OmniArtVerse launches sleep-based digital art project by Paolo Bufalini

OmniArtVerse, an independent digital art lab founded in summer 2022, has debuted with Land of Nod, a project by artist Paolo Bufalini that merges digital production with physical space. Curated by Matteo Mottin and Ramona Ponzini of Treti Galaxie, the work is based on biometric data—respiratory rate, heartbeat, body movements—recorded from the artist's partner Federica during a night of sleep. Bufalini transforms this data into a digital sculpture, referencing Jonathan Crary's notion of sleep as the last temporal refuge from performativity and economic advantage. The NFT was minted on the blockchain and went on sale February 2, 2023 via Nifty Gateway. In parallel, Bufalini created an analog photograph titled The Sleeper using a large-format camera, serving as a counterpoint to the digital's apparent incorporeality. The project was produced with support from Foundation for Art and Blockchain. Additionally, a full-scale digital print of Bufalini's photograph will be exhibited in the solo show beloved, curated by Condylura at Gelateria Sogni di Ghiaccio in Bologna, as part of the 11th edition of Art City from February 2–12, 2023.