Category: Primary Research

I met Yusi in 2015 when we began our bachelor degree. Now she is studying painting at Shanghai Normal University. As following is a brief of our conversation.

Crypto Art

Yusi had heart about NFTs and Crypto Art, but only a bit. She thinks she would be in the top per cent of the Chinses, cause rare students would talk about it, and even the tutors didn’t know about it. Mostly they got news from their friends who are studying abroad.

So I introduced the concept and the big news in the Crypto world to her.

Some problems we found that could not solve immediately for Chinese artists :

• Language
• Having no idea where and how to upload
• Expensive gas fee

For collectors:

• Why need to buy it?
• The Wechat program Pingmujian (started from 2017) is a similar model logic as the platform for crypto Art, but seldom people buy in
• Still a big question left in traditional art world, especially Chinese, only the minorities spend money on it

Where would Chinese spend money most

• Designer toy like Takashi Murakami, Kaws
• Digital prints for commercial purpose

Reflection

From Yusi’s perspective, promoting the digital exhibition could be a way that promotes crypto artwork. In China, most people do not know about Crypto art yet, which means there’s also a huge space to do something.

During the conversation, we also talked about our views towards Chinese and “western” painting. We both agree that they are so different that will appeal to a different audience. Though personally, I like the Chinese style more, because of the typical Chinese aesthetics, while Yusi would prefer the “western”, due to the creative expression. This is a big topic and we discussed it a lot but this is a crypto blog so I won’t talk more. Anyway, it’s good to know the different attitudes.

For the next step of my intervention, I shall focus on the promotion of digital art. Also, let more Chinese artists know more about Crypto art.

Yuxin is my CSM classmate, she currently is working at BCA as a curator.

BCA is a full-category blockchain art NFT platform that integrates blockchain art creation, investment collection and education output. It is centred on MetaOpus and is committed to creating a person Encrypted art ecosystem where everyone can participate.

As following is the summary of our conversation:

BCA

• 30-40 staff members
• Mainly young artist (millerals, and gen Z)
• Top artists: Dabeiyuzhou, Zhiwei Zhang (acution)
• Aiming to develop young artists

Bohan Sun

• Founder of BCA
• The current development of Crypto art is inseparable from the construction of infrastructure
• To cultivate a group of collectors
• The current crypto art auction payment process has a high threshold
• There is still a gap between the current national aesthetic perception level and foreign markets, we need to find ways to participate in this industry with more Chinese or local characteristics

MetaOpus

• 80k+user, 500+ signed artitsts
• Chinese > users from other countries

Reflection

I used to believe that some people criticize that digital art is not “real” art, but who decides what is “real” art? After the conversation with Yuxi, also the study of Bohan, I will first propose that physical art is not real art, real art only exists in digital In the world. In fact, art is art, and it can appear in any form. The reason why art is amazing is that it does not need to be widely admired, it is only created for creation.

BCA is a pioneer organisation in China, it is so lucky for me that being Yuxin’s classmate. She told me a lot of information about the BCA that I couldn’t share here, but it is so important for me to understand more about the Chinese crypto industry.