ARTTOKEN

Algorithms instead of brushes, screens instead of canvases

Art meets technology... Opening a new creative ecosystem

"Art always reflects the times."

This statement resonates more deeply now than ever, as technology dominates daily life. Art no longer remains confined within a frame. From paintings created by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital ownership verified by blockchain, to exhibitions held in the metaverse, art is constantly expanding, holding hands with technology. This transformation demonstrates that art is becoming increasingly intertwined with our lives, opening a new era.

AI has now established itself as a subject of creation. Digital technology has dissolved physical boundaries, and crypto technology is rewriting the criteria of artistic value. The Korean art scene is also rapidly participating in this trend. Media art and generative AI-based works are emerging one after another, and many artists have begun accepting coding and algorithms as their language of creation.

There is a symbolic case that demonstrates this change. Last month, at an exhibition held at the Christie's Rockefeller Center in New York, a data art piece based on Lionel Messi's legendary goal was unveiled.

The piece, 'Living Memory: Messi - A Goal in Life,' created by AI artist Refik Anadol, is an immersive digital sculpture that visualizes Messi's match data. This work was put up for auction in NFT format and sold for $1.86 million (approximately 2.57 billion KRW), with the entire proceeds donated to a children's education program.

This is a symbolic case that connects sport, art, and social value, moving beyond simple digital art transactions. Simultaneously, it showcases Christie's consistent strategy of actively including NFT-based digital art in auctions since 2021, revealing the trajectory of how digital and art have evolved with the times.

Of course, this change is not entirely smooth. Issues like copyright disputes over AI-generated works and the protection of existing artists' rights from results trained on original data remain unresolved. Concerns are also raised that artists who are not familiar with digital technology or those who lack economic means may be marginalized in this new artistic ecosystem. Although technology is said to democratize art, is it not actually creating new forms of exclusion?

However, these concerns should not serve as a reason to deny the meeting of technology and art itself. The combination of technology and art is no longer an experiment but has become a pillar of contemporary art. In an era where AI replaces the painter's hand, blockchain verifies ownership, and the metaverse becomes the gallery, art does not harm its essence but expands its boundaries. Rather, the very reason for art's existence, which explores the essence of the times, becomes clearer in this expansion.

In the future, art will permeate our lives in even more diverse forms. Creation that is not limited to the canvas, exhibitions that transcend physical space, and a new ecosystem combining participation and reward. All of these will bring art back to the center of our lives, strengthening its role as a mirror of the times and a window to the future.

But there is something we must not forget: technology is a tool, not a purpose. The essence of art still lies in human emotion, story, and imagination. Whether realized digitally or recorded on blockchain, if the breath of humanity resides within it, it is still art.

Now that art does not fear technology, and technology seeks to understand art, we stand in a more fascinating era than ever. The important thing is to jointly observe the coordinates: how art reflects our times and where it is heading amid this change.

https://view.asiae.co.kr/article/2025091811191703993