Opinion: Uncovering London Digital Art Week, Art Basel, and the buzz surrounding Martin Shkreli
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views and opinions of crypto.news’ editorial team.
Every week, crypto.news presents #hashtag hearsay, a column of rumors and stories that shape the crypto world. If you have any tips, hot gossip, or know of any parties (especially ones with free champagne), please contact Dorian Batycka at [email protected]
Dear Hearsay readers,
It has been a challenging week for me, feeling sad and down in London, which becomes a special kind of hell when the weather is terrible and you’re not in the mood. On a personal note, I have some exciting news to share—I will be moving back to Warsaw next week. So, all my crypto Polskis, please reach out!
But enough about that, let’s get to the gossip…
Is Martin Shkreli launching a new token?
“I have been working tirelessly with my ten colleagues, building a startup from scratch. We’re making progress and have attracted some top-notch investors,” Shkreli recently wrote about his latest project. However, there’s a catch. Shkreli complained that a fellow inmate he met in prison dumped five million tokens of the project that Shkreli had donated to him before the launch. This person then promoted the project in private Discord channels while simultaneously selling off his own tokens. Talk about being conned by someone you met in jail. Sheesh, poor ‘pharmabro’ just can’t catch a break.
Speaking of toxic individuals, Andrew Tate recently surprised everyone by expressing his support for Bitcoin on X. Yes, it’s true—the world’s most hated “how-to-be-a-man” expert tweeted his endorsement of Bitcoin while under house arrest in Romania. His reasoning? Bitcoin is a tool against tyranny! Although, in his case, it’s likely he’s using it for tax evasion.
Digital Art Week in London was a huge success, proving that NFTs are far from dead. They’re simply moving onto screens, like the incredibly thin digital displays called Ventana LED that I encountered at Ideaworks Experience. A champagne cocktail event was held there to celebrate the works of digital artists Yuma Yanagisawa and Ryan Koopmans in Mayfair. Koopmans is an established figure in the field of digital art photography, renowned for capturing the post-Soviet ruins in places like Georgia and Armenia. His landscapes beautifully convey the tension between life, death, and the ever-present cycle of rebirth.
Setting aside the remnants of the communist era, Yuga Labs recently announced a round of layoffs as the demand for profile picture NFTs seems to have declined. “Simply put, Yuga lost its way,” stated the CEO of Yuga Labs on X. “To reclaim our focus and find the right path, we need to become a smaller, more agile, and crypto-native team.” Ouch, it seems like profile picture NFTs have lost their appeal.
Here are a few things to look forward to:
The Digital Art Mile at the Art Basel fair from June 10-16. This event will mark the first-ever digitally focused section of the massive Art Basel fair in Switzerland. It will take place in Basel’s Rebgasse district, just a stone’s throw away from the main fair. The Digital Art Mile is being organized by web3 collectors and curators George Bak and Roger Haas. It will feature works by Basel veterans Tezos, as well as other galleries and crypto art initiatives focused on web3.
Additionally, the recent opening of the Venice Biennale in April seemed to lack digital offerings, except for Sam Spratt’s melancholic presentation of the Monument Game, organized and curated by 1OF1 (on view until June 23, 2024). Spratt’s latest creation in Venice includes original paintings and a game, demonstrating that digital art and its integration into video games and world-building represent a significant shift within the predominantly binary world of digital art history. Fascinating developments all around.
Speaking of the Venice Biennale, which I unfortunately missed due to token2049 in Dubai, Autism Capital perfectly captured my experience at most art/crypto events.
Jokes aside, NFTs are far from dead. They are like layers of dust and speculative manifestations of time and effort. They are rare collectibles and artworks—a digital symbol of care, signifying their importance and serving as a stamp of approval for generation netizens.
That’s all for this week, folks—stay curious, and don’t forget to take a break and enjoy the outdoors
Your humble author on a rare sunny day in London, England. April 30, 2024.
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