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The Art

The PCOArt system offers scalable digital and legal infrastructure for Artists to explore the relationship between art, artist, community, & collector.

The system is designed to be applied to both digital and physical media. Common attributes and suggested use cases where PCOArt might be a powerful platform include:

  1. Where artistic practice is highly networked and/or relies extensively on collaborations

As Future Art Ecosystems briefings have shown, artists working with advanced technologies almost always work in highly collaborative settings, leveraging specialist know-how and relying on teams in the production of their artworks. While artists are increasingly crediting what used to pass as ‘invisible labour’, the long-term sustainability of their studio models requires a reliable and consistent source of income.[1] As the question of maintaining studios and critical collaborations is not unique to artists working with advanced technologies, the PCOArt model is equally relevant to all artists whose Creator Circle is central to their practice from ideation and production stand-points.

  1. Where artistic practice is thematically and socially entangled with communities and organisations engaged in larger critical societal struggles

Whether it’s the perversity of economic logics that lead to wealth inequality, or shining light on abuses of power and outright crimes with grave social and environmental consequences, or proposing new perspectives in a conversation dominated by narrow lenses, many artists today are deeply committed to serving wider causes through their art. However, once these artworks become assets for purchase with an exclusive ownership right, they lose their latent potential to serve the causes that (at least in part) define them. The reason this has become the status quo is because there have been no good models for leveraging market activity within the art field to translate commitments to specific causes into legally recognised interests and material benefits. PCOArt allows for that to happen.

  1. Where specific requests relating to how the work should be handled and maintained are core to the Artist’s wishes

Many types of art (performance art, AxAT, socially engaged art) are poorly suited to traditional ownership models. Consider, for example, complex media installations and interactive works. To keep such works vital, and on public working display over time, a persistent commitment is required. This is often impractical for both artists and collectors. PCOArt reconfigures what it means to ‘possess’ an artwork, helping to align the interests of the Artist (or their estate) and the Stewards.