Nubia Art Dubai
This report highlights the participation of NUBIA in the Art Dubai Digital event held in March 2023. Nubia presented two distinct projects, showcasing the artistic talents of Mohsen Hazrati and Solimás López.
“Petroglyph Data” by Mohsen Hazrati
Curator: Alejandro Martin
“Petroglyph Data” is an artwork that explores the evolution of communication technology throughout human history. The piece represents the continuous journey of communication from ancient petroglyphs to fire, birds, telegraphs, phones, the Internet, and eventually, the Metaverse. It juxtaposes the reminders of ancient human lifestyles and their modes of communication through Petroglyphs with the concept of unsustainable communication represented by pixels. With the participation of Ramon Llull, Generalitat de Catalunya, Gobierno de España Ministerio de Deporte y Cultura.
“OLEA: A Digital Immersive Installation” by Solimás López
Description: “OLEA” is a project that merges biotechnology, history, conceptual and visual art, and cryptography. In collaboration with the CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas) and the Instituto de la Grasa de Sevilla in Spain, Solimás López, with the support of the Escuela Superior de Arte y Tecnología from Valencia, created a unique olive oil. This olive oil contains DNA molecules with the synthesis of the code of a smart contract in the blockchain, giving life to what the artist calls a “biotoken.”
The project symbolizes the union of two historical economies: agriculture, representing the oldest and most physical, and blockchain and digital, representing the newest and most intangible. Furthermore, it aims to revalue the product of the earth and reflect on the origins of value, while also paying tribute to the artist’s family history.
OLEA, which has been exhibited at prestigious events like Ars Electronica, ISEA, Sonar Plus Barcelona, and ARCO Madrid, among others, made its debut at Art Dubai Digital. The project extended its presence on the CIFRA.com platform, offering visitors extra content related to OLEA and other projects by Solimán López, including the Harddiskmuseum.
Espronceda Institute of Art and Culture, in collaboration with Nubia/Espronceda and MEET from Milan, presented works from their platforms, demonstrating a firm commitment to the metaverse and WEB3.0 as spaces for artistic development.
