Between Crypto Art and Copyright: NFT Tokens as Tools for Confirming the Authenticity of Art Objects

Abstract

The symbiosis of blockchain technology with human creativity has given rise to what we now call crypto art, marking a new frontier in digital artistic expression. This development has profoundly altered our understanding of digital artifacts and ownership in this domain. Once easily accessible to all, digital art poses a unique challenge in the realm of collecting: how does one collect something that can be effortlessly replicated and shared? This paper explores the role of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as authentication mechanisms and proof of authorship for digital artworks. Initially designed for decentralized financial transactions, blockchain technology has become instrumental in validating authorship and enabling the monetization of digital artworks through NFTs. Although digital artists now benefit from the validation of their work as legitimate investment assets through NFT technology, challenges persist due to the absence of copyright verification during token creation. For example, many artists have discovered their creations being used by third parties to mint tokens without their consent. The study demonstrates the transformative impact of NFTs on the digital art landscape while addressing the ongoing challenges and the imperative for enhanced copyright protection mechanisms.