Re: NEW BOOK! Surfing with Satoshi - Art, Blockchain and NFTs by Domenico Quaranta

2022-05-12 Thread Jaromil 
On Tue, 10 May 2022, Brian Holmes wrote:

> Besides, I'm gonna say it again. I really don't think we all invented 
> tactical media to end up supporting "verifiable digital scarcity." The 
> concept is bullshit, the art is bullshit, crypto finance is bullshit and that 
> all should be said frankly. As you've just done. So I'm glad for the thread!

in line with Christian Marazzi, David Hakken and many others' critics of 
financialization I think that -finance- is bs and think that anyone critizing 
crypto while being involved in global financial gambling is a morally bankrupt 
hypocrite - to use better terms.

I still think art is the best medium to say these things
http://thefutureofdemonstration.net/passion/e03/index.html

ciao

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Re: NEW BOOK! Surfing with Satoshi - Art, Blockchain and NFTs by Domenico Quaranta

2022-05-10 Thread Brian Holmes 
Jaromil wrote:

"Those who may keep investing in activist initiatives and commons-based
infrastructure are in other camps than NFT/web3/ethereum, a context
which after initial (2013) investments by goldmans and other global
banks have moved forward to play the game we see televised today, this
is the crypto finance overly present in trade shows and now even art
debates, cashing on the crypto on-boarding of get-rich-quick idiots
worldwide."

This sounds exactly right to me. However there is apparently quite a zone
of ambiguity between the financialized side and the commons side, and it
seems to have dragged in a lot of artists. I mean, I haven't read the new
book being touted here, but you can see the ambiguity in the introduction
(Is it X? or Y? they keep asking). They are keeping the ambiguity open
when, as you report above, it's not ambiguous at all. This is obvious even
from the outside btw.

I suspect the pump and dump is also obvious to many artists involved, they
just want to get some cash out of it! Well, a lot of art does get supported
by dodgy money, but the artists don't have to become apologists for that
money. When someone again plays up NFTs on nettime, I just want to respond.
The cash pipeline is dependent on maintaining the ambiguity, and what gets
lost is a culture that can orient people in this crazy and dangerous world.

Besides, I'm gonna say it again. I really don't think we all invented
tactical media to end up supporting "verifiable digital scarcity." The
concept is bullshit, the art is bullshit, crypto finance is bullshit and
that all should be said frankly. As you've just done. So I'm glad for the
thread!

On Tue, May 10, 2022 at 1:37 AM Jaromil  wrote:

> dear Brian,
>
> On Mon, 09 May 2022, Brian Holmes wrote:
>
> > "Why do the visual arts seem to have acquired such a central role in the
> > crypto economy?"
> >
> > Could it be that impenetrable financial technology needs an artistic
> > fetish to conquer even more territory? Thus digital art, after playing
> > with direct democracy for a few decades, has now returned to the
> > time-honored role of decorator for the elites.
>
> Interesting take. I thought instead that the elites have shown some
> money to digital artists convincing them to dance, perhaps I have a too
> high consideration of "digital artists" whatever that means.  :^)
>
> > In case it's not obvious to everyone, "verifiable digital scarcity" is
> > the exact opposite of what tactical media set out to do. Hopefully all
> > the get-rich-quick NFT-minters are going to set up commons-based
> > infrastructure with their haul, I can respect that and will support it
> > when the pump and dump is over.
>
> AFAIK they are not the same people.
>
> Those who may keep investing in activist initiatives and commons-based
> infrastructure are in other camps than NFT/web3/ethereum, a context
> which after initial (2013) investments by goldmans and other global
> banks have moved forward to play the game we see televised today, this
> is the crypto finance overly present in trade shows and now even art
> debates, cashing on the crypto on-boarding of get-rich-quick idiots
> worldwide.
>
> I believe the "crypto commons" movement right now has a clear
> interpretation of how tactical is a pump-and-dump and will stay
> underground and far from gigs pumped by the eth/web3 camp.
> What I call the crypto-commons movement will be also attacked from all
> mainstream sides, while the leftover cold-war assets jumping back on
> their seats nowadays are tempted to say we are all sons of a Putain
>
> IMHO the dump of eth is approaching as its prophet has decreted that
> layer 2 (upcoming eth2 also called "The Merge") should bring down
> transaction prices to $0.05.
>
> https://www.forbesindia.com/article/crypto-made-easy/vitalik-buterin-says-transaction-fees-need-to-reduce-to-5-cents-to-remain-acceptable/75941/1
> the next target for this sexy tech may well low-income financial areas
>
> here my assessment five months ago
> https://twitter.com/jaromil/status/1473946713681543173
> as of 1st Jan 2022 the price for 1 year domain registration was at 640USD
> a bit of math:
> market value of eth: 4000
> low cost of "web2" new domains: 10
> cost of a "web3" .eth domain: 640
> euclides: 640:4000=10:x
> x=62.5 is the "use value" of eth against its market value.
>
> p.s. for the curious techies who like to play with web3 no need to pay
> money to these sociopaths we have a free-for-all testnet on
> https://fabchain.net still in the process of getting stable so you may
> see the faucet is down now then try later.
>
>
>
> ciao
>
>
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Re: NEW BOOK! Surfing with Satoshi - Art, Blockchain and NFTs by Domenico Quaranta

2022-05-10 Thread Jaromil 
dear Brian,

On Mon, 09 May 2022, Brian Holmes wrote:

> "Why do the visual arts seem to have acquired such a central role in the
> crypto economy?"
> 
> Could it be that impenetrable financial technology needs an artistic
> fetish to conquer even more territory? Thus digital art, after playing
> with direct democracy for a few decades, has now returned to the
> time-honored role of decorator for the elites.

Interesting take. I thought instead that the elites have shown some
money to digital artists convincing them to dance, perhaps I have a too
high consideration of "digital artists" whatever that means.  :^)

> In case it's not obvious to everyone, "verifiable digital scarcity" is
> the exact opposite of what tactical media set out to do. Hopefully all
> the get-rich-quick NFT-minters are going to set up commons-based
> infrastructure with their haul, I can respect that and will support it
> when the pump and dump is over.

AFAIK they are not the same people.

Those who may keep investing in activist initiatives and commons-based
infrastructure are in other camps than NFT/web3/ethereum, a context
which after initial (2013) investments by goldmans and other global
banks have moved forward to play the game we see televised today, this
is the crypto finance overly present in trade shows and now even art
debates, cashing on the crypto on-boarding of get-rich-quick idiots
worldwide.

I believe the "crypto commons" movement right now has a clear
interpretation of how tactical is a pump-and-dump and will stay
underground and far from gigs pumped by the eth/web3 camp.
What I call the crypto-commons movement will be also attacked from all
mainstream sides, while the leftover cold-war assets jumping back on
their seats nowadays are tempted to say we are all sons of a Putain

IMHO the dump of eth is approaching as its prophet has decreted that
layer 2 (upcoming eth2 also called "The Merge") should bring down
transaction prices to $0.05.
https://www.forbesindia.com/article/crypto-made-easy/vitalik-buterin-says-transaction-fees-need-to-reduce-to-5-cents-to-remain-acceptable/75941/1
the next target for this sexy tech may well low-income financial areas

here my assessment five months ago
https://twitter.com/jaromil/status/1473946713681543173
as of 1st Jan 2022 the price for 1 year domain registration was at 640USD
a bit of math:
market value of eth: 4000
low cost of "web2" new domains: 10
cost of a "web3" .eth domain: 640
euclides: 640:4000=10:x
x=62.5 is the "use value" of eth against its market value.

p.s. for the curious techies who like to play with web3 no need to pay
money to these sociopaths we have a free-for-all testnet on
https://fabchain.net still in the process of getting stable so you may
see the faucet is down now then try later.



ciao

#  distributed via : no commercial use without permission
#is a moderated mailing list for net criticism,
#  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
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Re: NEW BOOK! Surfing with Satoshi - Art, Blockchain and NFTs by Domenico Quaranta

2022-05-09 Thread bronac ferran 
Seems to me less about scarcity than perversity.

This may be worth a read:
https://www.theregister.com/2022/04/16/something_for_the_weekend/?utm_medium=share_content=article

B

B



On Mon, 9 May 2022 at 17:45, Brian Holmes 
wrote:

> "Why do the visual arts seem to have acquired such a central role in the
> crypto economy?"
>
> Could it be that impenetrable financial technology needs an artistic
> fetish to conquer even more territory? Thus digital art, after playing with
> direct democracy for a few decades, has now returned to the time-honored
> role of decorator for the elites.
>
> In case it's not obvious to everyone, "verifiable digital scarcity" is the
> exact opposite of what tactical media set out to do. Hopefully all the
> get-rich-quick NFT-minters are going to set up commons-based infrastructure
> with their haul, I can respect that and will support it when the pump and
> dump is over.
>
> best, BH
>
> On Mon, May 9, 2022 at 8:08 AM Marcela Okretič 
> wrote:
>
>> Dear friends,
>>
>>
>>
>> we are very happy to announce the launch of the English translation of 
>> Domenico
>> Quaranta's book:
>>
>>
>>
>> *Surfing with Satoshi*
>>
>> *Art, Blockchain and NFTs*
>>
>> aksioma.org/surfing.with.satoshi
>> 
>>
>>
>>
>> Release date: 25 May 2022
>>
>>
>>
>> *PREVIEW *
>>
>>
>>
>> Limited edition of 300 copies
>>
>> *PREORDER **HERE ! *
>>
>> *Free shipping for pre-orders until 25 May 2022*
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> The craze for Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) that erupted in early 2021
>> thrust the art world into the debate on the blockchain, the
>> decentralised public ledger that holds these tokens, as well as
>> cryptocurrencies, and promises to make “verifiable digital scarcity” a
>> reality. Born out of the 2008 financial crisis and seen by many as the
>> cornerstone of a new, more private, more secure Web3, the blockchain has
>> changed the global economy and is now reshaping the digital environment in
>> which art is increasingly being created, distributed and exchanged.
>>
>>
>>
>> Written by art critic and curator *Domenico Quaranta* amidst an
>> explosion of technological hype and a speculative frenzy, and originally
>> published in Italian by Postmedia Books, *Surfing with Satoshi *sets the
>> promise of the NFT market in a historical context, investigating the
>> technologies it is based on, the role of certificates and contracts in
>> contemporary art, and the evolution of the media art market over the last
>> thirty years.
>>
>>
>>
>> Riding the wave of the ongoing debate, the book tackles a series of as
>> yet open questions, including:
>>
>>
>>- What does art have to do with the blockchain?
>>- Does it make sense to talk about “Crypto Art”, and if so what can
>>be said to define it, apart from the way it is traded?
>>- Is speculation the be-all and end-all of this trend?
>>- How on earth can an infinitely reproducible digital file be deemed
>>“unique”?
>>- Will the blockchain’s promise of disintermediation destroy the art
>>world as we know it?
>>- How is the art world reacting to the situation?
>>- Are NFTs an opportunity for artists or a scam perpetrated against
>>them?
>>- Who are the collectors willing to pay millions for a certificate of
>>authenticity? Why are they doing it?
>>- Why do the visual arts seem to have acquired such a central role in
>>the crypto economy?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Author: Domenico Quaranta
>>
>> Editor: Janez Fakin Janša
>>
>> Translator: Anna Carruthers
>>
>> Design and layout: Federico Antonini, Alessio D'Ellena
>>
>> Format: 10.5 x 16.7 cm
>>
>> Pages: 376
>>
>> Colour and B/W images
>>
>> Language: EN
>>
>>
>>
>> ISBN: 978-961-7173-12-3
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *Published by:*
>>
>> Aksioma – Institute for Contemporary Art, Ljubljana
>>
>> Represented by: Marcela Okretič
>>
>> www.aksioma.org
>>
>> aksi...@aksioma.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *Supported by:*
>>
>> The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, the City of Ljubljana
>> #  distributed via : no commercial use without permission
>> #is a moderated mailing list for net criticism,
>> #  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
>> #  more info: http://mx.kein.org/mailman/listinfo/nettime-l
>> #  archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nett...@kein.org
>> #  @nettime_bot tweets mail w/ sender unless #ANON is in Subject:
>
> #  distributed via : no commercial use without permission
> #is a moderated mailing list for net criticism,
> #  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
> #  more info: http://mx.kein.org/mailman/listinfo/nettime-l
> #  archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nett...@kein.org
> #  @nettime_bot tweets mail w/ sender unless #ANON is in Subject:



-- 
Bronaċ
#  distributed via : no commercial use without permission
#is a moderated mailing

Re: NEW BOOK! Surfing with Satoshi - Art, Blockchain and NFTs by Domenico Quaranta

2022-05-09 Thread Brian Holmes 
"Why do the visual arts seem to have acquired such a central role in the
crypto economy?"

Could it be that impenetrable financial technology needs an artistic fetish
to conquer even more territory? Thus digital art, after playing with direct
democracy for a few decades, has now returned to the time-honored role of
decorator for the elites.

In case it's not obvious to everyone, "verifiable digital scarcity" is the
exact opposite of what tactical media set out to do. Hopefully all the
get-rich-quick NFT-minters are going to set up commons-based infrastructure
with their haul, I can respect that and will support it when the pump and
dump is over.

best, BH

On Mon, May 9, 2022 at 8:08 AM Marcela Okretič  wrote:

> Dear friends,
>
>
>
> we are very happy to announce the launch of the English translation of 
> Domenico
> Quaranta's book:
>
>
>
> *Surfing with Satoshi*
>
> *Art, Blockchain and NFTs*
>
> aksioma.org/surfing.with.satoshi
> 
>
>
>
> Release date: 25 May 2022
>
>
>
> *PREVIEW *
>
>
>
> Limited edition of 300 copies
>
> *PREORDER **HERE ! *
>
> *Free shipping for pre-orders until 25 May 2022*
>
>
>
>
>
> The craze for Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) that erupted in early 2021 thrust
> the art world into the debate on the blockchain, the decentralised public
> ledger that holds these tokens, as well as cryptocurrencies, and promises
> to make “verifiable digital scarcity” a reality. Born out of the 2008
> financial crisis and seen by many as the cornerstone of a new, more
> private, more secure Web3, the blockchain has changed the global economy
> and is now reshaping the digital environment in which art is increasingly
> being created, distributed and exchanged.
>
>
>
> Written by art critic and curator *Domenico Quaranta* amidst an explosion
> of technological hype and a speculative frenzy, and originally published in
> Italian by Postmedia Books, *Surfing with Satoshi *sets the promise of
> the NFT market in a historical context, investigating the technologies it
> is based on, the role of certificates and contracts in contemporary art,
> and the evolution of the media art market over the last thirty years.
>
>
>
> Riding the wave of the ongoing debate, the book tackles a series of as yet
> open questions, including:
>
>
>- What does art have to do with the blockchain?
>- Does it make sense to talk about “Crypto Art”, and if so what can be
>said to define it, apart from the way it is traded?
>- Is speculation the be-all and end-all of this trend?
>- How on earth can an infinitely reproducible digital file be deemed
>“unique”?
>- Will the blockchain’s promise of disintermediation destroy the art
>world as we know it?
>- How is the art world reacting to the situation?
>- Are NFTs an opportunity for artists or a scam perpetrated against
>them?
>- Who are the collectors willing to pay millions for a certificate of
>authenticity? Why are they doing it?
>- Why do the visual arts seem to have acquired such a central role in
>the crypto economy?
>
>
>
>
>
> Author: Domenico Quaranta
>
> Editor: Janez Fakin Janša
>
> Translator: Anna Carruthers
>
> Design and layout: Federico Antonini, Alessio D'Ellena
>
> Format: 10.5 x 16.7 cm
>
> Pages: 376
>
> Colour and B/W images
>
> Language: EN
>
>
>
> ISBN: 978-961-7173-12-3
>
>
>
>
>
> *Published by:*
>
> Aksioma – Institute for Contemporary Art, Ljubljana
>
> Represented by: Marcela Okretič
>
> www.aksioma.org
>
> aksi...@aksioma.org
>
>
>
>
>
> *Supported by:*
>
> The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, the City of Ljubljana
> #  distributed via : no commercial use without permission
> #is a moderated mailing list for net criticism,
> #  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
> #  more info: http://mx.kein.org/mailman/listinfo/nettime-l
> #  archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nett...@kein.org
> #  @nettime_bot tweets mail w/ sender unless #ANON is in Subject:
#  distributed via : no commercial use without permission
#is a moderated mailing list for net criticism,
#  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
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#  @nettime_bot tweets mail w/ sender unless #ANON is in Subject:

NEW BOOK! Surfing with Satoshi - Art, Blockchain and NFTs by Domenico Quaranta

2022-05-09 Thread Marcela Okretič 
Dear friends,



we are very happy to announce the launch of the English translation of Domenico
Quaranta's book:



*Surfing with Satoshi*

*Art, Blockchain and NFTs*

aksioma.org/surfing.with.satoshi




Release date: 25 May 2022



*PREVIEW *



Limited edition of 300 copies

*PREORDER **HERE ! *

*Free shipping for pre-orders until 25 May 2022*





The craze for Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) that erupted in early 2021 thrust
the art world into the debate on the blockchain, the decentralised public
ledger that holds these tokens, as well as cryptocurrencies, and promises
to make “verifiable digital scarcity” a reality. Born out of the 2008
financial crisis and seen by many as the cornerstone of a new, more
private, more secure Web3, the blockchain has changed the global economy
and is now reshaping the digital environment in which art is increasingly
being created, distributed and exchanged.



Written by art critic and curator *Domenico Quaranta* amidst an explosion
of technological hype and a speculative frenzy, and originally published in
Italian by Postmedia Books, *Surfing with Satoshi *sets the promise of the
NFT market in a historical context, investigating the technologies it is
based on, the role of certificates and contracts in contemporary art, and
the evolution of the media art market over the last thirty years.



Riding the wave of the ongoing debate, the book tackles a series of as yet
open questions, including:


   - What does art have to do with the blockchain?
   - Does it make sense to talk about “Crypto Art”, and if so what can be
   said to define it, apart from the way it is traded?
   - Is speculation the be-all and end-all of this trend?
   - How on earth can an infinitely reproducible digital file be deemed
   “unique”?
   - Will the blockchain’s promise of disintermediation destroy the art
   world as we know it?
   - How is the art world reacting to the situation?
   - Are NFTs an opportunity for artists or a scam perpetrated against them?
   - Who are the collectors willing to pay millions for a certificate of
   authenticity? Why are they doing it?
   - Why do the visual arts seem to have acquired such a central role in
   the crypto economy?





Author: Domenico Quaranta

Editor: Janez Fakin Janša

Translator: Anna Carruthers

Design and layout: Federico Antonini, Alessio D'Ellena

Format: 10.5 x 16.7 cm

Pages: 376

Colour and B/W images

Language: EN



ISBN: 978-961-7173-12-3





*Published by:*

Aksioma – Institute for Contemporary Art, Ljubljana

Represented by: Marcela Okretič

www.aksioma.org

aksi...@aksioma.org





*Supported by:*

The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, the City of Ljubljana
#  distributed via : no commercial use without permission
#is a moderated mailing list for net criticism,
#  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
#  more info: http://mx.kein.org/mailman/listinfo/nettime-l
#  archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nett...@kein.org
#  @nettime_bot tweets mail w/ sender unless #ANON is in Subject: