Proof of Art / Francisco Carolinum, Linz

(c) pexels

10.06. – 15.09.2021.


NFTs are the new hype in the art world. Digital artworks made forgery-proof by blockchain technology. An exhibition at the Francisco Carolinum in Linz traces the still young history of NFTs in art.

What actually are NFTs, Cryptovexels and where is the Blockchain leading to? “Proof of Art – a short history of NFTs, from the beginnings of Digital Art to the Metaverse” aims to clarify these questions. The exhibition shows the origins of NFTs and their development from the first formative experiments with digital technologies, to the first experiments with blockchain, to current crypto art.

The Francisco Carolinum presents PROOF OF ART, the world’s first museum exhibition on the history of NFTs in art, curated by Jesse Damiani. The show will be on view offline at the museum and online in Cryptovoxels, a blockchain-based virtual world. Works by 25 artists will be on display at the museum. Through the mediums of projection, software, video, installation, and digital files, they explore systems of meaning and value, examine the role of artists in a high-tech environment, and discuss the impact of virtual spaces on the reality of our lives. The exhibition space in Cryptovoxels will likewise feature some 25 virtual works.

The hype around NFTs aside, this is primarily a technology that solves a problem: digital files abound. They can be downloaded, compressed, copied, shared and mixed. An NFT, on the other hand, is a certificate of authenticity for each digital file that is stored in the blockchain, making these files unique. NFTs also act as digital signatures for artists.

PROOF OF ART shows the origins of NFTs and their evolution from the first formative experiments with digital technologies, to the first experiments with blockchain, to current crypto art.



Proof of Art
10.06. – 15.09.2021
FC – Francisco Carolinum 
Museumstraße 14
4010 Linz 

www.ooelkg.at