Christie’s, the 256-year-old auction house, is joining forces with luxury fashion brand Gucci to launch a digital art non-fungible token (NFT) collection. Titled “Future Frequencies: Explorations in Generative Art and Fashion,” the collection features 21 NFTs created by AI artist Claire Silver, generative artist Emily Xie, decentralized autonomous artist Botto, and more. The auction, which will take place on Christie’s 3.0 digital art platform, opens for bidding on July 18 and closes July 25.
The collaboration between Christie’s and Gucci is designed to inspire both artists and the fashion industry to explore Web3 technologies. “My goal with this auction is to show the intersection—it’s a spectrum right now,” said Sebastian Sanchez, Manager of Digital Art Sales at Christie’s. “There are so many generative artists who are working with studies on textiles, garments, patterns, and then you have people actually doing literal 3D garments and what we’re presenting is everywhere in between those ranges.”
Claire Silver, an NFT artist who recently had a solo-show at SuperRare’s NYC gallery, created two works for the collection. “Combining AI, 3D, film, and advanced mathematical functions with antique paintings and tapestries from China, Japan, and Eastern and Western Europe, both works are intended to celebrate the era of AI: the sophistication of experience, the innocent joy of the new, the depth of cultural heritage, and the light of the future,” said Silver.
Christie’s has been involved in the Web3 space since its record-breaking $69 million sale of artist Beeple’s “EVERYDAYS” NFT in March 2021. Gucci has also been growing its presence in digital fashion and art endeavors. In February 2022, the brand purchased land in metaverse The Sandbox to create the Gucci Vault, its digital experience venue. In June 2022, it invested $25,000 in SuperRare’s native RARE token to join the marketplace’s decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) and launch its “Vault Art Space” to showcase NFT art.