All aboard the NFT hype train.
NFT trading volume had a massive surge in the third quarter of 2021 with over $10.7 billion worth of digital assets sold, as reported by DappRadar. That’s an incredible 704% increase from the previous quarter. According to CNBC, this growth is the direct result of investors’ growing belief in tech and that owning an NFT offers some form of social status within the crypto world.
Last week, HTC Vive announced that it will be jumping into the NFT market by expanding its VIVERSE to include a unique NFT store designed specifically for arts and culture. This platform will hopefully develop into a virtual ecosystem where you can host, sell, and buy digital artwork as a creator and/or collector.
The inaugural sale of HTC Vive’s NFT store will begin on December 17th and will feature beautifully created NFTs from the world-renowned Czech artists Alphonse Mucha as part of an incredible partnership to commemorate the Mucha Foundations launch of its “Mucha to Manga – The Magic of the Line” exhibition opening in Taipei.
Collectors will be able to view new NFTs based on Mucha’s work throughout the duration of the exhibition. The virtual store will conclude with a special auction in April 2022.
The store—accessible through the Vive Arts website—will allow you to buy or sell various types of digital art, whether it be in 2D, VR, AR, or XR. As a creator, you will have complete control over your NFT and will be able to sell in traditional government-backed currency (the dollar for example) as well as various cryptocurrencies. You also have total control over the volume of art you are selling.
In an official statement from HTC, Cher Wang, Co-founder and Chairwoman of HTC said, “Our new global art trading platform heralds the next building block in VIVE Arts’ development of holistic arts and culture ecosystem, to enhance the rich, growing world of digital art,” adding, “This platform enables VIVE Arts to enhance our support for artists and institutions, opening up new opportunities for digital creativity, innovation, and connection using blockchain technology.”
For HTC, VIVERSE is an opportunity to break down the walls that separate the physical and virtual worlds by using immersion as the focal point. Celina Yeh, Executive Director for Vive Arts, said she was “thrilled” to be able to partner with the Mucha Foundation for its initial sales, using the “beloved artworks by Alphonse Mucha as NFTs,” as a way to bring both the real and virtual worlds together.
If you’re not familiar with Alphonse Mucha, he is best known for his hyper-detailed art that looks almost like stylized theater posters. Much of his work includes illustrations, advertisements, and designs featuring French stage actress, Sarah Bernhardt.
To know more about HTC and its VR and AR products, click here. To enter HTC’s VIVERSE and Vive Arts, head on over to Viveport.
Feature Image Credit: HTC Vive
