The interview with Alexander Beridze

Will Beauty Become a Medium for the Sacred in the Age of AI?

The Artist’s Opinion

Untitled, Mixed Media

News and research portals today are focused on the profound digital transformations of our lives. It’s impossible to be considered progressive without mentioning Artificial Intelligence's role in humanity's future. The creative world is grappling with existential questions: Where can we find motivation to paint, write texts or music, and more when AI already does it better and faster? Moreover, the audience of viewers, listeners, and readers seems to be on the verge of disappearing.

A relatively young direction in contemporary art, Science Art explores new forms of life and consciousness, with artists mastering scientific tools and methods of inquiry to create new images. A notable example is the experience of the Paris-based artist of Russian origin, Alexander Beridze. In search of answers to modern challenges, he uses the "old method" of canvas and paint, yet conceptually aligns with the objectives of Science Art and Neuro Art.

The Cultural Singularity project began discussing the questions of creativity in the age of Artificial Intelligence and new virtual worlds with Alexander Beridze as early as late autumn of 2024. Inspired by our discussion, the artist rewrote his manifesto, A Call to Beauty (1). The result of our discussions is presented in an interview with the artist.

CS: Based on the listing of your solo exhibitions, it’s clear that in recent years you’ve been exploring forms of consciousness. Scientists describe your works as “mental figurative.” Could you share more about this stage of your creative journey?

AB: I work in large series of 50–60 pieces each, and I never give titles to individual paintings or even to the series. However, in 2017, when I started a new series, by the third or fourth painting, I already knew it would be titled Reflection — from the French réfléchir (to think). I began publishing them on social media with the hashtag #reflection.

More than one year later, I was contacted by a large group of French scientists — mentalists, neurobiologists, psychologists, and philosophers — who came to Nice in 2018 for my first exhibition, organized with the Nice City Hall. They walked me from painting to painting like a child, explaining to me what I had painted. It was a truly astonishing experience.

The scientists told me they had been working with consciousness and the subconscious for over 25 years and had been forced to imagine how thought processes occur. With the advent of new equipment, such as MRT and advanced scanners, they had made significant progress in understanding the thinking process. When they saw my paintings, they realized my work aligned with their concepts.

Untitled, Mixed Media

As a result, the series was named Mental Figurative because, to the scientists, it wasn’t abstract but figurative, as clear and comprehensible as figurative art. Since then, I’ve been working to study and visualize how thought processes can be represented.

One of my new ideas emerged after a conversation with nuclear physicists who reminded me that thought processes don’t occur as electromagnetic impulses alone; they can be broken down via spectral analysis and associated with various colors. When neurons transmit electrical impulses, this involves the movement of ions across the neuron’s membrane, creating electrical potential. These impulses, or "spikes," manifest as voltage changes measurable through electroencephalography (EEG) or other neuroimaging methods.

Spectral analysis can be applied to study such signals. It allows complex electrical signals to be broken down into components with different frequencies. In the context of the brain, this means analyzing which frequencies (e.g., alpha, beta, gamma rhythms) dominate in certain brain states.

Now, about colors: while electrical impulses themselves have no color, data derived from spectral analysis can be visualized using colors to simplify interpretation. For instance, neuroimaging often employs heat maps or spectral diagrams, where different frequencies or levels of activity are assigned various colors. This enables the creation of visual representations that can be associated with brain activity.

CS: You’ve written a series of articles and manifestos outlining the state of art in the digital age. What are the main challenges facing the traditional art system today?

AB: Today, digital art, including NFTs and works created with the help of Artificial Intelligence, has given rise to a new aesthetic and type of art. However, the question arises: can digital art, especially that created by AI, convey the "sacred" feeling spoken of by great artists of the past?

Great works of art have always been valued for the spiritual spark the artist imbues in their creation. An artist doesn’t merely replicate reality; they convey their unique perspective, inner state, and emotions, infusing a part of their soul—perhaps even their pain, experiences, and hopes. This "living" energy is what makes a masterpiece magnetic and enigmatic.

A work created by a computer, even if technically flawless, often lacks this "inspiration." Artificial Intelligence can produce impressive visual effects, combine colors and forms, analyze millions of artworks, and mimic styles. However, it cannot experience joy, suffering, love, or any other human emotion that artists bring to their work.

The absence of emotional experience is one of the reasons digital art often feels devoid of the sacred. A computer creates based on algorithms and statistics, but it cannot "experience" or "live through" the creative process. This doesn’t make AI-generated art less interesting, but it leaves a sense of "emptiness" when one seeks a spiritual dimension in it.

Human art often carries the imprint of the artist’s personality. For example, Van Gogh expressed his inner turmoil through vibrant and impulsive brushstrokes, while Mark Rothko conveyed profound emotions through large color fields radiating tension. These nuances are challenging to replicate for AI, which lacks an inner world.

In traditional art, there is a concept of "spiritual energy" conveyed through the work. Many artists have spoken of a connection to higher forces they felt during the creative process. For some, the act of painting was akin to prayer—a way of understanding and expressing the world. AI does not seek meaning or reflect on its creation; it simply generates based on data.

In living art, there is room for chance and improvisation, guided by intuition and the moment. Many artists discovered something new in accidental brushstrokes, in "mistakes" that evoked a special feeling. A computer, creating with precision and predictability, lacks this element of serendipity.

Perhaps the future of art lies in the synthesis of the human and the digital. Artists can use digital tools as part of the process to enrich their vision or find new ways to interact with art. In this case, art created with the help of AI becomes a palette rather than an independent "author." The personal contribution of a human using new technologies can bring that same "spark" to digital art.

Some believe that digital art can acquire a "sacred" quality only when it transcends technicality. If an artist uses digital tools to express deep emotions and ideas, the resulting artwork can be meaningful. What matters is not so much the technique as the process and the artist's intent. Contemporary art reflects the era we live in. If it lacks spirituality, this may point to the technologization and rationalization of our world. However, humanity always seeks to infuse art with a touch of the profound and the ineffable, something beyond algorithms.

CS: If we consider a person’s real life as their artistic creation (with the individual being the creator), how would you describe their experience in the digital world, where most scenarios are crafted by programs? For example, in the metaverse, your actions are regulated and predetermined.

AB: That’s a fascinating question! If we view a person’s life as an artistic creation, their "digital reflection" in the metaverse indeed becomes a unique form of experience. It’s important to distinguish between two aspects: in the real world, a person truly is the author of their life, deciding where to go, whom to engage with, and which values to embrace. In the digital world, particularly in the metaverse and similar virtual spaces, scenarios and possibilities are often predesigned and constrained by algorithms and the architecture of the system.

You could say that the digital experience, unlike the real one, is less of an "authored" work and more of an interactive game following someone else’s script. It resembles a theatrical production where the individual is more of an actor than an author. There is a degree of freedom, but it is always within predefined boundaries.

From the “Transpsychology” series, Untitled, Mixed Media

What could we call this digital experience?

- "Simularistics" – derived from "simulation" and "art." Virtual life in the metaverse is a form of simulation art, where the individual interacts with pre-scripted scenarios. It’s an immersive experience in which one is a co-creator but always constrained by the framework of code and algorithms.

- "Interaction dramaturgy" – a term emphasizing that every person can make a personal contribution to the unfolding action, but that contribution is always tied to the predetermined structure. In the metaverse, like an actor in a play, the person chooses their role, style, and way of interacting, but cannot step outside the script.

- "Digital co-participation" – is another way to describe an experience where the individual is "embedded" in a pre-created world and interacts with it but does not fully control the events. They are not the author but participants in the process, with their actions confined to limited choices.

"Virtual Performance" — actions in the metaverse can be seen as akin to a performance, where individuals take on roles and personas predefined by the system. This is not "life" but a staged enactment, aimed more at entertainment and exploration than genuine creative self-expression.

Does digital experience lack depth?

Interestingly, even within predetermined boundaries, a person can bring in personal emotions, and this subjectivity sometimes creates a unique experience. However, by its very nature, such an experience remains limited, and this limitation is what fundamentally differentiates it from real life. We might call it "pseudo-creativity" or "pseudo-reality" because it imitates life but lacks genuine spontaneity and freedom. A person can express themselves, but it is always on someone else’s platform and by someone else’s rules.

Virtual worlds give us the illusion of choice, but this illusion does not make us true authors. In the metaverse, individuals do not create new possibilities; they only select from those provided to them. This fundamentally distinguishes the digital experience from real life. Freedom in the digital world is always "regulated freedom," whereas freedom in real life is far more unpredictable and unique.

Ultimately, the digital experience could be described as a kind of "staged art," where each individual is an actor participating in a performance. Unlike real life, where one truly crafts their own path, in the virtual world, one remains more of a performer within a script. This is what makes digital experiences less sacred and less profound.

CS: What, in your opinion, will happen to human consciousness in the era of virtual worlds? Can we speak of duality or division in this case? After all, being in both the physical and virtual worlds, a person experiences different realities with the same consciousness. This also raises the question of digital twins.

The central question is whether this will result in synthesis or division.

The era of virtual worlds and the creation of digital twins raises complex questions about the nature of human consciousness and identity. At first glance, simultaneously existing in two realities—physical and virtual—may seem like a division of experience. However, human consciousness can synthesize disparate aspects into a unified perception. Even when experiencing different realities in the physical and virtual worlds, a person tends to perceive this as a single stream of life. Virtual Reality, rather than dividing identity, tends to expand it.

That said, dissonance can arise: if virtual and physical realities begin to starkly contradict one another, consciousness may experience tension, which could feel like division. Losing touch with physical reality is a real risk, especially if virtual worlds become dominant for an individual.

The creation of digital twins adds another layer of complexity. If a digital twin merely assists with tasks, it is perceived as an extension of capabilities. However, if the twin begins to act autonomously or becomes a second "self," it raises questions about responsibility, freedom, and identity. The boundary between the real "self" and the virtual avatar may blur, especially if a person starts identifying with this twin.

Virtual worlds, on the one hand, open new forms of experience and self-expression. On the other hand, they can lead to fragmentation of the self if the interaction with different realities is too disconnected. The most likely scenario, however, is a synthesis of these worlds, where physical and virtual realities integrate into a unified hybrid consciousness, and the boundaries between them gradually dissolve.

This requires philosophical awareness: if part of the self lives in virtual space, where is the true "I"? What happens to human consciousness if it can fully exist in digital form? These changes will likely expand the nature of humanity rather than divide it, but it is crucial to remember that virtual reality is only a part of the broader picture of human existence.

CS: What, in your opinion, is the role of art in the future?

AB: As I am an artist and philosopher, this is a very important question for me. I see myself not only as an artist but also as a visionary. In today’s context, when many talk about the decline or stagnation of art, I see the need to return to “Beauty” and the “sacred” in art. In my opinion, this direction can help overcome the crisis that has separated the artist from their creation.

It reminds me of when science rejected philosophy—a serious mistake, in my view. Today, there is a similar alienation between the artist and their work. Art increasingly gravitates toward concepts, experiments, or mass culture, losing the personal and spiritual dimensions that once made it great.

I believe a return to Beauty and the sacred could become not just a new artistic movement but a philosophy essential for the modern world. In a time when technology and speed dominate, people lose touch with themselves and their deeper experiences. Art that addresses Beauty as a spiritual category can reconnect people with something greater, beyond the mundane.

This can help evoke the presence of something inexplicable yet vital. The artist must once again recognize their role as a visionary—not just a creator of forms, but a conduit for spiritual experience. This is the task I see for myself as an artist-philosopher.

Art has become technical and rationalized, seemingly devoid of soul. But the synthesis of philosophy and art can restore its meaning. Philosophy seeks truth, while art can embody it in visible form. Their union could once again become a powerful force, sparking reflections on the world and the self.

Sacred art might be the answer to the challenges of modern materialism and technocracy, which have accustomed us to seek meaning only in the visible and tangible. Yet, the spiritual dimension of art reminds us that true meaning transcends the material.

In this context, aesthetics becomes a medium for the sacred. The reaction to a work of art can awaken a state in a person akin to meditation or inner enlightenment. Through Beauty and the Sacred, art can find new life and help people rediscover the path to self-knowledge and spiritual growth.

Interview with Dmitri Dzhanhirov

by Anna Fiero

“I believe that AI will not be able to surpass chess programs in strength, because intellectual activity can only approximate the precision of a mathematically calculated algorithm for finding the strongest move, but not fully achieve it”. 

Dmitri Dzhanhirov is a candidate for the Master of Sports in Chess for the USSR and Ukraine and a National Master in the USA. For many years, he was the First Vice President of the Kyiv Chess Federation and organized 13 annual international Nabokov Memorial chess tournaments in Kyiv, featuring norms for International Master and Grandmaster titles. As part of these tournaments, he held chess problem-solving contests, serving as a jury member.  

Image created by ChatGPT

AF: It is commonly believed that AI has demonstrated itself most prominently in chess, far surpassing the strongest human players. Is that true? 

DD: This is indeed a popular opinion, but let’s analyze it. In chess, humans and chess programs, and AI, follow the fundamental principle of finding the strongest move in a given position. However, behind this seemingly simple task lie extremely complex algorithms for solving it.  Chess programs have undergone significant evolution—from the first program that played on a 6x6 board (without bishops) in 1952, to the first full-fledged chess program in 1957, to the first World Computer Chess Championship in 1974, where the strongest programs played at roughly the level of a third-category player. This journey continued through the first blitz victory against a world champion in 1994, the first classical game victory over a world champion in 1996, and the first match victory in a six-game series against a world champion (in all cases, Garry Kasparov was the defeated player).  In the 21st century, the strength of chess programs has far surpassed human capabilities, shifting the dynamic from competition to collaboration—players use chess programs to analyze their games and specific positions, prepare openings, and refine their endgame skills. At this point, computers have analyzed all endgames with seven or fewer pieces.  To train, chess players set chess programs to levels matching or slightly exceeding their playing strength.  Initially, it was believed that the development of computer programs would follow the path of mimicking human chess thought—creating an AI-like system (although the term AI existed, it was rarely used in reference to chess programs). In the 1960s–80s, with slow computer speeds, brute-force calculation ("brute force") was not sufficient for deep analysis of positions. Some researchers, notably former world champion Mikhail Botvinnik, attempted to model a "human" type of analysis, where many possible moves were preemptively discarded, significantly reducing the breadth of the decision tree and allowing deeper calculations.  Botvinnik set an ambitious goal: to create a program that played "grandmaster-level" chess.  His team improved the accuracy of position evaluation functions and developed the "Pioneer" program, which could solve complex chess studies (artificial positions requiring "White to win" or "White to draw") that other computer programs could not handle.  However, in practical play, "Pioneer" was weaker than existing chess engines. 

AF: As we understand, the "Pioneer" project, which was a prototype of AI, was shut down in 1994 after Botvinnik retired. 

DD: It wasn’t about Botvinnik himself. Unfortunately, the initially promising project turned out to be a dead end for computer chess development. The exponential increase in processor speed ended the debate about whether chess programs could model human thinking—brute force triumphed over AI prototypes, with calculation depth surpassing 20, then 30, and now 40 half-moves (a "half-move" is one move by White or Black; a "move" in chess consists of a White move followed by a Black response or vice versa).  Programmers, in collaboration with chess players, were left to improve position evaluation functions at the end of calculations. But at this point, there was no longer any talk of AI. 

AF: Let’s clarify—can modern AI play chess?  

DD: Recently, from January 8–14, 2025, well-known chess and AI popularizer Levy Rozman organized a tournament between seven popular chatbots and one of the strongest chess engines, Stockfish. In the final, Stockfish defeated ChatGPT.  However, the defining characteristic of this tournament was not Stockfish’s expected victory but rather that chatbots, after relatively reasonable opening play, began making nonsensical or even illegal moves:  - Their pieces made impossible moves;  - Chatbots attempted to move opponent’s pieces or "capture" their own;  - Chatbots placed new pieces on the board, etc.  It is important to note that opening databases and recommendations for early-game play are easily accessible online, and it is not difficult to train chatbots to reference endgame tablebases ("Lomonosov tables").  Researchers have even asked ChatGPT to checkmate in two moves in simple king-and-queen vs. king positions, yet the chatbot not only failed but also attempted to use additional pieces or announce a checkmate that wasn’t there.  However, the critical part of a chess game occurs after the opening phase and before the transition to a seven-piece endgame. Here, no access to chess literature or databases can substitute for the experience gained from playing and analyzing numerous games.  If we abandon brute force, we need algorithms that allow chatbots to learn to play in unfamiliar positions. Perhaps, if AI developers take up this challenge, they will find a worthy solution. And if chatbots learn to play chess through experience, it will validate the claim that chatbots are indeed AI. 

AF: What potential applications do you see for blockchain technology in chess? 

DD: Currently, I see two major directions for blockchain applications in chess. First, a decentralized chess platform where players can organize their own tournaments and matches—most importantly, on a commercial basis, with prize funds formed from entry fees. Naturally, this involves cryptocurrency wallets, integrating chess into the crypto industry.  Players can engage in numerous chess variants, create new ones, take lessons with coaches, give lectures, and more.  Today, the pioneer in this field is the crypto project Bit-Chess, which could become a strong competitor to major chess platforms like Chess.com and Lichess.  The second direction is anti-cheating measures, particularly preventing the use of chess engines during play. In 2020, Algorand developed a blockchain-based anti-cheating system.  The platform records and analyzes over a hundred parameters for each move, including time taken, biometric data of the player, and engine evaluation of the move. This data is stored in a decentralized database, allowing highly accurate detection of cheaters. 

AF: Can the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence be compared to that of a creator and their creation?  

DD: In many versions of this theme, the human has often turned out to be weaker than their own creation—this is an eternal story that has inspired and continues to inspire writers. In this particular case, I believe that AI will not be able to surpass chess programs in strength, because intellectual activity can only approximate the precision of a mathematically calculated algorithm for finding the strongest move, but not fully achieve it. However, what’s different is that the chess played by AI will be more “human” in spirit rather than purely computer-like. This means that AI, unlike standard computer programs, will be able to perform coaching functions and serve as a more valuable sparring partner for “organic” chess players.

The BOUNDING BOX project

“The Blockchain Technologies Applied To The Art World, Including NFTs, Seem Like A Logical Step In The Evolution Of Digital Art And Its Particular Economy”, Solimán López

Solimán López – a new media conceptual artist, driven by a passion for experimentation and the joy of exploration. For over 10 years, he has been experimenting with new technologies, exploring relevant topics such as natural resources, the balance between digital and physical, the expansion of human capabilities, and more. The geography of his projects is extensive, and it’s easier to name the places he hasn’t yet visited. CULTURAL SINGULARITY had to travel a long way to catch Solimán López in Peru, where he is preparing his participation in the exhibition MUNDO EXPANTIDO in collaboration with FUNDACIÓN TELEFONICA in the MUSEO DE ARTE DE LIMA. An interactive installation (BOUNDING BOX) explores the limits of the human body in artificial intelligence and digital culture. We hope that in the interview with Solimán López, we have confirmed the well-known opinion that an artist perceives the essence of cultural and technological breakthroughs decades before their transformative influence becomes evident. He builds models, or Noah's Arks, to meet the forthcoming change.  

The HARDDISKMUSEUM presentation

CS: In your work, you touch on complex philosophical themes of love, the material and immaterial, consciousness, relationships, etc. This requires immense internal work, research, and concentration. What inspires you?

SL: I suffer a lot observing the world we have built. A world that, for me, often makes no sense in many areas. From the fiction of money, the disconnection with nature, to the lack of respect for our fellow humans. This suffering overwhelms me at times and pushes me to try to find solutions. Obviously, the world is vast and complex, and these solutions are not easily achieved. It is then that I take refuge in art to rethink the world and the possibilities we have for the future. In other words, I am inspired by the society I live in, its crises, longings, and human conditions.

CS: As an artist working with new media, describe the opportunities that technologies offer you compared to traditional artistic means, such as painting, sculpture, or theater, for example.

SL: Working with technology, in any form, is in itself a way of viewing the world from a critical perspective on the results of human capability. From this perspective, the world extends enormously and the artist's figure with it, creating a very elongated shadow of material, conceptual, and technical possibilities. Ultimately, no type of art should have limits, but it is true that if we adhere to more objective and rigorous parameters, the adaptability, collaboration, and transversality of new media art are much broader than those of disciplines more attached to fine arts as we traditionally understand them. If we simply take as an example the multi-spatial capacity of certain new media or digital works, we quickly understand what I mean by the adaptation to the medium of new media art.

The MANIFESTO TERRICOLA project

CS: What technologies do you use in your work?

SL: At the beginning of my career, I started using everything related to image representation and its devices. Cameras of all kinds, recordings, sound and audiovisual records in their most extensive measure, and their relationship with the flat surfaces of photography and plastic art. After this period, my work took a very digital direction; the material began to disappoint me, and the digital, with its unlimited capacity for symbolic and representative representation, captivated me for several years. It was here that I wanted to return to the tangibility of the artwork and began to take more interest in biotechnology and blockchain, the 3D world, and interactive installations. In summary, my most common tools currently include three-dimensional digital technology, artificial intelligence, electronics, blockchain, and biotechnology.

CS: Tell us about your most successful projects.

SL: It is a very complicated question to answer. I am generally a very demanding person, and I extrapolate that to art. The HARDDISKMUSEUM is a project that perhaps I should mention. After 10 years, it is still alive and adding significant value. When I thought of making a digital art museum on a hard drive, I never thought it would go so far. The MANIFESTO TERRICOLA project is gaining significant relevance in my artistic environment as it somehow summarizes my concerns of recent years and appeals to humanity as a general entity with a message, in my opinion, relevant to our future. But I still think that my best work is yet to come.

The MANIFESTO TERRICOLA project

CS: I would like you to elaborate on the SELF/ICE^[1], project, which was presented this spring at NFT PARIS. Explain, please, the new possibilities that blockchain and NFT technologies offer you.

SL: For me, blockchain technologies applied to the art world, including NFTs, seem like a logical step in the evolution of digital art and its particular economy. When I founded the HARDDISKMUSEUM in 2015 or presented the FILE GENESIS exhibition in those same years, I had a general obsession with the intangible and the value of the digital. With these new technologies, we can limit those doubts as we couldn't before, and digital artists can finally acquire legitimate rights they never had. But my relationship with blockchain goes beyond that. I understand it as an extrapolation of nature as a concept. A place we must care for and value, and in which, if we cultivate, it should be from respect and the contribution of value. This conceptual relationship also extends to the literal connection between both worlds through the use of other codes such as DNA and digital information storage, a technique I already used for the aforementioned HARDDISKMUSEUM, the first museum in history stored in DNA, or the OLEA project, in which a blockchain token becomes DNA that is introduced into olive oil to create a kind of biotoken that lives in this wonderful liquid that was already used as currency in ancient Greece. Regarding SELF/ICE, the work had a main and very direct challenge: to open the gaze of an economic ecosystem towards what is truly important. We all know about the mixed opinions on cryptocurrencies and the speculative values around NFTs, but if there is a value that should never change, it is that of our planet and the severe consequences we are generating on it with our negligent activity. In this work, a large-format ice block melts before the audience's eyes, but it is a block equipped with a series of cameras that record the ice block itself and its decomposition through the concept of selfishness. This act is not detached from the digital economy, and with each passing minute, depending on the state of the ice block, the price of the NFTs (represented by the images captured in real-time) increases until the block is completely melted.

CS: How do you think the interaction between physical and digital art will develop?

SL: I believe that in the future, the distinction between analog and digital will become so thoroughly dissolved that we will even stop making a distinction. This issue has particularly concerned me, and I have worked on it extensively in various projects such as File Genesis, Framed Memory Card, How to disappear the Kosuth’s Chair, or the more recent OLEA or MANIFESTO TERRICOLA, in which these two worlds connect conceptually. After these experiences, I can say that biotechnology will be a crucial area of knowledge in the future of art and the relationship between the artist, the digital, the physical, and of course, the audience. In this sense, I imagine a future of art in which the body expands and becomes part of the work itself.

CS: Tell us about new ideas and projects you are currently working on.

SL: I am currently undertaking the third project of the MANIFESTO TERRICOLA trilogy, which began with the project of the same name developed in the Arctic, a conceptual piece where biotechnology, climate change, and digital preservation come together. The second project, INVISIBLE PEGASO, analyzes new life on other planets from sustainability and cooperation with nature’s perspective, no matter how extreme it may be. This project was developed in Chimborazo, Ecuador, the closest place to the sun on our planet. Finally, the project CAPSIDE takes me to the Colombian Amazon to develop a new conceptual work based on the idea of a biodiversity museum created with environmental DNA and replicated on the blockchain through the concept of digital twins. In between, there are always past works that are presented again, such as BOUNDING BOX, OLEA, CELESTE, or HIGH MESHES. In the near future, my interests are focused on projects related to space, new species on Earth as a result of our activity, and the re-reading of artificial intelligence from an ethically and energetically sustainable perspective.

The HIGH MESHES project

CS: Today, there is a lot of talk about total and irreversible digital processes, about the singularity. In your opinion, can technologies create new meanings?

SL: Technology has been mediating the course of humanity since its beginnings, changing our body morphology, our gut flora, our facial features, and our perspective on the world. I believe this will continue to happen. The critical gaze now needs to focus on how to empower society positively and peacefully so that access to these changes is for everyone and that future technology does not create a bias as it already does. People talk about the economy to refer to the metaphor that drives transactions in this world, but the real economy is, and always has been, technology itself.

^[1] SELF/ICE was recognized by the CULTURAL SINGULARITY among the top art projects presented at NFT Paris 2024

Museums Demonstrate the Early Stages of Blockchain Technology Adoption

Diane DRUBAY, one of the pioneers in art and technology, shared insights about experimenting with blockchain technology in the museum world.

CS: We are meeting with you regarding the recently announced 3rd Cohort of the educational project We Are Museums. The ideology of this project is close to the Cultural Singularity project, so I am organizing this conversation with great pleasure and enthusiasm. 

You can be called a missionary in the digital transformation of society. Share insights, please, on how ready society is to embrace fundamental changes in the era of the digital economy. Tell us about your project and its partners as well, please.

DD: 

It's interesting to see how museums have embraced technology, even going back to 2015 when the Museum of Applied Arts Vienna acquired "Event Listeners" by Dutch artist Harm van den Dorpela, displayed on Cointemporary.com. But the real surge happened in 2021. The British Museum, alongside others like the Uffizi Gallery and the Belvedere Museum, began selling digital replicas and fractionalizing artworks, showing a significant commitment of time and budget to these projects.

Comparing this to the slower uptake of Web 2.0, like when the Palace of Versailles launched its YouTube channel, shows a clear shift. Now, with Web 3.0, museums are eager to understand and utilize the potential of this technology to serve their missions. Initially focusing on fundraising in 2021, museums have since become more experimental, which is promising.

This led to the creation of the WAC Lab, a seasonal program aimed at helping museums adapt and experiment with blockchain technology. The program includes WAC Weekly discussions and a fellowship program offering training, mentoring, and coaching. The emphasis this year is on fostering critical thinking around blockchain in cultural contexts and understanding its legal, social, and ethical implications.

Practical examples of blockchain applications for museums, such as fundraising and audience engagement, are provided, along with the WAC Factory, an accelerator for developing Web3 projects in collaboration with museum teams and tech integrators over four weeks.

CS: What projects have been launched as a result of the first two sessions?

DD: In Season One, we collaborated with the LAS Art Foundation in Berlin. Working alongside artist Ian Cheng and a Tezos-based company (formerly known as TZ Connect), we created an immersive visitor experience integrated with an NFT project. This was part of Ian Cheng's exhibition "Life After BOB." Visitors embarked on a journey that began with providing their birth date and name on a tablet, receiving a personalized printed wristband, and culminating in the minting of a unique NFT artwork crafted by Ian Cheng. 

Now, let's talk about two projects from last year. First up, HEK (House of Electronic Arts) in Basel launched their NFT shop, allowing commissioned artists to produce and sell new artworks as NFTs through their platform, collaborating with Leander Herzog and fxhash^[1].

The second project involved the Musée d'Orsay, which developed a comprehensive Web3 strategy. They started with a simple yet impactful digital souvenir—a new product in the museum's shop, essentially a digital postcard available for purchase as an NFT of the exhibition. This initiative, with low setup costs and easy comprehension by museum staff, was well-received. Visitors could choose between two NFT options: a 3D object, which was the more popular choice, and an AI-generated picture of the Musée d'Orsay in the style of Van Gogh.

I want to highlight separately the Lumina project, showcased at the Musée d'Orsay in March. Created by digital artist Agoria, this interactive project allowed museum visitors to breathe life into digital objects on the blockchain using their breath. By scanning a barcode cast by the shadow of a physical object and blowing it on their phone, visitors created their digital artworks based on fragments of the museum's collection. The project resulted in the creation of 2,770 NFTs on the Tezos blockchain, which was a fantastic outcome.

Diane Drubay and Agoria at the stage of NFT Paris 2024

CS: Despite the French government motivating the culture to create immersive projects and explore the possibilities of blockchain technology, in my opinion, despite the recently announced 54 billion euros to support initiatives in this field, the most activity is still observed in the business environment, not in the culture sector. What do you think about this?

 DD: Cultural institutions and businesses have distinct objectives, primarily focusing on impact, education, and preservation for museums, unlike the profit-driven goals of businesses. The French government and the Ministry of Culture have played a significant role in supporting museums and the arts through events, debates, and funding.

Compared to fifteen years ago, museum teams today are more supportive and proactive in adopting new technologies, benefiting the cultural landscape in France. This support has led to the adoption of innovative technologies, such as immersive VR experiences like the one launched at the Musée d'Orsay's exhibition "Paris 1874: Inventer l’impressionnisme", and similar initiatives like "Le Monde Disparu" at the Natural History Museum in Paris.

This technology is not only groundbreaking but also gaining international recognition, with other museums and institutions globally following suit. France, in particular, has seen significant adoption of Web3 technologies, with projects at institutions like the Centre Pompidou, Opéra national de Paris, and Musée Granet in Aix-en-Provence being identified as iconic examples.

French museums are at the forefront of Web3 adoption, evident during events like NFT Paris, where the city transforms into a hub of Web3 and NFT art. The abundance of galleries, exhibitions, artist talks, and fairs showcases the thriving activity in the city.

CS: Tell us about the third session of your project We Are Museums. When it starts and how many museums are participating this time?

 DD: While it started in November with our weekly discussions, the third season of our fellowship program ran from February to March. We are about to start our project development phase called WAC Factory, where cultural institutions will collaborate with tech partners to build Web3 projects. What was truly remarkable this year was the diversity of our cohort. 24 museums coming from so many different countries - Columbia, Egypt, Ukraine, Canada, and so many countries in Europe as well. It is quite impressive in terms of diversity and different types of museums. We had the Van Gogh Museum in  Amsterdam,  the Château de Chambord, and Palais de Tokyo in France, the Science Museum in  Columbia,  the National  Gallery in  Ukraine,  etc.  

CS: What advice would you give to a museum, library, or archive general manager for digital projects on blockchain launching? And do you believe that every cultural institution should experiment in this direction?

DD: My advice is to address common misconceptions about blockchain by encouraging open dialogue within the team. Many believe it's environmentally harmful and overly speculative, or that NFTs are dead. These preconceptions hinder progress. Instead, managers should foster discussion, allowing team members to voice their concerns and critiques. Through dialogue and knowledge sharing, a shared understanding can emerge.

Despite headlines declaring the death of NFTs, practical applications like the digital souvenir at the Musée d'Orsay demonstrate the early stages of blockchain technology adoption. Starting with simple, understandable projects is key to overcoming fears and uncertainties. Experimentation leads to new challenges and opportunities, gradually building confidence and ambition.

Not every cultural institution needs to embrace blockchain technology. If current methods work efficiently, there's no need for complexity. The challenge lies in identifying how blockchain can add value without adding unnecessary complexity. Technology should simplify processes, not complicate them further. Thus, the focus should be on finding practical use cases where blockchain can truly enhance operations.

^[1]

https://www.fxhash.xyz

There is no Difference Between Digital Art and Digital Fashion Today

Sylvain Levy has created his own Metaverse to preserve the family art collection for the future. Having extensive experience in digital transition, the French businessman shared with Cultural Singularity his vision of modern challenges, comparing the responsibility of private collections with the functions of state institutions regarding cultural heritage. With over 350 works, the Levy family manages their funds, constantly exploring innovative opportunities. This new model is worthy of study and can serve as a template for museums and other institutions.

The artspace in the Metaverse, DSLcollection x Aika Art Strategy

CS: You are a French businessman who has managed to understand contemporary art and has chosen a rather exotic direction for creating a family collection, of Chinese contemporary art. You, along with your entire family, have been successful in this endeavor and have gained authority. For example, if someone were to ask who the collector of Chinese art in France is, your name would be first mentioned. It's also wonderful that we're meeting at a time when, according to the last ART Basel and UBS Art Market Report 2024, the Chinese art market has taken second place in the world after the USA. You guessed the trend. What would you say about your choice many years ago – was it the intuition of an entrepreneur or someone who keeps their finger on the pulse of contemporary art?

SL: First thing, I thank you very much for this discussion today.

Coming back to your question on DSLcollection, I think, first, it’s important to say that we've been collecting for 40 years. The DSLcollection was another way for us to look at an old collection. Why do we focus on Chinese contemporary art? Because when we went to China in 2005, we were shocked to see what was happening there at that moment, in terms of the development of the cities, speed, and scale. We do believed that art is one of the parts of what society offers, and that is why we were seeking the energy in Chinese contemporary art. It’s important to say, that Chinese art, Chinese culture is a 3,000-year-old culture. Also, last, but not least point out that there are 1,4 billion people in China to find an artist, the task is not simple. The idea was to make a collection at that moment which could resonate with our time. And resonating with our time meant several things. First, it was 2005, the beginning of YouTube, so resonating with our time meant also to look at how we could use digital tools to share our collection. Resonating with our time was also to create a brand because a motion of branding was becoming very important at that moment. Resonating with our time meant also to bring fresh eyes into the collection, especially the eyes of the new generation, the eyes of our daughter.

So, this was the mission and the vision that we had in 2005 to focus on Chinese contemporary art, to resonate with our time, and to give a legacy to the collection from the eyes of someone who belongs to this generation.

Life made us to be encounters, you encounter something, someone, or a situation that inspires you… We were inspired by the new challenge of collecting, it was important, that we had a clear vision of what we wanted the collection to be, and how we wanted the collection to move in these very special times, in which we're living.

Zhang Yexing.  HUNTING IN DREAMLAND-4, 303 x 300cm, Oil on canvas, 2014-2016, DSLcollection courtesy

CS: How do you position yourself, as a collector of physical art or digital one? What is the ratio of one to the other in your collection?

SL: It's a good question because I think it should be put into another type of context. First, you know, I was born, and I was living as homo sapiens at 100%. Now, I am “homo numericous”, especially because of computing, because of iPhones, and smartphones. I live a digital life now, like everyone. Digital has become a part of my real life now. It is not a virtual life yet. 

And I am concerned that we may have problems because there are a lot of things that we're doing today, going through this new digital life. So, this is the context. If you want to resonate with your time, and you must do it, it means bringing this context to the collection. 

Digital is a way to disseminate art.  And you cannot avoid this kind today of having this attitude. What is the part of the physical or digital in the collection?  There is no part.  What is important is to address the right people with the right situation with the right tools at the right moment and to move freely as digitally as physically.  What is more important today, is that is virtual, because we are moving not only through the digital world but also through the virtual world, it's very important today to be able to address physical, digital, and virtual.

CS: Thank you for a detailed explanation, sounds like the philosophy of your collection. I would like to return to the specifics of it. What are the peculiarities of interacting with Chinese artists? Do some of them live in France?

SL: People are interested in this connection. When we decided to create a collection of Chinese contemporary art, it was a big challenge for us. Because we lived in Paris, 8000 km from China, we did not speak the local language, and it was quite difficult. This is the first thing that I want to say because it's a totally different type of culture. The other thing, that was quite difficult was how to provide accessibility, how to address the question, having the differences of culture, and how to help the right people to help us to make a relevant collection.

Our first meetings were held in Paris with Chinese artists, living there. Later, we used the system, which is called in China as a “one-she system “for seeking artists. It means that we were recommending from one artist to another, and 40% of the collection was found in this way, by communication from one artist to another. The other way, we used to grow this collection, being in Paris, is to use WeChat. I looked through WeChat every day, it gave me the possibility to keep up with ongoing exhibitions in China, keep in touch with galleries and artists, and have access to artworks. The reality that was very important for us was this cultural part of the Chinese collection. We didn't want to make a collection through the eyes of the Western-looking at “Chineseness”. To avoid that, we spent a lot of time in China, we went there five times a year, my daughter and my son lived in China, and my brother still lives in China. Being there in different cities, was a way for us to better understand, what is behind Chinese contemporary art and culture. It was a time of luck and numerous encounters.

CS: Great experience! In the times of NFT hype, I had meetings with new kinds of collectors, which had appeared. Mostly, they did not know how many NFTs were in their collection, and they did not remember the author’s names or the titles of digital works also, except for the most well-known ones, such as Crypto Punks, of course. Usually, in this case of collecting, it is important to know the figure and the purchase amount for possible resale. And what about you? Do you know the names of the artists in your collection, their works, their sales histories, and exhibitions?

SL: I think that there are no good or bad collectors, good or bad ways to explain something. I think that art is becoming everything. Art is a luxury good, art is a financial asset, art is culture, art is a way to entertain yourself, art is a way to decorate your home, art is a way to experience other people, museums, etc. Art is becoming something very diffuse. And also, art as NFT. What does it mean for most of the people? Art NFT is mostly about the content in which theory is something called art, but it could be any other thing. Its content should relate to a type of community and, what is important in this community, is the motion of making money, and of crypto money, especially. So, the content of art inside, by itself, is not to be the core of this object. We collected two NFTs of Chinese artists, one from Liu Jiaying and the other from Yang Jiechang. But I am not convinced, that the art that is produced especially through crypto money, is something relevant for me, at this moment. Chinese artists are not using this new media as NFT, despite there being a lot of digital art in China. But one day, if it would be interesting for the DSLcollection, why not, it may be transformed into NFTs. So, we go step by step.

CS: Have you ever had a case in your practice where you could observe the creative and artistic growth of an artist whose works you had previously acquired?

I have a lot of such experiences. I may give you the names, of course. Art career is a very sensitive topic. Because it's becoming very difficult for an artist to build a career. Because artists are, more or less, like shooting stars. The history of art is very brutal, very few people remain. Artists move their careers differently, slower, or quicker. The important moment today is how the career is making, how you create your communication, especially how you use Instagram, another tool to make yourself visible to the community and collectors. And the importance is how you would manage yourself at the art market, especially at the secondary art market. In other words, it is not just to be skillful to make you last, it's much more difficult because of the competition, because of this time when things are super very quick in terms of being famous and also because of the new strategies that you have to apply to in terms of marketing and communication. What I may say, there is too much art for people, who collect.

CS: What role do emerging technologies play in the development and popularization of your collection? What new tasks do you solve with innovations?

SL: Well, once again, coming back to the core of the project. First, we wanted to resonate with our time. And, as I said to you, when we began this relationship in 2005, it was the beginning of YouTube, and so we felt that something new was happening with this Internet, and so we decided that YouTube was an emerging technology at that time, or emerging content, made a technology. We thought that it was a great way to look at how art can be disseminated through the Internet.

Later, it became mainstream, and different terms of emerging tools came. It was a Second life, it was the iPad, it was the virtual reality, it was the Metaverse, and it also artificial intelligence. So, once again, what is important? To serve on these various new tools and, as I said, very complementary. Tomorrow, perhaps, you will not use the computer anymore, we will be using special computing.  So, you know what is important is always to be open, learn, and learn, and do what you can do.

The strategy that we're talking about with DSLcollection, with my wife Dominique and my daughter Karen is to follow the emerging technology.

CS: Tell us about new important projects in this direction.

SL: Well, one of the projects that strongly touches me. Being inspired by the successful opening of our space in China, we opened the space in Kyiv in 2021. We were obliged to stop it because of the war. The creation of the special space, in Sansar, our Metaverse platform, gave a new digital form of life to the project. Artists, who made their artwork for the project, created a part of new history. This virtual exhibition is timeless, it will be accessible even in 5-10 years. Thus, by doing the Metaverse, we create new possibilities for the future. I see the same role of the Metaverse in the DSLcollection.

CS: Your experience in terms of experimenting with the Metaverse for your collection is very important. I think you are creating a kind of system, a new language of art presentation. In the future, it can be used by museums, for example, by other institutions. What do you think about this?

SL: The problem with the art institutions is that, first, we still believe that object is more important than experience. We still believe that people go to museums to contemplate, that they don't take into account the fact that human beings have really changed, that they are homo-sapiens and homo-numerous as well. The number of visitors is still a success rate for museums, which are focused on involving people to experience by their, museums’ rules. For me, it is not the game of our time. This is my first reaction. How can I bring them to look at our time, when they are not willing for this? The problem is here. This is connected, first, with the consciousness of people who work in museums and cultural institutions.

The other thing is a bureaucratic system. When you discuss some innovative projects with the art institutional world, especially museums, the decision is taken by many different types of people, from a director to his deputy, a lawyer, a PR manager, etc. And all of them have different opinions. To convince these people, you spend a lot of your time and energy. But usually, the proposed project is rejected by the institution, because it is not ready for new communication.

I don’t feel that it is a part of my mission. Another situation is in private collections because they are in the hands of people who are businessmen. They are reluctant to bring digital experiences into their journey to support their status as contemporary collectors. Especially, by using digital tools, e-commerce, by luxury industry, by caring for artists.

What is interesting, private collections have the same rules and attitudes as traditional institutions have. But private collectors are more related to the times we live in. I should say that namely, private institutions are more respective in that sense.

CS: We live in times when we can't keep up with changes in interaction, value systems, the digital economy, etc. Speaking of art, how do you think the market is evolving? The traditional art system is huge, how ready is it to adapt to the modern challenges of the digital world?

SL: If we speak about contemporary art today, I think it's important to speak about what it means today, to be an artist. You must be recognized as an artist in the art community, and the whole ecosystem, and you must not be an entrepreneur. Another question is your educational background. A doctor must be educated, to have the license. An artist, contrary, may not have a graduation today. I don’t know what it is to be an artist today. You need to know a lot, to feel life, you have to be curious about the way you move around your life.

If to return to the institutional world, I may give you a few examples.

Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, transforms their space with the support of the US government with 700 million dollars. And nothing was invested in creating a digital space. I am sure, that even 2 million dollars would be enough to design a virtual space, solving the problems of a number of visitors and providing new ways of museum experience. Contrary, there was the show in China, which was streaming at that moment. It gave 128 million visitors. Seven British museums have a total year attendance of about 40 million. The advantage of digital implementation is obvious.

Another example. Two billion people play video games, and this direction must be discovered to delve into. You need to go inside, and open new resources for our communication and our life, to create digital twins for museums. You need to be ready for the moment when digital screens will appear for mass adoption. I see the problem that when this happens, it can be too late because it will be a virtual world already.

But you see, fashion and more a digital fashion, it's more successful in its way.  Roblox and Sandbox are promoting some new fashions in their space. I see the ultimate actuality of art today. Once again, looking at the biggest fashion brands, such as Prada, LVMH, Cartier… Who is the biggest? People around the art or luxury brands? These brands are public, and they are also connected with art. They want to connect with their audience with the right message which is to bring art content into their own experiences. My opinion is that there is no difference between digital art and digital fashion today. It has finished.

The artspace in the Metaverse, DSLcollection x Aika Art Strategy

CS: The new generation of art collectors is significantly younger than their predecessors. What explains this?

SL: I think, there is a transformation of the young market. First, the part of online sales has grown very quickly, and it has grown because Generation Z, especially, is connected through art very critical online experiences. For them, the expenses are around 5,000 euros, a maximum of 10,000 euros, a very small amount of the project. They want to have something that resonates with their time. And what about the long-term collection for the future? It’s about flipping the flavor of the day. It's about the social way to be connected with other people in terms of what art is, it’s not at all which an object is important for them, but what the object brings to them. They don't care about the history of Art. It's not their problem. They are much more interested in how the artist is moving and staring on Instagram.

For them, it doesn't matter the questions of the future or the heritage.

Jia Aili. OUR CENTURY, 2007-2011, Oil on canvas- 1500cmx600cm, DSLcollection courtesy

CS: I would like to finish with a question about the future because all media speak about the future, digital technologies, innovation, new ways of life, new ways of communication, new ways of vision, etc.

What are the features of a collector in the future?

SL: You cannot tell what will happen before the end of this year in terms of politics, sociology, in terms of economy.  So, what does it mean to look at the future?  But mainly, what is important is today. It's another state of mind. It's to be a human. It's to adapt yourself, to push the boundaries, to be curious, to look at things in a relevant way. That's the way to move into the future. But for me, the future is also my life.

DSLcollection Catalogue: https://www.dslbook.com/dslbook/

That is how the DSLcollection makes its art fully accessible in Virtual Reality:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/aimie-ferry-sauvaire-9b7b4021_now-alive-in-the-metaverse-peace-was-activity-7179399006052044801-rgV4?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Cultural Singularity is pleased to announce the launch of its new project - the Cultural Singularity NFT Museum. The collection will be dedicated to French digital projects on the blockchain of the museum level. In the future, we will be able to present the history of NFTs in their development within French culture during the digital transition to Web3.

The Musée d'Orsay in Paris provides access to the largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artworks in the world. In the digital era, here is where the access code to the virtual world of the new Musée d'Orsay collection is created. Cultural Singularity sees symbolism in the fact that the NFT project "Code d'Orsay" by digital artist Agoria opens its digital fund.  

Screenshots of the NFT created by Cultural Singularity within the project “Code d'Orsay”

According to the NFT description, its fashioning restitutes the breath. Your breath is your artwork Σ Lumina and a part of the installation Σ Lumina was taking place at Musée d'Orsay. A free live minting was scheduled from February 13 to March, 10th, 2024. Breath, the vital essence, embodied our interconnection. It carried our shared heritage. It was a medium that helped Σ  Lumina to unite the physical and digital, the living with the coded.

“The voices of Orsay resonate with us, their breath becoming ours, landscaping our common creation.”

The artwork consists of masterpieces per 3.5%, blow skill per 3.2%, and lifetime per 98.3%.

NFT, which was minted by Cultural Singularity in the frames of the project “Le Code d’ORSAY’

We offer you a rare opportunity to join the transition from physical to digital. See how it unfolded.

NFT Paris: How to Mint a Code for the Future

On February 23-24, 2024, the primary European event in the realm of NFTs - NFT Paris - was held in Grand Palais Éphémère.

For the third year in a row, this event has become a platform for bringing together the crypto world, innovations, art, fashion, and the gaming industry. The main theme of the current NFT Paris can be described as discussing the challenges of the future in the era of blockchain, and the main achievement is the synergy of the traditional and crypto worlds. Upon its conclusion, NFT Paris inspired its numerous participants to new solutions in merging the digital and physical worlds.

The panel was created by NFT Paris 2024 visitors and participants

While there is no official release yet on the number of visitors and the variety of exhibitions and events within NFT Paris, we provide a short overview of it.

Having commenced in 2022, NFT Paris confidently garners attention from the industry not only in Europe but also globally. For the second time already, in 2023, the event drew 18,000 attendees. A notable trend is the increasing presence of representatives from the traditional institutional sector among the participants and speakers^[1].

Initial observations highlight key themes discussed on stage, encompassing the evolution of the digital economy, digital ecosystems, identification systems, the concept of twins (bridging physical and digital worlds), sustainability, widespread adoption, collaborations, creativity, education, and more. Noteworthy presentations spanned video games within the metaverse, NFT projects, art exhibitions, and practical business use cases. Among the memorable art projects are blockchain-based lifeforms "Plantoid" by researcher and artist Primavera de Filippi, SELF/ICE, an ice block linked to NFT,  by media artist Solimán López, a panel that was created by NFT Paris 2024 participants over two days, TOMBSTONE, the interactive project of transformation of traditional financial symbols tombstones into fully on-chain generative artworks, and others.

SELF/ICE by Solimán López

"Plantoid" by Primavera de Filippi

The discussion program on both stages was so diverse that it deserves a separate article. It's enough to note that leading brands and figures from the crypto world, marketing companies, video game brands, blockchain solutions businesses, the art community, and others discussed the most relevant ways for bringing together and interacting with physical and virtual projects using blockchain, artificial intelligence, and other innovations. Among the headliners were Ubisoft, Yuga Lubs, Bored Ape Yacht Club, Polygon, Solana, OpenSea, The Sandbox, Animoca Brands, Arianee, and others.

This year, the fashion industry notably featured, adding diversity and style to the event. The involvement of fashion industry leaders such as LVMH, CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, BULGARI, MUGLER, MONCLER, BREITLING, PANERAI, and others make serious efforts to engage future clients from the digital Generation Z.

The highlight of the event was the runway in the innovative phygital format performed by Digital Fashion Week. Models from 6 designers (Right Direction, Loreine Fashion, KAIMIN, Ecoolska хJessika Evans, and Stephen Vineburg) were been transforming into avatars (in the form of NFT) in THE SANDBOX metaverse during the runway.

The phygital runway, Digital Fashion Week Paris

The NFT Paris's standout moment was the unveiling of the art project "Le Code d'ORSAY" by digital artist Agoria at the Museé d’Orsay. Signifying a pivotal moment, the event included the attendance of a representative from one of France's national museums, Pierre-Emmanuel Lecerf, the General Administrator of the Museé d’Orsay. Known for its collection of 19th-century art, the museum is exploring NFTs as a means to broaden its audience. This project was realized thanks to We Are Museums strong team.

Starting from programming questions, NFT regulation, gaming topics, intellectual property, digital fashion, digital art, health, and the metaverse, the content of the main European NFT- event reflects all aspects of modern life.

This means only one thing: the digital economy is taking over new territories, and it is on the way to minting a code of the future.

^[1] Although the phenomenon of NFTs is still very young and not firmly established in the mainstream consciousness, specialized NFT events are already being held around the world. This movement is very active, gathering enthusiasts and pioneers of the new digital world on the blockchain around it. Since 2019, NFT New York as the first NFT event ever has been increasing its number of participants each year (from 500 in 2019 to 16,000 in 2022. In 2023, this project experienced a record-low attendance of around 6000).

Here is the link to Digital Fashion Week’s teaser :

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/claretattersall_nftparis-digitalfashionweek-thesandbox-activity-7166670739725602817-BK99?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Clare TATTERSALL: ‘In 10 years it will be very magical and very creative’

This February, Paris is capturing attention with iconic projects in the realms of fashion and technology. Alongside the traditional fashion shows, one of the main events in the world of NFTs - NFT Paris 2024 - is scheduled to take place here, along with the flagship project in digital fashion, Digital Fashion Week Paris. Leading up to the Digital Fashion Symposium PARIS, Cultural Singularity gained "first-hand" insights into the key and most vibrant events at the recently concluded Digital Fashion Week New York. The founder of this project, Clare TATTERSALL, also shared her vision for digital fashion and its future.  

CS: Thank you for finding the time to speak about the Digital Fashion Week New York that was held in the first decade in February. It is a significant event for the fashion world and a new audience of digital creators and enthusiasts. In this case, could you tell us about the concept behind the Digital Fashion Week project?

The Avatar of Clare TATTERSALL

 CT: Of course, Digital Fashion Week is about the digitalization of fashion, everything from concept to consumer. We operate under three pillars of thought: leadership, innovation, and creativity, and how we can bring these together. So, Digital Fashion Week is always changing. I started in 2020. My background is in fashion and digital fashion as well. I started that time with just virtual galleries, they were virtual gallery templates online. And I had one for wearable technology, one for digital fashion, and one for technology. Because we want people to understand the value of technology and put tech in the same places you could fashion.

You know, fashion is very sexy and glamorous, and people think tech is not so exciting and glamorous. Although now, already in 2024, that's a very old idea. I think people understand tech a lot more, we understand how it's involved in fashion and how it helps the storytelling of fashion.

So, now every season we grow and grow, and we've been in New York, London, and Paris, and we are doing our first event in Milan as well. In the major fashion capitals, we run in parallel with the traditional fashion weeks.  and keep on interested and available and looking at exciting options during these times. It provides a good place for us to be during the traditional Fashion Week.

CS: It was a good beginning, Clare. Perhaps, because of the strong initial idea of the DFW to contribute to the involvement of digital technologies in fashion, your project is developing and becoming more significant both in fashion and in innovations. Let us return to the event in New York. What are the distinctive features of DFW this year, at the New York stage?

CT: In New York, we had a hologram with live motion capture.  So, this was brought to us by Future Front Row. They're a team, a brilliant team based in Amsterdam. We also work with three design teams. Suza Vos and Harriet Davey were one team of creatives. Mutani and Martina Ponsoni and Stephy Fung. We had three different designers, and we also had an amazing ballerina, New York-based Lindsey L Miller. She performed using live motion capture but without a mo-capsule but with live motion capture then the avatar followed the dancer's movements. That was a highlight of our New York City event.

Hologram Show, Photo by Harry Umen, Dancer: Lindsey L Miller, Hologram by Future Front Row, Design shown by Mutani x Ponzoni

We also had four amazing designers as well, who are phygital designers. They were layering their digital and physical assets. These might seem like two completely different ideas, but what happens is what we're looking at. Why do we wear fashion? Fashion is about storytelling; fashion is about the individual layering their experience. I think it puts very much a focus on the consumer. The ballet dancer in the hologram was like the consumer, the ballet dancer Lindsey L Miller was doing well directing the dance. She was directing the avatars with her movements, very much like a consumer directing the fashion industry. The original designers on the runway as well, each of them has different digital assets because they all have a different brand vision. And I think this is a really important part of the conversation.

Because with the phygital designers, as we do tell them, you need to do this. We tell them ‘Bring your vision and we will make that happen’. Show us how you layer, and how you tell the story of your brand. How you tell the story of fashion. How you want the audience to experience your designs. But there is wearable and virtually wearable as an extension.

CS: Everything you've just described is about new practices and experiments with innovations. Tell us about educational programs, lectures, workshops, etc. at the event in New York in this regard.

CT: On the first day of the event there were talks, panel discussions, and exhibits. When we were curating that this season, we wanted to look at strategy and tactics, providing real, valuable information to the audience. The runway is about height, bits of that glamour, it's about beauty, it's about seeing things and seeing the beauty of how fashion and technology come together. The talks are the background. It's the thought leadership, the understanding of how we can move the fashion industry forward. We started with Matt Maher from M7 Innovations, and he was talking about how excellent innovations are a big focus of Apple Vision Pro, what can be done using Apple Vision Pro, and how this can revolutionize action. It also came with some really hard numbers about digital fashion, the number of people who are involved in digital fashion, the number of people who are in the gaming industry, and how much fashion has been sold in the gaming industry across different platforms. It was a lot of hard valuable information about digital fashion, or the fashion industry of digital assets, and how, where you can find and use them, and why you should, as a designer, enter this area. We also had Astrid Pilla who was demonstrating the Apple Vision Pro, and she created a virtual atelier and could guide people through this. One of the phygital designers followed the new and they were talking about their experiences in fashion, how they struggled that they had, and what they learned from this. Sharing the challenges that you have had the misunderstandings and how you come out the other side is really important for other designers. We want as many people as possible to avoid the pitfalls and just benefit. So, if we can share our challenges, we can help other people very much. We heard David Robustelli from Beyond Studios, Amsterdam, and he provided a beautiful AR experience on FIT^[1] that you can see a hoodie draped on the building and he was talking about the value and what you can do with AR as a fresh brand. I was impressed by the deep dive into that conceptually and very practically as well. I do want to go through more speakers than we had. It was the lecture from Epic Games, talking about the hard journey as both the creative and an engineer, and what Epic Games is doing in the fashion industry now, which is incredibly exciting. We had Tracy Greenan who was giving a quick master class on how to create assets in Roblox. A very big focus is on what designers, brands, and retailers can do. Some information, hard facts why, and steps for moving into that industry.

CS: Fashion designers have always been sensitive to the new, embodying new ideas and possibilities in their collections. Can it be said that digital collections and experiments have become a widespread trend today?

 СT: I don't think we can talk about all designers in one group. Some designers are very flexible. I think there is a list of designers who are purely digital, and very talented. There's also an A list of phygital designers as well, and there is an A list of designers. Some designers are purely physical and do not use digital assets at all. But we're going to talk about the digital and the digital designers.  So, these designers have risen to prominence, primarily because of their talent. But it is about both creative and technical talent. And now, I think it is so much harder for designers. There is so much more that they have to learn. It's a cocktail of technology.

But, you know, a pro-talent rises to the top. I do not believe any of these technologies are taking a designer's skills. They are not replacing a designer.  They are tools for a designer. So, a designer has to learn to use new technologies. These technologies just help them become more brilliant to showcase their talent in new ways, but they have to be nimble, they have to be agile, and they constantly have to learn new technology.

CS: Absolutely. And you are one of the first enthusiasts who form a new audience. Could you characterize the audience of the DFW? Are they primarily traditional fashion show attendees, crypto enthusiasts, game designers, or part of the video game community?

CT: It is playing people from different areas. Our audience is usually comprised of innovators and creatives in the Web3 industry, but also in Web2 as well. I think there's so much to learn, we all are moving into it.

I think the mystifying parts of Web3 and understanding the real value to us as individuals and brands, etc. is very important and exciting. We have a lot of people from the Web3 industry. We have a lot of people from the digital design industry, executives from the traditional industry and fashion industry, and we have executives from digital innovation and traditional fashion. We have a lot of people from education and decision-makers. There are a lot of professors, and people who are exploring technology in fashion in education. It shows how curious education is about staying relevant as well, and they have a very hard job at the moment to stay on top of all the changes in innovation.

CS: Is it plausible that the phygital format will evolve into the Metaverse and games later?

CT: Not all games are in the Metaverse. Some games are Web2, some games are Web3. We're partnering in France with Sandbox, a very exciting partner for many reasons. First, they have a creative economy, and they are very focused on the power of the individual. So, it is looking at the decentralization of influence in the game that they're very focused on independent designers being empowered to create new revenue streams for them. It is Web3, so, when you create something, you sell it, and you can see where it will be sold in the future and continue to gather revenue from retail. I think there are very exciting partners for us and the fashion industry in general.

CS: These processes of new digital economy creation in Web3 are already confidently progressing. And the younger generation is been prepared already for such new challenges. However you look at it, the caravan called Digital Fashion Week is approaching Paris. What highlights can we anticipate from DFWParis?

CT: The upcoming event is completely different, so NFT Paris invited us to do the runway during NFT Paris. Again, Sandbox is our partner, and this is a perfect partnership for fashion at NFT Parisbecause the fashion in Sandbox is in NFTs. It is again about the creative economy.

On a runway, all the designers are creating both digital items in Sandbox and the physical ones on the runway. We're showing parallel worlds while the models are on the runway. And just very highlighting what a valuable revenue stream this is for designers. And it fits perfectly with the NFT conversation.

CS: Let us imagine the future in 10 years. Share, please, your vision for fashion runways in the digital fashion realm at that time.

CT: I think it's impossible to predict in 10 years when we will be. If you look at 2021, everybody was talking about NFTs. In 2022, everybody was talking about the Metaverse. In 2003, everybody was talking about AI. I think to create an advantage in 10 years, I would be happy. So, you would be able to just prove me wrong.

I think there are some things we can foresee and there are some things we can hope for. I hope we will see a much more sustainable runway. I hope we will see a much more sustainable fashion industry. I think at the core of all our decisions must be less waste. Reduced carbon footprint and better if we should put the planet at the center of our decisions. I think this is slightly tangential to digital fashion, but digital fashion plays an important part in this story. It is not always sustainable, but I think we should be more and more sustainable.

I think we're going to see so many things that we see on the runway filter down to real life. I think this is both with real fashion and also with the use of technology as well. What I think we will see in 10 years is something that we cannot imagine right now. And I think it will be very magical and very creative.

I'm very inspired, so I look forward to seeing fashion in 10 years. I think it's going to be a lot of fun.

^[1] Fashion Institute of Technology, NY

links to the show at Digital Fashion Week New York 2024:

Links to the hologram show at Digital Fashion Week New York

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mutani_digitalfashionweek-fashiontech-innovation-activity-7163849472903479296-T3Vy?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/claretattersall_runway-runwayshow-fashionweek-activity-7164290637112983552-JXPu?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/claretattersall_runway-runwayshow-fashionweek-activity-7163900263517388800-8CX3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

The market of digital art on blockchain to grow to 10Bn$ by the end of 2024

At the beginning of the year, various analytical reports on the results of the past year emerge. At the NFT Factory, a specialized space in Paris for meetings and ideas exchange in the realm of innovations and NFTs, a discussion on digital art utilizing blockchain technology was held.

The report "Digital Art on Blockchains: The Next US$1 Trillion Asset Class", was presented by the Grail Capital investment and advisory firm on 08.02.2024.

Cultural Singularity conducted a quick interview on the digital processes with one of the speakers, Jean-Michel Pailhon, co-founder and Chief Investment Officer at Grail Capital.

The photo was provided by Grain Capital

CS: How long has your organization been researching the digital market?

JMP: Grail Capital has been set up in February 2023 so that’s only for a year that we’re doing it professionally and full-time. But Tim (Salikhov, my co-founder) and I (Jean-Michel Pailhon) have been collecting digital art on blockchains (most of the time coined as “NFT art”) since 2021 and 2020, respectively. As we both come with an investor background, we’ve always approached our digital art collection from a cultural and investment standpoint. Therefore, our collection and investment approach as well as our database of artworks and artists are 3 years old.

CS: On which blockchains is the situation most active in digital art?

JMP: As of the end of December 2023, Ethereum-based digital art is still the largest by a significant margin: representing 85-90% of total NFT art market capitalization and 75% of all-time volumes. The situation has nevertheless evolved in the last 2-3 months of 2023 where Bitcoin / Ordinals and Solana-based digital art and collectibles markets saw a massive increase in activity. In December 2023, Grail Capital estimated that 40% of the volume took place on Bitcoin / Ordinals, 35% on Ethereum and 20% on Solana.

CS: In your presentation, you highlighted two main directions in digital art today – generative art and AI-driven art. Could you please characterize the dynamics of both directions and their prospects and peculiarities?

JMP: Those two segments of the digital art market on blockchains (Generative art and AI art) have two different past trajectories but they are somehow related. Both are art currents that existed before the NFT era, but they’ve found their perfect medium of creation, storage, and distribution (transfer) of their digitally native artistic creation thanks to the non-fungible technology. Before NFT, both would exist but their display, rarity check, provenance guarantee, and distribution capacity were experiencing lots of friction. Those were strong blockers to their actual growth in cultural significance and therefore in economic value.

In 2021 for Generative Art and 2023 for AI art, we saw a new generation of collectors entering the market and starting to collect NFT-based collections that they immediately recognized as iconic, culturally significant, and museum-ready.

The AI art segment took more time to get recognized by collectors and it was only at the start of 2023 that the growth in popularity of ChatGPT and MidJourney (among others Large Language Models based IA software) led to AI art collections from the previous years (2018-2022) gaining large attention and price appreciations. Collectors have basically bet on the pioneers of the art movement, before it was easy to create art with an AI tool, basically.

CS: What advantages of the metaverse do you see for the artistic environment? Could you name the pioneers of the AI and generative art scene? Who are the digital artists of today who attract attention and are most active?

JMP: The metaverse might have generated a lot of expectations in 2020 and 2021, with an experience that so far failed to really be seen as game-changing for digital art and culture. But if the experience is not yet “as good as” in real life, we can expect that the continuous progress in AR and VR technologies (such as the recent Apple Vision Pro) in the coming years will contribute to - finally - the emergence of a fully immersive metaverse experience for art and culture that really compete with on-site visits.

There are many generative and AI digital artists on blockchains who attract the attention of the public, art institutions, auction houses, and collectors. We can arbitrarily name Tyler Hobbs, Refik Anadol, Claire Silver, Robbie Barrat, Erik Calderon (aka Snowfro), Dmitri Cherniak, and Roope Rainisto. But many more are building great art in digital form (and sometimes also in more traditional forms) that might enter the greatest collections of both museums and art collectors in the coming decades like Emily Xie, William Mapan, Matt Kane, Pindar Van Arman and so many more that I forget.

CS: Which of the existing metaverses are most actively attracting digital artists to implement projects in their virtual environments?

JMP: After a growth in interest in 2020 (because of Covid) and in 2021 (because of the NFT discovery bubble), metaverses for art have lost traction, and apart from a few artists and collections who are still using them, I don’t know a lot of active and really dynamic projects going on there. It might change in the (near) future, obviously, especially with the arrival of new AR and VR technology that rapidly gains mass market adoption.

CS: How do you understand Singularity and when it may come?

JMP: If we take the definition of Singularity as the point in time when advances in AI can create machines that are smarter than humans, it seems we might be seeing this in the next 10 years. I don’t have any crystal ball though and I like to see myself as an optimist technologist, who believes technology can do good (and has - mostly - done so since we went out of our caves ten thousand years ago). So, I’m just a spectator there and it looks as if the World has many other problems right now that are only created by human beings. So, I tend to believe that technology might be able to solve some of our biggest challenges, especially if it is smart enough to outpace us in many fields.

CS: How would you describe in short, the situation in digital art and culture at the beginning of 2024? What are real scenarios?

JMP: In early 2024, the situation for digital art and culture on blockchains is relatively like moments in history after other art currents’ emergence and technological breakthroughs: a quieter moment for creators, collectors, and institutions.

CS: Can you predict some growth in the market?

JMP: After a buoyant 2021 and two very difficult years (2022 and 2023 until the end of June) we have seen more good news coming up in the sector and we see many interesting digital art projects, exhibitions at international art fairs and collectors donating digital artworks to museums permanent collections.

The digital art and culture market on Ethereum was 7Bn$ at the end of 2023 on adjusted market cap terms. We expect the market to grow to 10Bn$ by the end of 2024.

by Aida Dzhanhirova

For a year, while holding the position of Mission Officer for the study of the Metaverse and Non-Fungible Tokens, I have been studying the Web 3 situation and blockchain projects and  considering their potential integration into the roadmap of the National Library of France (BnF). This rich experience helped me immerse myself in the French institutional world and unexpected aspects for further research. The news that the BnF’s attendance is increasing inspired me to write this article.

Summing up the year 2023, the National Library of France (BnF) announced its new record, confidently positioning itself as one of the most visited libraries in the world, as almost 1 million 450 thousand people visited the library during the year. This is the natural result of the fact that this institution has been engaged in computerization and dematerialization of its collections and services for the past few decades. Transforming itself into an information hub, the library inadvertently becomes an increasingly important resource for the digital economy.

Today, when the connection between AI experiments and blockchain technology is not obvious in the library field, I suggest looking into possible future scenarios in the industry from a different perspective, namely, from the world of fiction.

I would like to draw your attention to the dystopian novel  "Snow Crash,"^[1] by the American writer Neal Stephenson, who coined the term 'metaverse' while intricately depicting life in the virtual world. In Stephenson's novel the central plot revolves around a library which, by the 21st century, has transitioned from preserving physical books to creating a digital repository of information — the crucial asset in the new digital economy. The main hero, Hiro Protagonist, mines various pieces of information and sells them to the Central Intelligence Corporation, an institution formed by the merger of the Central Intelligence Agency and the Library of Congress. It is noteworthy that the library world in the Snow Crash exists mostly in digital format, in the Metaverse, and the figure of the all-knowing librarian is a digital image, a hologram. Apparently, in the real world, its "prehistoric" analog is the chatbot. As is known, chatbots have already become one of the most convenient communication tools with consumers almost everywhere nowadays. It is relevant to recall the experiment of the National Library of France with the chatbot, where visitors could interact with Don Juan, one of the best known protagonists of Molière, the famous French playwright of the 17^th century^[2].

It seems important to point out that, in the library sphere, there exists a clear understanding that this profession is evolving very rapidly to keep up with new AI opportunities. Moreover, librarians highlight the guarantee of the information authenticity and preservation, incorporating, for this purpose, all sorts of new AI-based methods into their services. The well-preserved information about the origin and development of language, starting from the Sumerian culture to the Babel myth, Jesus Christ's teaching, etc., proved to be very useful for Hiro Protagonist in the afore-mentioned novel. Knowledge, information and data - all of these turned out to be the key to unravel the plan of a certain L. Bob Rife, the media magnate and the owner of a private church, to spread a metavirus that compels any system to infect itself with new viruses continually.

Who knows how the carefully curated and systematically described collection of video games stored at the BnF might be useful in this context in the Future? The Library's holdings include video games from all generations, spanning from the mid-20th century to the present day, encompassing all relevant gaming consoles.

The BnF’s experiments conducted by using AI in handwriting recognition in musical manuscripts and image recognition are equally valuable. For instance, the GallicaSnoop resource allows searching for images of women on bicycles in newspapers from the 1930s, spotting monkeys in the margins of medieval illuminated manuscripts, identifying various vehicles designed for walking on water, and so on.

The current state of library affairs can be characterized as the beginning of the industrialization of its services using generative AI, following many years of experimentation with AI. In this respect, Asian libraries are currently ahead. A few noteworthy experiments in the library domain have already been initiated. Firstly, the Lingang Digital Technology Library boldly announced its intention to be the first to showcase its book collection in the Metaverse in October 2022. The underlying idea is to leverage new technologies to enhance the interaction between individuals and information^[3].

Secondly, the National Library Board of Singapore, overseen by the Ministry of Communication and Information, aligns with the country's policy to emerge as a leading global innovation hub. Their initiatives include conferences, diverse learning programs focused on the latest innovations for the populace, and more. Of particular relevance to this discussion is the National Library Board of Singapore's website, featuring a dedicated page with comprehensive information about the Metaverse^[4]. Undoubtedly, promoting knowledge in Web 3 and exploring the possibilities of the virtual world reflects a more responsible and forward-thinking approach on the part of institutional leaders in implementing innovations. This is a direct result of governmental strategies to prioritize preserving information in contemporary ways.

As digital services evolve, the library sector plays an increasingly significant role in the digital economy, incorporating generative AI, which is considered to be the most significant revolution since the invention of mobile technology. Experts assume that generative AI will profoundly transform all aspects of the value chain: marketing, content, payment, inventory, delivery optimization, etc. This indicates that generative AI will be foundational for the future. Needless to say that AI, IoT, and blockchain are the main tools of the Metaverse.

In the fantasies of Neal Stephenson's novel "Snow Crash,"written in 1992, the Metaverse is presented almost as it is understood today in professional circles. The American author used, without doubt, the American Library of Congress. as a prototype. But it is significant that it was just in 1992, the year of publishing Neal Stephenson's book, that the National Library of France began digitizing the first hundred books from its collections. The Library of Congress started doing the same only two years later.

This passage is just a tribute to the BnF’s visionaries of the 1990s. However, at the same time, it is a present-day challenge. There are a lot of contemporary digital files of information which have to be systematized and securely preserved — the social networks files, immersive projects and projects using blockchain technology.

Information, as the obverse and reverse of a medal, can turn into a destructive virus, but it can serve as a salvation code for human purposes and progress. The question is how to get prepared for the successful digital transition. There is no time to be lost.

^[1] Bantam Books (US), 1992

^[2] The chatbot was installed as part of an exhibition dedicated to the 400th anniversary of Molière in the renovated building of the Richelieu Palace (one of the sites of the BnF) in the fall of 2022, Paris

^[3] https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1011626 

^[4] https://sure.nlb.gov.sg/read-to-be-sure-volume-2/issue2-metaverse/

The distinctive feature of today's scientific and technological progress is its speed. Top managers of the ‘old cultural world’ are not always able to adapt to new challenges in time. Numerous projects of traditional institutions in VR, AR, AI, blockchain technology, NFTs, and the Metaverse often declared revolutionary at a launch moment but either lack continuation or quickly lose relevance shortly after implementation. Such a leap to the point of no return, in the speed and complexity of technical progress, which is becoming less accessible to humans, is known as technological singularity. Cultural singularity1, as an ‘intellectual explosion’ in the cultural environment backed by the technological leap, enters the world of humans almost unnoticed by their consciousness. And the key challenge is if the traditional paradigm succeeds to adapt to new digital experiences.

Earlier, the ancient Greek fabulist Aesop observed the human tendency to reject an impossible task and justify such a decision by deeming it futile. In his fable The Fox and the Grapes, a hungry Fox walks away on its own, dismissing the grapes as sour.

Facing the brave new world of the Metaverse, one can still change the old approach and meet the challenges of innovation.

The Church's Experience

The breakthrough revolutionary shift that defines the current state of society is the digital revolution that began in the 1980s. The advent of the internet radically changed the way people interact. The reaction to this tectonic shift in communication is particularly interesting within the most conservative social institution - the Church, as there was a natural risk of biblical caution about ‘New Wine in Old Wineskins.’2

The picture was generated by DALL-E

In 2002, a key document was published by the Vatican, outlining the Holy See's position regarding the Internet and the role of state institutions in the context of new means of mass media and communication3. In general, the Pontifical Council for Social Communications welcomes ‘earthly progress’ if it is crucial for the Kingdom of God and if it contributes to the expansion and enrichment of the human mind.

‘At the same time, the Council has placed Individuals on the forefront of the stage of our lives: ‘the media has the ability to make every person everywhere a partner in the business of the human race’ [5].

Regarding innovations such as blockchain, the Metaverse, and NFTs, there are different approaches within the Church. In the social doctrine proposed by the Orthodox branch of Christianity, the position is more radical. The Patriarchate of Constantinople, in the document ‘For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church,' acknowledges the inevitability of the introduction and development of parallel digital worlds but, at the same time, expresses concern that they 'stimulate im-moral and egocentric behavior' (§70)4. This, in turn, leads to an identity crisis. And the splitting of personality is already a reference to diabolical influences.

The Catholic branch of Christianity demonstrates greater flexibility, embracing experimentation. Plans were announced for the Vatican Apostolic Library to use blockchain and NFT technologies to digitize its collection of manuscripts, books, and historical documents. In May 2022, news pages were abuzz with reports of the Vatican's plans to create an NFT gallery in the Metaverse.

Less centralized Protestant churches boldly employ artificial intelligence. A young German theologian, Jonas Simmerlein, experimented with one of the basic tools of the parallel digital world - neural networks. In the Lutheran church in the Bavarian town of Fürth, over 300 parishioners listened to a prayer broadcast by a 'digital priest' in the form of a black pastor in the summer of 20235.

All this indicates that, despite the contradictory position towards digital processes and technological progress, the unprecedented experiment with Individuality in the conditions of the Metaverse is not doubted by the Church. The Pontifical Council, even with respect to Web2, placed significant responsibility on state institutions. Their function is to create and maintain such websites. 'Cyberspace should be a resource of comprehensive information and services available to all free of charge and in a wide range of languages [10].

In the situation of Web2, where users interact with each other while facing a screen (computer, smartphone, iPad), it can be acknowledged that state institutions, with the task of regulation, generally cope. But regarding blockchain, NFTs, the Metaverse, and Web3, where in the virtual world, everyone becomes a participant 'behind the screen,' the situation is so unstudied and unregulated that the best decision (from the officials' point of view) should make by leaders of the institutional state world is 'to make no decision.' And this is understandable, as processes in the new digital environment are still not legislatively regulated, there is no accepted terminology and understanding of even basic questions, for example - how can an avatar in the Metaverse be correlated with a specific person?

The Experience of the State

The state, like Aesop's Fox, still appears helpless. The main reason is the semantic contradiction between the tasks of the 'old' structure of society, the key element of which is the state, and the newly born but rapidly growing new virtual world. The idea of the former is the centralization of crucial social functions, while decentralization is the foundational principle of the latter.

The picture was generated by DALL-E

While leaders of state institutions await the introduction of national digital currencies, the adoption of new laws on digital assets, and detailed regulatory instructions, the situation in the virtual world relentlessly moves far ahead, leaving behind the yesterday's and day-before-yesterday's problems of the old hierarchical world. For example, all without exception state and non-state institutions, whose task is to systematize and preserve artifacts of their time, today cannot answer several questions.

How to record and preserve the writings of bloggers?
How to store NFTs, and is it necessary at all?
How to preserve immersive projects?
What knowledge should specialists possess for such tasks?

The role of a state institution is to act as a guarantor of preserving key information critical for the existence and development of society.

But do these institutions have enough knowledge about the world of innovations for this? Are their employees ready to consider the Metaverse as part of their professional duties?"

The Gap Between Systems

We know that there is no new without the old. Therefore, the new virtual world of the Metaverse is being created based on models of the 'old' real world. Using the terms 'old' and 'traditional,' crypto activists boldly introduce different meanings. For example, during the early days of blockchain, there were already companies positioning their activities as blockchain art. However, these companies were involved in selling precious stones, using this new technology.

In the Metaverse, Cryptovoxels introduced the Alexandria Library in 20176; resources for books on the blockchain (books about blockchain) are being created, art festivals, music festivals, and fashion shows are held, and there are already authorities among collectors of new digital art, such as Cozomo de Medici or Vincent Van Dough (with a direct reference to authorities of the old cultural world).

Today, the principles of selection and cataloging in NFT museums are unlikely to be systematically structured. However, numerous blockchain forums enthusiastically discuss NFT art issues, with almost no involvement from people close not only to art but at least to culture in a broad sense. This is a side effect of speculation on NFTs and their million-dollar sales in 2020-2021. NFT art was then sold by lawyers, economists, marketers, etc. Later, the art system woke up and included this new segment, introducing it into festivals, biennials, fairs, etc. These examples are given to illustrate the semantic gap between two systems - centralized and decentralized.

For the centralized, 'old system’ of the real world, the question of whether it needs to interact with the new digital 3D reality is still open. But for the decentralized world, the question is not posed this way; the answer is always 'yes,' as any interaction increases the digital project's capitalization.

Fashion Experience

The picture was generated by DALL-E

The digital world lives its own life, and we see the most vivid examples in the segment of digital fashion. The Silicon Valley based Metaverse Fashion Council is creating a new community, Commonwealth as they put it, based on DAO principles7, relying on the rich experience of the traditional world. Its ideology is based on a deep philosophical approach and the development of modern concepts such as fashion singularity and cultural singularity. Being the biggest community in the metaverse fashion this initiative already influences all the nascent society of web3 pioneers.

Various collaborations of major fashion brands implement bold projects in the phygital direction (Nike, Adidas, Diesel, Sephora, etc.). This tells us that brands understand their competitive advantage in the digital world and prefer to allocate budgets for experiments in this environment, at least to have their own experience.

If fashion is mentioned, it is reasonable to add another case that can provide new cultural contexts in the digital world. Premium French brands such as Céline and Zadig & Voltaire are active in innovation. They have inadvertently 'appropriated' these names from the literary world. And if we assume that these brands enter the world of the Metaverse, then surely their names will not evoke associations with traditional culture. After an aesthetic video shot in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, the Céline brand will be remembered, at best, with a beautiful model sensually taking a weighty volume with flashy gold letters Celine from the shelves, rather than with the name of a modern French writer.

As for Zadig & Voltaire, if it starts selling digital clothing in the Metaverse, it will surely not inspire a desire to read philosophical tales about the wise Zadig by the French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire. But in the virtual world, these names will retain the right to be the first association with fashion brands.

What can the public sector do in such a situation?

Not only distribute grants for bold immersive projects but also emphasize the establishment of pop-up laboratories within institutions, including specialized experts and business representatives. Moreover, such groups should be part of the organization's staff. This is the best recipe for achieving results, taking into account the interests and internal structure of each institution based on its tasks. Otherwise, the often average and clumsy utilization of innovations proposes a uniform implementation scheme for their projects, disregarding the specifics and intricate nuances of the bureaucratic world. As a result, we observe numerous launches of NFT projects measured along the same line. Most often, such project lines lack development, and unsuccessful experiences are simply labeled as experiments. However, there may be instances where a project is implemented on a platform that eventually ceases to exist, and all digital traces of its projects simply disappear. In such cases, ready-made tools for storing digital files could be useful for institutions responsible for this "for the record."

Speaking of the Metaverse as a digital evolving world, it is important to note some of its key features. This includes decentralization, a cryptocurrency-based economy (the term DeFi has emerged), avatar interactions, and a live experience happening in real-time and intersecting in both the real and virtual worlds. With the advent of blockchain technology, all items in games have become digital assets. The opportunity to earn in the blockchain gaming world has become the most attractive. According to the software platform Influencing Marketing Hub, the gaming environment in the Metaverse is growing by more than 400 million users per month, largely due to teenagers8.

Every parent should know that if their child plays games like Decentraland, Sandbox, Axie Infinity, Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft, etc., they are already familiar with the digital world of the Metaverse. This means that for the younger generation, the most comfortable and familiar environment is the virtual one. And this generation will soon become the core audience of universities, libraries, museums, archives, cinemas, gyms, and other services and forms of entertainment.

Therefore, if government institutions do not take these circumstances into account when planning even a decade ahead, young digital tycoons of the virtual world, who have raised their money on the play-to-earn principle, will proudly showcase their digital Adidas sneakers and Céline brand digital glasses at events in the Metaverse and read books about the intricacies of blockchain in the virtual Alexandria Library.

In this imaginative scenario, there is nothing inherently wrong. Perhaps it will even contribute to the "enrichment of the mind," according to the recommendations of the Pontifical Council. But what are the chances for the real world here?

Another example is when innovations unexpectedly affected the educational process. The surge in interest in ChatGPT coincided with philosophy students at the Institut Catholique in Paris writing their theses. Professors had to work hard to accurately assess high-level work from not-so-successful students. For the next course, a solution was not found, and the diploma thesis was replaced with an oral exam in the curriculum.

It is important to remember that ChatGPT is one of the promising tools of the Metaverse. And it has already made its mark.

The Path of Integration

No matter how distant the real and virtual worlds may seem, we increasingly witness the integration of the latter into the practices of the real world. Many automotive brands announce projects in the Metaverse, network brands, the telecommunications sector, the agricultural sector, etc., exploring the possibilities of blockchain ecosystem implementation. Businesses are gearing up to invest billions in the new Metaverse industry, emphasizing the fusion of their physical and digital experiences - phygital.

Today, at the stage of exploring the first experiences in the virtual world, planned investments could be considered in the interests of government institutions. Moreover, government institutions could play a significant semantic role in these processes. It is crucial to understand that the Metaverse and NFTs are not just a technical story but, on the contrary, a narrative about new communications and the ideas society is embracing.

Another example: In late 2022, for the first time in the history of museums, one NFT [out of 10,000] from the CryptoPunks pioneering project was gifted to the Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami. This unconventional action for the physical world was widely covered in the media. But what does it look like procedurally? Any object must be transferred to the museum according to a contract, transfer acts, regulations for storage in the collections, inventory procedures, and so on. Is there a ready-made procedure for transferring a digital file on the blockchain to an institution that does not use this technology? This question also applies to the Pompidou Center, which received 18 NFTs from leading digital artists in early 2023. How did this happen? Does the Center Pompidou have a mechanism for storing a digital file on the blockchain? There are no answers to these questions today.

At the same time, projects are emerging to bring the cultural sector closer to the blockchain ecosystem. For three consecutive years, the German-French educational project We Are Museums (a strong team of professionals) has been teaching representatives of museums, libraries, and cultural foundations worldwide the basics of blockchain, NFTs, and the Metaverse. As a result, in the fall of 2023, the Musée d’Orsay launched an NFT souvenir project in anticipation of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Impressionism. Whether the museum has found a successful solution will be evident later. Still, today we can say that the curators of the We Are Museums project structured the program in a way that the museum did not have a conscious choice of which blockchain to release NFTs on, as only the Tezos blockchain in this program provided grants for projects9.

The French project Aika positions itself as a guide to culture in the digital world, emphasizing a direct connection between the influence of technology and changes in our perceptions of the world. Another important aspect of this project is a confident convergence with the institutional world and a focus on contemporary art. The case of this project promises significant collaborations in 2024. Whether Aika will maintain its declared high standard will be revealed in the near future. Today, it is impossible to name a state whose development program does not incorporate the overarching theme of the innovation vector. Significant sums are allocated for the development of this direction. While artificial intelligence is already legitimized and holds a ‘must know’ and ‘must have’ status in the culture and state institutions, the blockchain technology ecosystem remains unclear and inaccessible.

Although the sector is confidently advancing, despite the ‘bear’ market for NFTs and the still open questions regarding regulations.

Returning to the Aesopian metaphor, the immense traditional system of the real world, in relation to innovations and cultural singularity, still resembles a fox yearning for grapes. Conventional, old approaches, as it is evident, are no longer relevant. Will the traditional world acquire new skills regarding innovations?