What the Tech? How to Display NFT Digital Artwork
For a while a couple of months ago, everybody seemed to be talking about NFTs or non-fungible tokens. Rather than going into detail to explain this again, you can learn about the origin and how to purchase an NFT here.
The question asked by most people about NFTs for artwork is “what can I do with it?”.
The technology is so new there aren’t many options to display NFTs or digital artwork except by copying the file somehow and uploading it to a digital picture frame found at most retailers.
Infinite Objects is a relatively new company that sells frames that display the artwork in the highest of resolution.
@bigcomicart, a digital artist I met a couple of months ago while working on an early story about NFTs, sent over a piece of his artwork in an Infinite Object for me to see what digital art on display actually looks like.
When you open an Infinite Object box and hold the frame in your hand the video begins to play. Digital or Infinite Objects are looping video like a GIF you might see on a social media platform.
Then again, it isn’t. It’s actually hard to wrap your head around the concept of digital video art since most of us just view these for a few seconds on our phones. If that’s all you want to do, just see it for a minute or so, browsing through GIFs on your phone might be all you need or want.
Collectors on the other hand, would like to own the artwork and display it the same as they might display an original painting or portrait.
As Infinite Objects explains on its website: “We believe that moving images should be appreciated the same way posters, prints, and photographs have been for decades; not just trapped in our phones and laptops, in our camera roll or on YouTube.” It’s created a new way to collect video.
The Infinite Object @bigcomicart sent was of his work called 2021. The very colorful work features dancing robots, a Godzilla-type monster shooting fire, flying saucers and a blinking Greta Thunberg image in front of a building with the words “Greta told you so”.
Honestly, I’ve looked at this piece for over an hour and see something different every time. That’s the point of art isn’t it?
When I spoke to @bigcomicart in April, he told me the new technology of digital artwork, NFTs and a way to sell video as a collectible promotes creativity by giving artists a way to make a living. Something digital artists could only do by selling their work commercially.
“Everyone across the country is losing their jobs, people are going out of business. Through this technology, people are paying rent; surviving and sharing their artwork with the world.”
Infinite Objects has an online store for collectors to purchase digital artwork and also provides a way for anyone to create their own digital masterpiece by uploading a video clip. Examples on its Instagram shows creations from users who’ve uploaded short clips of their children, pets, and GIFs created on their smartphone or computer.
So why would you give someone an Infinite Object rather than a digital picture frame with images of your kids or family? You must remember Infinite Objects are collectibles. Most are either one-of-a-kind or limited editions. Like original art you might purchase as a sculpture, painting or portrait, depending on the artist, they can increase in value.
