Time Out Market Miami is getting into the NFT game. This Miami Art Week, the food-and-culture destination partners with digital art gallery Blackdove to present “Metaversal_Language,” an exploration of creative code as the language of the metaverse. Curated by Jess Conatser, it features original works by five multidisciplinary artists who poignantly articulate the ways in which we communicate in the metaverse. “Artists make their work with code so exploring the language behind the art and how it becomes collaborative with the viewer is part of the communication process,” explains Conatser, whose curatorial practice explores the evolution of human behavior and identity in relation to technology.
While the Market isn't your typical art space, she sees the important role the unconventional venue plays in furthering the conversation. “To do this at Time Out Market Miami is really exciting to me because we can’t control the audience. It could be finite and most likely will be a mixture of lots of different people. If we can translate what this art means for them and let them have access to it, I think that’s awesome,” says Conatser.
The artists she’s handpicked are mostly emerging with a track record for creating progressive works. For this special commission, Conatser enlisted the likes of A.I. poet Sasha Stiles, who will be doing a live reading of her new book, Technelegy, at the Market on December 4 at 1pm. There’s also REO, a futurist and music producer who creates art that shows what a song looks like using today’s leading-edge technology; Kenneth Alexander, who fuses traditional and digital art styles; DATASYNCED, whose work focuses on building support systems that prioritize the “air quality” in this new dimension; and Ben Heim, an audiovisual composer creating complex evolving visual systems.
“Metaversal_Language” opens to the public on December 1 at noon and runs through Sunday, December 5. A panel discussion with the artists is scheduled for December 1 at 6:30pm, followed by a cocktail reception with Mezcal Amarás and live set by DJ Ear Candy that’s open to the public with RSVP. Pieces will be available for purchase via QR code and, if you still have no idea what we’re talking about, stop in on December 3 at 1pm. Artist Kenneth Alexander and the folks from Blackdove will be leading a lunch-and-learn event to talk about live-minting and how to pair your crypto wallet to properly display your NFTs.
For more Miami Art Week news, make sure to check out our complete guide to Art Basel Miami Beach 2021.