In recent years, non-fungible tokens have sparked a lively debate in both the art world and broader cultural discussions. From their role in high-value digital art sales to their perceived association with speculative bubbles, NFTs are often viewed through a polarized lens. 

Yet, beneath the buzz and controversy lies a transformative technology that revolutionizes how we preserve, authenticate, and engage with art and culture. NFTs provide a tamper-proof ledger that ensures trust, transparency, and the preservation of cultural heritage—fundamental components for understanding art’s true value.

Importance of authenticity and provenance

Authenticity is the cornerstone of art valuation. For example, a painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci could fetch hundreds of millions of dollars, whereas the price of a copy from his contemporary could drop by more than 99%. However, a reproduction of the original in today would not be considered as art in the same way. This stark difference in value lies in the authenticity of the work.

Provenance, while perhaps less familiar to those outside the art world, is just as crucial. It refers to the documented history of an artwork, tracing its journey from creation through various owners to its present-day status. When an artwork’s provenance includes renowned collectors or dealers, it confirms an artwork’s authenticity and adds historical context and significance, further enhancing its value.

Traditionally, authenticity and provenance have relied on physical records such as catalogues, inventories, or certificates, all of which are vulnerable to loss, damage, or manipulation. These gaps in historical documentation can make it challenging to assess an artefact’s true value. NFTs provide a solution by creating immutable records, ensuring the preservation of critical information, and offering a transparent and secure way to track provenance.

Tokenization: A new path for art?

Despite the potential of NFTs in documentation and preservation, many traditional methods of publication, digitization, archiving, and database management remain in place. Experts in the field of art and culture have not yet felt the need to integrate NFTs into these established practices. 

However, the most common and tangible application of NFTs in the art world today is tokenization. This involves creating digital versions of artworks certified by respected institutions. For instance, in 2021, the British Museum issued over 200 NFTs of 19th-century drawings by Japanese artist Hokusai, and the Belvedere Museum in Vienna turned Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss into 10,000 NFTs in the following year.

Such initiatives offer the public an innovative way to engage with cultural treasures. Instead of purchasing a postcard or souvenir at the end of a museum visit, visitors can now buy a piece of digital history that connects them to iconic works of art. This not only fosters deeper connections with cultural artefacts but also helps fund the preservation and conservation of the physical artworks through proceeds from the sale of these digital versions.

Private collectors have also embraced tokenization, often with investment goals in mind, offering fractional ownership of artworks through NFTs as digital proofs of shares. However, this approach raises fundamental questions about the relationship between the physical artwork and its digital counterpart. For instance, if you own an NFT share of an artwork, what rights does this confer? Can you display the artwork physically or digitally? When will the market infrastructure mature enough to support the trading of these digital shares effectively? Even in museum-led initiatives, how does an NFT’s value and significance compare to a freely available high-resolution photo of the artwork? These questions directly impact the perceived value and liquidity of such NFTs, whether they are treated as digital derivatives or as representations of tangible ownership.

Although tokenization offers many benefits in terms of education, engagement, and raising awareness, the digital representations of art will likely remain secondary to their physical originals. In the long term, the true value of art lies in its physical presence, and preservation efforts must continue to focus on ensuring the material integrity of cultural artefacts. Museums, collectors, and cultural institutions will still need to invest in the protection and conservation of these objects in controlled environments, using a range of technologies beyond NFTs.

So, what is the best application of NFTs in preserving historical art and culture? Artworks are manifestations of human creativity and cultural identity, and their preservation can take two complementary paths. One is to safeguard the physical artefacts created by those who came before us, ensuring that they remain intact and accessible for future generations. The other path is to capture the essence of these works, reinterpreting them in innovative ways that blend creativity with technology, bringing art and culture into the future.

NFTs offer a unique opportunity to bridge these two paths. They not only document and digitize historical artefacts but also enable artists to reimagine cultural heritage in novel forms. By leveraging technology, we ensure that the stories of our past resonate with audiences of the future.

An example of NFTs being used meaningfully and respectfully for cultural preservation is Refik Anadol’s collaboration with the Yawanawá people of Brazil—composed of a central video artwork and a collection of 1,000 unique and dynamically evolving NFT data paintings. The project Winds of Yawanawá blends artworks created by local people, Amazon rainforest data, AI technology, and immersive digital displays to create a data-driven art experience. This project not only celebrates Indigenous heritage but also raises awareness about the ecological importance of the Amazon, generating funds to support both cultural and environmental conservation.

Such projects set a precedent for how NFTs can be used not only as static tokens of ownership but as dynamic platforms for storytelling, advocacy, and cultural preservation. By combining traditional art forms with environmental and technological data, NFTs can create immersive, educational experiences that amplify Indigenous voices and foster cultural pride.

Embracing the future of art & culture

For now, contemporary artists are the primary beneficiaries of NFT technology. NFTs can document provenance and verify authenticity from the moment of creation, providing future collectors with confidence in the artwork’s origins. Moreover, NFTs can serve as comprehensive digital archives, capturing details about sponsors, editions, exhibition histories, and transparent pricing.

We must remember that we are constantly creating history. The art of today will become the “ancient art” of tomorrow. Culture is a continuum, and our relationship with time and its impact on art is inherently fluid. By embracing NFTs, we ensure that today’s artistic narratives will be preserved for future generations.

I believe that everything begins in the mind. As humans, we generate ideas and transform them into physical objects, attaching meanings and interpretations to them. In today’s digital age, we are increasingly valuing intangible assets like digital experiences and virtual spaces. Rather than simply replicating physical objects digitally, we should continue to tap into our creativity to craft new forms and experiences that will define the future. This is how art and culture evolve, adapting to the times while maintaining the essence of human expression.

Guoying Stacy Zhang is an art advisor who founded Buddhaland, a pioneering community that blends art, spirituality, and technology to empower humanity. With over a decade of experience in the field, she has worked extensively with art and religious institutions. Since 2016, her column at Buddhistdoor Global has shared authentic Buddhist teachings and rare art objects with the general public by interviewing religious masters, scholars, artists, and private collectors. Stacy served as associate curator at Tsz Shan Monastery and assisted Po Lin Monastery in researching the conservation of the Big Buddha statue in Hong Kong. Her work on both projects has been published in Arts of Asia. Stacy studied art history and Buddhist art at the School of Oriental and African Studies and the Courtauld Institute of Art as a Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation scholar.