“This course considers the evolving future of crypto cultures within contemporary art, paying particular attention to the advance of blockchain technology as a means of both securing artistic value and as a creative medium in its own right.  

The advance of ‘crypto cultures’, shaped in part by crypto currency trading and discourse but also via message boards and other web-based community fora, is increasingly a feature of the contemporary art agenda. The course will enable participants to develop a vocabulary for participating in and understanding these subcultures within contemporary art, and the critical skills to consider the ways in which crypto culture is changing society, often with minimal input from those outside highly specialised fields. The course will integrate sources from the worlds of economics, finance, philosophy, contemporary art, ecology, critical theory, and  journalism. Participants need no specialised background in any of these fields, though familiarity with any or all of the fields will be a plus for in-class discussions. 

The aim of the course is to allow participants the capacity to reflect on the ways crypto-cultures are changing contemporary art, and where, how, and for whose benefits these changes are being made. The recent boom in NFT markets (and subsequent bust, and subsequent mini-boom) will also be discussed in some detail. The course will consist of four sessions each dedicated to different topics within crypto cultures.” (Text by courtesy of Habib William Kherbek, photo: Habib William Kherbek during his lecture at BAI, April 2019)

BENEFITS

• Those taking the course will be presented with a range of sources regarding crucial issues in the advance of crypto culture and crypto currencies and art. This will enable participants to confidently participate in discussions of these topics going forward.
• Participants will be given the opportunity to write (or otherwise engage creatively) the topics discussed and will have one-to-one time with the course organiser to discuss specific questions and interests.
• Course members will learn about the ways in which crypto cultures are changing art markets and will develop a greater understanding of the function of art markets more generally, with a view toward placing their own practice within these frameworks. 
• The course will offer a number of important primary source materials for participants to use to familiarise themselves with landmark texts and events within crypto cultures. 

Min. seats: 5 | Max. seats: 30 | Language: English