How Web3 is changing the art world

Today, Friends with Benefits, a “culturally focused,” social DAO—decentralized autonomous organization—launches its first series of FWB Fest, a three-day immersive festival in the San Jacinto Mountains of Idyllwild, California.

Inspired by the turmoil, upheaval, and call to community that defines 2020, Friends with Benefits founder Trevor McFedries set out to assemble a digital collective of collaborators that now includes members like Erykah Badu, Azealia Banks, and David Rudnick. “DAOs are a model very much inspired by co-ops and collectives that predate the web3 era,” says Lindsay Howard, their Head of Brand. “We call ourselves a social DAO because we’re not just about financial returns or speculation – we’re focused on merging culture and crypto. Our members range from business owners to designers to artists to basketball players, and we’re really interested in adding right for relationships between technologists and cultural creators. Putting artists and technologists in a space is going to strengthen their work, doubling both their capacity and contribution.”

Andrew Benson, “Wilting” 2022.

Following this spirit of collaboration, Friends with Benefit has partnered with OpenSea (the world’s largest NFT marketplace), taking over their website to showcase works by FWB artists Andrew Benson, Ayaka Ohira, Case Simmons, Ezra MillerNiall Ashley, Nic Hamilton, Petra Cortright, Sarah Zucker, Tyler Givens, and Vivian Fu. OpenSea contributed $100,000 to commission their NFT artworks for an exhibition called “The Flock”, which will be on view both online and in real life, as part of the FWB Festival, alongside panel talks, workshops, experiential offerings, pool parties and performances.

The curatorial process for this “phygital” exhibition was led democratically by members of the FWB community, with half of the artists selected through nominations. In line with their belief in decentralization and horizontal power, the funds from OpenSea will be divided equally between the 10 artists. “Each new technology gives us new tools and resources to tap into what it means to be a different kind of contributor—blockchain is no different,” says artist and FWB member Eileen Skyers. “We explore the possibilities of reshaping traditional value mechanisms – hierarchies handed down to us by platform monopolies, brand architectures and these socially gendered, cultural systems.”

Tyler Givens, “Trust In Your Eyes” 2022. Commissioned by OpenSea and FWB.

To delve deeper into the power of decentralization, we spoke with featured artists Ezra Miller and Vivian Fu about misconceptions surrounding crypto and NFTs, and the opportunities Web3 provides for their creative practice.

Artwork by Ezra Miller. Commissioned by OpenSea and FWB.

Ezra Miller

Why is decentralization important to the art world?
It gives artists more control over the way they can approach their practice, to be able to create works on their own terms and benefit from more direct access to their collectors and supporters. It also gives more artists the opportunity to find ways into an art world that has traditionally been guarded by institutions.

What are some misconceptions you’d like people to better understand about NFTs?
I would like people to better understand that NFTs can be high quality works of art, and move away from the perception of NFTs as a medium for comics and kitsch.

What possibilities does web3 open up for your creative practice?
It has opened up new ways of sharing my work, due to the general emphasis and popularity of generative art in web3. Before web3, there wasn’t really a way to create a large generative work in a way that felt true to the medium. Now I can create a generative series with thousands of possible outputs, and people seem genuinely interested in understanding and engaging with the algorithm itself.

Vivian Fu, “FIGHT!”, 2022. Commissioned by OpenSea and FWB.

Vivian Fu

Why is decentralization important to the art world?
I think diversity of spaces, curators and artists is absolutely essential. It creates opportunities for new ideas and community. I do not believe that a small amount of institutions should be the judges of what is valid art or culturally relevant.

What are some misconceptions you’d like people to better understand about NFTs?
There seems to be a misconception that NFTs are a singular type of artwork. It is untrue and there is a wide breadth of styles. I feel frustrated when people seem to think that NFTs are just one thing, when really it’s just as expansive, if not more expansive. I think people also fixate on the speculative get-rich-quick element of NFTs, which I think is the least interesting part. What’s interesting about NFTs is that it claims that what happens online has value, and that value can accrue to creators.

What possibilities does web3 open up for your creative practice?
In many ways, whether I was aware of it at the time or not, the internet has been a part of my art practice. I am a photographer and have always shared my works on social platforms such as Livejournal, Flickr, Tumblr and Instagram. At the time I mostly saw this as putting my images out into the world, but in retrospect I recognize that much of my photography is subliminally influenced by being online.

My photographs are a documentation of my life, but to get meta and annoying about it, it’s also about performing for the camera, and when these photos are posted online, it’s about performing for an internet audience. I think in many ways participating in web3 has helped me see this part of my work much more clearly. Additionally, my photographs may exist in a physical realm… but I have always felt that the ultimate setting for my photographs is the internet. Web3 creates a scenario where my images get to live and can be bought and sold in the place I’ve always felt at home, instead of having to be turned into physical objects that can be bought.

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