Museum of the Moving Image announces major yearlong partnership with the Tezos Foundation

The partnership offers a unique opportunity for artists working with digital tools to exhibit their work and visitors the ability to mint and take home a fragment of the artwork for free

Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) and the Tezos Foundation today announced a major partnership to commission and showcase artwork by contemporary artists engaging with digital forms of the moving image and to offer the public an opportunity to take a fragment of the artwork home with them for no fee.

The yearlong collaboration between MoMI and the Tezos Foundation marks MoMI's largest partnership in support of artists critically engaging with blockchain technology and a new chapter in the Museum’s nearly 40-year dedication to exhibiting artists who thoughtfully integrate emerging technologies in their practice. Central to this initiative is the Tezos blockchain, celebrated for its innovative and sustainable approach to blockchain technology. The Tezos Foundation's commitment to supporting the arts underscores its pivotal role in fostering creative expression and technological integration. The partnership also reinforces the Museum's commitment to eliminating barriers to accessing art while highlighting the deep-rooted affinity between the moving image and technological advancement throughout history.

Beginning on June 28, an interactive station installed in the lobby will enable Museum visitors to take home complimentary open editions of newly created digital art, allowing anyone to collect artworks without financial barriers. In addition, some open editions will be made available online via the Museum’s website. All digital artworks will be minted on the Tezos blockchain. This initiative reflects MoMI’s interest in extending the Museum beyond its walls and celebrating the accessibility of digital arts. The first set of creations will primarily feature artists from the Tezos community. In the spirit of community curation, a subsequent program will explore approaches to public participation in the selection of the work presented. 

The partnership will launch with an open edition from artist Auriea Harvey, the subject of an acclaimed major exhibition currently at the Museum and an early adopter of Tezos, available to all visitors through the run of the exhibition.  

Concurrently, the Museum will exhibit a selection of works on its Herbert S. Schlosser Media Wall. The inaugural installation, Easel Engine, will feature a series of five artists, starting with Brazilian artist Sabato Visconti followed by John Provencher, Estelle Flores, Ailadi and LuYang. For this series, a fragment of each artwork will be made available as an open edition through the Museum’s website.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Tezos Foundation—and to showcase original work at the intersection of art and technology,” said Aziz Isham, MoMI Executive Director. “MoMI continues to be the place where people see the future for the very first time.”

“We’re delighted about this new partnership with MoMI, a continuation of Tezos’ blockchain recognition by leading museums such as MoMA and Musée d’Orsay. MoMI’s founding principles resonate with our vision and the partnership’s inclusive approach to democratizing the curation of digital art. This approach also reflects the decentralized ethos of blockchain technology,” said Aleksandra Artamonovskaja, Head of Art at Trilitech, the adoption hub for the Tezos blockchain.

“Since the 1980s, MoMI has been dedicated to exhibiting artists who critically engage with emerging technologies. Our partnership with the Tezos Foundation and the artist communities they've cultivated is an exciting addition to our ongoing support of born-digital art,” said Regina Harsanyi, MoMI’s Associate Curator of Media Arts. 

For more information about the work on view, visit https://movingimage.org/series/momi-x-tezos/

About Museum of the Moving Image

Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) is the only institution in the United States that deals with the art, technology, enjoyment, and social impact of film, television, and digital media. In its acclaimed facility in Astoria, New York, the Museum presents exhibitions; screenings; discussion programs featuring actors, directors, and creative leaders; and education programs which serve more than 70,000 students each year. It houses the nation’s most comprehensive collection of moving image artifacts and screens over 500 films annually. Its exhibitions—including the core exhibition Behind the Screen and recent addition The Jim Henson Exhibition—are noted for their integration of material objects, interactive experiences, and audiovisual presentations. For more information about the MoMI, visit http://www.movingimage.org/.

About Tezos:

Tezos is a cutting-edge, energy-efficient blockchain. Thousands of artists around the globe have chosen Tezos to create and sell digital art while cultural institutions including Serpentine, Musée d'Orsay, and LAS Art Foundation have used it for their innovative approaches to cultural programming.