LaCollection, a new NFT art platform dedicated to museum and institutional collections, launches with an exclusive partnership with the British Museum on 30th September 2021. The first NFT series of “digital postcards” co-produced by the British Museum will bring the work of one of Japan’s most celebrated artists, Katsushika Hokusai into the digital realm.
The launch coincides with the exhibition opening of Hokusai, The Great Picture Book of Everything at the British Museum, which will display 103 drawings by Hokusai that have never been seen before. The works were produced in the 1820s – 1840s for an illustrated encyclopedia that was never published.
Over 200 Hokusai NFT artworks will be available for purchase online. The series includes digital images of iconic prints by the artist, Under the Wave, off Kanagawa (‘The Great Wave’), Clear Day with a Southern Breeze (‘Red Fuji’), and Ejiri in Suruga Province as well as some lesser-known works, including drawings from the recently re-discovered The Great Big Picture Book of Everything. Some NFTs will be sold at fixed prices, others will be sold at auction.
LaCollection’s mission is to connect audiences with the world’s leading cultural institutions, artists, and collections through new technology. The platform aims to inspire the next generation of art collectors and enthusiasts by offering NFT artworks for purchase in conjunction with leading cultural institutions. Each NFT is authenticated, approved by the relevant museum or gallery, and secured on the blockchain.
“It is an honour to partner with the British Museum. LaCollection is born from two passions: art and technology. We aim to build the largest NFT platform dedicated to art institutions. We want to create a new digital interface with museums and art and in the process create a community of like-minded people. We look forward to starting this exciting partnership with the British Museum, one of the most prestigious art institutions in the world. We hope that the platform will engage new audiences, those who have never visited the British Museum or engaged with their vast collection and provide the opportunity to discover its collection in new and exciting ways.
There is no doubt NFTs are here to stay, and the recent popularity is only the beginning of a new way to collect limited editions of artworks. It is exciting to see that disrupting technologies can reinvent the relationship between museums, collectors, and content. NFTs are about much more than digital art, they are vehicles to tell the story of art, old and now, and we want to be at the forefront of that movement.
As more and more cultural institutions develop an understanding of the benefits of these technological advances, LaCollection is perfectly placed to help support and accelerate that digital transformation.”
Jean-Sébastien Beaucamps, Co-Founder & CEO of LaCollection.
LaCollection.io
About LaCollection
LaCollection is a company with a passion for art and technology, bringing together the fast-changing market developments in the blockchain space with arts and culture to offer collectors a market-leading user experience. LaCollection aims to create a digital home for people who have a shared passion in art, museums, NFTs, and the evolving technological landscape, leveraging only best-in-class technology with the aim of building a large and passionate community of NFT art lovers. Each NFT is authenticated, approved by the relevant museum or gallery, and secured on the blockchain. LaCollection, working with art institutions, is creating a new way to own a digital version of masterpieces from around the world. Collectors will be able to own these NFTs and create their own cross-museum galleries, forging a new community of people with a passion for art and innovation. LaCollection.io
About the British Museum
Founded in 1753, the British Museum was the first national public museum in the world. From the outset it was a museum of the world, for the world, and this idea still lies at the heart of the Museum’s mission today. The collection tells the stories of cultures across the world, from the dawn of human history, over two million years ago, to the present. Objects range from the earliest tools made by humans and treasures from the ancient world to more recent acquisitions from Africa, Oceania and the Americas, the Middle East, Asia and Europe, as well as the national collections of prints and drawings, and coins and medals.
Hokusai: The Great Picture Book of Everything runs from 30 September 2021 to 30 January 2022 in Room 90 at the British Museum. Open Saturday – Thursday 10.00–17.00, Friday 10.00–20.30. Last entry 90 mins before closing.Adult tickets £9 weekdays and £11 weekends, under 16s free, 2-for-1 tickets for students on Fridays, and concessions and group rates available. Prices may vary. britishmuseum.org
