LONDON.- VIVE Arts announced a new global art trading platform for the art and culture sector, which launched to the public today, Thursday 9 December. The platform marks the next stage in VIVE Arts' evolution, as it harnesses the latest technologies to build a complete ecosystem for digital art, supporting artists and institutions to create, exhibit and sell ground-breaking artworks and experiences, reaching global audiences both physically and online. The inaugural sale will take place on Friday 17 December and will offer NFTs of iconic Art Nouveau masterpieces by renowned Czech artist Alphonse Mucha (1860–1939), as part of a major collaboration with the Mucha Foundation. The sale, Timeless Mucha, will coincide with opening of the exhibition Mucha to Manga – The Magic of the Line in Taipei, organised by the Mucha Foundation, and new NFT series will drop monthly throughout the duration of the exhibition, concluding with a special auction.
Celina Yeh, Executive Director, VIVE Arts says “We are delighted launch our new global art trading platform, signalling the next step in VIVE Arts’ development as we build a holistic ecosystem, to enhance the rich, growing world of digital art. Through this platform, VIVE Arts aims to take our support for artists and institutions to the next level, opening up new opportunities for digital creativity, innovation and connection using blockchain technologies. We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with the Mucha Foundation for VIVE Arts’ first series of sales, inviting global audiences to discover the foundation’s remarkable collection and acquire beloved artworks by Alphonse Mucha as NFTs.”
Marcus Mucha, Executive Director, Mucha Foundation says "My great-grandfather Alphonse Mucha was an innovator at heart. As well as creating Art Nouveau, the world's first truly global design movement, he lived his life at the intersection of art and technology and hosted the Lumiere brothers' earliest experiments in cinematography in his Paris studio. We are delighted to continue our partnership with VIVE Arts and to work with their visionary team. Together, we can continue Alphonse's artistic legacy in new artistic forms - forms whose possibilities would doubtless have fascinated him."
VIVE Arts Platform
The new digital art trading platform will combine VIVE Arts’ experience in the cultural sector with HTC’s blockchain technology and industry expertise. VIVE Arts was established in 2017 and over the last five years, the art and technology programme has partnered with leading international artists and institutions to transform how art and culture can be experienced, using new digital creative practices to push the boundaries of artistic expression and connect with new audiences around the world. Through this new platform, VIVE Arts will expand its focus to empower artists and creators to explore the limitless possibilities of blockchain technologies and to democratise access to the rapidly changing and increasingly complex world of digital art. VIVE Arts will now be able to support its partners throughout the entire creative journey, from experimenting with new artforms, to showcasing cutting-edge art and experiences at museums, cultural events or online, to securing the artwork on the blockchain and making a sale. This new stage of VIVE Arts development will be shepherded by Executive Director Celina Yeh, alongside new appointments Victoria Ivanova, Curator, and Leigh Tanner, Head of Global Partnerships.
Featuring an intuitive, easy-to-use design, the platform invites art enthusiasts, established collectors and new buyers to explore a curated selection of diverse digital work by both celebrated and emerging artists. It will feature special artist collaborations, new commissions and NFT series developed in partnership with prominent institutions around the world, including the Mucha Foundation in Prague, Serpentine in London in conjunction with VIVE Arts’ support of the upcoming exhibition of Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Chi Wen Gallery in Taipei and platforms the dslcollection, Photography of China and Radiance VR, with more partners to be announced. VIVE Arts is committed to supporting artists and institutions and has developed the platform to meet the key priorities and requirements of the cultural sector, offering tailored end-to-end assistance from their dedicated in-house artist liaison, art advisory and technical teams, with the aim of building long-lasting relationships that foster innovation and enrichen the world of digital art.
To demystify the digital art market for both creators and collectors, the platform includes flexible, customisable options, made possible by VIVE Arts robust technological infrastructure and in-house technical expertise. The platform can host all forms of digital art, including VR, AR and XR pieces and creators can dictate the number of NFT editions and the format of the sale, with both fiat and crypto currencies accepted for payment. To create a more sustainable future for digital art, in addition to Ethereum, VIVE Arts will provide a more energy-conscious alternative Proof of Stake (PoS) and Proof of Stake Authority (PoSA) Blockchains. Artists and institutions will benefit from every sale and VIVE Arts works with industry-leading encryption, security and authentication systems, to assure safe, smooth, traceable transactions. VIVE Arts will also continue to evolve, and the platform will be integrated into the metaverse, allowing users to immerse themselves and explore artists, artworks and experiences inside this virtual world.
In addition to the Timeless Mucha sale, the platform will also showcase the artists who are currently in the process of developing NFT works with VIVE Arts, including renowned video artist Marco Brambilla, new media artist Nancy Baker Cahill, London and Berlin based art collective Keiken, contemporary artist Carola Bonfili, interdisciplinary male soprano artist JU-EH, London-based moving image artist Suki Chan, new media artist Musquiqui Chihying, contemporary artists Elliot Dodd, Ted Lawson and more.
