[NEWS] Bitcoin Ordinals Art to be Sold at Christie's

Christie's to Auction Dynamic Digital Art Inscribed on Bitcoin Ordinals Protocol, "Ascend," at Post-War & Contemporary Art Day Sale on October 10.

On October 10, Christie’s will hold an auction for "Ascend," a dynamic digital artwork inscribed on Bitcoin’s Ordinals protocol, as part of the "Post-War & Contemporary Art Day Sale."

This is the only digital artwork in the sale and marks the first time a Bitcoin Ordinals piece has appeared in Christie’s live auction, helping to bridge the gap between the traditional and digital art worlds.

Founded in 1766 by art dealer James Christie, Christie’s is the world’s oldest art auction house.

It currently holds approximately 350 auctions annually across locations in London, New York, and Hong Kong, with a Tokyo office as well. Christie’s deals in over 80 categories, including fine art, jewelry, watches, and furniture, while also offering appraisal services based on the market value of items. They also offer consulting on asset valuation and sales, with auctions available as a sales option.

The artwork "Ascend" is part of the project "The Wild Within," created by artists Ryan Koopmans and Alice Wexell.

This series combines photography with advanced 3D technology to breathe new life into architectural ruins through digital media, with a concept centered on revitalizing abandoned buildings.

The piece portrays the decayed beauty of the Iberia Sanatorium in Tskaltubo, Georgia, a once-renowned Soviet-era resort.

Constructed between 1952 and 1962, the building later fell into ruin, providing an evocative backdrop for Koopmans and Wexell’s artistic exploration. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Koopmans expressed his excitement:

"We are thrilled to announce that our only dynamic inscription, 'Ascend,' will be featured in Christie’s Post-War & Contemporary Art Day Sale in London."

The focus of the artwork is the now-collapsed lobby of the sanatorium, overgrown and reclaimed by nature. It presents a dreamlike fusion of past and future, nature and architecture.

Inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain via the Ordinals protocol, the artwork shifts between day and night modes every 30 minutes, reflecting the real time of the actual architectural site in Georgia.

This is made possible through innovative recursive coding developed by the Inscribing Atlantis team, allowing real-time changes to the digital artifact. The coding references the Bitcoin clock, enabling the artwork to reflect the passage of time at its original physical location.

Koopmans, who previously worked exclusively with NFTs on Ethereum (ETH) until 2023, stated that Bitcoin would be a game-changer for digital artists.

Previous Works Have Fetched Up to $69 Million

On March 11, 2021, digital artist Beeple’s work "Everydays – The First 5000 Days" was auctioned at Christie’s for approximately $69 million. With this being the first Bitcoin Ordinals artwork, expectations are high for another multi-million-dollar sale.

In response to the rising prices of digital art by prominent artists in recent years, the investment platform "Art Cells" offers a service allowing for co-ownership of artwork through NFTs. Popular artists like Banksy and Yoshitomo Nara have seen their works reach prices too high for individual ownership, but NFT-based fractional ownership enables people to buy a portion of these works for as little as $10,000. 

Reference: Christie’s
Image: Christie’s

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