Artists have been trying to find new ways of engaging audiences through their work forever, but barriers to entry are still too high for many people. Thankfully, blockchain technology is making great strides toward solving this problem, evidenced by the booming virtual art industry. More and more artists realize the potential in this space and leverage it to make their art more accessible to the public. French-born, world-famous pop artist Barnabe is one person making his mark in this space. His latest project, Universe By Barnabe (UBB), seeks to produce high-quality digital works of art more accessible in the NFT world.
The idea behind UBB is that people can buy a small fraction of a painting or even just a single brushstroke and hang it on their wall without spending thousands of dollars. “A Barnabe painting in the real world costs $4,000 minimum,” reports the project’s website. “We assure you his digital works will be much more affordable.” Even better, the holders of these artworks are assured of owning a genuine one-of-a-kind piece of a work in an era where most people are used to mass production.
Barnabe, an accomplished painter and artist, has been in the industry for a while now. A renowned leader in the urban pop art world, Barnabe has a huge following among art lovers, exhibition curators, and both amateur and professional collectors. His work has been shown all over the world, from Europe and the US to Africa and Asia. Some venues he’s held exhibitions include his native Paris, Nice, Los Angeles, Singapore, and Côte D’Ivoire. From May 11 to July 5, 2022, the artist will show his Broken Mosaic exhibition at the Arttime Gallery at the Foundry by EMAAR in Dubai.
Even though his unique style and famous images have earned him an international following, Barnabe still isn’t satisfied. “I want my art to be in every home,” he says, “but not everyone can afford it.” Barnabe believes blockchain technology will change that. “The technology is so new that it allows me to create a universe all my own,” said Barnabe when talking about his newest collection. He also expressed how excited he was for this revolutionary approach to selling art. “Just as NFTs have the power to bring people together, art has the power to break down social barriers and allow people to share,” he says.
So far, Universe by Barnabe has attracted a growing community of art lovers and collectors who enjoy the artist’s legendary style. Despite limiting the number of participants in the project’s Discord channel, the community grew to over 20K members in less than the 24 hours it opened to the public. “We want to get to know our community and grow it sustainably,” the development team reported. In less than two weeks, the Universe by Barnabe project has attracted over 22.3K followers on Twitter, and the number is still growing.
As the project grows, the development team promises to unveil new features that will unlock new milestones. Some things the community should expect include a merchandising store selling products from this universe, a community DAO and NFT community vault, charity projects, and so much more. As the project’s mission declares, the goal is to take over the metaverse and have as much fun as possible.
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