Surface and Polygon Explore the Intersection of Digital and Physical Spaces at Miami Art Week
Over four days, Surface and Polygon's immersive Web3 art bungalow at the W South Beach served as a platform for salon-style conversations around sustainability, fashion, and community.
BYTHESURFACEEDITORS
PHOTOGRAPHYANDVIDEOGRAPHYBYDILYONCREATIVEGROUP
December 20, 2022
IfMiamiArtWeek2021wasWeb3’scomingoutparty,thisyeariswhencreatorsand attendeesplungeddeeperintothereal-worldapplicationsofblockchaintechnologyand themergingofthephysicalanddigitalworlds,acoalescencetheindustryiscalling “phygital.”
SurfaceandPolygonjoinedforcestotransformabungalowattheWSouthBeachintoan experientialplatformforsalon-styleconversationssurroundingWeb3’spotentialin
sustainability,fashion,art,andcommunity-drivenfields.DesignedbyMiami–basedartist MokiBaby, installationsbypanelistsandotherpartnerswereshowcasedagainstherdiscofiedlightwaveaesthetic,includingcontributionsfromOffLimits, SpatialLabs, LNQ, PrismCollective, Recur, WORTHLESSSTUDIOS, and more.
IncelebrationofourpartnershipwithPolygon,wealsolaunchedacollectionoflimitededitiondigitalSurfacemagazinecovers.MembersoftheSurfacecommunitycanmintone ofthree3DSurfaceNFTs,featuringDanielHumm,SolangeKnowles,andGuerillaGirls.
Below,wetakealookbackattheweekofactivations.
Sustainability: Actually Doing Something
MostcreatorsintheWeb3spaceunderstandblockchain’sfraughtrelationshipwith sustainability,butitdoesn’thavetobethatway.Alivelygroupofenterprisingthinkers includingGarretNathanofthebeach-cleaningBetterDaysFoundation,experientialartist VeronicaGessaa.k.a.MokiBaby,AleksandraGuerraofcarbonrenewalmarketplaceNori, andMandaKalimianofthehorserewildingCANAFoundationjoinedSurfaceand Polygontodiscusshowthey’releveragingWeb3technologiesandreal-worldactionto combatclimatechangeandbringtheirmessagetoentirelynewaudiences.“Artisthemost amazingopportunityforpeopletounderstandthingsbecauseit’swhatmakesyoufeel,” Kalimiansaid.“Throughart,wecanfeel.AndthroughsustainableNFTs,wecan educate.”
The Wearable Internet
Forwearabletech,thefutureisnow:we’relivingit.Inthissalonsession,Surfaceand PolygonhostedtechwunderkindandentrepreneurialgeniusIddrisSandutosharehow NFCtechnologyandtheblockchainaremakingauthentication,iterativeownership,and supply-chaintransparencymorevisiblethaneverbefore.Thefounderoftheincubator SpatialLabsandchip-enabledfashionlabelLNQgavetheaudienceapreviewofwhat’sin storeforthenascentwearabletechindustry.
“LNQistheShazamofphysicalproducts,”Sandusaid.“InthesamewayShazamallowed youtonotknowanythingaboutasongandinfivesecondsorlessknowwhomadeit,the producerswhowereinvolved,whatsamplesitcamefrom—yougofromnotknowing anythingtoknowingeverythingaboutasongandwewanttodothatforproducts.”
Building Inclusive, Forward-Thinking Communities Online, IRL, and in the Places Between Thethirdandfinalsalonsessionfeaturedastarlineupofsixfounders,entrepreneurs,and directorsknownforcommunitybuilding.WORTHLESSSTUDIOSfounderandartistic directorNeilHamamoto,FairchainfounderandCEOMaxKendrick,curatorandauthor TamGryn, PrismCollectiveco-founderGRL,Spatial.ioheadofpartnershipsmarketing GiannaValentina,andGroupBlackco-founderandchiefstrategyofficerBoninBoughall weighedinonthehumanelementdrivingthesuccessofcommunityhubsrangingfrom thebricks-and-mortartotheblockchain.“People,that’strulywhatyouneed,”Valentina said.“People,onthesamepage,unitedforacommonpurpose,workingtogether,thatis whatwe’reseeinginWeb3andthat’swhythisisaforcethat’srecognizedgloballyand whywe’reheretoday.”
Special thanks to the partners who helped bring the Surface x Polygon Bungalow to life:
Furnitureandcollectabledesignobjects:Kartell, Yellowpop, BluDot, DjivanSchapira, BertFurnari, AraThorose, ABDBDesigns, NealAronowitz,andRarestHome. Beverage partners:LiquidDeath, BodyVodka, TepozanTequila, DesolasMezcal, VisitorBeer, JulietWine, andGhia.