Art classics are under attack from climate activists – Here’s how NFTs could save them
It began on October 14, 2022. Just after 11:00 a.m., two climate activists threw cans of tomato soup at Van Gogh’s Sunflowers – a timeless classic painting, dating from the Post-Impressionist era.
Fortunately, the painting was protected by a layer of glass where it hung in London’s National Gallery. The activists succeeded in getting their point across – with huge reactions from the mainstream media, social media channels and broadcast networks.
Unfortunately, this has sparked what could become a worrying and widespread trend: on October 28, another protester glued his own head to the painting “Girl with a Pearl Earring” on display in the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague.
Again, the Dutch masterpiece was unscathed as it was shielded by protective glass. However, these works are irreplaceable and have great historical, artistic and property value attached to them. No matter how noble the cause of the protest, if there is a significant threat of real damage to unique works, action will have to be taken.
If tarnishing classical paintings is to become a common stunt in the future, museums and galleries must find alternative ways to display classical artworks, so as not to suffer real damage from activists or other chaotic agents.
This is where NFTs can come into play. Non Fungible Token technology allows unique digital representations of art (or indeed anything else) to be codified on blockchains.
Cryptocurrencies such as Solana (SOL), Big Eyes Coin (BIG) and Cardano (ADA) have incorporated NFTs into their ecosystem. The symbols themselves vary from cartoon characters to digital avatars and everything in between.
Read on to find out more about how NFTs can change how we experience and enjoy classical works of art.
NFT’s Entering the Mainstream Art World:
One example shows us how NFTs can enhance the experience of art viewers: in collaboration with the British Museum, the NFT platform La Collection launched a collection of NFT postcards. These postcards are digital representations of the work of Japanese master artist Hokusai. The collection debuted at the same time as a major exhibition of Hokusai’s work was organized at the British Museum.
The aim of this collaboration was to inspire new generations of collectors and bring the works of Hokusai into the digital world. With NFT postcards of this master’s great works, modern art collectors can feel that they undoubtedly own a digital copy of their chosen artist’s collection.
To return to the topic of art threatened by activists, it is perhaps no exaggeration to say that soon enough, galleries and museums will have to heavily regulate public visits to art. Barricades and barriers may need to be put up to prevent people from seeing paintings up close, to stop vandalism.
This is of course a great shame, as there are few joys in life greater than seeing a masterpiece up close. But if NFTs become more common in art exhibitions and displays, they could soften the blow for enthusiasts: even if you can no longer see works as closely or as often, you’ll have the chance to own an NFT of any artwork that grabs your attention.
In this way, NFTs can improve the public’s interest in classical art, and move more displays of the art online rather than in public.
These NFT collections will also help fund museums and galleries, helping to ease the sting of enhanced security measures they have to pay for.
All in all, NFTs have significant potential to change the future of art and the future of public interaction with famous works.
Cryptocurrency projects that support NFTs:
Several cryptocurrency platforms and blockchain projects support NFTs to add value to their ecosystems. The sleek and modern Solana (SOL) has integrated an NFT marketplace into its landing page and exchange.
The alternative and ethically-minded Cardano (ADA) opened CNFT.io, a startup platform for NFTs that uses the native token of Cardano (ADA) as the backing currency.
Even entry-level meme coin Big Eyes Coin (BIG) has plans to launch an NFT collection, aiming to break into the top ten rankings for NFTs. Their NFT ownership club, ‘Sushi Crew,’ will serve as an exclusive space for owners of token NFTs.
Check out Big Eyes Coin (BIG) by following the links below. If you want to buy some Big Eyes tokens in the presale, don’t forget to use the promo code: BIG472 to claim the bonus tokens.
Big Eyes Coin (BIG)
Website: https://bigeyes.space/
Telegram: https://t.me/BIGEYESOFFICIAL
Twitter:
Disclaimer: This is a paid release. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily represent Bitcoinists. Bitcoinist does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of the information available in such content. Do your research and invest at your own risk.
