NFT Showcase on JPG

Founded in 1968, Art Brussels is one of the most renowned contemporary art fairs in Europe and a must-see in the international art calendar.  Known for its focus on discovery, the fair, now entering its 38th edition, has always been invested in the presentation of established as well as emerging practices.  This edition, the first since the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, the fair boasts the presence of 157 galleries from 26 countries

For the first time Art Brussels has a web3 partner PARALLEL. Art Brussels will be showcasing works from at least six galleries that have started presenting NFTs and blockchain based art.  In partnership with both PARALLEL and JPG.space, the first NFT Curatorial protocol, the fair will be presenting a curated selection of key works by contemporary artists who are making forays into the NFT realm.  This selection of works will be accessible during and after the fair.

The pieces presented here are part of the of the first set of NFTs presented at the fairs 38th edition, shown by the galleries that are starting to make strides into the Web3 arena.  Some of the artists are NFT veterans (Kim Asendorf and Jonas Lund) having been working with NFTs for some time, and are using various aspects of blockchain and smart contract technology (and ideology) to develop their pieces. Others are newer to the space, creating interesting bridges between the physical and digital (Ry David Bradley) or adapting their existing digital practices.

Not all galleries showing NFTs at Art Brussels are represented here, largely because not all artists are committed to working on the Ethereum Blockchain.  The selection below was made as a snapshot of our time, when galleries showing at Art Fairs are starting to present NFT pieces, and only just making inroads into a space that is still fraught with controversy over questions such as “is it art or is it a collectible”, “what does ownership of digital assets mean” and other interrogations we are sure to be grappling with in the short-term future.