Art from Technology?

Blockchain, a continuously growing list of records, has turned the techno-world on its head. And not only. The art world seems just as captivated by these linked blocks, especially in Ukraine.
The first ever Blockchain Art Hackathon happened here in Kyiv back in October 2017, with a second planned for this autumn. First, however, Blockchain Lab founder Stanislav Podyachev and Blockchain Art U2Europe director Uliana Pereskotska, will take this fresh new project out for a spin; they’re headed for a number of European capitals to see what mileage their new brainchild gets.
The idea is to have presentations by Ukrainian Blockchain companies and startups, exhibitions of pieces that feature Blockchain “inside”, and local artists who will continue, or “fork”, works already started by those in Ukraine. “Art Fork is a unique cultural art action that will take place in Paris, Prague, and Amsterdam. Local artists will have an opportunity to fork pieces by Ukrainian artists, creating something new in the process,” says Pereskotska.
Because science and technology are often constricted by standards and norms, Podyachev is excited about this project as it provides “an opportunity to discover the world by using a different approach. In cooperation with leaders and businesspeople, we are creating an environment to crash test ideas”.
Astian Rey is a local artist who took part in the initial Hackathon in 2017, creating a piece that looked at Blockchain from space. “I will admit, I did not fully understand the practical interconnection between the worlds of finance and art,” says Rey. He was not averse to discovering the link however and has since come to see Blockchain as a “vector of progress”. He continues: “Modern people need live contact with the virtual world as never before – art has become this missing chain of connection.”

Stay up-to-date on the project at Facebook blockchainart.