What is blockchain art?
The convergence of blockchain technology, NFTs, and digital art has ushered in a new era for the art market. Artists, collectors, and enthusiasts are increasingly embracing the idea of blockchain art, revolutionizing the way we create, buy, and sell artwork.
Let's explore the impact of the blockchain network on the art world, the dynamics of NFTs and cryptocurrency, and the innovative technologies shaping the future of the art industry.
The rise of art on blockchain technology
Blockchain technology, the underlying foundation of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, is also now known as the technology on which non-fungible tokens rely. NFTs are unique digital assets that are verifiably scarce and indivisible, making them an ideal solution for representing ownership of digital art.
NFTs began to go mainstream in 2017 on Ethereum, but the first-ever NFT named "Quantum", was minted by Kevin McCoy on Namecoin in 2014. Spells of Genesis was introduced in 2015 and was the first blockchain-based game, and in 2016 the Rare Pepes were released on the Bitcoin blockchain, inaugurating the crypto art market. These projects remained mostly unknown to those who weren't deep into the crypto ecosystem.
The Ethereum blockchain's smart contract capabilities enabled the creation and transfer of NFTs, providing a decentralized and secure platform for crypto artists to tokenize their works of art. Trading and transferring ownership on other and earlier blockchains posed considerable challenges, due to lack of scalability or programmability.
Among pioneering projects on the Ethereum blockchain was CryptoPunks, a collection introduced by Larva Labs, which has become emblematic of the early history of NFTs. A few months later, Canadian studio Dapper Labs launched CryptoKitties, one of the first blockchain games to be built on Ethereum. CryptoKitties was the first project to become very popular outside of the already in-the-known community, and inspired the ERC-721 NFT standard that describes how to build NFTs on ETH and compatible blockchains.
From traditional art to NFT art
Many think of NFTs as PFP collections and GIFs, but NFT art marketplaces such as Gamma.io, SuperRare and Foundation focus largely on fine art and bridging those two worlds. Through the popularization of blockchain technology, digital art has gained prominence and led to a shift in the traditional art market. This democratization of the art world eliminates intermediaries and opens up new possibilities for traditional and digital artists to connect directly with their audience through social media and events, rather than rely on agents and art galleries.
Artists can easily showcase their NFT artwork on NFT marketplaces such as OpenSea on Ethereum, Gamma.io on Bitcoin, and many more. The technologies behind NFTs ensure the protection of intellectual property through blockchain's immutability and transparency --- and art collectors can purchase digital assets with the assurance of ownership and traceability.
Renowned auction houses such as Christie's have also ventured into the realm of digital art auctions. Christie's New York was the first auction house to register a sale on a blockchain platform, with a $318M USD sale of the Barney A. Ebsworth collection, and Beeple's "Everydays: The First 5000 Days" for $69M USD. Very notable events such as Art Basel have started including NFT digital artwork to their exhibits, showing the growing acceptance and value of crypto art in the art industry.
While digital art takes center stage, blockchain technology also extends its influence into the traditional art market. The use of blockchain provides a secure and transparent way to verify the authenticity of physical art through certificates of authenticity, addressing concerns related to provenance and counterfeit art.
Fine art on the blockchain
With the rise of Bitcoin Ordinals in 2023, artists can inscribe their work directly on the Bitcoin blockchain. With Ordinals, the image or file is inscribed directly onto a Satoshi, unlike ERC-721 tokens that point back to IPFS.
Although there is no smart contract functionality, fine artists have been attracted to this technology, as Bitcoin is the most secure and time-tested blockchain, and Bitcoin Ordinals can never be deleted or lost, preserving the artists' legacy forever.
NFT Art marketplaces such as Gamma.io have developed tools to enable artists and creators to inscribe their work, from fine art, generative works created through algorithms, to photography and collage art, directly on the Bitcoin blockchain. The Gamma Partner Program also allows Partner artists to sell digital prints of an original piece of art, as open or limited editions, much like they would in the real world. This innovative feature leverages recursive inscriptions and empowers artists to efficiently produce and share exceptional, exclusive digital artworks while upholding the utmost standards of quality. Through Prints, a diverse range of bitcoin artists and their distinctive creations are made readily available, fostering a dynamic community. This platform allows art enthusiasts and art collectors to seamlessly discover, admire, and support their preferred web3 artists.
It is still early in the Bitcoin Ordinals ecosystem, and new tools for artists and collectors are emerging every day. With the rise of digital art on the blockchain, artists are exploring new formats and art forms within virtual worlds and the metaverse, creating immersive experiences that redefine the boundaries of traditional and digital art. Gamma.io has seen many artists auction their digital piece and their collectors physical art pieces, bridging the NFT world and the physical space. The integration of DeFi into the art industry also allows for novel financial models, empowering artists to monetize their work through tokenization and decentralized platforms. Keep reading articles in this section to learn more about art on different blockchains, fine art marketplaces and generative art.