Over the past few years, we’ve seen art marry technology in many ways. From NFTs taking over Instagram and the Metaverse completely changing the game with virtual museums and exhibitions, the possibilities are—quite literally—endless. But, of course, it’s not limited to paintings and animations, either! Digital fashion is gaining traction with virtual influencers wearing designer clothing and brands creating digital collections with materials one can only dream of. What Is Digital Fashion? Digital fashion refers to intangible items that exist in virtual environments. AR filters, direct-to-avatar clothes, skins for gaming, and even crypto art that you can purchase for yourself are considered digital fashion. It even includes 3D collections and virtual runway shows! Currently, more and more fashion brands are entering this space as they predict that this market niche will be profitable in the near future. As a result, it might even be easier to implement internal carbon pricing strategies with this technology. In the next few years, we’ll be seeing more and more virtual-native fashion startups emerge, as well as the widespread adoption of this field among mass-market and luxury labels. Fashion’s Detrimental Effect On The Environment Before we dive deeper into digital fashion, let’s first talk about fashion and the planet. It’s no secret that this industry has detrimental effects on our environment. 10% of the total global carbon emissions produced worldwide can be traced to the fashion industry. And it doesn’t end there! Producing clothes dries up our water sources and pollutes rivers and streams. Plus, it’s estimated that the industry creates 92 million tons of textile waste every year. These statistics are staggering. And the thing is that consumers are increasingly aware of the industry’s impact, which means they’re demanding accountability. That’s why we’re seeing fashion brands pivot. From creating clothes out of sustainable materials to repurposing secondhand and vintage fabrics, there’s a clear shift happening. And then there’s digital fashion. Digital Fashion: Is It The Answer? Virtual fashion can change how physical products are manufactured and purchased. With technological advancements and a push for more virtual experiences, it is possible to address multiple environmental issues that the industry is currently facing. Digital fashion eliminates all physical waste, and brands wouldn’t even need to concern themselves with water consumption! Since raw materials are coded in computers, there are no unethical supply chains. There wouldn’t even be any labor issues because the workers are highly competent designers and programmers known to have generally favorable working conditions. As for technological breakthroughs, some of the ideas and methods we’re already seeing are the following: Augmented Reality and 3D Digital Design Brands can reduce waste produced in upstream operations with the help of 3D digital design and augmented reality. Working samples in technology allow brands to show customers their new collections through digital samples. Compared to physical production, 3D garment simulation reduces sample lead time from one month to one day and generates no fabric waste. Some brands that are already adopting this strategy are Adidas and Theory. Digital Avatars For Try Ons Through our virtual avatars, we can purchase made-to-order clothes. With this technology, we can virtually try on the products we plan to buy. By placing orders for clothes we know we like, fashion brands can cut back on production, effectively lowering the number of leftovers and textile waste. Beauty brands like Estée Lauder are already adopting this by creating virtual beauty stores that let you try on products such as lipsticks and foundations. Digital Fashion Shows It’sno surprise that virtual events are more sustainable than physical ones. They generate less waste due to less material fabrication and eliminate the need for large-scale food and beverage services. Digital Fashion Week is a thing now, and it’s unlike physical fashion runway shows. Here, designers can showcase their pieces which wouldn’t even be possible in the physical realm. Addressing Overconsumption With Digital Fashion Aside from the incredible technological advancements being created in this space, digital fashion might also be just what we need to combat overconsumption. Take a good look at your wardrobe. Are there clothes that you barely ever wear? Unfortunately, people have more clothes than they need, and the adoption of digital fashion can change this. A digital-only garment has less impact on the environment, and if it proves to meet the customer’s needs to have new, exciting clothes all the time, this will be a big win for sustainability. The Future of Digital Fashion We can all agree by now that the future of fashion is digital. It’s definitely here to stay and slay! The sooner we adopt it, the sooner it will have an impact on how we consume clothing and even redefine our relationship with the outfits we wear. With digital fashion, the industry might finally be able to turn the tide and create more sustainable solutions for the sake of the planet and everyone in it. Dont miss out on our digital fashion auction taking place between the 26- 29 Jan 2023. Click here and get ready to bid on exclusive items for your digital collectibles. It’s your opportunity to build a spectacular digital wardrobe and collect digital fashion art to show off online!

Katie Pierce

13 Nov 2022

5 min to read

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To succeed in business, one must always look for methods to improve one's offerings and differentiate themselves from rivals. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are a relatively new method for accomplishing this. You can include tokens like these in a company's tangible goods and services to provide customers access to features they wouldn't get with more conventional offerings. This article will discuss five ways companies can improve sales and differentiate themselves by using NFTs with traditional products. It is referred to as "Phygital" as they combine both online and offline features. What is an NFT, and How it functions? Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs) are blockchain-based digital assets with the added functionality of smart contracts. NFTs are unique and cannot be exchanged for another token, unlike conventional cryptocurrencies (which also operate on blockchain technology). When an NFT is created, it is assigned a one-of-a-kind ID that no one cannot modify once it has been recorded in the blockchain. Five ways to integrate NFTs with physical products. 1. Gain customer trust by offering transparency. The widespread availability of data has only increased consumers' appetite for additional insights. As a result, consumers will do their homework on various brands and items before making a purchase. Because of this, companies need to be more open than ever to win and keep customers' confidence. 93% of consumers feel confident in a business is critical to continuing to be devoted to the brand, according to data from recent research. Customers will have an easier time verifying product authenticity and gaining insight into your supply chain if NFTs are embedded into your items. In addition, NFTs can provide an essential degree of credibility that can build faith in your consumers because the data is stored in the token and therefore is secured due to the decentralization of the blockchain. 2. Safeguard brand image by utilizing NFT. Both mainstream consumer and premium brands are frequently targeted by counterfeiters, damaging their reputation and sales. Including a certificate of authenticity can be advantageous for high-value items, limited edition products, and collectibles, although even these can be faked to some extent. In other words, using NFTs does away with the requirement of a reliable third party to verify transactions. It is made possible because the data regarding the possession and replicability of the fundamental asset is stored on a public blockchain and can be accessed by anyone. Therefore, before making a purchase, customers can use them as self-authenticating certificates of authenticity, which means they can serve the same purpose as the originals. 3. Easily trace each product. With NFTs, you may provide a distinct digital identifier to each of your items through a process called serialization. Like any product code, you may use this one to access the corresponding data on the blockchain. Because of this, it is more secure and efficient than alternative methods, such as secret registration number databases. Moreover, every newly minted physical thing is recorded separately from the rest. For this reason, the blockchain process will also document each object's previous owners and whether or not they resold it. 4. NFT can facilitate remanufacturing and reverse supply to improve waste disposal. There is more to the production management puzzle that NFTs can assist solve than simply making things traceable so that both you and your customers know where they went. They can also include vital information about adequately disposing of each item to reduce its environmental impact, bringing the user deeper into the product's life cycle. 5. Increase income from royalties. People buy mass-produced goods for a few cents becoming priceless relics for collectors years later. The thought of sharing in that success excites you because you were the one who first made it. If you create a new token (NFT) for the product and include royalty fees into the smart contract, you can. It will allow you to earn more money if your items are exchanged on supported exchanges. Conclusion NFTs provide numerous advantages for companies that include them in their existing physical offerings. The capacity to embed royalty payments into each product, enhanced openness that can develop customer confidence and the potential to use NFTs as assurances of validity are just a few examples. Each of these advantages contributes in its particular way to the success of your company. In addition, they provide a richer set of resources for companies to protect their products and brand image just like RtistiQ. Check out our website at art.rtistiq.com to learn more.

RtistiQ

30 Jun 2022

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If you are looking to spend an art-filled weekend in the ever-surprising Singapore, we’ve put together a list of five recommendations to keep you entertained. As the city-state is returning to its fast pace, many exciting art events are taking place across the island. Regardless of your interest in learning more about ancestral cultures, you wish to emerge yourself in a selfie-worth installation, or you just want to cool your body and mind with a minimalist exhibition, we got you covered. Don’t forget to leave your feedback if you see any of the exhibitions. 1. Annual Special Exhibition: Second Movement Richard Deacon, Housing 9, 2012, Marbling on folded STPI handmade paper, constructed with magnet button, 109.5 x 57.5 x 51 cm. © Richard Deacon / STPI. STPI’s 2022 Annual Special Exhibition Second Movement is a homage to the enduring creative spirit of its experimental projects with critically acclaimed artists. Curated by Khai Hori, the exhibition is featuring works by Alfredo & Isabel Aquilizan, Heman Chong, Genevieve Chua, Richard Deacon, Heri Dono, Ryan Gander, Goh Beng Kwan, Han Sai Por, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Shirazeh Houshiary, Teppei Kaneuji, Kim Beom, Jason Lim, Zul Mahmod, Eko Nugroho, Manuel Ocampo, Anri Sala, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Hema Upadhyay, Ian Woo, Haegue Yang. For STPI’s 2022 Annual Special Exhibition STPI showcases 41 works by 21 artists from the past two decades of creative collaborations. To date, over 100 artists from around the world have participated in the Visiting Artists Programme, where they are invited to explore creating works in print and papermaking. Each collaboration with the workshop team serves as a testament to how these mediums can be endlessly reimagined through these artists’ hands, pushing the limits of what can be achieved with these techniques. Thus, Second Movement is an invitation to get to the heart of what an STPI collaboration truly means, where new techniques, technicalities, concepts, and philosophies constantly come into being. Where: STPI On display until 24 July 2022 2. Batik Kita: Dressing in Port Cities Batik Kita: Dressing in Port Cities explores the rich history and culture of batik and batik making, from its traditional roots to contemporary designs. Visitors are invited to step into the exquisite world of batik textiles that cut across cultures and ethnic backgrounds, and explore the dynamic possibilities of batik as fashion through the years. The exhibition also introduces innovations by batikers in the age-old craft, and showcases how batik charted the evolution of new identities from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Where: Asian Civilisations Museum On display until 2 October 2022 3. iLight Festival MOTHEREARTH ClimateChange Data Sculpture i Light Singapore is Asia’s leading sustainable light festival held in Marina Bay. First held in 2010, i Light Singapore showcases light art installations created by Singaporean and international artists. These artworks are designed with energy-saving lightings and/or environmentally-friendly materials to encourage festival goers and the general public to adopt sustainable habits in their everyday lives. The Festival also features a diverse range of fringe activities for visitors to enjoy, bringing vibrancy to public spaces in our city centre. Light enables us to see and understand the world around us. The segment of electromagnetic waves that is perceivable to our eyes is known as the visible light speidea in one’s mind. Local and international artists have responded to the theme with creative interpretations, such as reimagining the potential of repurposing everyday objects and waste into delightful light installations. These contemporary light art will be showcased at the Festival, with the aim to encourage conversations about our lifestyles and consumption behaviour to build a more sustainable future.ctrum. Light is a form of energy that travels as waves, and the wavelengths determine the multitude of colours that we can see. Colours affect us in many ways, and form a language that communicates and associates itself with thoughts and emotions. Themed Spark of Light, the 2022 edition will kick off with the colour that has the shortest wavelength - violet. Embodying the most powerful electromagnetic energy in the visible light spectrum, violet is a colour that signifies creativity by awakening our senses, akin to the spark of a an idea in one’s mind. Where: Various location at Marina Bay, check the event map. On display until 26 June 2022 4. BreatheWater by PARVATHI NAYAR Installation view of BreatheWater, Parvathi Nayar, 2022. In the epoch of the Anthropocene, Parvathi Nayar looks to the essential elements of life: air and water, to explore that which connects us all. In BreatheWater, she looks at the existence of diatoms, microscopic organisms with walls of porous glass that are found in water, especially the oceans. Diatoms contribute to the oxygen we breathe and function as a gauge of the purity of water. Nature’s minuscule oxygen-creators are magnified and rendered larger-than-life in this sculptural installation that creates an enveloping environment in which the invisible is made visible. The installation references the waters that encircle the island-city of Singapore, and at a meta level, examines the issues of global warming, climate change and pollution. By drawing our attention to the invisible, BreatheWater suggests that the world is more magnificent, mysterious and interconnected than we consciously acknowledge. The practice of Parvathi Nayar (b.1964, India) unfolds through complex and intricate drawings, video, installation, text, and photography. Her art talks about the environment, urban memory and sustainability, with water as a consistent theme. She often utilises science as a prism to excavate microscopic and macroscopic perspectives that explore her deep fascination with the philosophies of space. Nayar has participated in numerous exhibitions including Chennai Photo Biennale 3: Maps of Disquiet (2021/22), We Are Ocean by Artport_Making Waves – Marseille, Berlin, Venice, (2019-2021), DAMNed Art Show, Goethe-Institut Chennai, India (2018), Whorled Explorations, Kochi-Muziris Biennale, India (2014) and Pulp Friction, Singapore Art Museum (2001). She is a founder-member of The Hashtag#Collective. Where: Esplanade, Theatres on the Bay On display until 24 July 2022 5. Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia “Yam awely” by Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Anmatyerre people. 1995, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, © Emily Kame Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia surveys historical and contemporary works by over 150 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across Australia—the largest exhibition of its kind to travel to Asia. Drawn from the collections of the National Gallery of Australia and The Wesfarmers Collection of Australian Art, the artworks show deep interconnections between past and present, as well as extraordinary artistic innovation. Ever Present is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, while also grappling with Australia’s complex histories. Art emerges as a tool of resistance, asserting deep connections to country, as well as using wit and satire to confront viewers and encourage conversations about critical issues in the world today. The works challenge stereotypes about First Nations people and what defines their art. This exhibition explores key aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life and culture, arranged thematically to highlight connections to land, community and ceremony, as well as experiences of colonisation and resistance. The exhibition also draws out links with Southeast Asia, connecting First People’s art from Australia to the broader history of this region. Where: National Gallery Singapore On display until 25 Sep 2022

RtistiQ

17 Jun 2022

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NFTs have become extremely popular in a short period of time. Crypto enthusiasts and collectors are looking for opportunities to hold the rare immutable NFT assets. But many crypto newcomers don’t quite know what to do with NFTs after they buy them and it is sitting in their crypto wallet. This article aims to explain the popular uses of Art NFTs that you might have bought on our platform RtistiQ. There are many different types of NFTs and what you can do with an NFT is largely determined by the type of asset you have purchased. Essentially a non-fungible token, or NFT is a form of digital asset that is unique and uses blockchain to record its ownership status. NFTs can only have one official owner at a time, and if you have purchased an artwork on RtistiQ, you are the lucky one to own it. This token is now secured by the blockchain - no one can modify the record of ownership or copy & paste a new NFT into existence. So does it come with copyright transfer too? No, an NFT is not to be confused with copyright – an NFT gives you a proof of ownership. There is no copyright transfer, unless explicitly mentioned. You get ownership of the artwork, with the licensing terms encoded as metadata. Some creators will let you use your copy only for personal use, while others might permit commercial uses. The ownership of the unique token has been transferred to your wallet via your public address, proving that your copy of the digital file is the original one. Your private key is the proof-of-ownership, and the content creator’s public key serves as a certificate of authenticity for that particular digital asset. So what to do with the NFTs now that you have bought them? Depends how you want to be involved, but you have the following three main options. Hold your ‘Collectible’ and add it to your collection Art NFTs are great ‘collectibles’. Just like paintings that you display in your home are unique pieces of art without any copies, an art NFT is a digital form that is unique. You can enrich your visual experience with it and it can gain value over time. This makes them potentially a great investment. The more rare NFTs you have in your collection, the more exclusive it becomes. 2. Display the NFT in a digital or physical gallery, or in the Metaverse NFTs provide intrinsic and social status value which can be showcased in NFT displays and video frames. NFT display apps on iPhones and tablets. Inside the metaverses – Decentraland, Cryptovoxels, etc. On the wall - printed and framed (if the contract permits). An NFT Display is a unique and snazzy way to display your asset with a certificate of ownership alongside it. An NFT display is connected to your wallet, to prove ownership of your NFT. It offers high quality visual and audio output, and comes with aesthetic frames and swivel mounts, and state-of-the-art features like gesture and voice controls Netgear’s Meural Canvas II, Canvia – Digital Art Canvas, BlockFrame NFT – Digital NFT Display Frame, Samsung – The Frame, Lago – The Frame and Blackdove Digital Canvas are a few of the trending options. 3. List your NFT for sale in a secondary marketplace and resell You could resell your NFT to try and turn a profit when the time is right. You have full right to list your NFT for sale on an NFT marketplace such as OpenSea, Rarible, Nifty Gateway, Larva Lab, Axie Infinity, SuperRare and more. Once you complete your listing on the marketplace, your NFT will be available for purchase on it. You can promote the sale to potential patrons via your website or social media channels. Do note that there are associated gas fees that might be incurred in case of making changes or removing your listing. Some creators may demand a royalty every time someone resells the piece. In that case royalties are built into the NFTs. In the near future, RtistiQ expects the infrastructure that supports NFTs to catch up even more and there will be further use cases for the emerging technology. Facebook renamed themselves to Meta last year, Microsoft joined the metaverse hosting immersive meetings with avatars…and many other companies are joining the boom. With the NFT ecosystem growing, it looks like NFTs are here to stay, dominate and slay.

RtistiQ

28 Apr 2022

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The NFT industry is greatly expanding as new NFT artists and creators release new collections with new use cases and utilities. This is only the beginning of web 3 going mainstream. But the bad news is that there is a skewed gender gap between the number of men and women in the sector. Male creators represented 77% of NFT art sales, while only 5% went to women creators in 21 months to November 2021. A caveat is that 16% were chalked up to creators of an “unknown” gender – well at least there is hope that a somewhat higher number for women may be active in reality. But it still represents a stark gender disparity. To increase diversity and inclusivity in the world of NFT and web 3 is key to creating opportunities for women around the world to be creators of this new era of the web. Male artists have dominated for generations and only a selected number of female artists have got the visibility they deserved. Art history has been dominated by male artists like Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Picasso, and many more. With few exceptions, such as Artemisia Gentileschi or Angelica Kauffman, there are almost no known female artists before the 19th century. We know very little about how art movements like Renaissance, Mannerism, Baroque, Rococo, or Neo-Classicism would have looked if depicted by female artists. In the last century, with a change in our society, women slowly gained their well-deserved spot in the art world. This change made it possible for talented women artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, Yayoi Kusama, and Frida Kahlo to be celebrated in major museums and their contribution to art history be acknowledged. Despite the constant progress, female access to leadership is still limited and women are still facing more challenges on their way to success than their male counterparts. In response to these concerning facts, RtistiQ is glad to announce a little step towards a mission to change this disparity and onboard the next generation of women creators and create equal opportunities. We want women to enrich the NFT movement. We will thus be putting the spotlight on 14 amazing women artists in our upcoming auction “Closing the Gender Gap”. The female artists whose works will be featured have been changing many walls of the physical world. We don’t want these artists to be overlooked by NFT art space and wish to give them the recognition they truly deserve. Every art lover or collector should know about them. The rise of the Metaverse means this very rich VR world needs whimsical creations - from art styles of abstract, figurative, feminist, pop art, new expressionism, naive art, spiritual and graffiti - which will all be a part of this collection. There will be 5 unique physical art-based NFTs on auction from each of the 14 artists. Thus, a total of 70 digital assets will be available to bid on the auction page that goes live on 12 May. These rare NFTs will open up possibilities of investment and trade inside the Metaverse. An excellent opportunity to grab iconic collectables and to celebrate a community that represents inclusivity and equal opportunities for all, especially diverse and dynamic women who have enriched several types of art styles inspiring their audiences. Let’s set the tone for a bumper 2022 for the world of NFTs where all talent is welcomed, valued and nurtured. NFT and crypto enthusiasts have diverging demands and for those demands to be met there need to be diverging artists who challenge stereotypes and redefine aesthetics. That is what these 14 artists bring to the key assets and pillars of Metaverse asset flow and ownership.

RtistiQ

20 Apr 2022

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As ARTnews had put it, ‘It’s about uniting to save lives’. Spare rooms, free doctors, addition of terminals by satellite broadband service providers to help keep the people of Ukraine online… support has been outpouring by people, companies, governments and other organisations like the IMF. The fascinating power of community and sheer generosity is breathtaking in crisis situations. And this time there is something else too. Since the conflict began, the relatively young non-fungible-token (NFT) community joined forces to harness the power of the new age through blockchain & crypto to raise aid. It was definitely off to a good start and continues in a positive vein. From the international community to the Ukrainian private and government bodies, many joined hands in several initiatives to help. In this article, we will highlight some of them: NFT ‘Museum of war’ Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's minister of digital transformation, has spearheaded the country’s push to raise funds in crypto assets and distributed ledger technology. Just this week, March 30, the Ukrainian government turned to the metaverse and launched an NFT ‘Meta History: Museum of war’ to help fund the fight. The country’s Ministry of Digital Transformation has minted 54 NFTs to raise awareness and support the Ukrainian military and civilians. The tokens will be taking the form of artists' illustrations linked to major events in the war. The mission statement was stated as “to preserve the memory of the real events of that time, to spread truthful information among the digital community in the world and to collect donations for the support of Ukraine.” This article by fortune provides further details: https://fortune.com/2022/03/29/ukraine-selling-nfts-war-bonds-meta-history-museum/ https://donate.thedigital.gov.ua/ On March 14, Ukraine launched the website above to allow people around the world to make crypto donations. By amassing the first donations at the beginning of the conflict, the organisation has raised more than $71 million. Vogue Ukraine & Vogue Singapore Can fashion and art, especially digital, be anything beyond frivolous? The good news is yes. Traditional infrastructures and institutions are under attack in a war situation and cryptocurrency can become even more useful as a medium. Vogue Ukraine and Vogue Singapore set up an initiative with six Ukrainian and Ukrainian-based artists and designers. The exclusive collection was put up on Opensea and included works from Anna October, Anton Belinskiy, DressX, Gunia Project, Ienki Ienki and Gudu. Each NFT was available in 50 editions at 0.5ETH. All proceeds were donated to ‘Save The Children Ukraine’. TIMEPieces TIMEPieces, the web3 community and NFT initiative from TIME put up a collection of unique artworks from the community’s artists inspired by the spirit of the Ukrainian people. Each artwork had a starting bid of 0.22ETH, with 100% of proceeds supporting humanitarian & relief efforts for Ukraine. Many generously donated their works to build a better future for the Ukrainian people. Swimmer Cindy Ong launched NFT collection Malaysian swimming champion and world masters champion Cindy Ong launched a NFT project on Opensea on March 20 to raise funds for the people of Ukraine. Charity NFT Art Auction for Ukrainian Artists by RtistiQ Last but not the least, the exclusive #NFTArtForAid NFT auction of works by Ukrainian artists will be available on our platform - RtistiQ from 7-10 April. 50+ artists and over 1000 NFTs. The NFT drop will feature works from Tatyana Binovska, Irina Loktionova, Nataliya Bagatskaya, Laifalight, Anastasiia Palashynska, among others. RtistiQ will not charge any commissions to the artists part of this auction. Additionally, by enabling the smart contract on RtistiQ, the artists are granted a 10% resale royalty. Minting will happen on Polygon and we hope that the funds raised will be a significant vehicle for a life changed for the better for the artists we have been working so closely with. The global NFT journey has only just begun. The consensus on the value of NFTs has remained controversial. Those who believed in it thought that the primary utility was an investment in the metaverse, or the proto-metaverse. However, the above use cases show there are more and the technology is likely to stick and accompany us all into the future. References:https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/ukraine-nft-artist-projects-1234621221/

RtistiQ

01 Apr 2022

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Art and war can sound complete opposites - war oppresses and destroys while art creates. But they actually coexist and war is a crucible of art. Art has been used in war situations in a number of ways…before, during and after. Why? Because art is an influencer of thought that reaches all segments of societies and sends out a powerful message for or against warmongering. It provokes, so it can change the way people feel and think. War art can be made to support it, oppose it, to demoralise opponents and to recover from the catastrophe of it. Artists blend colours, textures and patterns to depict wartime ideologies. Art has been carved from the wreckage of the battle - bullets, shell casings and other debris - often producing unsettling accounts of the calamity. Tools of cruelty have been turned into swords of compassion and the dead have also lived on in the hands of the artists. Political leaders – monarchs, dictators and democrats have commissioned artists to create propaganda in order to garner support and to urge the public to make material sacrifices and take risks. These artists have depicted the opposing side as aggressive and brutal in order to stimulate critical reflections of animosity for the opposing side. To evoke a sense of nationalism and pride among the citizens, they have depicted battlefield victory and glory. On the other hand, anti-war organisations have commissioned artists to subvert sympathy for wars. Also, some artists have been official appointees in war situations, sent by their governments to create a record of what was going on or to offer visual slogans to aid morale. The lessons of art and war are entwined, and art stands as a constant reminder of the hard learnt lessons of the past & present, and the direction of the future. As we stand now in 2022 with Russia’s war on Ukraine entering the second month, RtistiQ has decided to use art and the power of technology to run an NFT art auction of the works of Ukrainian artists to raise money for them. These artists are suffering the horrific consequences of the assault in Ukraine. It is a pragmatic but a different use case, and we hope it can help garner support for these artists thanks to a world of cyber-liberate population. It is also an opportunity for the speculators of this initiative to own tradable and investible alternative assets which ought to prosper in times to come. Refer to our blog article: Sending Help to Ukrainian Artists In This Hour of Maximum Need Through A Charity NFT Art Auction to learn more about the whys of this initiative by RtistiQ We hope through RtistiQ we can continue to use our platform in innovative ways to power the future of art experience around the world while the world is signalling the move to a web3.0 era. References: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/remembering-americas-official-artists-war-180952321/ https://politicalviolenceataglance.org/2018/01/05/five-ways-art-and-war-are-related/

RtistiQ

31 Mar 2022

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Lawrence Wong, Singapore's finance minister, announced today that "prevailing income tax rules will apply" to Income derived from non-fungible token (NFT) transactions. He stated that the tax treatment and economics "will be determined based on the nature and use of the NFT." According to Wong, some individuals may also derive capital gains from such transactions. Those profits won't be deducted because the country does not have a regime of taxing capital gains. Different countries have been releasing Taxation plans for NFTs and Crypto Assets, including Australia, the United States of America, and India. The announcement has clarified the Taxation regime for NFT transactions treated as Income or Capital Gains to be considered under regular tax brackets in Singapore. On the other hand, India has taken a different approach with a proposed higher tax bracket of 30% for any Crypto and NFT transactions. Blockchain-based NFTs serve as tokenized cryptographic assets to represent ownership of unique items. The acceptance of crypto is growing globally within the mainstream. Also, NFTs gained prominence from the end of 2020 and took a significant leap in 2021 with a transaction volume estimated at $41 Billion. Singapore has one of the lowest income tax rates in Asia. The country offers several tax breaks and boasts a relatively lower corporate tax rate and top personal tax bracket, plus it does not levy taxes on capital gains. However, the country has plans to raise income taxes for the high earners.

RtistiQ

11 Mar 2022

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The love and appreciation for Art has been an intrinsic part of the Human Cultural and Cognitive Evolution. The interest and experience of the human mind in Art has grown exponentially since the Pre-Historic Period. One can say that with the development and growth of Cranial Capacity in the humans along with many other social, cultural, political and economic developments, the importance of Art and Aesthetics have evolved, leading to a number of professional disciplines, like Fine Arts, Art Management, Curators, Critiques, Art Historians and so forth. A lot of precedence is given on analyses and interpretation of art to get a holistic picture of the contemporary societies, many of which cease to exist now and only their art works exist. These above mentioned developments led to an increase of population that was inclined towards understanding and appreciating various forms of Art, from recreational perspective to professional business perspectives. Art and Aesthetics have become such an important part of Cultural Studies and Heritage that various bodies run by the Governments of all countries and states and by the Private Entrepreneurs have started investing stakes to conserve and preserve the Artistic Assemblages of their regions. Over the past decade this practice has increased rapidly due to the commercial and monetary benefits and cases of protecting native traditions in the ever-increasing globalized world. Keeping all these things in mind, here is a small list of Must Visit Destinations Around the World for Art Lovers. Although a word of caution that this article only scratches the surface of the Art World, one lifetime wouldn’t be enough to imbibe and appreciate all the Artistic Marvels of our World. Let us begin with one of the earliest evidences of Art in the world, in the form of Pre-Historic Rock Art. These Cave Shelters can be found in the South of France known as the Chauvet Caves. Based on the archaeological and scientific evidence from the Caves, these paintings are dated to roughly around 32,000 years old. These paintings tell us about the Hunting and Ritualistic activities of the Paleolithic dwellers of these caves. Next fairly ancient site that is a must for art lovers to visit is in Maharashtra, India. There are a group of Buddhist Caves near the village of Ajanta in Aurangabad District of Maharashtra, and due to their proximity to the village they are known as Ajanta Caves. These are group of Buddhist Caves of which the earliest has been dated to around 2nd Century BCE belonging to the Satvahana Dynasty and the latest dating to around 6th Century CE belonging to Gupta-Vakataka Period. A visitor will be enchanted by the perfect blend of interaction between the Nature and its Human inhabitants. Here there are numerous sculptures belonging to the Buddhist Iconography and breathtaking paintings giving us a glimpse of the Ancient Indians. This article would be incomplete without mentioning the splendid city of Istanbul, in Turkey. This city has seen many glorious days under different Empires, like the, Hellenistic Empire, the Bronze Ages, the Byzantine Empire and lastly the Ottoman Empire. The entire city is shrouded with monuments and museums with the robust collections one’s eyes scan fathom. Right from the Sultan Ahmet to the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia to splendid museums like the Top-Kapi Palace, this city is a gold mine for Art lovers. Another must visit destination for Art lovers is Rome, in Italy. The entire city is filled to the brim with history and monuments and churches to devour. There is a lot to see and experience in the city but the must visit sites are Roman Forum, St. Peter’s Basilica (The Vatican City), the Colosseum, Cuatro Fontana Di Trevi and the Pantheon. There are a lot of majestic places to visit in the Latin Americas as well. One of them which deserves a special mention is the capital of Columbia, Bogota. This city is a true treat for the Art lovers, there is so much one can do here, most spectacular places are, Museo del Oro (Gold Museum), the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira, the Botero Museum and lastly a Street Art Tour of the City. The final two destinations that deserve mentions are the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York and the Louvre, in Paris and recently opened in Abu Dhabi. Both of these museums are very unique in different ways and they are the torch bearers of Art Education in the world. These museums have magnificent art collects from different periods and regions of the world, like the most well-known, Mona Lisa, by Leonardo Da Vinci at Louvre. Along with art collections and exhibitions these museums also carry out extensive research and publications on Art of the World along with educating the future generations on Art Management and Curatorship, Art Conservation and Art History. And to see more works of art from around the world that is authentic check out our website RtistiQ as we bring to you both digital and physical art backed by NFT.

RtistiQ

03 Dec 2021

5 min to read

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Over the past few months, non-fungible tokens, or the NFTs, have burst into the mainstream, expanding and challenging our collective understanding of ownership. But what are they? In this article, we provide a brief introduction to NFTs, a roundup of 2021 and why we believe they are paving the way for strong growth in years to come. WHAT IS AN NFT? WHAT DOES IT STAND FOR? HOW DO THEY WORK? Non-fungible, meaning they cannot be exchanged and hold a unique representation. The term ‘Token’ refers to unit of value that is stored on a secure distributed ledger called a blockchain. Essentially, an NFT is a digital asset that is a publicly verifiable intellectual property authenticated on a blockchain, mainly on Ethereum, which further can record all the transactions (namely the provenance) on the ledger in a tamper-proof manner. The asset can be physical & tangible or digital & intangible and can record the ownership of art, image, video, video game skin, trademark, cryptokitty and much more. HOW TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF AN NFT? The value of an NFT is what the market says it is—which means what someone is willing to pay to own the NFT vs. its copy. Several factors gauge the NFTs' worth such as rarity, utility and tangibility. The value of an NFT also differs for short- or long-term holding, depending on the asset the NFT represents. Before investing on NFT’s it is often a good practice to research more about the creator, rarity and the long term view, similar to any asset investment. NFTs ARE JUST GETTING STARTED Though the NFTs have been around since 2014, they have roared in popularity only in 2021. They are still in the very first stages just like the iPhone was in its first year. The simple iPhone applications of that time have now moved to the Ubers of the world, the scanner, a portal to the new world experience of augmented reality, earthquake early warning system, a healthcare partner in our pocket and more. The NFT minefield is likely to take a similar curve and be a formative business model catalyst not only in the crypto space but extending to all sorts of industries and niches. Their popularity took off in March this year when a British auction house - Christie’s sold an NFT of “Everydays—The First 5,000 Days”, a work of art by Mike Winkelmann for a whopping $69m. NFT art sales have hit $3.5B this year so far and the total sales volume surged to $10.7B as this asset frenzy hit a new high. SO NFT IS NOT ONLY FOR DIGITAL ART? That’s right. Many associate NFT with digital art, but this ecosystem is not only limited to that. They can actually be used to authenticate and auction any kind of collectible. There have been a growing number of marketplaces dedicated to assets that have emerged this year. A large number of celebrities, brands and sporting organizations are now fuelling awareness. Indian celebrities from the world of Bollywood and cricket are launching digital memorabilia through NFT, hoping to rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars by cashing in on growing interest in such assets. Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachhan, Kamal Haasan, Salman Khan are testing waters. The CEO of Coinbase “Brian Armstrong'' stated that he believes that the new NFT marketplace could be bigger than its cryptocurrency business. An example of NFTs bringing more programmability to tangible assets is the luxury jewelry brand Asprey that recently announced that it would be utilizing NFTs tied to each of its jewelry pieces to solve the problem of liquidity and difficulty in confirming authenticity. Each of its jewelry will now come with an NFT. WHAT’S AHEAD We believe that 2022 will be a breakout year for NFTs. Millennials, and Gen Zs, have digital lives and it’s natural to want to take digital representations into their worlds. They are here to stay, dominate and slay. There is much more to come with their use in the metaverse and in the Ethereum Naming Service (ENS). So much of the world is yet to discover them. Disney, one of the largest media conglomerates in the world, has just begun it’s journey with NFTs this month. Athletes have barely discovered it. So many companies outside of crypto are only now beginning to realize that they have thousands of assets that can be traded as NFTs. It is almost a blank canvas that is ready to break out. How big can it get and what next? The speculation is that at the current pace it could be a 100 Billion market in 2022, that is next year! We are bullish on the possibilities it offers and its place in the future. Are you?

RtistiQ

19 Nov 2021

5 min to read

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