BLOCK UNIVΞRSΞ
Following the opening of DRIFT Materialism: Past, Present, Future at Pace Gallery in New York, DRIFT artists Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta have created their first NFT in collaboration with digital art pioneer and musician Don Diablo. The NFT is part of the artists’ augmented and mixed reality artwork Block Universe (2021), which features in their solo exhibition at Pace and depicts an abstract version of the solar system. This will be the first NFT that will literally help regreen the planet. With the purchase of this NFT, the collector will help regreen (at least) 60 acres of land in Africa, but this could be even more depending on the final sales price. In addition, the collector will receive yearly reports and a custom drone video of the land as it gets regreened.
The NFT itself is comprised of a one-of-one mp4 video file rendering of Block Universe with an exclusive soundscape by Diablo. It also includes a handheld custom display showcasing the NFT perpetuated in an infinite loop; and a physical installation of DRIFT’s sun and stars that will be rescaled to the specifics of the owner’s chosen physical site. That installation will activate the AR rendering of an AR solar system in block form via an iPad that will be programmed to use AR software. The NFT and AR works are engaged with the block universe theory, which suggests that the past, present, and future occur simultaneously and are equally real.
Drift & Don Diablo
Introductory Video
ARTISTS
Drift
Dutch artists Lonneke Gordijn (1980) and Ralph Nauta (1978) founded studio DRIFT in 2007. With a multi-disciplinary team of 64, they work on experiential sculptures, installations and performances.
DRIFT manifests the phenomena and hidden properties of nature with the use of technology in order to learn from the Earth’s underlying mechanisms and to re-establish our connection to it. With both depth and simplicity, DRIFT’s works of art illuminate parallels between man-made and natural structures through deconstructive, interactive, and innovative processes. The artists raise fundamental questions about what life is and explore a positive scenario for the future.
Don Diablo
To step inside the mind of Don Diablo is to step inside the future. The Dutch visionary demonstrates a total immersion in his craft that has seen him challenge perceptions and break down creative boundaries with his numerous endeavours across the music, art, fashion and tech realms.
Displaying a unique ability to tap into future trends, the forward-thinking Futurist refuses to be pigeonholed by just one avenue of his illustrious career. This year alone he has been working on ambitious new projects alongside Star Wars & Disney, The United Nations and auction house Sotheby’s, who auctioned off his fygital NFT piece “INFINITΞ FUTURΞ” after breaking the primary sales record on SuperRare with his previous piece DΞSTINATION HΞXAGONIA.
PARTNERS
JustDiggit
DRIFT & Don Diablo believe in the power of nature and in cooling down the planet together by regreening degraded land and bringing back vegetation. We will be doing this together with UN supported charity “JustDiggit” whose mission it is to regreen Africa in the coming 10 years, together with all 350 million farmers and with the help of as many of us on this planet.
Justdiggit: “To give nature a push, we empower and connect a movement of millions. So far, we’ve restored 60,000 hectares, brought back over 6 million trees, and built a grassroots movement that’s growing every day. We believe now is the time to speed up and scale up! No more talking. No more waiting. This is the Decade of Doing. Dig in & cool down the planet with us!”
GALLERY
Pace Gallery
Pace is a leading international art gallery representing some of the most influential contemporary artists and estates from the past century, holding decades-long relationships with Alexander Calder, Jean Dubuffet, Barbara Hepworth, Agnes Martin, Louise Nevelson, and Mark Rothko.
Today, Pace has nine locations worldwide including London, Geneva, a strong foothold in Palo Alto and two galleries in New York—its headquarters at 540 West 25th Street, which welcomed almost 120,000 visitors and programmed 20 shows in its first sixth months, and an adjacent 8,000 sq. ft. exhibition space at 510 West 25th Street. Pace was one of the first international galleries to establish outposts in Asia where it operates permanent spaces in Hong Kong and Seoul. In July 2020 Pace opened a temporary gallery space in East Hampton, New York that will be programmed through October 2021. Additionally, the gallery’s seasonal exhibition space in Palm Beach will be open through spring 2021.
