TWO ART HISTORIANS TALK ABOUT NFTs: Part One

Earlier this year, digital assets known as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) started selling for huge amounts of cryptocurrencies, grabbing the attention of the traditional fine art market and the popular imagination more broadly. By now, it's easy to find scores of articles and podcasts about NFTs that address what they are and whether they're going to revolutionize the art world. In this episode, we look at NFTs from our own perspective as art historians: how might NFTs relate to art history, and particularly the history of reproductive media and the idea of "authenticity"? (Note: This is Part One of a two-part series; the second episode will look at the aesthetics of NFTs and their relation to conceptual art. And then with any luck, we'll never have to talk about NFTs again!)