Bringing NFT to the Real World: Physical Space for Virtual Art
Crypto art marketplaces and artists leverage traditional galleries to attract a new audience and expand the community.
A well-known digital artist Beeple is building his own art studio, the tangible one. He made a Twitter announcement last week, sharing the video of how construction is going.
“Very excited to show the first sneak peek at just one part of our studio here in Charleston. this will be an outlet for not just my artwork, but the entire digital art / NFT community,” he wrote.
The studio may become a place for creators, old and new visitors, and the whole NFT community.
Beeple, whose NFT artwork was sold last year at Christie’s auction for more than $60 million, is sure that bringing NFT closer to the real world will help to attract those collectors who “have heard of NFTs but still don’t really “get it.”
The artist is not alone in seeing the benefits of presenting NFT collections in a non-digital manner. NFT galleries, museums, and spaces have become a worldwide trend. Here are a few examples of how NFT and digital art may leverage the physical world.
Superchief Gallery NFT
The Superchief Gallery, known for supporting underground and digital artists, officially opened its NFT branch in 2021 in New York by presenting the introductory Season 1 Starter Pack collection. The collection brought in more than $1 million in nine months and helped to grow and diversify the gallery’s community.
The Superchief Gallery NFT now follows a “hybrid model” by exhibiting NFT works along with traditional art. It has already hosted many notable artists, such as Cheney Orr, Delphine Diallo, Diana Sinclair, Isaac “Drift” Wright, and many others
The gallery’s collections can be viewed here: https://www.superchiefgallerynft.com/collections
Seattle NFT Museum
Seattle NFT Museum is the brainchild of two entrepreneurs, Jennifer Wong and Peter Hamilton, who brought the idea to life in 2021.
The Museum unites artists, collectors, and IP owners and helps new visitors dive into the NFT context. It is a space to showcase notable NFT collections and host educational exhibitions, events, live mintings, auctions, and more.
Here is more information about the exhibitions: https://www.seattlenftmuseum.com/blog
The Dream Hollywood Hotel
Not a museum but a hotel became the place to host an NFT exhibition in 2021. The free show aimed to educate guests on what NFTs are, providing additional information through badges and QR codes.
The idea to turn the hotel’s lobby into a digital gallery resulted from a partnership between The Dream Hollywood Hotel and The Crypt Gallery.
SuperRare in SOHO
A famous crypto-art marketplace, SuperRare, “moved” from its virtual gallery in Decentraland to the real one in SoHo. SuperRare debuted offline this May with 15 artists exhibiting sci-fi and cyberpunk art concepts. The goal was the same as it was in other cases — physical presence is vital for expanding the community, meeting with artists, and educating visitors about NFTs.
Unfortunately, the exhibition is already closed, but let us keep our finger-crossed that SuperRare will come up with other offline projects.
BrightMoments
BrightMoments are famous for running conceptual live art shows where artists meet collectors. These events’ principal goal and prominent feature are to build an in-person minting experience through witnessing the art creation.
Organized as a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization), BrightMoments is quite an extensive international network pulled together around the CryptoCitizens, an ongoing generative portrait collection of 10k NFTs powered by Art Blocks.
Here are details of how the BroghtMoments community works https://www.brightmoments.io/projects
There are many NFT spaces worldwide, and it is impossible to mention all of them. So, share your favorite ones, and let’s discuss what the pros of physical spaces for NFT are.
It is all about the audience
If you’re not into the crypto world, it may be hard to get what NFT and digital art are and where their value lies. Placing NFTs in the physical spaces means building a bridge between a distant virtual “meta” world and real life.
“I believe by showing people that this artwork can absolutely be shared and appreciated in real life, not just on our tiny screens, they will see that this medium is just like any other with the ability to bring beauty, provoke thoughtful discussion, and truly move us,” Beeple wrote on Twitter explaining his studio initiative.
Another argument is that physical spaces let visitors interact with the creators, humanizing their work and expanding the community. “Having physical spaces to come together and enjoy art is important,” Jonathan Perkins, the cofounder of SuperRare, said to Coindesk. “It makes the whole thing feel a lot more real,” he added. The experts also mention a significant educational component as communications help people learn more about digital art.
The clearer the NFT is, the more followers and visitors become collectors, and the faster market develops.
Everything mentioned above is quite suitable for NFT adopters. But how about the other side, presented by traditional galleries and museums?
They may feel nervous as NFT disrupts many things, from monetization to ownership and IP protection. But besides troubles, a virtual world is a space for opportunities like reaching a new audience and finding alternative financing methods. I hope to go through it in another article.
This article is for informational purposes only. Not all information will be accurate and only reflect the opinion of the author. Consult a financial professional before making any major financial decisions. It should not be considered Financial or Legal Advice. DYOR
