when art & technology meet in nature

We’re not only an association – we also run on-chain and have gained real life experience when it comes to using new technologies such as blockchain in the artistic context. All whilst being closely connected to and focussed on nature, and artist support.

So what does that mean and how did we get here?

Let’s get into what we have done – and learned – as well as our next steps.

In 2021, the year of the pandemic, muti's adventure started - with blockchain. 

After a creative hackathon on NEAR, the muti DAO (Decentralised Autonomous Organisation) has been set up.

A DAO is, in very simple words, the digital equivalent of a cooperative, company or association, which is using code to execute tasks (such as payouts or decision making). It allows a horizontal governance structure and a safe storage of funds, as there is no one-person leadership (in theory). Decisions have to be made collectively in order for actions to happen, and everything is stored on the blockchain, therefore visible for anyone with an internet access.

We used the DAO to :

  • Provide stipends for visual artists & education to create a physical art work
  • Onboard and educate artists & make them members of the DAO to vote on the next stipend
  • Support 14 musical projects during the pandemic, organizing online events in the Metaverse and remunerating them for their sets
  • Collaborate with other entities to organize virtual & physical exhibitions
  • Create free events in the nature of central Portugal whilst being able to remunerate artists fairly (during the pandemic!)
  • Experiment with physical NFTs, selling handmade items from our artists
  • Record 12 muti sessions with emerging musicians
  • Organize 2 artistic residencies in the nature of Portugal which combined art, web3 and a final showcase for the public
  • Support artists in their creative endeavors (album releases, a poetry book publication & video shoots)
  • Speak both at crypto and music conferences, bridging the gap between the digital and the physical and highlighting how it can work hand in hand
muti bazaar - physical NFTs
muti sessions
metaverse exhibitions
metaverse concerts
Hybrid exhibition in the Estufa Fria in Lisbon
artist stipends
metaverse parties
NFT exhibition

But not all that glitters is gold

The world of new technologies seems promising – especially web3, always hyping the fact that artists can finally be remunerated fairly and disrupting the traditional system. After working with it for 4 years, we can say that we gained a fair share of experiences and believe that a more honest communication is needed.

What we have learned (the hard way at times), is:

  • There is a lot of hype about the next big thing – it’s often overrated
  • It’s still capitalism at its finest
  • Energy consumption/ sustainability: Even though many blockchains are supposedly carbon neutral, it’s not yet fully measurable and they still use a good amount of energy (as does your Google search); as for AI, if it has to be used, do so wisely, as its water consumption is insane
  • The idea of a horizontal government structure seems great – but is sometimes simply not usable/practical if you want to bring a project forward. Sometimes someone needs to kickstart decisions.
  • Transparency is great & decentralized should not mean “free for all” – curation is extremely important
  • Great technologies need to be user-friendly and have a real use case- otherwise this world will only be accessed and gatekept by tech bros
  • We need to shine more light on women in tech
  • Fear/ FOMO is a poor advisor
  • Scam is real – even the most tech savvy folks can be fooled sometimes
  • Community – one of the biggest buzzwords. Numbers sometimes mean little – it’s about the real connections you create
  • NFTs don’t make you rich – it’s very niche and you’ll need an equal amount of marketing and connections to make it work 
  • Artworks keep on living on chain, but it has its limitations – if the platform shuts down, you’ll need to build your own access (see the closed shop for physical NFTs)

where are we now

After the wild ride, we’re now at a place where we know how to experiment with technology to support artists. We:

  • enhance experiences in and with nature through technology
  • nurture the experimentation with technology to push creative boundaries and highlight the aspect of sustainability
  • keep on educating about the new possibilities, whilst showing the up and downsides in an honest and realistic way

We’re grateful for the journey so far, what we have learned and the connections we’ve made – after all we have been able to connect with amazing artists and wonderful creatives of all sorts and are happy to be able to call them part of the family.

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