Journey to Gethen

THIS FUCKING NAME (TFN)

NFTs, short for Non Fungible Token, have suddenly appeared in our lives and have turned part of the art industry and beyond upside down. If we read the title of the exhibition “This Fucking Name” in acronym format (TFN) but in reverse (NFT), the resulting palindrome reveals the thematic essence of this exhibition and is presented as a declaration of intent in favor of analyzing this new crypto value from all angles. The intention is to turn its reading conceptually and formally on its head and that is why we present it not only as a virtual sample but also in physical format at the same time. Because it is up to us, the agents and the artists, who are responsible for giving meaning to the idea, finding a useful meaning and, above all, a real application and value.

JOURNEY TO GETHEN Ursula K. Le Guin wrote in 1969 a science fiction novel entitled "The Left Hand of Darkness" where Ai, the main character, travels to the planet Gethen with the aim of understanding its society and with the idea of ​​establishing alliances. The work delves into the deep knowledge of its inhabitants and soon discovers, among other aspects, that people do not have a predetermined gender. Only at the moment of pairing can they transform their state that will allow them to become the sex that suits them. The message of the work is not so much to understand that an advanced society in which all beings are equal, can be more positive than another. The theme is to assess the importance of the ability to understand the Getherian way of life. This effort to get to know a different form of civilization is done through immersion in society, talking to its citizens, observing and living with them for a while. A dialogue that allows us to understand those who are different through empathy that forces us to break with preconceived ideas and be able to open up to new forms of relationship while questioning our own beliefs and values. This exhibition is intended as a trip to the planet of NFTs. A journey of discovery, of decoding a new language. A planet that is located in the virtual world or metaverse and that has a physical version reflected at the same time in the House of Chappaz Basement gallery. Because virtual support is not at odds with physical support: they are simply complementary media. What must be given value is in the work, be it in whatever format. Even being able to choose it in case one convinces us more than the other since they can coexist and can make sense in both worlds. Everything is possible on the planet of NFTs, even everything we can't even imagine. The rules are set by the creator and the virtual system in which they are framed. When Duchamp was experiencing "The Fourth Dimension" he was in a way becoming a pioneer in questioning what art really was. Why can't this consideration that in 1917 he proposed a urinal as an artistic object be the same that he now questions whether an animated gif displayed in a virtual environment can also be art? Time will end up shaping this statement but what is clear is that a new dimension of art is being generated and as pioneers we must open ourselves to new interpretations so as not to act like those who, in the mid-1950s, saw in that action a pointless nonsense. The pioneers have always played a primordial role in the history of art and it has been the viewer who has ended up giving value to what is in front of them at all times. In today's market, this fact alone should prevail over actions influenced by the economic value call and more recently the crypto-market. We are the critical observers who have the transforming power of art and we cannot close our eyes in front of a new window that is barely opening before us. Long live art, whatever form it takes. Oriol Armengou Co-director of House of Chappaz Basement “METAHOUSE”, our virtual exhibition spaceWhile shaping what will be the ultimate Meta-verse that brings all the virtual worlds together in an orderly way, we help to pacify the debate by creating a virtual space that replicates the values ​​of House of Chappaz as a gallery. A space in which we extend the notion of home as a concept, extruding its shape to turn it into a functional exhibition space but without losing the warmth of being at home with your beloved family. MetaHouse is the name of the first space created by the gallery on the occasion of the first exhibition “Journey to Gethen” and it allows experiencing the collective work in a comfortable space that connects the mainland with the virtual sky. GLOSSARY NFT: A non-fungible token, or NFT, is a special type of cryptographic token that represents something unique. Non-fungible tokens are therefore not mutually interchangeable. This is in contrast to cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, and many network or utility tokens which are fungible in nature. The four main characteristics of NFTs are that they are unique, indivisible, transferable and capable of proving their scarcity. Polygonal: The Polygon blockchain is faster and cheaper to transact than other blockchains, making it very attractive for decentralized finance applications. It is also the technology that registers the highest growth by users. Polygon is a fully decentralized blockchain network. MATICS is the cryptocurrency used by this blockchain system and the one used by the art.army platform with which works can be purchased. Metaverse: The metaverse or metauniverse (acronym for "meta-" 'beyond' and "universe") is a concept that denotes the next generation of the internet, describing an immersive and multi-sensory experience in the applied use of various devices and technological developments on the internet . The term comes from the science fiction novel Snow Crash, written by Neal Stephenson. The metaverse is generally composed of multiple shared and persistent three-dimensional virtual spaces linked to a perceived virtual universe. The virtual exhibition has been made possible thanks to art.army, a professional art trading platform. A digital space where you can enjoy this exhibition in an exclusive metaverse created especially for this occasion and where you can purchase the works through a cryptocurrency wallet that works with the Polygon (Matics) system. Photos by Roberto Ruiz