From Riyadh to Web3: Vesa on Web3, Art, and Cultural Art Shifts in the Middle East
This article presents insights from an exclusive interview with the innovative artist Vesa, exploring the vibrant intersection of Web3 and the art scene. During our discussion, Vesa shares with us what to expect at the Outer Edge event in Riyadh, elaborating on his collaborations and the dynamic energy surrounding these gatherings.
He also reflects on the broader impact of technological advancements on art, detailing both challenges and opportunities that have shaped his career and the art landscape. With a focus on the Middle East, Vesa discusses the rapid development of digital infrastructure in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and how these changes are influencing local and global art markets.
Furthermore, the artist opens up about his latest projects, future plans, and how he navigates the evolving world of digital art and its integration with traditional forms. This interview offers a deep dive into Vesa's artistic journey, his perspectives on the merging of digital and physical realms, and his visionary approach to redefining art in the digital age.
Questions
- Give us a brief of the event in Riyadh and what will you be sharing at the event
- What will be different this year at the events?
- What events and conferences do you feel are ideal for collectors, artists, and people in the industry to go to?
- How do you see the Digital Art Market developing in the Middle East as opposed to other parts of the world? Are there any notable differences?
- Is there anything the industry lacks or is it going in the right direction?
- What do you have planned these coming years with respect to your art?
- As an artist are there any adjustments you have had to make with respect to your artworks and promoting them as the industry is evolving?
Give us a brief of the event in Riyadh and what will you be sharing at the event
This is a top-tier Web3 event produced by a couple of friends from Edge of Co. We’ve talked many times with Josh Kriger about doing an event together, so he invited me along.
He has pulled off an amazing lineup of great speakers locally as well as internationally.
I’m excited to visit Saudi for the first time and have the opportunity to learn from the culture and to explore synergies.
What will be different this year at the events?
The Bitcoin halving, which traditionally starts the crypto bull run, is very soon upon us, so the events will again be full of energy and excitement as people start to see their portfolios rise. This will be my third bull run in this space, so I feel a bit more seasoned going into it this time around.
The downside is that during bear markets, you mostly meet real builders. In the season of the bull, everyone comes out of the woodwork. The space is divided into two: many projects are meticulously building value, while others are more on the casino and con-side of the game.
It takes a bit of effort to start understanding who and what are supporting which type of mentality. This is one of the reasons why attending invite-only events, like the Outer Edge in Riyadh, is so appealing.
What events and conferences do you feel are ideal for collectors, artists, and people in the industry to go to?
Personally, I’m careful about giving out recommendations. I’ve navigated through the early scene of artists and Web3 conferences, attending close to 400 events since 2017. Tastes vary widely, but I’ve always trusted mine as my approach has become focused. I’m passionate about discovering authentic voices.
There is often a separation between what feels to me like innovative, impactful art and what is currently making money. With many marketers and market makers now in this space, finding the real thing can be a challenge. There are many important artists who have yet to receive their spotlight, presenting exciting opportunities for collectors to discover them.
Additionally, many artists in this space have made significant contributions to the scene, but their art doesn’t necessarily transcend the space itself. Sometimes, things that look unremarkable on the surface are actually profound implementations of technology as art.
I’m happy to recommend contributors I know, depending on your preferences. Sustainable investing takes time and patience. We need more educated, risk-tolerant, and visionary collectors in this space, who will allow talented artists the time and resources they need to mature and create sustainable value.
We’ve seen many hot stars flash by. Many now-prominent collectors, hailed as experts, often had no background in art. They were good at capturing attention and making money, but to those more mature in terms of expression, it resembled a tacky carnival that cannot be taken seriously.
As you can imagine, expressing views like these sometimes didn’t help me make friends in the early scene, but I have a long-term view of how trust is established. I’ve been doing this for 15 years now, so I have seen a lot. The space is just starting out.
My wife and I also offer consultancy because we can truly stand behind our recommendations, as well as our own contributions.
How do you see the Digital Art Market developing in the Middle East as opposed to other parts of the world? Are there any notable differences?
Some parts of the Middle East, like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, are developing Web3 infrastructure at a high-octane pace. They are not dragged down by old infrastructure, allowing them to move quickly. However, this rapid development isn't necessarily well-rooted in the global art scene, which is a downside. Some nuances are being lost in translation.
As I still have much to learn about the vast Middle Eastern culture at large, observing the significant differences between Dubai and Abu Dhabi makes me hesitant to make definitive statements. Dubai is ahead in many aspects of Web3 implementation, yet the patience of Abu Dhabi seems more contemplative and, therefore, perhaps more fruitful for the fine art scene.
The UAE is a young culture which, in comparison to a place like Italy, has only recently emerged from the dry desert to a position where it can consider art in a new way. This shift has significant implications for the cultural landscape, especially considering that Dubai's population is 90% expatriate.
I’m curious about what I will learn on my brief visit to Saudi Arabia, as there are certainly many people worth listening to there. I also hear good things about Oman, which I would be curious to visit soon.
Is there anything the industry lacks or is it going in the right direction?
I would compare the whole Web3 explosion, including its art, to the discovery of America. Due to a stagnant situation in Europe, there was a desperate need to explore something new, and the monarchy wasn’t allowing innovation or healthy mobility. What then happened was a violent, rapid expansion to something new, but much was left behind that could have been very useful to know.
If you knew about art history and saw what was being pushed as 'new' by 'experts,' I'm not surprised why many would not want to engage in the space. Much like the tension still between the old and new world, there will be the same tension between the art world and Web3 for a long time.
With something that emerges, you need to have a tolerance of risk and ignorance, but also a vision of what and why something is rising. I’ve been pushing for the best of the art world to surface with the best of the tools of Web3 and culture since 2017. Luckily, some saw what I was trying to do. No single individual can yet see the whole picture, but there are things we can recognize to have more substance than others—if this is the way you prefer to navigate.
I would just say we’ve needed this technology decades ago already, and now that it is here, we will endlessly innovate around it to solve problems. It’s not going anywhere.
What do you have planned these coming years with respect to your art?
My own expression is constantly innovating and burning dead wood. The new 'Senses' series includes an artisan line, as well as a custom AI line integrated within it. Ordinals are currently the focal point of energy, so we have just inscribed our first works, which will soon be available on the main Bitcoin chain. This approach solves some fundamental problems of NFTs. I’m also excited that my entire back catalog since 2008 will now start to be grippingly available with the appropriate provenance.
The project with Brittany Kaiser, the famous Cambridge Analytica whistleblower, is also moving to the post-production stage. As a company, we have a concept called 'Renaissance 360,' under which we are exploring what digital art can achieve under innovative IP rights, and applications beyond its usual realm, in both the physical and digital worlds.
We are now in the process of forming a company called 'VESA Digital,' which will extend this influence beyond my individual capacity as an artist, and into the realm of a great team and company structure that can collaborate with many entities. I have a vision to push the boundaries of what art is traditionally associated with, merging it with both the physical and digital worlds to make them more beautiful to inhabit.
I’m also excited about my partnership with Dr. Marwan Al Zarouni on our street-legal art cars, which are set to proceed to their first auctions. Dr. Marwan, the CEO of the Dubai Blockchain Center, obtained a new license in Dubai to produce these full-blown art cars on the streets via the RTA, presenting a grand opportunity in a country with such an amazing car culture, like the UAE.
As an artist are there any adjustments you have had to make with respect to your artworks and promoting them as the industry is evolving?
I hesitate to call myself a pioneer, even though many have graced me with that description. I have certainly taken the appropriate arrows while pushing through to new realms consistently over the last 15 years.
I’m also more relaxed now, as there is much more of a social network behind me than ever before. I am very grateful to my wife for sticking with me and working through various challenges over the last 10 years.
It hasn’t been a bed of roses, but the petals are now starting to rain. The time is now for many of us.
