In 2021, discussions surrounding NFTs, crypto art, and digital ownership rapidly expanded beyond niche online communities into the broader contemporary art market.

Originally written in early 2021 during Christie’s landmark NFT sale, this essay examined how blockchain technology, digital ownership, and institutional validation were beginning to reshape the landscape of digital art collecting.

As digital technologies increasingly shape contemporary artistic practices, discussions surrounding art and technology often focus on innovation, media, and market reception. Yet one of the least visible — and most important — aspects of technologically driven art remains the artist’s creative process itself.