Art's Material Resistance in a Dematerialized World

Despite the early conceptual art movement's focus on immateriality, contemporary art stands in stark contrast to the trend of dematerialized content. Lucy Lippard's 1973 publication, 'Six Years: The Dematerialization of the Art Object,' chronicled this shift beginning in 1966, voicing concerns about commercialization. While various forms of entertainment such as music, film, and video games have embraced digital formats, the art sector still values physical pieces due to financial frameworks, the notion of 'aura,' and technological constraints. The market is split between collectors of unique items and editions, with no subscription model for digital art. Two years ago, Daniel Birnbaum transitioned from Stockholm's Moderna Museet to the virtual-reality company Acute Art, working with artists like Marina Abramović and Olafur Eliasson on initiatives such as 'Unreal City.' Today's digital art is frequently regarded as cumbersome, casting doubt on its future.