Blockchain Is A Subgenre of Electronic Art
We have come to a point in history where the human engine of creativity is merging with accelerated distributed networking systems, such as those in blockchain technology[1]. Much like the art movements in Dada and Fluxus, when the world began to make a change, humanities response came through artistic expression. First, this expression was in the classical artistic sense, with paintings embracing and cultivating the deepest corners of the mind. Now we have digital art, where reflection breezes past deep expression and into infinite accessibility on the internet. The explosive growth of digital art and 2-way communication in digital media gave rise to typologies of “electronic art.” This is not to be confused with digital art. “Often interactive and participatory, electronic art incorporates electronic components in the production or display of a work.”(6) Blockchain technology, as a medium, should be considered as a subgenre of electronic art, has the capability to overlay electronic information with physical entities and is just starting to be understood. Cryptocurrency[2] (as its first application use case) has proven its validity as a form of electronic art. Particularly, its ability to meld classical art with digital art.
Classical art, such as paintings, are enhanced with electronic augmentation and remain in physical space without duplication. This can be referred to as Recognition Art. Recognition Art can be signified as the new subgenre within the typology of electronic arts. Its significance as a subgenre rest in the medley of artistic expression, coupled with electronic designs that are computationally acknowledged by peer to peer networks[3]There are many bright minds in the technological space that are currently working on purely digital means of this application for Recognition Art. Many of these talented individuals collectively convene over digital spaces such as Github[4] to discuss and implement the variations of “Tokens”[5]. One variation of a Token is known as the “ERC-721”[6] standard. In this instance, “ERC-721 is a free, open standard that describes how to build non-fungible or unique tokens on the Ethereum blockchain[7]. While most tokens are fungible[8], ERC-721 tokens are all unique. Think of them like rare, one-of-a-kind collectibles.”(ERC721.org). If this token is exercised on a distributed network, which it is with Ethereum app CryptoKitties[9], then there is straightforward evidence for a blockchain being classified as Recognition Art. The ability for an electronic token, with individual properties, to reflect another digit entity to signify its “rareness”, token recognition, will reshape the internet in its totality. The ERC-721 system eliminated digital reproducibility, which is relevant when we disseminate intellectual property in physical or digital spaces.
Walter Benjamin, a renown German Philosopher, emphasizes critical concepts of reproducibility. This was years before any blockchain or cryptocurrency or token was a speck of thought. In his book, “The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility” he touches upon art as always having factors of reproducibility, even before the written word evolved through the Gutenberg printing press. He also explains how technology has increased our evolutionary speed and our ability of reproduction. Within his writing, a statement on impossibility for individuality in digital or electronic arts is important to discuss because of its relevance to how blockchain contest this theory. Benjamin states:
In even the most perfect reproduction, one thing is lacking: the here and now of the work of art-its unique existence in a particular place. It is this unique existence-and nothing else-that bears the mark of the history to which the work has been subject. This history includes changes to the physical structure of the work over time, together with any changes in ownership. Traces of the former can be detected only by chemical or physical analyses (which cannot be performed on a reproduction), while changes of ownership are part of a tradition which can be traced only from the standpoint of the original in its present location. Benjamin, 21
Many of his points about the authentic work of art still offer valuable insights. However, against Benjamin’s belief that digital artwork can never maintain the original print of art, there is potential for blockchain to attain perfect reproducibility, while allowing the ability to manifest recognition to the original print. This is the distinction for Recognition Art. It is important to learn from scholars like Benjamin so we can augment properties of blockchain technology and the relationship to Recognition Art within digital media and digital art; it is the antithesis to art duplication over the internet. This thinking will allow true innovation in distributed systems beyond the economic functions of a borderless currency. Blockchain and its ability to perform Recognition Art as a subgenre of electronic art do just that.
While our societies thirst for cyber discovery in distributed systems will propel us into a future that we cannot yet predict, there is evidence for a positive future in the blockchain space. Those responsible for its creation and adaptation need take these revelations and make them applicable to physical entities. Tokens types[10] ,such as the ERC-721 standard, are a store of value for the recognition of physical classical art, a physical entity. We can create a unique unit of value token on a blockchain that correlates to original art pieces circulating privately or at art exhibitions. Because the ERC-721 standard has an indexical relationship to “Rareness” meaning its ability for recognition of one token being separate from all others, the concept can be transferred onto a decentralized system. Where the unit of value correlates to a physical piece of art, as well as its value in the natural marketplace. Two well-known economist and bankers, Frederick Chen and Rebecca Regan, have written about ways to prevent art theft. They also use their knowledge in economics to discuss the statistics around value lost from black market theft. “More than 50,000 pieces of artwork are stolen each year around the world, and the black market for stolen art is valued at between $6 billion and $8 billion annually.”(Chen&Regan, Economist Talk Art). Theft is a problem that may never be fixed, since it is an issue beyond technology. There are ways to limit the amount of theft. Using a blockchain distributed ledger system, accommodated by a standard token such as the ERC-721 standard, there is serious potential to attach Recognition through distributed systems to stolen art pieces. Individuals, museums or galleries that had art stolen from them will still have their token, which is a representation that the art cannot be reproduced and signifies its ownership. The token is very valuable because, in this scenario, a thief in the black market cannot sell the artwork without the token. A token being deployed[11] on a blockchain cannot be duplicated with limited supply[12]. It would be nearly impossible for the thief to forge a false token or coin[13]. In such a situation, if a thief were to steal a physical art work, they would also have to infiltrate a person’s electronic wallet[14], which takes much more skill and is increasingly difficult. This is just one of many examples of how blockchain works as electronic art, or at least supports electronic art with recognition capabilities.
As the world grows increasingly connected and knowledgeable, new discoveries demand the ratification of academic journals. Blockchain is an example of the world discovering new methods. While there are many applications to be discussed regarding distributed systems like blockchain, its ability to alter digital information is essential. The fundamental ability gives digital art the same properties as physical classical art is historic in the age of computing. This is a form of electronic art and blockchain technology as a medium should be classified as a subgenre, Recognition Art.
Works Cited
Cryptographic, N/A. “ERC-721.” ERC-721, Anonymous, 1 Dec. 2017, erc721.org/.
Benjamin, Walter, et al. The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility, and Other Writings on Media. The Belknap Press of Harvard Univ. Press, 2008.
Frederick Chen, and Rebecca Regan. “WHY ARE THERE SO MANY ART THEFTS, AND WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THEM?” EconomistsTalkArt.org, Self Publish, 11 May 2017, economiststalkart.org/2016/05/31/why-are-there-so-many-art-thefts-and-what-can-be-done-about-them/.
Toby, Young. “Digital Arts: An Introduction to New Media (Cat Hope and John Ryan).” Dancecult: Journal of Electronic Dance Music Culture, Vol 9, Iss 1, Pp 102–104 (2017), no. 1, 2017, p. 102. EBSCOhost, doi:10.12801/1947–5403.2017.09.01.09.
DEFINITIONS
[1] Blockchain is a distributed data log that resides in the device of any member. All data being immutable.
[2] A peer to peer borderless electronic currency. Most blockchain have their own currency to maintain the database.
[3] Peer to Peer network is a type of computer network that isn’t hooked to a central server, but multiple servers in multiple devices.
[4] Github is a social network for software developers and computer scientist. They have the ability to share and implement code to one another.
[5] A token is a piece of digital currency on a network.
[6] ERC-721 is a Ethereum consensus-based rule book for the origination of a cryptocurrency. 721 stands for the number of add-ons it took to amend the rules and create this new token type. Very similar to the typologies of art.
[7] Ethereum Blockchain is a type of blockchain created by the Ethereum Organization. Their primary objective is to build Peer to Peer apps using cryptocurrency.
[8]Fungible is when every token is the same as every other token in a allotment of currency.
[9] CryptoKitties is an Ethereum app that is testing the ERC-721 standard as a videogame currency.
[10] Token type is a typology of cryptocurrency…it’s represented as a unit that can be synonymous with another asset.
[11] Deployed means a moment of activation when the blockchain is made public, deployment means the currency is active for trade.
[12] Limited Supply is a type of monetary policy for specific blockchains, typically for a blockchain that is geared toward limited assets.
[13] Duplication is when coins with a limited supply monetary policy cannot be duplicated because of the underlying code.
[14] Electronic wallet is where cryptocurrency can be stored, much like a real-world wallet.
