The Musée d’Orsay, an esteemed institution in Paris, is embracing blockchain technology and digital art with its inaugural commission of an on-chain NFT exhibition.
Dubbed “The Convergence of Breath,” this collection comprises five unique NFTs (non-fungible tokens) minted on the Tezos blockchain. These pieces stem from a captivating art installation and social experiment currently showcased within the museum’s digital-themed exhibition, “Le Code d’Orsay.”
Artwork by Agoria and Lescure Included in the Musée d’Orsay NFT Installation
At the heart of the exhibit stands “Sigma Lumina,” a steel sculpture co-crafted by French artist and DJ Sébastian Devaud, also known as Agoria, alongside artist Johan Lescure.
Under the perfect alignment of overhead light, the sculpture projects a shadow, revealing a QR code. Intrigued visitors who scan the code are guided to mint a unique Musée d’Orsay NFT, drawing inspiration from the museum’s Impressionist treasures. Yet, there’s a twist: participants must exhale into their smartphones to generate the NFT.
The resulting data, stemming from over 2,000 blows captured by museum attendees, has been gathered and interpreted by Agoria and Lescure, enriching the interactive experience.
The artists have ingeniously translated this collective breath into a series of five distinct Musée d’Orsay NFTs, symbolizing each week of the exhibition’s duration.
“I’m fascinated by the idea that every breath from every visitor is now interconnected to form a unified artwork,” expressed Agoria.
These exceptional “Convergence of Breath” NFTs will go on sale Thursday at 5 pm CET on Objkt, a curated platform specializing in one-of-a-kind on-chain artworks.
“Le Code d’Orsay” continues to captivate audiences at the Musée d’Orsay until March 10, offering visitors an immersive journey at the crossroads of traditional art and cutting-edge blockchain technology.
Museums Continue to Engage With NFTs
Museums and cultural institutions have been actively embracing NFTs in innovative ways, exploring their potential for generating revenue, broadening access to art, and crafting immersive digital encounters.
Last year, the Centre Pompidou in Paris made headlines by announcing an exhibition featuring NFTs from projects like CryptoPunks and Autoglyphs, alongside works by a dozen other digital artists.
Additionally, institutions such as the Bruce Museum and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles have hosted discussions and lectures delving into the history, technology, and legal dimensions of NFTs.
Museums have also leveraged NFTs for fundraising and monetizing digital collections. For instance, the British Museum introduced a series of NFT postcards featuring Hokusai’s prints in 2021, with “The Great Wave” fetching 10.6 ETH (about $45,000 USD at the time).
Similarly, the Uffizi Gallery successfully auctioned an NFT of Michelangelo’s “Doni Tondo” for approximately $170,000, while the State Hermitage Museum auctioned tokenized versions of masterpieces, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, resulting in substantial fundraising efforts.
