[Namsangil Walk] Now It's Art... The Coordinates of Art in the Era of AI, Digital, and Crypto

Algorithms Replace Brushes, Screens Replace Canvases
Art Meets Technology... Opening a New Creative Ecosystem

"Art always reflects the times."

This statement resonates more deeply than ever in an era where technology dominates daily life. Art no longer remains confined to the canvas. With AI-generated paintings, digital ownership verified by blockchain, and exhibitions held in the metaverse, art is continuously expanding by joining hands with technology. This transformation shows that art is becoming increasingly intertwined with our lives and is ushering in a new era.

AI has now established itself as a principal agent of creation. Digital technology has broken down physical boundaries, and crypto technology is rewriting the standards of value in art. The Korean art scene is also rapidly joining this trend. Media art and generative AI-based works are emerging one after another, and many artists are beginning to embrace coding and algorithms as their creative language.

There is a symbolic example that illustrates these changes. On July 12, at an exhibition held at Christie's Rockefeller Center in New York, a data art piece based on Lionel Messi's legendary goal was unveiled.

'Living Memory: Messi - A Goal in Life,' created by AI artist Refik Anadol, is an immersive digital sculpture visualizing Messi's match data. This work was auctioned as an NFT and sold for $1.86 million (approximately 2.57 billion KRW), with the entire proceeds donated to children's education programs.

The immersive digital sculpture "Living Memory: Messi-A Goal in Life," created by AI artist Refik Anadol, visualizes Messi's match data. This work was auctioned as an NFT and sold for $1.86 million (approximately 2.57 billion KRW), with the entire proceeds donated to children's education programs. Photo by Christie's New York

This is a symbolic case that goes beyond a simple digital art transaction, connecting sports, art, and social value. At the same time, it demonstrates Christie's consistent strategy of actively including NFT-based digital art in auctions since 2021, revealing the trajectory of digital and art evolving alongside the times.

Of course, these changes are not without challenges. Issues such as copyright controversies over AI-generated works and the protection of rights for original artists whose data was used for training remain unresolved. There are also concerns that artists unfamiliar with digital technology or those without sufficient financial resources may be excluded from the new art ecosystem. While technology is said to democratize art, it may, in fact, be creating new forms of exclusion.

However, these concerns do not provide a reason to deny the meeting of technology and art itself. The fusion of technology and art is no longer an experiment but has become a central pillar of contemporary art. AI replaces the painter's hand, blockchain certifies ownership, and the metaverse becomes the exhibition space; this era does not undermine the essence of art but rather expands its boundaries. In fact, the reason for art's existence?to explore the essence of the times?becomes even clearer within this expansion.

In the future, art will permeate our lives in even more diverse forms. Creation will no longer be limited to the canvas, exhibitions will transcend physical spaces, and new ecosystems combining participation and reward will emerge. All of this will bring art back to the center of our lives, strengthening its role as both a mirror reflecting the times and a window opening to the future.

However, there is one thing we must not forget: technology is a tool, not the purpose. The essence of art still lies in human emotion, narrative, and imagination. Whether realized digitally or recorded on the blockchain, as long as human breath is embedded within, it remains art.

Now, as art does not fear technology and technology seeks to understand art, we stand in a more fascinating era than ever before. What matters is that, amid these changes, we look together at how art reflects our times and where it is headed.

Hong Jisook, CEO of ArtToken