Have you been to a museum recently?
A few weeks back, I was lucky enough to see the KAWS exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, which documents his remarkable rise. KAWS is an artist that epitomizes how to break into the art world “through the kitchen.” As a graffiti artist, he created his buzz and demand through collectibles, mostly in Japan, flipping and remixing pop culture with his lens and artistic POV.
Now, KAWS’s brand collaborations are instant classics. The lines for his drops are longer than any exhibit I’ve seen, and everyone is leaving with a bag.
Going into a museum for the first time in a year felt great! Brooklyn Museum was the same spot I went the night the world shut down. That was for the Studio 54 exhibit. What I would pay for a night at Studio 54 right now.
As the NFT market continues to emerge as the most exciting, explosive art and commerce development in modern times, utility becomes a bigger question. Lately, I’ve been thinking about the best venue to show them in; what is the right forum for them to be celebrated, traded, collected, and reviewed?
When music is attached, things change. How can you listen to them? It won’t be on Spotify or Apple Music for now. So the platforms that figure out how to play and display NFT’s will undoubtedly have a leg up in capturing this audience.
Digital museums sound interesting. After a year of “going” to virtual events and museum tours, I think a world where there are virtual museums sounds realistic. When you layer in VR and Oculus Rift, it’s even more enticing. With 35% of the storefronts in NYC empty (plus 12 hotels closed during Covid), the pop-up possibilities are plentiful.
A new immersive Van Gogh VR exhibit is nearing a sell-out, but I’m talking specifically about NFTs. Once we identify the types of venues that can share and display these pieces, I believe the art and music being created will change in kind.
We’ll see this soon. “The NFT Museum of Art” has a ring to it, but I imagine the most legendary NFT’s will live in the MoMA’s of the world.
On a sadder note, as the covid pandemic subsides, a pandemic of hate is taking its place. What’s happening to the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community is tragic. It goes without saying that these cultures are a vital part of the American fabric. The hate they are experiencing is a real problem that requires attention and action. With the world still forced to stay in and look inward, it’s a great time for everyone to check themselves and ensure we’re all doing everything we can to make continued progress toward social justice. We certainly want to shine our light on that mission.
Also published on Medium.