On NFTs. Art Edition No․ 1–100, Osinachi ‘The Other Pool Day’
Regular price $2,500.00Encompassing the entire NFT ecosystem—from algorithmic art to avatars—the first major art historical survey of this field includes 10 academic essays and richly illustrated profiles of 101 key artists. Connecting the disruptive contemporary medium to its context in art history, this volume offers a deep dive into the sphere of non-fungible tokens and is also available for purchase in crypto.
Art Edition (No. 1–100) with the NFT The Other Pool Day (2023) by Osinachi, an accompanying print of the NFT, signed by the artist, and the book in a stainless steel slipcase designed by ZAK Group.
First copies will be available by April 16. Delivery dates for the next copies will be updated shortly.
“This book is one of the first major survey publications on blockchain-based art and the wider on-chain cultural ecosystem.”
Shock of the New
TASCHEN’s Guide to the Digital Art Revolution
Robert Alice’s On NFTs is the first major art historical survey text on the most compelling, disruptive area of contemporary art today. A rigorous and critical examination of all facets of the NFT ecosystem, On NFTs takes a multidimensional, artist-led approach, leaving its readers with a richer understanding of a topic often shrouded in misconception and pixelated mystery.
The book, presented in TASCHEN’s iconic grand-scale BABY SUMO format, covers a wide range of essential information for both those new to or experienced with the modern medium. Featuring 10 essays from the world’s leading voices in art and the blockchain, including Hans Ulrich Obrist, On NFTs is a book that celebrates unlikely and thought-provoking connections from across art history. Expect illustrations of Rembrandt paintings alongside CryptoPunk avatars, extensive essays explaining the nitty-gritty world of NFTs—including Sol LeWitt’s influence on today’s artistic algorithms—as well as behind-the-scenes glimpses of the creative processes of pioneering artists from Beeple and Emily Xie to Snowfro and Refik Anadol.
Accompanying the 10 essays, On NFTs presents a co-curated survey of 101 key practices working in NFTs today. With each profile uniquely authored by handpicked experts, including curators, critics, artists, and AI, On NFTs embraces diverse and global voices to navigate this borderless movement. Perfect for both natives and newcomers, On NFTs features an extensive glossary of key terms, and a comprehensive exhibition history and timeline of the digital art canon.
The Other Pool Day (2023) stands as a captivating addition to Osinachi's renowned Different Shades of Water series, paying homage to David Hockney's influential poolscapes. Created meticulously by hand on Microsoft Word, the artwork beautifully intertwines technology and artistry in a fundamentally unique and unexpected way. A core theme of the series, The Other Pool Day is a celebration of the Black body in the context of recreation. By subverting iconographies and aesthetics from art history, Osinachi’s series mirrors his experiences as a Nigerian man in today’s world.
Art Edition (No. 1–100) with the NFT The Other Pool Day (2023) by Osinachi, an accompanying print of the NFT, signed by the artist, and the book On NFTs in a stainless steel slipcase.
Also available in a Collector's Edition, in The Hard Code Edition, and in three alternative Art Editions in a stainless steel slipcase with NFTs and accompanying signed prints from artists Refik Anadol, Dmitri Cherniak, and Sofia Crespo.
The editor
Robert Alice makes art, exhibitions, and books that explore blockchains and their histories. The first artist to auction an NFT at a major auction house, their work Portraits of a Mind (2019–) was pivotal to the NFT space’s growth. In 2023, the Monnaie de Paris held one of the first European museum solo NFT shows on their work. In 2022, Alice, who lectures globally, co-produced the first academic conference on NFTs at the University of Oxford. Alice’s work is part of the permanent collections of several institutions, including the Centre Pompidou, Paris.
The artist
At the forefront of Africa's NFT scene, Osinachi stands apart for his innovative use of an otherwise seemingly rudimentary medium — Microsoft Word — demonstrating how constraints can inspire creativity. The self-taught artist tackles themes like toxic masculinity and LGBTQ+ rights through portraiture. In 2021, Osinachi became the first African artist to sell an NFT at Christie’s. His work can be seen in major collections, including the Toledo Museum of Art and the Buffalo AKG Art Museum.
On NFTs. Art Edition No. 1–100, Osinachi ‘The Other Pool Day’
NFT; pigment print on Hahnemühle paper, 46.3 x 63.3 cm, numbered and signed by the artist; hardcover volume in stainless steel slipcase, 36 x 50 cm, 14.6 kg, 604 pages, with a booklet, 21 x 29.7 cm, 24 pagesISBN 978-3-8365-9675-6
Edition: English
