Sotheby’s, the renowned auction house, is set to debut a new auction titled “Glitch: Beyond Binary,” featuring digital artwork from artists who identify with various gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities, languages, neuro-types, sizes, abilities, classes, religions, cultures, political opinions, ages, skill levels, occupations, and backgrounds. This new auction comes just a month after the postponement of Sotheby’s initial “Glitch-ism” art sale, which was put on hold following complaints from female artists who weren’t featured on the roster.
The “Glitch: Beyond Binary” auction will showcase 34 lots of NFTs from different artists who are part of the glitch art movement. Glitch art involves intentionally using digital or analog errors to disrupt a piece of art to achieve a glitch. The auction house explains the process as follows: “An MP3 might skip or crackle, a preview window might briefly show shards instead of an image, and a website might hiccup on load and scramble its contents. While these occurrences are rarely anticipated and usually unwelcome, glitch artists may in fact intentionally provoke them.” Glitch artists often use this form of art as a means of political expression and identity exploration.
The participating artists in the upcoming auction include well-known names such as XCOPY, Jake Osmun, neurocolor, Dina Chang, and Dawnia Darkstone, as well as many others. Dina Chang and Dawnia Darkstone, aka Letsglichit, are two female artists whose artwork will be featured in the auction, addressing the concerns that led to the postponement of the previous “Glitch-ism” art sale.
When asked about her work that will be displayed during the auction, Darkstone commented, “My selection process was driven by a desire to reveal the multifaceted nature of this genre, emphasizing the intricate links between digital experimentation, philosophical exploration, and the depth of human existence.”
The glitch art movement is an increasingly popular form of digital art that challenges traditional artistic boundaries. The movement has been growing in popularity, particularly in the NFT space, where buyers are willing to spend large sums of money to own a unique and rare piece of digital art.
The glitch art movement has also been criticized for its lack of diversity in the past. The postponement of Sotheby’s first “Glitch-ism” art sale was due to a lack of female representation in the roster. Sotheby’s new “Glitch: Beyond Binary” auction aims to address these concerns by featuring a diverse range of artists from various backgrounds.
Overall, the glitch art movement and the upcoming “Glitch: Beyond Binary” auction represent a shift in the art world’s approach to digital art. With the rising popularity of NFTs and the increasing interest in digital art, it is clear that the role of digital technology in art will only continue to grow in the future. The “Glitch: Beyond Binary” auction is an exciting development for the digital art community, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for this evolving genre.
