Women in the NFT World
How women are challenging traditional inequities in the art market
There is a long and rich history of how women have constantly been underrepresented in the art world throughout the centuries, and the unfortunate fact is that this same pattern is now infiltrating the NFT art scene. With the invention of smart contracts which are digitally immortalized through blockchain technology, artists have more ownership over their own property than ever before, all the way from their creative process to their financial proprietorship. Whether due to correlation or causation, this creates an art market which allows all types of people to “Make it” in the Art World. You don’t have to need to know someone who knows someone who owns a gallery anymore. It’s now based on skill, talent, and hard work, which begs the question, why are women not capturing the same amount of success as men?
According to ArtNet and a report by ArtTactic “More than $196.6 billion has been spent on art at auction between 2008 and the first five months of 2019. Of this, work made by women accounts for just $4 billion—around 2 percent”. C’mon, my milk has more than 2%. And women only make up approximately 16% of the NFT space. The study also claims that “at least 77% of the money generated by NFT art sales over the past 21 months went to male artists, with just 5% going to female artists”. These percentages are low. Super low. I’m sure there are innumerable causes for such disproportionality, with some stemming from societal tropes that have literally been around for millennia. It might be a generalization, but I’m pretty sure that most kids who play video games, hang with friends online, and learn how to code, are boys. It’s what that specific market attracts; and in turn, this breeds more male NFT artists.
But thankfully, a group of women creators, collectors and tech innovators are pushing back. They are starting to dig their groove into the vinyl of the Blockchain world, creating philanthropic collections and visceral masterpieces. Here are some female driven projects and artists we recommend you check out.
Woman Rise
Along with an NFT collection of portraits of Women activists, artists, scientists, coders, Woman Rise also is donating 2.5 % of primary sales to the Malala Fund. And with the benefit of many organizational partnerships, the collection is also donating 7.5% of all primary sales toward organizations supporting gender equality, girls education, and mental health in marginalized societies. FYI, right here is an example of walking the walk.
Boss Beauties
Again, proving that it’s not just about owning a tokenized piece of digital information, this collection offers a Masterclass where you can take part in lectures and mentorship programs with extraordinary woman who range from Olympic athletes to Fortune 500 CEOs. Networking at its finest. You also get a 10% net listening fee and shared commercial rights if your specie character is ever used in the public sphere.
World of Women
With Reese Witherspoon having one of these illustrative portraits as her Twitter profile picture, this collection is on a steep uphill path. The self-taught artist Yam Karkai is one of the founders of this collection, and she embeds insightful and thought provoking notions within her colorful portraits. World of Woman has 15% of all primary sales going back into a Fund for progressing crypto art, while also donating 2% each toward 3 philanthropic causes. The causes are: She’s the First which helps supports local solutions to educate and empower girls, Too Young to Wed, which fights against child marriage, and Strange Cintia, which helps a young woman help fight her severe disease.
Gala Mirissa
Spanish artist, Gala Mirissa was named by BeInCrypto on International Women’s Day 2021 as one of the three most influential hispanic women in the cryptocurrency industry using NFT technology. Marissa’s style ranges vastly from portraiture to surrealism and uses digital technologies to bring extract thoughts and emotions from layered and often dynamic visuals. We highlight two pieces that are spectacular, using AI to create generative art pieces that portray their messages in abstract and magnetizing ways. The first piece, ARQUITECTURA MAGICA shows a constantly morphing image which asks the viewer to observe the evolution of architectural trends, and how synchronous those trends are with the trends of modern history. And the second piece, titled Abstract Love, brings you into the visceral whirlwind you encounter while your heart is wrapped in warmth by those you love. Check out the clips. They move, they’re cool. Trust.
Auriea Harvey
Her digital sculptures are possibly some of my personal favorite NFTs. She touches on ancient historical allegories and intertwines them with her own ancestry to create physical and digital sculptures. Check out this page, where you can just scan the QR code, and have her sculptures come to life in your own home with the help of Augmented Reality.
Aitana Basquiat
The digital artist has such a vast arsenal of skills and tools, they can mold their craft to fit any task at hand. Basquiat is the perfect example: She uses her craft to make an impact in genres such as Fashion, Music Videos, Editorials, etc. Creating designs around each of these fields have made her a master at configuring digital renderings which really jump out at you with their trippy, yet life-like and tactile presences. She's a jack of all traits. Rather, a Jacqui of all traits.
Hopefully we have helped spark your interest in seeking out female artists and encouraged you to collect some of their art. Please share your thoughts and remember to pass this on to your friends if you are enjoying our content. Have a great week ahead and…
Stay Curious!
~NFT Art Source
Article by: Nate Galper