Week 2 Algorithm, life, art and design

This week we talk about algorithms, data, life and art.

Most of the discussions in the class are about the application of algorithms in works of art, the role of artificial intelligence in life.

Except for the above things, what pop out of my mind initially is the word "NFT".

NFT ("non-fungible token": a way of owning the original digital image.) is a unit of data stored on a digital ledger, they can be sold and traded. As we know, digital things are not like traditional works, they are not printed like traditional works, which means digital files can be easily and endlessly duplicated. But with NFTs, these digital works can be sold under real name and copyright. 

Extend reading: Explanation of NFT

The most significant example:

Beeple's Everyday: The First 5000 Days (2021)
COURTESY CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD. 2021

These digital artworks by digital artist,Beeple, sold for $69 million in March of 2021.

Link:

Beeple's opus

In other words, in today's digital era, big data and various algorithms dominate our daily life. Not only social, but people have also begun to use this way of digital virtual currency to sell digital works.

Reference:

Christies.com. 2021. Beeple’s masterwork: the first purely digital artwork offered at Christie’s | Christie's. [online] Available at: <https://www.christies.com/features/Monumental-collage-by-Beeple-is-first-purely-digital-artwork-NFT-to-come-to-auction-11510-7.aspx> [Accessed 18 October 2021].

BBC News. 2021. What are NFTs and why are some worth millions?. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56371912> [Accessed 18 October 2021].