The art pieces in this article are being sold on OpenSea as unique 1 of 1 NFTs. Visit the first-ever Culture Pledge Crypto Art Sale to place a bid. Sale closes in 2 days!
Crypto artists have been making the news lately with their record-high selling NFT art, and more of the art world seems to be jumping on board. However, what does this mean for traditional artists who still like to paint and draw? Is there even a reason for them to continue?
“I don’t like crypto art,” says Lennox Robin, who is respected worldwide for creating children’s art with markers on used parchment paper. “It should be about just drawing and painting. Not learning how to be a computer whiz. That doesn’t seem fair.”
But some rising crypto artists beg to differ. Tobias Mobley, who has previously earned a reputation for carving erotic sculptures from peanut butter, has moved into the digital art realm and isn’t looking back. “Using a computer to make art is a lot less messy than peanut butter,” she said. “And the payment is more secure than paper money that’s probably gone through a washing machine a few times.”
A lot of other artists who had been struggling for years in the art world have suddenly realized their once-ignored ideas can now be turned into huge payouts. “I can’t believe my stick figure flip-animation on napkins has been bought by a collector,” says Pinky Thelms, who sold all 136 of the sequenced drawings for a total of $466,000 during a recent auction. Thelms tells us they plan to use some of this money to pay off their student debt for law school, which was their professional backup plan.
Why the Blockchain Art Marketplace?
Culture Pledge spoke not only to crypto artists, but also those who buy the art. “I love being the sole owner of a piece of digital art,” says a crypto art enthusiast who asked to be referred to as only YU.
But what is the appeal of owning these pixilated pictures? YU said these images make for great desktop themes. YU recently bought a unique work entitled Crow on a Sludgy Lava Lake by crypto artist Mobiathon through a blockchain art marketplace. “I open my laptop and people are like, ‘whoa… where’d you get that art?’ And I say, ‘do I have a story to tell you!'”
Sure, they could have downloaded art from pretty much anywhere for their desktop theme. But having a “certificate of authenticity” that comes with an NFT creates an uncontrollable urge to spend and brag about it on social media, explains YU from their small Toronto, Ontario studio (that also serves as their dining room and bedroom.)
For others gravitating to the digital art realm, it’s about allowing those without any traditional art training to make a buck. “Too long have skilled painters and photographers demanded top dollar for their masterworks,” explains Cornelius Whiteheart, a digital art collector who gave up on collecting paintings of barns. “I, for one, am glad that computer-savvy people who decided to be an artist a year ago can still out-earn everyone now.”
What’s Next for Crypto Artists and Traditional Galleries?
For Robin, who told us they were carving out a modest living with their parchment art, it might be time to pivot. That could mean making prints from their original parchment art to sell from an Esty store or something similar, they said. “I figure people will appreciate that it’s at least printed by a computer,” they added.
Meanwhile, traditional galleries are finding new ways to grab attention that is increasingly being given to crypto artists. “We are trying something crazy where we paint a mural on one of our exterior walls and then sell the whole wall,” explains Binny Topaz, owner of Why Can’t I? gallery in Thurmond, West Virginia. (The logistics of ownership after the sale are still being worked out, she adds.)
Others like the Museum of Sex in New York City are shamelessly using erotica to get people into their physical space, where you can look at eye-popping exhibits and apparently jump on giant inflated breasts in a bouncy house. But crypto artists like Mobley envision more market domination by digital creators. “Image a virtual Museum of Sex where you can exclusively own a kinky sculpture that you can look at on your phone anytime,” they mused.
Did you like this article? We hope so because it’s completely satirical, written by our contributing editor. April Fool’s! (The images are his own, played around with a bit with photo editing software. But you can still buy them.) While we’re excited by the emerging opportunities for crypto artists, we also proudly support traditional artists across all disciplines.
