If Non-Fungible-Tokens offer the ability to create something unique and tangible, yet without any material existence, then this medium has an impact on the nature of art as an idea and thus represents a new step in the history of conceptual art.
Post-Medium Tradition
Early conceptual artists of the 60’s such as Joseph Kosuth, tried to shift the attention of the art observer from the visual object to the wordy idea that supported its creation.
In works like “One and Three Chairs," it could be said that Kosuth presented an immaterial idea as a work of art but in order to make it tangible, gave the viewer a material experience of 3 different manifestations of that idea: The chair as object, the chair as image and the chair as language.
Such practice undeniably resonated and represents a shift in art history. Subsequently, a world of possibilities opened up for artists to create works further away from the traditional mediums of painting and sculpture.
At that point, different types of conceptual art emerged, and while the end products varied greatly in appearance, the core idea remained the same: there is as much artistic matter in the object you experience as in the a priori definition of that object. Indeed, the very words defining the physical artwork before it is made, its "concept," that's where the art is.
The foundation of Contemporary Art is based on this classical philosophical hypothesis that the idea of something has more truth than the thing itself. Somehow the artistic value of an artwork became intrinsic to the discourse that supports it.
This introduced the theme of "post-medium" art where the medium is secondary to the subjacent intention (and/or an instruction) that holds a practice together behind a concept.
Language as visual art
Exclusively language-based art has greatly evolved and flourished in the past 60 years through Joseph Kosuth, Lawrence Weiner, Robert Barry, Sol Lewitt, Carl Andre, Ed Ruscha, Art & Language, Jenny Holzer, Barbara Kruger, Mel Bochner, etc. Yet throughout all the great artworks these artists ever created, never were they able to free their work from the physical representation of the words they choose.
And in what may be the furthest any artist has pushed the project of conceptual art, Tino Seghal went as far as creating artworks that only exist when they are pronounced, whispered or even danced.
Today, with the technology of non-fungible tokens, an idea can be expressed in a form that is truly post-medium, purer than language-based art’s stereotypical neons, word paintings, etc. while still retaining an existence, but in a world of pure form, absolutely unique on the blockchain…
The "Digital Art" fallacy
Those who call this “digital art” do not understand what is at stake. This is not digital art, this is just art.
This is art that exists and manifests itself on a digital medium as it could exist and manifest itself on a canvas or a block of marble. However, the most important difference with traditional mediums is that the sensory experience of the digital medium is extremely limited. It can only be seen or heard.
Visually, the backlit screens we use are relatively small (with inconsistent color calibration) which not only greatly reduce the creative possibility but can’t even stand the comparison with the limitless potential of painting and sculpture in the physical creation of images and objects.
It is true that the NFT medium is currently saturated with celebrity culture, empty contemporary pop references or purely derivative artworks designed to procure instant visual gratification. Most of these "collectibles" have to do with video games, juvenile cartoons and reality TV. They are a merchandise without function, made or bought for the sole purpose of speculation.
In this maelstrom of images and one-liners, it is fair to wonder whether this medium can be used for the creation of fine artworks, in sync with the evolution of art history and with the ambition of atemporality.
This is where we assert that fine art using the NFT medium, in order to fulfill its potential, must embrace the history of Conceptual Art and become purely intellectual.
The Artist's name is irrelevant.
The project is called Eidos, the ancient Greek word for the theory of Ideas, a philosophical theory, thoroughly expressed by Plato, that the physical world is not as real or true as timeless, absolute, unchangeable ideas.
Ideas in this sense, capitalized and translated as "Ideas" are the non-physical essences of all things, of which objects and matter in the physical world are merely imitations.
If Conceptual Art can accomplish itself outside of the material world, in a pure world of ideas, then, apart from vanity or narcissism, why claim authorship?