“The decentralization of power in the NFT space reflects the philosophy of French philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, who proposed a network structure where authority is equally shared.”
When it comes down to understanding the blockchain and its various effects on art culture, there are few more qualified on the subject than Mimi Nguyen. She believes “it is the responsibility of researchers, art historians, and collectors to rewrite this context and acknowledge that what was, quoting Susan Sontag, once banal can become fantastic with time.”
With a background in New Media Art, Mimi’s impressive credentials stem from a creative childhood cemented during her tertiary studies. From studying at the Berlin University of the Arts to the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, she has experienced an array of artistic cultures, presenting her with a 360-degree scope of arts.
From there, she was appointed the Creative Director at verse and Associate Professor at Central Saint Martins at the University of Arts London.
To Mimi, the introduction of blockchain technology, interweaving with art and its decentralized nature, was fascinating. It led to the creation of Mana Lab at Imperial College, a ‘Future in Blockchain’ PhD research group she leads. It focuses on everything from blockchain’s influence on creativity and its ability to shift trends to the shift in power from the elite to the makers.
“The digital world has become intertwined with our lives and identities, leading to the rise of digital ownership and consumption,” Mimi explains. “The NFT space has democratized the power structure in the art world, allowing creators to interact directly with buyers through social media instead of relying on galleries and institutions… The decentralization of power in the NFT space reflects the philosophy of French philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, who proposed a network structure where authority is equally shared. This shift in the art world presents a paradox between the desire for community consciousness and intrinsic idiosyncrasy.”