Beyond Horizon: BKNFTxCrypto.com
BK Hannam, Itaewon
INSTALLATION VIEWS
PRESS RELEASE
In the Era of Identical Mechanical Reproduction, What Is the Meaning of the “Original?”
In cooperation with the global art platform Art Terms and the crypto exchange Crypto.com (http://crypto.com/), Gallery BK will be hosting Beyond Horizon, the largest exhibition combining physical and NFT works organized by a Korean gallery. Previously, NFT exhibitions have been limited to presenting works of digital media, but Beyond Horizon transcends this boundary and includes physical works, providing a rare chance to discuss what art truly means in the era of unlimited reproduction. Also, the exhibition’s cooperation with the global crypto exchange Crypto.com is the first such attempt in Korea. Beyond Horizon carries a massive significance in that it will provide highly competitive Korean artists the opportunity to debut on the international stage.
Korea’s Largest Exhibition Combining Physical and NFT Works
The general public’s interest in NFTs has increased dramatically in recent days. The anticipation that all real-world assets may continue onto the metaverse has contributed not only to the rise of cryptocurrency but to the works of NFTs. And NFTs are no longer monopolized by tech-savvy individuals; they are a new art medium opening a long-awaited new chapter in art history. Our modern life is expanding to a new realm, the metaverse, and along with it, the way we view and enjoy art is also expanding into this virtual world. However, although we have entered the era where identical mechanical reproduction is a reality, what does the “original” mean?
“Even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be. This unique existence of the work of art . . . to which it was subject throughout the time of its existence.” – The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, Walter Benjamin, pp. 200-1.
In other words, the “original” retains its aura even in this era, as blockchain technologies allow us to identify which works are “original” without any error and allow us to determine their value transparently and openly. In Beyond Horizon, Art Terms and Gallery BK will simultaneously present “originals” and “NFTs” to provide visitors an experience that merges two realms, the real world and the ecosystem of digital contents. The occasion will allow us to reconsider what an original work of art means in the context of time, space, and existence and expand the significance of those values.
Cooperation with Crypto.com, a Leading Global Crypto Exchange
In Beyond Horizon, Gallery BK has cooperated with Crypto.com, one of the world’s top ten international crypto exchanges, and the global art platform Art Terms to realize what will be the first NFT exhibition in Korea. During the exhibition, Crypto.com will select one artist each day and promote him to the platform’s astonishing number of 50 million users using the main banner. This will be a pivotal opportunity for highly competitive Korean artists who have only had limited contact with international collectors and provide the key momentum for extending their domestic authority to the virtual realm and across the globe. Furthermore, in virtue of Crypto.com’s outstanding technological cooperation, visitors can purchase NFTs conveniently with cash, debit card, or credit card without the need to create a cryptocurrency wallet.