NFT photography: the artists and innovators breaking ground

Can NFTs spark a photography revolution? Meet the innovators

When the concept of NFTs first abruptly entered the mainstream and cemented itself into everyday language, it seemed that the medium’s cutting-edge advantages – smart contracts built around artist royalties, or the ability to digitally authenticate works in perpetuity – were quickly overshadowed by the sheer volume of content. But now a new breed of Web3 platforms for art is increasing the cultural cachet of NFTs (non-fungible tokens), elevating them beyond online marketplaces and framing them with considered curatorial drive.

Founded by a forward-thinking group of artists, collectors and creative minds – Wallpaper’s own director of photography Holly Hay among them – Fellowship brings museum-worthy photography to the blockchain. “We want to push the boundaries of how photography can exist in the digital space by presenting traditional fine artists and estates alongside the more experimental and working artists of today,” explain co-founders Alejandro Cartagena and Chadwick Tyler. ‘Not only do we commission ‘native’ work, but we nurture new artists through programs to make work that has not yet been conceived. Our intention is to shine a spotlight on how the world is today through photography, and create a new way for artists to reach new target groups.’

László Moholy-Nagy Jealousy Eifersucht, 1927 © László Moholy-Nagy

The organization’s first NFT photo auction offered works by Gregory Crewdson, with additional auctions and exhibitions featuring Laurie Simmons, Larry Sultan, Hank Willis Thomas and the estates of August Sander and László Moholy-Nagy. The Fellowship also builds an active community through weekly conversations and panels with leading figures across art, photography, collecting and publishing. (On top of that, Fellowship offsets all coin costs and is committed to being carbon neutral).

With over six decades of artistic practice under his belt, Joel Meyerowitz has lived the evolution of photography more deeply than most. “Photography is the only art form that constantly updates itself through changes in technology, while sharing these changes with the global population. It is the world’s most democratic art form. The medium has been this way almost since its first moment of creation. It has always been a “collector’s item”, says Meyerowitz. “Now we have NFT: a remarkable new way to collect the great images of the past and present, except that now you can only have a single embossed image, instead of an unlimited number of prints. The rarity that collectors of photography have always sought is now a reality.’

Pieter Hugo, The hyena and other men, the hyena men of Abuja Lagos Nigeria2007 © Pieter Hugo

South African photographer Pieter Hugo is another artist who embraces the medium: “I’ve thought through the changes I’ve had to make in my career from 35mm to medium format, color negative to digital. The nature of photography is so evolutionary and has always been tied to technology – you have to adapt. I’d hate for my work to feel like a sentimentalist rehash of an expression that existed in the past, and I’m excited for change.’

The potential uses and opportunities for artist properties are also promising. Guy Bourdin continually broke new visual and conceptual ground throughout his career – so what would he have done with the blockchain and the Fellowship exhibition? “Bourdin was an early adopter of new devices and technology, dissatisfied with the quality of the print in the publication,” comments his estate about the collaboration with the Fellowship. “It is our belief that he would have adopted and enjoyed the opportunity in the same way that Joel Meyerowitz approaches the medium. We are committed to constantly improving the way his works are displayed, and the progressive technology behind Web3 would have been something he would have enjoyed exploring.’

Initiatives like the Fellowship build an important and thoughtful foundation for NFTs – even more importantly ensuring their persistence in a meaningful way. “It is very important for the Fellowship that they talk about photography both inside and outside the NFT area. This is all about the future of photography as a whole and supporting artists with new opportunities, adds Hay. “In my role, I feel a responsibility to understand and support new opportunities for photography. This space offers a real potential for financing new work, [and in terms of] who can access it and from where.’ §