First NFT art exhibition presents revolution in digital art sector and excellent opportunity for Bahrainis

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

RAK Art Foundation and Dar Alfann Gallery yesterday signed a joint venture to create NFT MENA EXHIBIT 2022, a state-of-the-art exhibition that will take place at the Ritz-Carlton Manama from 16 to 18 March during the F1 weekend in Bahrain, offering a unique and innovative experience and the first of its kind in the region.

NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are digital contracts that allow people to prove they own specific online assets, like official copies of a given artwork, and are usually bought and sold with cryptocurrencies.

Enthusiasts bill NFTs as a new way to support art and own collectables.

The global art conversation is changing and Bahrain has chosen to capitalise on this, presenting us with a revolution in digital art, one that will forever alter the way we perceive the art world, according to RAK Art Foundation.

“The exhibition, which is the first edition and will go on to become an annual event, will provide a platform for much-needed conversations about a decentralised future and the next phases of the Internet, as we begin to consider the blockchain and its many facets and assets and try to come to terms with a new frontier; one that merges the worlds of technology, art, culture and the economy,” said Abdulrahman Almokla, Chairman of Dar Alfann Gallery, speaking at the Press conference.

“The main purpose of this event is educational.

While these topics are making the front pages and gaining popularity fast, most people are still asking themselves ‘what are NFTs?’ We want to answer this question and show them the possibilities that NFTs can offer.

What it could mean for them as artists, investors, business owners, gallerists and so on.”

Speaking to The Daily Tribune, Almokla said:

“This exhibition will be the first in the region and one of the first in the world. It is going to be an event, where we will understand and acknowledge the capabilities of the new art world.”

Yasmin Sharabi, Curator and Consultant at RAK Art Foundation, said:

“The event will put Bahrain and Bahraini artists on the global art map as far as creative and arts are concerned.

This is going to be an excellent opportunity for the Bahraini art sector to shine in the Gulf.”

Apart from leading international artists, the exhibition will present a curation of artworks by Bahraini artists such as Leena Al Ayoobi, Adnan Al Ahmed and more, and explain step-by-step the process of getting your artwork on the blockchain, in addition to talks, live minting and auctioning, workshops by NFT experts, NFT markets and crypto-exchange representatives, as well as educational sessions for artists and NFT enthusiasts.

RAK Art Foundation has also partnered with NFT BAZL, a leading NFT marketplace to bring their expertise to realise this event.