mid-60s of the last century, when artists began to produce performative situations to bring the process of dematerialisation of the work of art to its maximum. You Are Making Art takes up this mission, updating it with the use of AI and problematising the very idea of the authorship of the digital work of art.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
From a conceptual work, we move towards an analytical one centred around the rules of governing aesthetics. Francesco D&rsquo;Isa&rsquo;s Errors consists of a set of digital prints and an interactive installation. In both works, the artist comments on the subjective nature of what constitutes a mistake in making art in collaboration with artificial intelligence. Using text-to-image programs available on the Internet, the artist composes custom prompts that generate bugs in the system, causing unexpected answers that disrupt the original request yet maintain internal consistency. Here, the artist works as a human psychoanalyst, trying to probe the complexity of the machine's subconscious.
&nbsp;
MAOTIK's immersive installation is the next &ldquo;class&rdquo; in our school. It channels those pivotal chapters in Digital Art History about the work of those artists (who were also skilled engineers) who, since the mid-1960s, built special equipment and created custom programs to help them find a &ldquo;new visuality&rdquo; for their contemporaneity. Accordingly, the artist has written original software and programmed the multi-channel installation to create a total, direct, and gripping audio-visual experience for the viewer with the digital work of art.
&nbsp;
The exhibition continues with an &ldquo;exhibition within exhibition&rdquo;, filled with sketches of the old masters that have a direct connection with the process of learning and the nature of the digital. Featuring the works of Theodore Gericault, Abraham Bloemaert, George Rouault, Kazimir Malevich, among others from the private collection, this section showcases the process of making: from sketching to structuring; from classical craftsmanship to breaking with convention.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Jumping a few centuries ahead we meet Neo-Mastr Portraits by Funa Ye, a work that speaks about technology and identity. This series of unique pieces, made using GAN technology, delves into the multifaceted identity, culture, and aesthetics of modern China through AI-driven artistic representation. Looking much like a wall filled with old portraits, the project analyses online images of Chinese ethnic minorities and the selfies of Smart &mdash; a well-known subculture in China that has a very distinct sense of identity &mdash; to create distinct avatars.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Approaching the end of the exhibition, moving towards the windows overlooking the Grand Canal, visitors are presented with a research installation by Accurat &mdash; an Italian studio which practises Data Humanism approach to analysing information. This is a work that questions the role of &ldquo;landscape painting&rdquo; today and how it can be rethought and reinterpreted in the digital age. Using a data-driven approach and the city of Venice as subject, Accurat creates a new &ldquo;painting&rdquo; which is the visual representation of metadata related to the city morphology and its social functioning made by a plotter behaving like a human painter.
&nbsp;
Last, but not least, each method has its discontents, which often come from misuse. This is the topic of Shu Lea Cheang&rsquo;s work UKI Virus Rising, which brings the process of learning to the level of a warning. Unquestionably, an essential admonition when new technologies are taken into account. This action-filled animated story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of using/abusing technology when not mediated by reason, in the form of a digital animation.
&nbsp;
Two special projects devised by Dr Antonio Geusa and TAEX are also included in the exhibition to enrich the learning experience even more. At the disposal of the exhibition&rsquo;s visitors, there is a computer running Vera, TAEX&rsquo;s custom text-to-image program. With the help of AI that has been specifically trained on a database of images of works belonging to the History of Digital Art, users can turn their prompts into original artworks that they can eventually own.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
For those who fancy a more analogue investigation into the reliability of artificial intelligence when it comes to the knowledge of art history, there is a quiz card game that visitors can play by themselves, in couples, or in groups. All questions and answers are given by AI, which was asked to make a quiz game. Each card presents a question, 4 possible answers, the right one according to AI, and a much-needed explanation when the machine does not get it right.&nbsp;
 
<h4 dir="ltr">Featured Artists</h4>
&nbsp;
Andrea Meregalli is an Italian artist and architect. He is involved in design at different levels. He has always developed research projects through painting, drawing, printing techniques, digital technologies and the creation of one-off books. He worked for years without showing anything, then, almost by chance, he processed his grief and began to make his work public.
&nbsp;
Francesco D&rsquo;Isa is an Italian philosopher and artist. He has exhibited his works internationally in galleries and contemporary art centres. He debuted with the graphic novel I. (Nottetempo, 2011) and has since published essays and novels with renowned publishers such as Hoepli, effequ, Tunu&eacute;, and Newton Compton. His notable works include the novel La Stanza di Therese (Tunu&eacute;, 2017) and the philosophical essay L&rsquo;assurda evidenza (Edizioni Tlon, 2022). Most recently, he released the graphic novel Sunyata with Eris Edizioni in 2023. Francesco serves as the editorial director for the cultural magazine L&rsquo;Indiscreto and contributes writings and illustrations to various magazines, both in Italy and abroad.
&nbsp;
Funa Ye is a Chinese artist exploring the relationship between the realities of everyday life and the perceived connection between authority and social life. Her practice studies the different power structures, ethnic groups, and the fictional space of propaganda striving for the concept of &lsquo;perfection&rsquo; within an ideological system, and a utopian landscape.​
She has been an artist-in-residence at K11 Foundation (Hong Kong), Pro Helvetia Swiss Council 2018 Studio Residency (Bern) and exhibited her work internationally.
 
MAOTIK (Mathieu Le Sourd) is a French digital artist, who creates work at the intersection of art, science, and technology &mdash; immersive environments, interactive installations, digital architectural sculptures, and audiovisual performances. MAOTIK uses generative tools to create a mirror-like synergy between the real and digital worlds, coding algorithms inextricably inspired by nature. He creates audiovisual sculptures that can breathe, move, and change shape; a mixture of nature, science, and technology that brings unique and unrepeatable experiences to the audience.
&nbsp;
His works were exhibited at Art Basel, Frieze London, FIAC Paris, the British Film Institute and recently at the Digital Art Fair in Hong Kong with TAEX.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Shu Lea Cheang is a Taiwanese-American artist and filmmaker, working with net art, participatory multi-player performance, video, and installation. Having an extensive background in art activism, her work promotes freedom of expression and critiques political oppression, technological, and environmental issues.
&nbsp;
As a multimedia artist, she gained recognition for her net art piece BRANDON (1998-1999), the first-ever Guggenheim Museum&rsquo;s web art commission. One of Cheang&rsquo;s most recent and extraordinary commissions is the solo exhibition 3x3x6 for the 58th Venice Biennale (2019), where the artist represented Taiwan.
&nbsp;
TAEX is a digital art platform that is building a new community of collectors who shape the future of art. We showcase and co-produce works by leading artists with critical acclaim, selected by qualified curators.
&nbsp;
The exhibition will be open from April 19, 2024 till September 15, 2024, with a private view on April 18th, 2024.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Location</h4>
&nbsp;
Scoletta Battioro e Tiraoro di Venezia
Salizada San Stae, 1980, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Opening times</h4>
&nbsp;
19 April - 15 September
Tuesday to Sunday 10 am - 6pm, Mondays closed
 
<h4 dir="ltr">For any inquiries please contact:</h4>
TAEX Head of Development&nbsp;
Stefanie De Regel&nbsp;
stefanie@taex.com
&nbsp;

TAEX Presents Scoletta dell'Arte: Digital Reform exhibition at the peak of the 60th Venice Biennale

Artwork by Massimo Magee

TAEX cordially invites you to an exhibition and special event at London Digital Art Week celebrating the work of artist and musician Massimo Magee on the 24 April 2024.

Multimodality: The Audiovisual Avant-garde

Music event and exhibition by Massimo Magee and TAEX at London Digital Art Week

<h3 dir="ltr">TAEX cordially invites you to an exhibition and special event at London Digital Art Week celebrating the work of artist and musician Massimo Magee on the 24 April 2024.</h3>
&nbsp;
Staged at Cromwell Place in London, the exhibition is centred around the installation 3 Colours in 3 Modes, a group of three pieces from <a href="/drop/32" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Audiovisual Digital Abstraction</a> Collection by <a href="/artist/34" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Massimo Magee</a>, alongside 6 digital art pieces curated by <a href="/curator/5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aurora Garrison</a>, which are designed to sound together, live in the room. Each of the pieces, in its audio reading, has a slightly different length, which over time alters and evolves the sonic image of the exhibition. The pieces are shaped from audiovisual data, creating an immersive world of static colours and shifting electronic tones, all within a unique harmonic framework referred to as the Superformula. The visual reading of each piece is presented on aluminium.
&nbsp;
The event will feature a first-time live performance of a composition for string quartet by Massimo Magee, also derived from the Superformula harmonic framework, called Quartet Derivation, which will be performed several times throughout the evening, against the changing electronic backdrop of the audiovisual installation.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Quartet Derivation is a contemporary classical piece&mdash;written to accompany 3 Colours in 3 Modes as part of a larger, ongoing electroacoustic project&mdash;that combines an avant-garde approach with unexpectedly Romantic-era undertones. Although it is an acoustic, classically-notated work for a string quartet, it was created using very digital techniques such as glitching and MIDI degradation, making for an intriguing contrast of the traditional and the cutting-edge.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The piece will be performed by the world-renowned contemporary classical music ensemble Apartment House, which has been performing vital new music from revered contemporary classical composers for nearly 30 years. Massimo will also perform live on the alto saxophone.
&nbsp;
Massimo Magee is an artist, writer, and musician. He creates avant-garde digital art that challenges traditional perceptions and representations by interweaving sound and visuals into a single file. Magee authored Manifesto (New Unities) in 2017 &mdash;a seminal call to action passionately advocating for a radical new approach to creating and consuming art. Magee&rsquo;s call to action embodies his oeuvre's innovative spirit and relentless experimentation.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Moreover, Magee's work as a recording artist on the esteemed New York label 577 Records has garnered him a dedicated following within the experimental music community. Massimo Magee is based in London, UK.
 
<h4 dir="ltr">Agenda</h4>
&nbsp;
The event commences at 4 pm, open for general admission till 6pm, followed by 3 15-minute performances from 7 pm till 10 pm.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Date</h4>
&nbsp;
April 24, 2024 at 5 Cromwell Place, London, SW7 2JE
&nbsp;
Ticket reservation via <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/multimodality-the-audiovisual-avant-garde-music-event-and-exhibition-tickets-877978837337?aff=erelpanelorg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eventbrite</a> is required.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
For more information and press inquiries contact:
TAEX Head of Development Stefanie De Regel events@taex.com
&nbsp;

TAEX booth at NFT Paris 2024

"Architect Alper Derinboğaz has used artificial intelligence and research data to create Neogene, a series of 3D artworks created to resemble the mineral bismuth."

Dezeen on the Neogene Collection by Alper Derinboğaz

<h3>"Architect Alper Derinboğaz has used artificial intelligence and research data to create Neogene, a series of 3D artworks created to resemble the mineral bismuth."</h3>
&nbsp;
We are excited to share with you this article <a href="https://www.dezeen.com/2024/03/27/alper-derinbogaz-neogene-3d-artefacts-taex/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on Dezeen</a>, the world&rsquo;s leading design and architecture magazine, dedicated to TAEX&rsquo;s presentation of the Neogene collection at <a href="/news/22/how-it-went-nft-paris-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NFT Paris 2024</a>.
&nbsp;
The piece features an exclusive comment by our COO Vlada One, &ldquo;The synergy fostered by this partnership propels us towards visibility and transparency in the inner mechanisms of architectural practices, especially in the nuanced integration of data, like in Neogene.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
Read full article via <a href="https://www.dezeen.com/2024/03/27/alper-derinbogaz-neogene-3d-artefacts-taex/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the link</a> and explore the Neogene collection <a href="/drop/35/neogene" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on TAEX</a>.
&nbsp;

In the meta-universe, an artist can create ornamentation out of anything. In the case of crypto art, the question is, how and why artists may use it? 

Ornamentation in Crypto Art

<h3 dir="ltr">In the meta-universe, an artist can create ornamentation out of anything. Moreover, AI makes it quite easy to do so. Ornament could be a way to demonstrate the infinity of space and time. In the case of crypto art, the question is, how and why artists may use it? And does ornamentation have the potential to become a medium itself in this particular field?</h3>
&nbsp;
From a purely decorative element to a conceptual centre, the role of ornament in an artwork may vary. In sacred art, ornamentation serves to express fundamental ideas such as the world's infinity and divine omnipresence, where &ldquo;harmony is central&rdquo; as Daud Sutton <a href="http://islamicmanuscripts.info/reference/books/Sutton-2007-Design/Sutton-2007-Design-00-33.pdf">wrote</a>. Instead in geek aesthetics glitch art, that uses software errors as a medium, artists may create vivid ornaments from the point of computer program mistakes and disruption, in other words, out of something opposing the very idea of harmony.
&nbsp;
When it comes to crypto art, we see that anything could become an element of a pattern and could be turned into an ornament. An artist can pick any kind of data in order to construct an ornament. And then express it in various forms. Repetitive visual, textual or music loops can show a perpetual expansion of space and time. The curiosity towards ornaments is expanded towards commercial crypto art presented by luxury jewellery brands such as <a href="https://www.voguebusiness.com/technology/emeralds-rubies-and-nfts-inside-bulgaris-new-era-high-jewellery">Bulgari</a>.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">From optical illusions to quirky kaleidoscopes</h4>
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cnuq5parprevf54j1kh0.png" alt="Tyler Hobbs - Fidenza #58" width="960" height="1151">
<pre>Tyler Hobbs, Fidenza #58 </pre>
Some crypto artists as Tyler Hobbs (b. 1987) <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/grails-part-ii/fidenza-479">prefer</a> minimalist and abstract patterns, some stick to letter or geometric forms as the pioneer of generative art Vera Molnar (b. 1924). Inspired by organic patterns of crystals, natural stones or microscopic images of cells, certain artists as Jason Sims (b. 1981) <a href="https://www.artsy.net/artist/jason-sims">explore</a> the limits of optical illusion and the perception of space.
&nbsp;
London-based artist Funa Ye took the elements of Chinese &lsquo;Smart&rsquo; (or &lsquo;Shamate&rsquo;) subculture and state propaganda to create utopian and campy landscapes, ornamentation plays a significant role. In her <a href="/artist/5">Neo-Mastr series</a> members of the Smart community and the visual elements that surround them make up a quirky kaleidoscope where ideology and underground culture are combined. Ornament here is the way to show the social complexity and the existence of an individual in modern China and the simultaneous presence of various aesthetic elements in everyday life.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cnuq6c2rprevf54j1khg.png" alt="Funa Ye - Neo-Mastr Portraits" width="670" height="486">
<pre>Funa Ye, Neo-Mastr Portraits, Available for purchase on TAEX via <a href="/drop/31" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the link</a></pre>
&nbsp;
How ornaments may affect identity? Jason McGrath sees digital multitudes as something that &ldquo;begins with sameness&rdquo; in the contrast to mass human ornaments that aim, as he <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/43492533">writes</a>, to &lsquo;make what are organic and different&mdash;individual human bodies&mdash;look, as much as possible, mechanised and identical&rsquo;. However Funa Ye&rsquo;s NFT drop is neither of those things. She uses ornamentation as the tool to show agency of the members of a subculture community.
&nbsp;
Ornamentation has always been associated with decorative art i.e. applied art. Which by many may still be considered as secondary or even not art at all. For Victoria Salinger &lsquo;the argument that beautiful or interesting patterns are not art&mdash;along with the corollary idea that &ldquo;mere ornamentation&rdquo; is not art, not valuable, and not interesting&mdash;lies at the heart of discussions of abstract art from the early twentieth century, including from the very artists so many 1960s and 1970s computer artists showed interest in and emulated, such as Mondrian, Wassily Kandinsky, and Paul Klee.&rsquo;.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Ornament as a result of labour or observation</h4>
&nbsp;
Thanks to several generations of female artists, finally such media as embroidery or needlework, which previously were often labelled as secondary or considered as &lsquo;female crafts&rsquo;, have taken their rightful place among other techniques and are less and less questioned. Hopefully ornamentation as an idea will follow the same path and all the prejudices will stay aside. Salinger <a href="https://direct.mit.edu/grey/article-abstract/doi/10.1162/GREY_a_00207/10736/Writing-Calculations-Calculating-Writing-Hanne?redirectedFrom=fulltext">argues</a> that the process of calculation may and should be perceived as a kind of human labour. She suggests looking at numerous handwritten tables of numbers created by a German conceptual artist Hanne Darboven as a &lsquo;consciously political choice, engaged with questions about the changing nature of labour, authorship, and responsibility in the information age&rsquo;.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cnuq7sirprevf54j1ki0.png" alt="Hanne Darboven" width="981" height="682">
<pre>Hanne Darboven, Section of the Century Calender</pre>
&nbsp;
Most of the ornaments that we see in crypto artworks are software generated, however there is always a place for &lsquo;found patterns&rsquo;. Moreover crypto art may be seen as a source of a &lsquo;new organic&rsquo;, i.e. in Mat Collishaw in his project &lsquo;Heterosis&rsquo;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/04/17/haroon-mirza-mat-collishaw-nft-projects-ethereum-eco">offers</a> collectors to cultivate animated digital flowers, by combining floral genetic coding with computer algorithms. The collector can impact the final result, but Collishaw aims to encourage collectors to interact with each other through cross-breeding digital flowers with each other. The artist has laid down recessive genes that can produce unpredictable results in certain combinations. This opens a participative potential of crypto art and manifests how synthetic can transform into organic and backwards.
&nbsp;

On the 23-24th of February TAEX joined an inspiring crowd at the 3rd edition of NFT Paris to present a new collection Neogene by world-renowned architect Alper Derinboğaz featured on our platform.

How it went: TAEX at NFT Paris 2024

<h3 dir="ltr">On the 23-24th of February TAEX joined an inspiring crowd at the 3rd edition of NFT Paris to present a new collection Neogene by world-renowned architect Alper Derinboğaz featured on our platform. Throughout two rainy days in Paris digital art collectors and leaders of web3 were exchanging about the future of industry at Grand Palais &Eacute;ph&eacute;m&egrave;re, right in front of the Eiffel Tower.</h3>
&nbsp;
TAEX proudly presented <a title="Neogene Collection" href="/drop/35/neogene" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Neogene</a> &mdash; the first digital art collection by Alper Derinboğaz. A globally-thinking architect, he expanded his interdisciplinary approach towards digital art using the tools of big data analysis and artificial intelligence. As someone who had been using technologies as the founding base for the future constructions of his architectural projects, Alper perfectly anticipates the future merge of ideas, art and technology.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cnsqo0arprevf54j1kfg.png" alt="" width="701" height="1052">
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cnsqoj2rprevf54j1kg0.png" alt="" width="698" height="465">
&nbsp;
Dedicated to one of the oldest metals on Earth &mdash; bismuth &mdash; Neogene shows its geological transformation throughout the existence of our planet. In a couple of minutes we witness the dynamics of bismuth over tens of thousands of years. Ten unique 3D artefacts were presented at the TAEX booth with black mirrors that were reflecting the artwork and inviting the visitors to contemplate the flux of time inside a huge temporary building&mdash;Grand Palais &Eacute;ph&eacute;m&egrave;re.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cnsqmd2rprevf54j1kf0.png" alt="" width="705" height="470">
&nbsp;
TAEX together with Makerspace hosted a Collectors Club dinner in order to share ideas and get fully ready for the NFT Paris fair, uniting art collectors curious about the perspectives of digital art.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cnsqov2rprevf54j1kgg.png" alt="" width="698" height="465">
&nbsp;
We would like to thank our partners MakersPlace for the outstanding collaboration!
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Please enjoy the full event image archive <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1b5kXvfrUAkbyDSY3TapzyBcZHGaaUmBj?usp=share_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Note, that any reproduction of the photographs must be credited.</h4>
&nbsp;

Neogene by Alper Derinboğaz

TAEX Presents Neogene by Alper Derinboğaz at the 3rd edition of NFT Paris

<h3 dir="ltr">TAEX joins the 3rd edition of NFT Paris to present the Neogene collection by award-winning architect and artist Alper Derinboğaz.</h3>
&nbsp;
Neogene is a collection of works by the renowned architect and artist Alper Derinboğaz. The series consists of 3D artefacts, generated using Data Morphosis methodology, based on simulations of geological formations from prehistoric times. The collection aims to transfer the geological time markers of our planet into a digital archive, as the continuity of our existence is more and more debatable with the emergence of AI technologies and environmental threats. Each artefact has a unique pairing of generated 3D forms and earth-based material qualities. This collection reminds us that humankind exists on the Earth just for a singular moment of its global history. However, our limited perception of temporality poses a significant threat to human existence, within the realms of architectural and geographical issues. The collection is curated by Dasha Shkel.
&nbsp;
The first release of the collection features the White Mass series, re-morphed from bismuth &mdash; a mineral that has been present since the formation of the Earth and changes with time. While observing the object&rsquo;s alluring transformation, we witness the entire human life on Earth only in a single frame of animation. This material is a unique visual spectacle exhibiting a spiral, stair-stepped structure, deceiving the observer&rsquo;s time perception. By the end of each loop, the time passed corresponds to 19 quintillion years.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Alper Derinboğaz is an architect and artist known for his focus on seeking communal relationships between the environment and spatial elements through scientific strategies. His projects range from cultural institutions, including the upcoming Istanbul City Museum, to architectural installations and masterplans. As a Fulbright Scholar and winner of dozens of prestigious awards, including the Europe 40 under 40 by The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, Alper showcased his research at notable events like the Venice Architecture Biennale.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Explore the Neogene collection online and visit our booth G at NFT Paris from 23rd to 24th of February 2024.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">General Admission</h4>
&nbsp;
February 23-24, 2024
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Location</h4>
&nbsp;
Grand Palais &Eacute;ph&eacute;m&egrave;re, Champ de Mars,
2 Pl. Joffre, 75007 Paris
&nbsp;
For any inquiries please contact:
TAEX Head of Development&nbsp;
Stefanie De Regel&nbsp;
<a href="mailto:stefanie@taex.com">stefanie@taex.com</a>
&nbsp;

TAEX Presents Neogene by Alper Derinboğaz at the 3rd Edition of NFT Paris

TAEX is delighted to present a new series of interactive websites by the pioneer of Internet art Angelo Plessas.

TAEX presents Angelo Plessas at Art Dubai Digital 2024 

<h3 dir="ltr">TAEX is delighted to present a new series of interactive websites by the pioneer of Internet art Angelo Plessas.</h3>
&nbsp;
In his new series of interactive websites uniting spirituality and technology, Angelo Plessas opens three portals for the formation of a new cosmic consciousness. He engages the viewer in a step-by-step process of TechnoShamanistic healing &mdash; through meditation, blessing, reflection, and rebirth.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The websites were created within the long-term project The Noospheric Society, which Angelo has been running since 2017. The term &lsquo;noosphere&rsquo; here embodies a sphere, which has advanced from the biosphere into a new layer of global human intelligence. The booth will also feature a selection of physical works by Angelo &mdash; neon sculptures and anthropomorphic quilts.
&nbsp;
The first website &mdash; QuantaMirage.com &mdash;inspired by shamanic and tantric iconography sets a celestial landscape where users are invited to explore the symbiosis of ancient wisdom with algorithms. This website is becoming a TechnoShamanic tool for healing, blessing, and meditating.
&nbsp;
The second portal &mdash; CycleOfEndlessRebirths.com &mdash; envisions an altar of forgotten cosmogonies and computer-generated symbolisms, inspired by ancient and cybernetic symbols which usually adorn plates and heraldry. While the user is tapping or clicking on the screen the organic forms are being re-arranged and re-constructed endlessly.
 
The final website &mdash; BehindTheSolarGlow.com, transforms each movement of your cursor into a melodic crescendo, turning the luminous mandala strings into a celestial harp. While this celestial curtain unfurls, the pulsating heart of a solar eclipse is being revealed.
 
Angelo Plessas (b.1974) is an artist investigating the ambiguous approach of spirituality with technology and exploring different cosmologies which connect ancient, folk and cybernetic histories. Since the early years of the Internet, Plessas&rsquo; research has been focused on the fluid relationship between online and offline worlds and has been initiating communal experiences between beings, symbols, and machines.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
His activities range from performances to artist residencies; from self-publishing books to interactive websites; from quilted sculptures to live-stream events; and from neon installations to educational projects. Recently his practice has expanded to teaching, writing, curating, and different forms of healing.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Angelo&rsquo;s work has been exhibited internationally in recent shows such as the 8th Thessaloniki Biennale, the Onassis Foundation (Athens), the 8th Biennale of Gherd&euml;ina (Val Gardena), the Serralves Foundation (Porto), and the 13th Gwangju Biennale in South Korea. Other projects have also been exhibited in documenta 14 in both Kassel and Athens, The Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago), the Jeu de Paume (Paris), the DESTE Foundation (Nea Ionia), and the National Museum of Contemporary Art (Athens).&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He is the founder of the independent space P.E.T. Projects in Athens, a Fulbright alumnus, and the recipient of the DESTE Foundation Prize in 2015.
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">Art Dubai Digital</h3>
&nbsp;
Madinat Jumeirah, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud St, Al Sufouh 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
&nbsp;
VIP Previews&nbsp;
28-29 February 2024
&nbsp;
Public days&nbsp;
1-3 March 2024
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">For more information or press inquiries please contact <a href="mailto:stefanie@taex.com">stefanie@taex.com</a></h4>
&nbsp;

TAEX Presents Angelo Plessas at Art Dubai Digital 2024

Questions to unlock Joey’s projects, practice, and ethos.

Three Questions: Artist Joey Holder

Answers that unlock the artist's projects, practice, and ethos.

Acronyms:
TAEX &mdash; TX
Joey Holder &mdash; JH&nbsp;
&nbsp;
TX: How was the Selachimorpha project born?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
JH: The project takes a particular scene from the 1975 film Jaws to look at the ways in which manipulated images are appropriated and circulated by Internet culture as &lsquo;fact&rsquo;.&nbsp;The scene, which shows a shooting star flaring behind the hero Roy Schneider, has become a fodder for conspiracy theories. The ease of &lsquo;adapting&rsquo; and then distributing images &ndash; such as deserts, outer space, and oceans &ndash; offers a rich breeding ground for the fictional and make-believe. Taking its name from a scientific classification for sharks, this project morphs between factual and fictional images, symbols and memes; exposing the continually shifting belief systems we use to define our world. With the increased use of image and video generation platforms using AI, we are discovering all the more mutations and monsters lurking here.
&nbsp;
<img src="/storage/news-image/cmgn8jqrpreuojp51a70.png" alt="Joey Holder, Selachimorpha: Squaliformes" width="1000" height="888">
&nbsp;
TX: What themes do you explore in the project and how have they evolved in your current artistic practice?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
JH: For me, the sighting of a UFO/shooting start in this particular film is of some poignancy. Like space, the ocean is a largely unexplored territory, and therefore a rich breeding ground for myths and conspiracies. Mistakes about marine life have ranged from inaccurate assumptions about the behaviour of known species to fanciful depictions of animals that "might" exist. It's a fact that most lifeforms on earth remain undiscovered by humans, our world is made up mainly of that which remains hidden, and our western systems of classification fall short in their attempts to categorise them.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">"We live in a time of &lsquo;hyperpolarisation&rsquo; where we think that people with different political or religious beliefs live in different worlds."</h3>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
TX: What research and methods were used in the creation of the project?
&nbsp;
JH: I am interested in examining the nature of belief in today&rsquo;s climate and particularly how belief can be 'manufactured' online. We live in a time of &lsquo;hyperpolarisation&rsquo; where we think that people with different political or religious beliefs live in different worlds. Our beliefs are reaffirmed in social media echo chambers whereby abstract manipulation occurs through background algorithmic processes, pulling us further into rabbit holes and making atomised groups. These times of predicted and customised media have resulted in a landscape rife with conspiracy theories &mdash; if you want to believe something you just type it into Google to have it confirmed and connect the dots.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr"><a title="Selachimorpha NFTs by Joey Holder" href="/drop/15" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Explore Joey's drop</a></h4>
&nbsp;

3 Questions: Artist Joey Holder

MAOTIK

"How do you turn boring data into stunning art? Prestige asked French digital artist MAOTIK, whose work was showcased in Hong Kong at the recent Digital Art Fair."

Prestige Magazine Interviews MAOTIK 

Following the success of MAOTIK&rsquo;s collection MATERIA at <a href="/news/13/dafa23" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Digital Art Fair Asia 2023</a>, the artist has spoken to Astor Chan about his art, changes, and plans.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Read the full article via <a title="MAOTIK in Prestige Online" href="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/lifestyle/painting-by-numbers-meet-digital-artist-maotik/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the link</a>.</h4>

Prestige Magazine Interviews MAOTIK

MAOTIK, MATERIA:Liquid, Exhibition view, DAFA23

Through the Looking Glass exhibition featuring MAOTIK, Andrea Bonaceto, and Funa Ye opened at the Prestige Zone

TAEX at Digital Art Fair Asia in Hong Kong

Through the Looking Glass exhibition opened at the K11 Art & Cultural Centre

<h3 dir="ltr">TAEX is delighted to present an exhibition Through the Looking Glass featuring Andrea Bonaceto, MAOTIK, and Funa Ye curated by Caterina Licitra, Kim Randall-Stevens, and Dasha Shkel.</h3>
<h3 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h3>
The booth shows a true convergence of AI and artistic creation, where machine intelligence collaborates with human ingenuity to push the limits of what is possible. Through the use of computer-generated algorithms, artists have crafted immersive environments that transport us into alternate realities akin to stepping through the proverbial looking glass.
&nbsp;
On-chain artwork by Italian artist Andrea Bonaceto is followed by three off-chain pieces People, Masks, Outside my window, and Self-portrait #1&mdash;fruits of artist&rsquo;s reflection on visual art, poetry, and technology. Andrea has showcased his artworks across the globe, and high-profile auction houses such as Christie&rsquo;s and Phillips have featured and sold his pieces.
&nbsp;
Neo-Mastr Portraits by Funa Ye, based in London and Beijing, continues <a href="/drop/8">her drop</a> previously published on TAEX. By using GAN technology, Ye delves into the multifaceted identity, culture, and aesthetics of modern China through AI-driven artistic representation. Neo-Mastr series analyses the portraits of Chinese ethnic minorities and the selfies of Smart &mdash; a well-known subculture in China that has a very distinct sense of identity &mdash; to create avatars for the Smart community.
&nbsp;
MATERIA by French digital artist MAOTIK (Mathieu Le Sourd) project explores the different transformations of matter, embodying each process in a living, dynamic work of art. Generative visuals and sound design are synchronised to express the passage of one state to another, a continuous metamorphosis. The experience goes through the four fundamental states of matter &mdash; solid, liquid, gas, and plasma, transforming our perception of space. &lsquo;Materia&rsquo; lies at the intersection of art, science, and technology, reflecting on the eternal and the natural.
&nbsp;
Apart from the booth in the Prestige Zone of DAFA 2023, TAEX took part in the Inspire Series at the Digital Art Fair Asia 2023 Asia Edition with a panel talk by Andrea Bonaceto in conversation and TAEX's Head of Development Stefanie De Regel. Bonaceto shared his insights about crypto art perspectives with a traditional art approach, the milestones of his artistic journey, and creative inspirations.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">DIGITAL ART FAIR ASIA 2023</h4>
&nbsp;
Dates
19 - 23 Oct 2023
&nbsp;
Location
Prestige Zone
K11 Art &amp; Cultural Centre, K11 MUSEA
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">FAIR OPENING HOURS</h4>
&nbsp;
Private Opening
19/10/23&nbsp;
12:00-22:00 pm
&nbsp;
VIP Days
20-21 Oct, 2023
11:00-21:00 pm
&nbsp;
Public Days
22-23 Oct, 2023
11:00-21:00 pm
&nbsp;
For any inquiries please contact TAEX Head of Development Stefanie De Regel <a href="mailto:stefanie@taex.com">stefanie@taex.com</a>
&nbsp;
Press:
<a title="Meet Digital Artist MAOTIK &mdash; Interview at Prestige Magazine Hong Kong" href="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/lifestyle/painting-by-numbers-meet-digital-artist-maotik/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Painting by Numbers: Meet Digital Artist MAOTIK &mdash; Interview for Prestige Magazine</a>
<a title="DAFA returns to Hong Kong &mdash; Tatler Asia" href="https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/arts/digital-art-fair-2023-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Digital Art Fair&rsquo;s Asia edition returns to Hong Kong &mdash; Tatler Asia</a>
&nbsp;

At the peak of the Contemporary Istanbul art fair TAEX is thrilled to present an award-winning architect and artist Alper Derinboğaz, whose drop curated by Dasha Shkel will be featured on the platform in early October.

TAEX presents Neogene by Alper Derinboğaz at the 18th Contemporary Istanbul

September 23rd
İstanbul
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">At the peak of the Contemporary Istanbul art fair TAEX is thrilled to present an award-winning architect and artist Alper Derinboğaz, whose drop curated by Dasha Shkel will be featured on the platform in early October.</h3>
&nbsp;
In the Neogene Collection Derinboğaz continues his research by compiling geographical data through generative AI and transforming it by algorithmic modelling tools. The NFT drop consists of 3D generated&nbsp; artefacts based on simulations of geological formations from the distant past. The &lsquo;Data Morphosis &rsquo;methodology allows the artist to transfer ancient layers of our planet into the digital realm and to reconstruct the earth's crust in blockchain.
&nbsp;
Each artefact of the Neogene Collection possesses a unique pairing of generated 3D-forms and earth-based material qualities. TAEX&rsquo;s preview of the collection features the White Mass series, named after the etymological starting point of the word &ldquo;bismuth&rdquo; &mdash; a metal that has been present since the formation of the Earth. Bismuth has the longest known alpha decay half-life, implying that only a minuscule fraction, approximately less than one-billionth, of the original bismuth has transformed through radioactive decay since the formation of the Planet Earth, putting the time-scale of human existence into perspective.
&nbsp;
The realms of architectural and geographical issues have been the core of Alper Derinboğaz&rsquo;s work as an artist and architect for decades. He explores the relationships between the environment and spatial elements through scientific strategies. Derinboğaz&rsquo;s projects range from cultural institutions, like the eagerly awaited Istanbul City Museum, to architectural installations and masterplans.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
А Fulbright Scholar, selected architect at &lsquo;Europe 40 Under 40&rsquo; by the European centre, recognized by Arkitera and Achdaily, the winner of over twenty awards, including Green Good Design, The Plan, Architizer A+A, World Architecture Awards, and the German Design Award, Derinboğaz had showcased his research in notable events like the Venice Architecture Biennale.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<a title="TAEX Curator Dasha Shkel" href="/curator/4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dasha Shkel</a> is a TAEX curator and interdisciplinary artist based in Istanbul, Sofia, and Berlin. She explores the many relationships between technology, culture, and society by using various methods from immersive socio-cultural experiments, immersive practices to live audio-visual performances.
&nbsp;
Explore the Neogene Collection&nbsp;and visit our booth at Contemporary Istanbul from September 27th till October 1st.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Opening hours</h4>
&nbsp;
At First Sight
26 September 2023, 4 pm - 8 pm
&nbsp;
VIP Preview
27 September 2023, 11 аm - 3 pm
&nbsp;
General Admission
27 September 2023, 3 pm - 8 pm
28 September - 1 October, 11 аm - 8pm
(Please note that the fair will end at 7 pm on the last day)
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Location</h4>
&nbsp;
<a title="Google Maps Directions to Tersane Istanbul" href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/fwdSt73CMsfSYbpB6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tersane Istanbul</a>, Hali&ccedil; Camii Kebir Mahallesi Taşkızak, Tersane Cd. No:5, 34440 Beyoğlu, Istanbul
&nbsp;
For any inquiries please contact TAEX Head of Development Stefanie De Regel <a title="Email" href="mailto:stefanie@taex.com?subject=Contemporary%20Istanbul%202023%20Inquiry">stefanie@taex.com</a>
&nbsp;

Open Call: Natively Digital

TAEX presents a unique open call for artists to create original works with the specific intention of transforming them into captivating NFTs. We invite those who are eager to explore and express the profound shift towards natively digital thinking.

Call for Artists:  Natively Digital

Exploring New Frontiers in NFT Artistry

<h3 dir="ltr">We invite artists of all disciplines from around the globe to submit their original, previously unpublished digital artworks for an exciting opportunity to collaborate with TAEX &mdash; a platform for research, production, and co-creation of innovative forms of digital art.&nbsp;</h3>
&nbsp;
TAEX presents a unique open call for artists to create original works with the specific intention of transforming them into captivating NFTs.&nbsp;We invite those who are eager to explore and express the profound shift towards natively digital thinking. Just as digital natives effortlessly navigate the ever-evolving landscape of technology, we seek artists who can capture this mindset in their work. Whether you're a painter, sculptor, photographer, or any other creative mind, join us in shaping a project that celebrates the seamless integration of art and technology, bridging the gap between the analogue and the digital in ways that will inspire and captivate audiences. Our open call aims to embrace the limitless possibilities of the digital age, where innovation knows no boundaries and creativity finds new ideas and dimensions.
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Juror: Daniel Peace - TAEX Curator, Founder of SIILK gallery</h4>
&nbsp;
Daniel Peace is the founder of SIILK gallery and curator, with a special interest in virtual art spaces. He has organised and curated exhibitions internationally as well as designed and developed immersive virtual reality experiences with artists digitally. Working with artists who challenge the traditions of art with their provocative, incendiary, and seductive vantage points, Daniel Peace promotes originality in aesthetic and the freedom of artistic expression.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">What TAEX Offers</h4>
&nbsp;
TAEX is your partner in this creative journey. As you focus on crafting your masterpiece, we take care of the digital intricacies, making the transition to the NFT realm seamless. We handle all aspects of blockchain publishing, including creating a unique smart contract, covering the expenses for NFT publishing, and promoting your work in dedicated press and on our social media.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Submission Guidelines</h4>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Artists of all disciplines and nationalities are welcome to apply.</li>
<li dir="ltr">The work must be an original digital creation, which was not previously exhibited.&nbsp;</li>
<li dir="ltr">We do not accept works that are digital scans of physical pieces: sculptures, paintings, photographs, etc.&nbsp;</li>
<li dir="ltr">Our focus is on fresh, unexplored ideas with the potential to captivate the digital art audience.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">How to Apply</h4>
&nbsp;
Please send your artwork or artwork proposal, alongside project description that outlines your creative concept and how it aligns with the NFT medium, your bio, and links to personal website and/or social media as a single PDF (10 MB max.) to daniel@taex.com by October 16th 2023, 6 pm GMT. Don't miss this opportunity to reshape the future of art with TAEX team and curator Daniel Peace by your side!
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Important Dates</h4>
Submission Deadline: October 16th 2023, 6 pm GMT
Winners Announced: November 13th 2023
&nbsp;
For inquiries, please reach out to daniel@taex.com

Call for Artists: Natively Digital

Nick Sargeant, Su Park, and Stefanie De Regel

Panel talk at Cryptoart Seoul and Frieze Week Seoul

Art Evolution in the Era of New Technologies - TAEX

TAEX panel talk at Cryptoart Seoul and Frieze Week Seoul

<h4 dir="ltr">September 6th | 8pm — till late</h4>
<h4 dir="ltr">Panel discussion duration: 40 minutes followed by a Q&amp;A</h4>
<h4 dir="ltr">Location: Alver (34 Gangnam-daero 102-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea)</h4>
 
What vectors will the art be developing in the future? How does it evolve in the era of new technologies? CEO The Art Newspaper Nick Sargent and TAEX Head of Development Stefanie De Regel will be debating on the future of art and its heritage, media art and the challenges of AI towards it. The discussion will be moderated by an Executive Director Maison Suri / Suri Paris Su Park.
 
By contributing to the art industry from different angles—media, theory, curation—the panellists will reflect on new trends that bring art into a new chapter with AI, new media and NFT and share their thoughts on the place of the Korean art scene in this ecosystem. How do curators and art critics perceive their criteria and their responsibility towards the art community today?
 
<h4 dir="ltr">Participants:</h4>
 
Nick Sargent is the CEO of The Art Newspaper — an online and print newspaper that covers the international art world, was founded in 1990 by Umberto Allemandi and Anna Somers Cocks on the original concept of Il Giornale dell'Arte, founded 1983. 
 
The Art Newspaper International Edition has offices in London and New York. Its unrivalled news and events coverage is fed by a network of sister editions, which together have more than 50 correspondents working in more than 30 countries, with editorial offices in Paris, Moscow and Shanghai. 
 
<a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/information/about">The Art Newspaper International</a> enjoys complete editorial independence; its reputation as the journal of record for the art world, and the bible of the art industry, depends on this.
 
 
Stefanie De Regel is Head of Development at TAEX. She has always had a foot in art, starting out as an art lawyer with the specific focus on the digital renaissance that came with blockchain. She has been involved in numerous art projects across Europe and Asia that combine art and digital technologies — from AR or NFTs.
 
<h4 dir="ltr">Moderator:</h4>
 
Su Park is an executive director of Maison Suri / Suri Paris. Based in Paris, Seoul, and New York. Passionate about cross-cultural exchange, she works in various international projects to create memorable experiences and bring together the best of both worlds, between the East and the West. Su oversees private collection and alternative asset management serving as an international director at a family office in Korea.
 
Su directed the newly opened Paris branch of Kukje, nation-leading Korean gallery, and earlier in the same year introduced immersive exhibitions highlighting Korean contemporary art to a global audience during the inaugural Frieze Seoul in 2022. Previously she has worked as a corporate partnership director of hospitality projects for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic and as an assistant producer of art &amp; culture programs at Arirang.

Art Evolution in the Era of New Technologies

On the 8th of June TAEX & Spark welcomed the participants and guests of Non-Fungible Conference Lisbon at the event ART + NFT: True Love or an Arranged Marriage?, which featured a panel discussion, a pop-up exhibition and a DJ set by Thierry Tomas. Here is how it went.

How it went: TAEX x Spark event and drop presentation for NFC Lisbon

<h3 dir="ltr">On the 8th of June TAEX &amp; Spark welcomed the participants and guests of Non-Fungible Conference Lisbon at the event ART + NFT: True Love or an Arranged Marriage?, which featured a panel discussion, a pop-up exhibition and a DJ set by Thierry Tomas. The side event of NFC 23 took place at the waning end of the last day of the conference at NINHO — XIXth century palace that unites programmers and leaders of creative industries in the heart of Portugal.</h3>
 
Which phase of the relationship between NFT and art are we witnessing right now and to which extent we are able to develop it? How do we distinguish a true masterpiece in the ocean of crypto universe? Should we continue our attempts to unite art and cyber poles? How do we see the future of media art and the pros &amp; cons of technology? How to establish thriving NFT communities? TAEX curators <a href="/curator/3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr. Antonio Geusa</a> and <a href="/curator/4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dasha Shkel</a> invited digital artist MAOTIK, CEO of Spark Vitali Dervoed, and Spark’s software engineer Alexey Nagorny to share their reflections on the topic and decades of professional background, inspired by vibrant and extensive Non-Fungible conference lineup. Intense wind from the ocean coast and rain outside the NINHO windows only encouraged a thoughtful discussion.
 
Among the highlights of the evening was the announcement by the world-famous French digital artist <a title="MAOTIK Website" href="http://www.maotik.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MAOTIK (Mathieu Le Sourd)</a> who shared the news about his very first NFT drop that would be exclusively presented on TAEX in the following months. As the sun went down our guests plunged into soundscapes of DJ Thierry Tomas and a showcase of TAEX artists: <a href="/artist/14">Shu Lea Cheang</a>, <a href="/artist/16">Joey Holder</a>, <a href="/artist/27">Kaikhan Salakhov</a>, <a href="/artist/21">Farid Rahimi</a>, <a href="/artist/10">Riitta Hakkarainen</a>, <a href="/artist/4">Cadie Desbiens-Desmeules</a>, <a href="/artist/12">Angelo Plessas</a>, <a href="/artist/1">Othmane Kandri</a> (of Zaha Hadid Architects), <a href="/artist/3">Oğuz Emre Bal</a>, <a href="/artist/6">Massimo Grimaldi</a>, Natalia Fedorova, <a href="/artist/8">Laura Brothers</a>, and, obviously, <a href="http://www.maotik.com/">MAOTIK</a>.
 
We would like to thank our partners at Spark, Non-Fungible Conference for a chance to gather such an inspiring crowd of colleagues, entrepreneurs, and leaders of NFT, NINHO Lisboa for hosting the event, TAEX’s Stefanie De Regel for moderating the panel talk, and our guests for insights and questions that keep us going forward.
 
Please enjoy the full event image archive <a title="TAEX x Spark at NFC Lisbon Event Image Archive" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1v8FHz8W1n19PWq2yMPBv9kuhwN3AOCSs?usp=sharing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a> Note, that any reproduction of the photographs must be credited.

TAEX X SPARK event poster

TAEX x Spark event and drop presentation for NFC Lisbon

Press Release: ART + NFT: True Love or an Arranged Marriage? 

<h3 dir="ltr">On June 8, 2023, TAEX and Spark are inviting friends and colleagues to an action-packed event in Lisbon celebrating the Non Fungible Conference 2023 and its primary subject — NFT. </h3>
 
Set in a XIXth century palace with a secret garden, the event will unfold in 3 stages and involve a series of short panel discussions, long drinks, top artist showcases, and a drop presentation. Join in and discuss with us the topic that has been tearing at the hearts and minds of art and blockchain experts alike: are NFT and Art really meant for each other? Was it love at first sight, or is it an abusive relationship? Most importantly — will there be a happy ending?
 
The event will commence at 7 pm, followed by the first act of the night at 7:30 pm: the notable digital art theorist and TAEX Curator Dr. Antonio Geusa will put art history “under the microscope” in his talk Contemporary Art and NFT Technology: A Transparent Love Story to examine the romance between contemporary art and NFT tools. Next, the curator and artist Dasha Shkel will discuss the future of media art and its rocky relationship with technology, followed by the cherry on top of our cake, the presentation of an exclusive TAEX drop by the world-famous digital artist MAOTIK with a Q&amp;A. To conclude our lineup of talks, CEO of Spark Vitali Dervoed and Software Engineer Alexey Nagorny will share their invaluable experience in building sustainable and thriving NFT communities.
 
After the short round of talks, we invite our guests to enjoy the exhibition of works by TAEX artists, curated specifically for the event. Our lineup includes digital art pioneer Shu Lea Cheang, Joey Holder, Kaikhan Salakhov, Farid Rahimi, Riitta Hakkarainen, Cadie Desbiens-Desmeules, Othmane Kandri (of Zaha Hadid Architects), Oğuz Emre Bal, Massimo Grimaldi, Laura Brothers, and, of course, MAOTIK. We are also excited to be joined by Dr Natalia Fedorova, who kindly provided us with her generative poetry project.
 
To set the atmosphere, the evening will feature soundscapes by DJ Thierry Tomas, signature cocktails, small foods, and, of course, the majestic interiors of NINHO Clubhouse.
 
The event will take place from 7 pm to 12 pm at Rua Júlio de Andrade 5, 1150-225, Lisbon. 
 RSVP essential. For more information and registration check out <a href="http://lu.ma/bhrhlnxk">lu.ma</a>

TAEX and Spark are organising an official side-event at NFC Lisbon

<h3 dir="ltr">On the 18th of May TAEX joined the busy lineup of Frieze NYC side events with a private show and a cocktail reception, packed with our curators, artists, and their works.</h3>
 
Assembled by our Senior Curator <a href="/curator/1">Dr Margarita Kuleva</a>, the show had just about every method of digital reproduction: old-school TVs, projections, screens and even an accidental 3 metre tall image reflection onto the opposite building (courtesy of the narrow streets of New York). As you can guess — the show focused on the coexistence of digital and physical realms, and the way they manifest within the digital canvas of a big city such as New York — heavenly for some (like our guests) and infernal for the others (like the Gallery’s electricity bill). Jokes aside, this one night only event showcased the fruits of TAEX critical practice and inquiry into crypto art via the works of our artists and the visions of our curators — dreams and nightmares as they come. 
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/chqiffirpregllo73pbg.png" alt="TAEX Exhibition in New York: Metaverse Dérive" width="100%" height="auto">
<pre>Artworks of the <a href="/drop/1">Metaverse Dérive: NFT Cities</a> drop by <a href="/artist/3">Oğuz Emre Bal</a>, <a href="/artist/1">Othmane Kandri</a>, and <a href="/artist/2">Jessica Baldivieso</a>. Available to purchase. </pre>
<img src="/storage/news-image/chqij2irpregllo73pd0.png" alt="Joshua Goode for TAEX" width="100%" height="auto">
<pre>Artworks by J<a href="/artist/11">oshua Goode</a>. Available to purchase. </pre>
The exhibition featured a curated selection of artists and architects who engage with symbiotic landscapes, raw materials of architectural dreams, and mix the indigenous and the contemporary, standing at the forefront of speculative and digital architecture — <a href="/artist/3">Oğuz Emre Bal</a>, <a href="/artist/1">Othmane Kandri </a>(Zaha Hadid Architects), and <a href="/artist/2">Jessica Baldivieso</a>. Furthermore, we dived into a critical view of crypto currencies as institutions through the eyes of the artist <a href="/artist/10">Riitta Hakkarainen</a>; as well as the works of Lyndsey Walsh and Dr Natalia Fedorova with their eccentric bio art creatures. The digital gothic was also reflected in the practice of <a href="/artist/11">Joshua Goode</a>, who ingeniously fuses popular culture with the aesthetics of the ancient world, and, notably, was the only artist to mould his dreams (or nightmares) in bronze. 
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/chqii2qrpregllo73pcg.png" alt="Artwork by Lyndsey Walsh for TAEX" width="100%" height="auto">
<pre>Artwork by Lyndsey Walsh </pre>
To culminate the event, a renowned media theorist <a href="/artist/29">Dr Lev Manovich</a> introduced his latest project with TAEX, which creates connections between his investigations into modernism with his work on Hieronymus Bosch’s divine nature of architecture.
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/chqih4arpregllo73pc0.png" alt="" width="100%" height="auto">
<pre>Artworks by <a href="/artist/29">Dr Lev Manovich</a> and J<a href="/artist/11">oshua Goode</a>. Available to purchase.</pre>
 
We would like to thank our wonderful guests for their dedication to TAEX in the face of so many Frieze events, our curator <a href="/curator/1">Dr. Margarita Kuleva</a>, our talented artists, and The Untitled Space for making this event possible.
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/chqijiirpregllo73pe0.png" alt="TAEX Exhibition View" width="100%" height="auto"> 
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/chqijs2rpregllo73peg.png" alt="An issue of The Art Newspaper International with TAEX advertisement" width="100%" height="auto">
<pre>The latest issue of The Art Newspaper International with the fragment of artwork by <a href="/artist/29">Dr Lev Manovich</a> on a TAEX sleeve. Artwork available to purchase.</pre>
 
<h4 dir="ltr">You may download the full event image archive <a title="One Night between Heaven and Hell — Photo Archive" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CuW02yKmstr9dU4AexlfGEsOG2BzJsQV?usp=sharing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Please note, that any reproduction of the photographs must be credited.</h4>

How it went: One Night Between Heaven and Hell

TAEX Venice Event

<h2 dir="ltr">On the 17th of May we celebrated two exciting occasions — the opening of the 18th Venice Architecture Biennale and the launch of <a href="/collectorsclub">TAEX Collectors Club</a> — with our closest friends and guests at Palazzina Grassi. </h2>
 
To mark the occasion, our Senior Curator <a href="/curator/1">Dr. Margarita Kuleva</a> prepared a private exhibition, featuring works from all our drops, and one of the artists — <a href="/artist/1">Othmane Kandri</a> (of Zaha Hadid Architects) — managed to join us from London despite the stormy weather in Italy. 
 
Intricate digital architecture of <a href="/artist/3">Oğuz Emre Bal</a>, <a href="/artist/1">Othmane Kandri</a> and <a href="/artist/2">Jessica Baldivieso</a> interwoven with the real-life beauty of Venice (and, of course, a cocktail reception) made for some exciting conversations about art and its future, led by our Business Development Manager Stefanie de Regel and our founder Inna Bazhenova.
 
We would like to thank our wonderful artists and our Senior Curator <a href="/curator/1">Dr. Margarita Kuleva</a> for their work, art, and dedication; as well as our guests for attending and giving our <a href="/collectorsclub">Collectors Club</a> an amazing start! 
 
 
<pre dir="ltr"><img src="/storage/news-image/chogb6qrprehq0fln9q0.png" alt="Artworks by Alex Arzt and Oğuz Emre Bal. Available for purchase." width="100%" height="auto"> Artworks by <a href="/drop/28">Alex Arzt</a> and <a href="/artist/3">Oğuz Emre Bal</a>. Available for purchase. <img src="/storage/news-image/chogbu2rprehq0fln9qg.png" alt=" From right to left: TAEX Founder Inna Bazhenova and Curator Daria Shkeleva" width="100%" height="auto"> From right to left: TAEX Founder Inna Bazhenova and Curator Daria Shkeleva <img src="/storage/news-image/chogcdqrprehq0fln9s0.png" alt="From left to right: TAEX Business Development Manager Stefanie de Regel, Theo Bellanger, Mathias Bensimon, Othmane Kandri" width="100%" height="auto"> From left to right: TAEX Business Development Manager Stefanie de Regel, Theo Bellanger, Mathias Bensimon, <a href="/artist/1">Othmane Kandri</a></pre>
<pre dir="ltr"> <img src="/storage/news-image/chogdcarprehq0fln9sg.png" alt="Artwork by Joey Holder. " width="100%" height="auto"> Artwork by <a href="/drop/15">Joey Holder</a>. <img src="/storage/news-image/chogdrarprehq0fln9t0.png" alt="Artworks by Oğuz Emre Bal and Shu Lea Cheang." width="100%" height="auto"> Artworks by <a href="/artist/3">Oğuz Emre Bal</a> and <a href="/drop/18">Shu Lea Cheang</a>. </pre>
You may download the full event image archive <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1a6RQblhKPwlk-50ZhGBColCMDtsQ9EAv?usp=share_link">here</a>. Please note, that any reproduction of the photographs must be credited.

TAEX celebrates the launch of Collectors Club in Venice

TAEX Curator Dr. Antonio Geuza

TAEX Curator on the role of digital art in the contemporary art landscape

Acronyms:
Dr Antonio Geusa — AG
Anastasiia Spirenkova (TAEX) — AS
 
AS: Antonio, as an expert and historian of digital art, how did you react when you first heard about NFT? 
 
AG: It was not love at first sight, to be honest. When the media frenzy started, a few years ago, I was not impressed by what was making the news. I could not see anything that I would call art. Surely, I was misled (and a bit annoyed) by the fact that a lot of bad works were advertised as art to the wider public. 
 
Working with digital art means always being on the lookout for new stuff. I spend a lot of time reading all sorts of on- and offline literature about it. At one point, I bumped into a couple of NFT projects that solicited my interest because they were not about 'the looks'; they were more about the messages conveyed. And I started digging... One can say that my interest in NFTs started through critical analysis of the works, rather than by seeing something and immediately falling for it. I might be old-fashioned, but a text is often my starting point in getting interested in an artwork (and not only). My first university degree is in philology, after all. 
 
Finally, my digging helped me find very strong works. Then, my curiosity grew by the day, and I started to see great potential in the technology. I’m not speaking about sales and big numbers. The potential I saw was in relation to the way NFT technology can be an ally to art. The time had come to see whether or not I could contribute to this somehow.
 
AS: Has the vector of your curatorial work changed in terms of temporality—from the past to the future? NFT is a cutting-edge technology, so are your curatorial NFT projects fully focused on the future, or is that not the case?
 
AG: I have published a lot on the history of video art. When I started my research in video art, it was indeed an archaeologist’s job. I was after old works, sometimes forgotten by their own authors, that had to be literally unearthed. 
 
In the case of NFTs, it was more like going to a thrift shop where you have to ransack for nice things. Everything is already there in the store, but you have to look for the nice stuff hidden amongst heaps of rags. In other words, art was there piled amongst works that are not art at all. When I was carrying out my research on video art, I spent a lot of time and energy persuading artists to open their vaults and storage rooms and look for the forgotten videotape. With NFT I am asking artists to create something new with this new technology. 
 
With video art, I was busy writing about the history of the medium. With NFT, I am worried about how I can contribute with a text and with my assistance to a work that is destined, hopefully, to live in the future. Frankly, I am a bit concerned that NFT art started with very little theoretical support and no serious analysis of the interrelationships between art history and the blockchain. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">The current phase is a very exciting one for NFT.</h3>
 
The current phase is a very exciting one for NFT. We are all aware that the market has not performed well lately. Paradoxically, it is a great moment for people like me, who are interested in the way technology influences the constituting qualities of a work of art. We have reached that point in the NFT timeline when we can analyse what has happened in the last five years and contextualise it in the bigger discourse of contemporary art. It is time to get out of our crypto ghetto. I’ve spent decades reading, analysing, and writing about art made with new technologies. It is unhealthy to make it look as if it is a parallel story, separated from the rest of contemporary art history. The way I see it, when crypto art is compared and contrasted with what happened in the history of digital and contemporary art, we can discern the “good” from the “bad”.
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Technology is new, but art is not.</h3>
 
When we talk about NFT, we cannot stay away from those avant-garde expressions that had been in the past about the ‘art of the future’. 
<h3 dir="ltr"> </h3>
<h3 dir="ltr">We are still pioneers regarding the theoretical analysis of what crypto art is all about.</h3>
 
We are now in a good phase as far as NFT production is concerned, but we are still pioneers regarding the theoretical analysis of what NFT art is all about. By drawing parallels with what has already become part of the history of digital and contemporary art, we will better understand the true value of NFT technology for art. Before writing a text for a new drop, I need to understand how the artist sees his/her work in relation to works from other artists. 
 
When we speak about new technology, we do not have to lose the connection with the past. Never. Yes, technology is new, but art is not. About 60 years ago, video was a new technology, but the works that have become part of art history are those that went beyond the medium as a mere instrument. Technology alone is never art.
 
AS: What challenges are facing artists while they are working with NFT?
 
AG: The more you study NFT art, the more you understand that it is not so different from the offline art world. One of the main reasons why artists are attracted to NFT is that it would free them from the yoke of gallery owners and art dealers. The point is, online and offline artists have the same problems when it comes to selling their works. It is not easy to get yourself known in the offline world as well as in the crypto world. Despite the hype, NFT does not guarantee one to gain the visibility that he/she deserves. In both worlds, one has to understand how the system works. And that it is not an easy task. My advice to artists is ‘make works, make works, make works… and be patient’. Many artists, especially the young ones with a very small portfolio, don't have the gift of patience. They want to be known right away, and they think that cyberspace is the key to quick success. 
 
Sure, NFT technology frees you from the art dealer, which is a good thing, in many ways. However, you are not free from the system itself. You still need to promote yourself, to gain attention, to “become viral”. If sales do not come along, does it mean that one is a bad artist? In the offline world, it usually takes about five years (after graduation) and dozens of works to get noticed. With NFT, the wait might be shorter, but the amount of work to be done is not less.
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Good art comes from understanding and conceptualising technology. </h3>
 
Of course, as an artist, you must make an NFT only if you think that it is the right technology for the work you have in mind. You must feel within yourself that it is the technology for this specific project. If you are just going to make a digital copy of a physical work, you are using the technology, but you are not making art. “Good” art comes from understanding and conceptualising the technology (old or new) you are using. It should always be “NFT for the sake of NFT”; in other words, art made for the art world. If you take it outside, it would stop making sense the way it does for art. As you will not find Duchamp’s “Fountain” at the plumbing store. There, it would be just a urinal, a useful object for a bathroom. Nothing more, nothing less.
 
AS: What drops are you preparing for TAEX?
 
AG: I am very grateful to TAEX for their patience in allowing me the opportunity to help artists make new work and for supporting me write a guide about NFT and contemporary art. It took me a while to prepare the basis for my drops. You can call me a "slow curator" if you want. I had to investigate, research, probe the ground, and play with the rules of the game. I am very proud to present my first drop as a curator very soon. It would be followed by the Guide, a little book explaining what NFT can do for art and what art can do for NFT.
 
Hopefully, it will help those people who are curious about the technology better understand how NFT and art are related. As both a curator and an art historian, these two projects are just a slice of paradise for me, because it gives me the privilege of presenting a work of art that I helped take shape and a guide on art &amp; NFT that I wrote.
 
<pre class="Book_title__mtDMc"> </pre>
AS: What were your criteria for selecting the drops for TAEX? Did you initiate all the projects, or did you choose some from existing ones?
 
AG: As usual, I'm very interested in problems. I like works that question the system in which a certain technology thrives rather than play along. No problem, no art, isn’t it? One of the NFT drops I am curating consists of a part that is online and a part that is physical (at the discretion of the collector). It asks the buyer to perform a certain action in the offline world to complete the artwork. As if that wasn't enough, the result is something that one cannot show in the metaverse. It is still a full-fledged NFT, though. The combo of buying an NFT and exhibiting it in the metaverse does not work in this case. It is these deliberate impediments that make a work interesting to me because in doing so we better understand the nature, advantages, and limitations of the art exhibition space in the metaverse. Moreover, this work also problematizes the meaning of what constitutes a body in the physical and digital spaces. Which is something that has always fascinated me when working with digital art. 
 
As we all know, NFT art is very visual. Words often have a secondary role in most NFT artworks on view in marketplaces. However, I cannot help it. I am in love with words. For my second drop, I have been working with a famous writer, based in Italy. We are going to publish as NFT a poem from a collection of about 30 poems that he never published before, despite having been asked to do so many times. Under the terms of the contract the author undertakes not to use or perform any actions with other poems from that collection or materials used to create such poems. I like to curate projects that have a story behind them, and, in this particular case, works that build a bridge with Conceptual art and with Concrete Poetry in particular.
 
The best perk of being a curator is having the chance to listen to the stories that artists tell you, episodes from their lives. In 99% of cases, artists have an art piece that at some point disappeared or was destroyed, lost for good. For another project I'm curating for TAEX, I have proposed that artists recreate the lost work as an NFT version. Here, once again, the concept of what constitutes a body in a work of art is central, given that NFT technology will provide a digital body to a work that does not have a physical body anymore. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">So, I just give them a conceptual room for them to work in.</h3>
 
I never commission artworks. What I do is suggest a concept, the outline of an idea, and then the artist may agree or just say no. So, one can say that I just give the artists a conceptual room for them to work in. As a part of my curatorial contribution to TAEX, I am also going to implement some educational programs. What I admire most in TAEX—and in this, it greatly differs from other NFT art platforms—is the support it gives to education and critical analysis and the way it looks at NFTs not as something purely new, but as an evolution of art history.
 
AS: NFT is still perceived by many as a marginalised field, some people tend to ridicule it. Why is that? And why do we need a new NFT platform?
 
AG: Well, people have all the right to do that, to doubt it, or even to laugh at it. Most of the time, it should indeed be ridiculed. Some of the NFT works that have made the news for being sold for huge amounts of money are worth such reactions. The truth is that there are still so many people who are not aware of the good stuff. 
 
If you look back, for example, to the history of cinema, you will immediately see that most of the films that were shot at its very beginning were done purely for entertainment purposes. Only 10 of the 50,000 films that were made back then left their mark on the history of cinema. This does not mean that cinema is bad technology, it means that most of the films that were made at its start had nothing to do with art. That is why we need platforms like TAEX, which help to analyse the system, explain how it works, and showcase art that is in dialogue with the larger discourse on contemporary art.

Antonio Geusa: How do we conceptualise NFT?

Ariel Stinks Collection by Jill Miller

“Ariel Pink Used an Artist’s Image on an Album Cover Without Her Consent. She Responded With a Series of Blistering NFTs”

Jill Miller’s Collection on Artnet

We are excited to share the feature of Jill Miller&rsquo;s collection Ariel Stinks (50 Alternative Album Covers to Thrash and Burn) on Artnet! A big thank you to correspondent Min Chen for such exemplary storytelling of Jill Miller&rsquo;s collection.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr">Read the full article via <a title="TAEX Collection on Artnet" href="https://news.artnet.com/market/ariel-pink-jill-miller-ariel-stinks-nfts-2248167" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the link</a>.&nbsp;</h4>
&nbsp;

TAEX Senior Curator Dr Margarita Kuleva

On equality, cultural production, and the future of art in decentralised paradigms

TAEX Interview: Dr. Margarita Kuleva

On the socio-economic condition to cultural production, digtal art ethics, and cultural appropriation

Acronyms:
Dr. Margarita Kuleva — MK
Sofya Chibis (TAEX) — SC
 
<h4 dir="ltr">All meetings with Margarita Kuleva are informal by nature, be it a lecture, a panel discussion, or an interview. The formats cannot confine her playful air of presence, which in my opinion, is best described as an atmosphere of an engaging midnight kitchen debate, minus the intoxication. Although, her ideas and the almost graspable flight are surely viral for the mind. Our conversation started effortlessly, yet quickly thickened and started simmering. </h4>
 
SC: Let's begin with the first question. Could you start with some words about yourself, namely, how would you describe your curatorial and artistic self in 3 words.
 
MK: That is a challenging one, I would say collectivity, or even conviviality, different entities that are able to exist together. Also, singularity, then attention to the socio-economic condition to cultural protection, which is not one word really. Then, again, they are connected, specifically to the feminist approach and de-centralisation. They are important to me because of the way I was educated and shaped as a curator and thinker. 
 
SC: It is one phrase so I think we can let it slide. Where and what did you study?
 
MK: My background is rather interdisciplinary, I started as a philosopher, but I was really into literature as a teenager. So, I was a poet, a young teenage poet. I first looked at the Moscow Literary University, but then I checked out their description more closely, changed my mind and went to the Faculty of Philosophy at Saint Petersburg State University. I studied aesthetics for about a year and a half but then I realised that the university was rather conservative, and I became a philosophy dropout. Now that I am in the US it sounds so interesting, because this is what Steve Jobs did. He was a philosophy dropout. 
 
I guess I always had an interest in the arts. Both of my parents are artists, and I literally grew up in an art studio, which has some issues because it is always a little bit more disorganised than the usual house. Early I became rather independent, and my parents gave me a lot of freedom, which I think shaped my personality a lot. After dropping out from the Faculty of Philosophy, the most important thing which happened to me was ... well I met my first advisor. She was a philosopher and a film critic with an interest in psychoanalysis, but close to poststructuralism and feminism. Then I entered my next degree, which was in the Smolny College (Bard College and St. Petersburg State University), which is the only liberal arts college in Russia.
 
I graduated as a Sociologist because I changed my subject while studying. I wanted to be opened to different kinds of art, so I chose sociology with a strong attachment to art. I have always been thinking about the social context of art: how to open it to more people and to dissolve the boundaries that sometimes art would construct? Here, in the US it is called "social practice". At that time, I didn't know the term. Later, when I did my PhD I wrote about these boundaries and the cultural labour in the UK and Russia, and what I found striking was a case of one commercial UK gallery. I asked a gallery assistant, who was responsible for buying bottled water for the gallery, and he was tasked with buying 3 kinds of water — the very expensive one for the collectors, the less expensive ones for the honourable guests, and cheap water for the openings. Tap water was for the rest.
 
SC: Seems like there is a hidden water hierarchy in the art world!
 
MK: Exactly! Recently there was a clear turn to openness in the rhetoric, especially in the US with the BLM and Me Too movements, and the fight against cultural appropriation. But I think that we need to do more work on the hidden hierarchies. Especially in application to new kinds of art, like NFT, which isn't exactly new, but the NFT platforms are. We have so many problems with the existing art world, we must not copy and paste them into this new space. 
 
SC: Speaking of the transferring which occurs between IRL art spaces, like biennales, galleries, etc. into the NFT spaces, have you already observed any cases of such copy-pasting of biases and stigmas? And do you believe that the NFTs and the metaverse eradicate some of them simply due to their nature?
 
MK: I think there is a struggle going on. NFT started as non-institutional, but then people from the traditional art world saw opportunity in it and there are multiple agencies which are trying to “normalize” it. Also, there is the fact that a lot of people are annoyed with NFTs. There are many reasons for that, especially in terms of sustainability, and the fact that people try to make NFTs out of basically anything, and obviously because there was an issue of hype. I think that everything that brigs that much hype will annoy people. NFTs are media and every media can be used differently. We are to decide what kind of benefit it can bring to the community. Perhaps the dynamic of the NFT market would be better with less interest from people who just want to make money. Let's see what is going to happen, but for me personally, art collecting, and the possession of art are a long-term thing. It is a decision that should be made very carefully and should be sustainable. 
 
If we are to go further with this topic of why NFTs are annoying, it is also because people believe that artists who work with NFTs do not invest their creative talent, time, and energy and as a result create something like the Bored Apes. That is such a wrong attitude! Sure, there are a lot of cases where “effortless” artworks became successful, but there are also a lot of cases where artists experimented with NFTs and didn’t acquire success immediately, but made complex art. This situation reminds me a bit of the fame of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimalism">the minimalist artists</a> of the 60s or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_British_Artists">the YBAs</a> in the 1990s. Artists like Tracey Emin or Damien Hirst gained very quick success because they used very unusual media provocations. The annoyance around them was enormous. People would focus on specific artists and artworks which became famous very quickly. The broader public is annoyed by the quick fame and refuses to dig further, and I hope that our platform can show that there is so much more to the technology, as well as bring the approach of institutional critique to show how the change is possible through slow and thoughtful action. 
 
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/chh3a8irprellmq7bslg.png" alt="My Bed by Tracey Emin" width="100%" height="auto">
<pre dir="ltr">My Bed (1998) by Tracy Emin, a member of the YBAs</pre>
 
SC: It seems that the general link between the immediacy of the success of the Bored Apes and the YBAs is provocation. There is a certain provocative effect not in the works themselves but also in the media. NFTs themselves are also very provocative because they are linked to money and money is a very sensitive topic in the art world in general.
 
MK: I think that this is very true, money issues are very problematic in the art world, and it has been like that for many years before NFTs came. However, fundamentally the issue lies in unrecognition of creative work as work. I was just talking with a colleague here in Berkeley about NFTs and I quite liked what she said, that it is not that easy to support an artist you like, especially if you are based in different countries and with everything that is going on in the world. I think that NFTs can be a platform of support for artists. By supporting them people may support other physical works for artists to create. For example, our <a href="/drop/24" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drop by Pavel Brăila</a>, who works within an intersection of art and sport, aims to ideally save one of the Soviet stadiums, which is about to be demolished soon, or if not to save than to commemorate the architecture. He wants to donate part of the commission to save the stadium and build a better campaign for that. NFTs can serve different needs, socially driven too. I hope there will be more projects like that, especially in terms of the de-globalisation of the art world. 
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/chh444qrprellmq7bsm0.png" alt="Javelin Throw by Pavel Braila" width="100%" height="auto">
<pre><a href="/drop/current/24/token/93" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Javelin Throw by Pavel Brăila</a></pre>
 
SC: Do you think that NFTs can help the world to finally come to an acknowledgement that art work is work and that as any other labour it has to be paid for?
 
MK: I think we need an enlightenment of NFTs, to show that it requires a lot of work to create. Behind the drops which we've created so far at TAEX, there is a whole team. It is a product of our creative activity, and it is not a "nothing created in a second". It takes time and energy. That is also a good example of the invisible labour discourse. 
 
SC: To circle back a little bit — a significant part of NFTs is comprised of digitised works, like paintings, collages, even 3D scanned works. I know that in your first drop <a href="/drop/1">Metaverse Dérive: NFT Cities</a> the "NFT stage" of digital architecture and 3D modelling is the original, moreover, it has already been a part of the professional process for so many years. Digital form is natural for architecture. What do you think about physical works that make the crossover into the digital realm? Do they become some versions of Joseph Kosuth's works or should they not be digitised altogether, as some critics suggest?
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/chh3a8irprellmq7bsl0.png" alt="Joseph Kosuth, One and Three Chairs (1965)" width="100%" height="auto">
<pre dir="ltr">Joseph Kosuth, One and Three Chairs (1965)</pre>
 
MK: I think it is completely the right of an artist to choose whether to digitise their work or not, because it is their intellectual or creative property. But the materiality of a painting, for instance, is not its only feature, there is also its presence and the presence of an artist within the work. In regards to the architecture, I would go theoretically to Walter Benjamin, and then to John Berger, his original BBC show <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00dtnvm">Ways of Seeing</a> from the 1970s. In it he noted that it is revolutionary that art can travel from apartment to apartment via a TV. Physical art has been existing digitally for such a long time. Today, we can find copies of artworks in print. I think, what NFT does here is affix artistic value onto the digital versions of painted objects, sculptures or so on. The other thing is that sometimes we do not have the physical opportunities to ship monumental paintings, but it can come to your apartment in a form of a projection. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">We need to be thinking of ways to store and display an NFT collection. NFT collectors must be creative, there is simply no other choice.</h3>
 
When you go to a colleague's or a friend's house and see art there, how much of it is media art? Personally, I have seen permanently installed media art in a house only twice. Which devices can we use to display digital art? A screen or a tamagotchi, perhaps? NFT collectors must be creative, there is simply no other choice. What I like about new technologies is that they bring up new issues.
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/chh4b1irprellmq7bsmg.png" alt="Going up by Jessica Baldivieso" width="100%" height="auto">
<pre dir="ltr"><a href="/drop/current/1/token/6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Going up by Jessica Baldivieso — an artist of Metaverse Dérive: NFT Cities</a></pre>
 
SC: Do you believe that media art in general and NFT specifically will shift the collectors from the consumer role of into the role of a co-creator? A similar shift has been happening with the spectator-participant dynamic too. You have mentioned how much easier it is to exhibit international art digitally and your first drop with us is indeed very international. How does it benefit the concept and the integrity of the drop?
 
MK: I would always go for plurality of experience. I met all artists personally before, with some of them I have worked in the past and I think I personally would go for building professional connections with those people who have experienced cultural transfers. I wouldn't say that it is very typical for an artist to be on the move all the time, especially during COVID-19, but I'd rather think that this is something that makes the experience more special. The experience of travel teaches the artist to constantly search for alternatives and to build their own. The three works are a good combination, but they are very different from each, yet the question they are trying to address is the same.
 
SC: In general, why did you pick architecture and the situationists? Why did these subjects resonate with you in connection to NFTs and the metaverse?
 
MK: I was always interested in mixing different genres and disciplines, and I thought that maybe we need to expose the more flexible borders of architecture, art, and their intersection. There are not too many shows concerned with this issue and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9rive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dérive</a> is something that I am a big fan of. I practise it a lot personally and with my students. I thought it would be a very interesting and engaging experience for the artists and the collectors who want to see how we can put these images of a city together in a digital dérive. It is a stress on critique of capitalism because a lot of people would say that NFT is the most capitalist way of seeing and producing art. I thought that it would be ironic and subversive to bring logic of dérive into NFT cities.
 
<h3 dir="ltr">By growing NFT economy we can show that a bigger collector audience exists.</h3>
 
SC: Going back to Sociology, NFTs have been around for many years before they went viral. Have you encountered any interesting NFT projects in terms of sociological analysis, or have you analysed the behaviour of NFT consumers?
 
MK: It is a big question. I would say that the process of institutionalisation of NFTs is something that bothers me a lot. Speaking of the social factors and dimensions of NFT, interestingly it brought many different people to art collecting. Sometimes what attracts people is not fine art, bit things like Pokemons and other phenomena of contemporary culture and here I see an opportunity for democratisation. It is a provocation towards fine art and collecting. By growing the NFT economy we can show that a bigger collector audience exists. Myself, I see art as a social good, but sometimes having money in a certain industry is not a bad thing. 
 
<h4 dir="ltr">SC: At the beginning you have mentioned that you are interested in collectivity and singularity and I think it resonated a lot with your remarks on the process of institutionalisation of NFT. If we were to imagine right now a big bright world of the future, where the NFTs and the art world are more pluralistic and diverse, which types of projects and technologies you think might emerge. What is a utopian future for NFT?</h4>
 
MK: I would say my dream is that it would give a piece of art multiple chances to be created and to be affiliated with an institution. For example, I would go to different workers of an institution to inter-create art. The other thing would be to open new genres of NFT, for example, NFT performance in the metaverse. Right now NFT is more of a product, than a process. Could there be an NFT of goodness, an NFT of cleanness, NFT of cats? How can we make it into an engaging process? Another question for the future is: how can collectors and visitors change NFTs?
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Could there be an NFT of goodness, an NFT of cleanness, NFT of cats? How can we make it into an engaging process?</h3>
 
SC: Going into the close future of TAEX, what are you planning next? Could you give us any hints, a cloud of influences perhaps? 
 
MK: I would like to bring more feminist art to the platform, as well as something organic in terms of digital, to experiment with how the digital and the biological can be intersected. For example, our next drop is by an American artist who makes digital rocks and digital cabbage.
 
SC: To conclude, during this interview you have mentioned a lot of interesting and quite important pieces of literature, which could be a perfect after-interview dive for a curious reader.
 
MK: I have already mentioned <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Days-World-Sarah-Thornton/dp/039333712X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3RCI921Q8E4JU&amp;keywords=7+days+in+the+art+world&amp;qid=1665721385&amp;qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjE4IiwicXNhIjoiMS4wNyIsInFzcCI6IjEuMzgifQ%3D%3D&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=7+days+in+the+art+worls%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C259&amp;sr=1-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton (2009)</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ways-Seeing-Based-Television-Penguin/dp/0140135154/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1GRKDEPL6LT01&amp;keywords=ways+of+seeing&amp;qid=1665721737&amp;qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjk2IiwicXNhIjoiMC4zNyIsInFzcCI6IjAuMzgifQ%3D%3D&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=ways+of%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C258&amp;sr=1-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ways of Seeing by John Berger (1990)</a>. In terms of cultural analytics, there is a fantastic book by<a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262037105/cultural-analytics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Lev Manovich called Cultural Analytics (2020)</a>. Also, there is a brilliant<a href="https://shop.barbican.org.uk/products/ai-more-than-human-exhibition-catalogue" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> catalogue</a> of the AI: More than Human exhibition at Barbican, which has an interesting collection of essays.

Dr. Margarita Kuleva: on equality, cultural production, and the future of art in decentralised paradigms

The fruitful frustrations of exhibiting art in the metaverse

<h3 dir="ltr">On August 27th TAEX curator Dr. Margarita Kuleva gathered friends, colleagues, artists, and visitors of Decentraland’s Museum District for a first metaverse performative lecture — a tour of the exhibition Metaverse Dérive: NFT Cities. The walk started with a virtual booth tour and continued with a drift around the Museum DistrictDistrics. Our observer <a href="mailto:sofya@theart.exchange">Sofya Chibisguleva</a> reflects on the results and the frustrations of the event.</h3>
 
Sudden sound effects, flashy partner booths, disoriented-looking humans bumping into each other — to an unfamiliar user Decentraland's Metaverse Art Week looked more like a Christmas fair, rather than the Exposition Universelle it was envisioned to be. The familiar users shared this impression too. The reason — a paradoxically bodily exhausting experience of trying to find oneself in cyberspace. Literally. If Franz Kafka was to write his famous novel "The Castle" in 2022, he would surely title it "Decentraland".
 
As our guests and virtual exhibition curator Dr. Margarita Kuleva frantically explored the Museum District in search of the before mentioned exhibition, they couldn't help but feel the nostalgic tug inside their chests. "The visuals, the bugs, the endless searching sent us back in time, to the days of early computer quests”, says Margarita. 
 
Coincidentally (or not), the TAEX exhibition title "Metaverse dérive: NFT Cities" calls for a drift of its own kind, a bit less frustrating one. However, back in the 1960s it was precisely the frustration which brought a group of architects, urbanists, and creative practitioners together in search for better, more intuitive urban solutions. The situationists were fed up with the predetermination and limited affordances of urban environments. So, they embarked on walks with no particular destination or goal in an aim to discover the fabric of urban speculation, from which cities of the future may be woven.
 
<img src="/storage/news-image/chh2sv2rprellmq7bsk0.png" alt="The City of The Future by Othmane Kandri" width="100%" height="auto">
<pre><a href="/token/3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The City of the Future by Othmane Kandri</a> </pre>
“In a dérive one or more persons during a certain period drop their relations, their work and leisure activities, and all their other usual motives for movement and action and let themselves be drawn by the attractions of the terrain and the encounters they find there,” Guy Debord wrote. Even though our Museum District drift was facilitated more by software limitations, rather than visual attractions, it is symbolic that the history of spatial experience is circling back to frustration — a primary driver of innovation. 
 
Finally, the visitors of our virtual talk who persisted found themselves in the TAEX exhibition. "An art show in such an environment prompts questions, such as whether we can embed contemporary art in games and other interactive environments, beyond the trivial 'virtual exhibitions'. The socialising which occurs in live gaming environments and its potency is what makes this thought especially exciting for me", noted Dr. Margarita Kuleva. "Who we are, where we are, and what 'space' and 'interaction' are in the metaverse expanse?" These are the questions no one will answer. Until extremely annoyed, of course.