Image source: Coin Telegraph
Frida Kahlo is one of the most influential surrealist and feminist in history, and her works which have never been seen before are getting integrated into the metaverse.
Frida Kahlo’s works and the metaverse
Frida Kahlo’s family released the renowned artist’s pieces and memorabilia that have escaped the public eye for years.
The content appeared in an exhibit in the third-annual Metaverse Art Week in Decentraland, from August 24 to August 28.
Once the exhibit is done, the art and memorabilia will remain a permanent fixture in the metaverse.
The project is a collaboration of the Kahlo family and Ezel.life, who shared that they found 800 different sketches, original art, and other objects used in Frida Kahlo’s daily life.
Each piece is scanned with high-resolution image capturing tools that need at least 30 different images and videos.
The Red House
Fans of the painter’s works can experience the art in a digital replica of the “Red House.”
The Red House is an imitation of the Kahlo family’s Red House in Mexico City.
Users can walk along its halls to see the works and read personal anecdotes told by close family members.
The rooms of the house represent the lesser-known parts of Frida Kahlo’s life.
They showcase what life was like for the artist before her infamous relationship with fellow Mexican painter Diego Rivera.
The real-life Red House is a private family residence, but they don’t want to convert it into a museum.
Meanwhile Casa Azul, the Blue House, is used as the museum, welcoming over half a million visitors annually before the pandemic.
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Ezel.life
Frida Kahlo’s metaverse inclusion was made possible by leading digital asset company, Ezel.life.
The company is focused on maximizing the value of original artworks.
Luke McFarlane, co-founder of Ezel, shared his enthusiasm about the project, saying:
“The first 20 years will be represented in this house. It sets up a lot of her struggles and adversities, but also her drive and passion for life; between polio, coming of age, and a major bus accident.”
The family’s hesitance and resolve
The project was always meant to preserve the works of one of the most iconic painters in history, but the Kahlo family initially had reservations.
According to Pedro Quinzaños Cancino, a friend of the Kahlo family and Ezel co-founder, the family was hesitant to release some personal information to the public.
“When I started talking to Mara [the great grand niece of Frida Kahlo], there was some resistance from the family,” shared Cancino.
Their hesitation was quelled due to the pandemic and private developments within the family, and they took a chance on technological innovation to keep the stories alive.
Cancino found the opportunity with blockchain, saying:
“Blockchain is a perfect tool to really lock in the real story from the family and get it out there without having any type of changes from the media or third party.”
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The metaverse
While the metaverse has had its fair share of criticism, it can’t be denied that it can be beneficial to preserving art.
Metaverse technology and interactive experiences create opportunities for new engagement with the works of Frida Kahlo.
However, the image quality and avatars in the metaverse remains an issue, as it has for other events like the Metaverse Fashion Week at Decentraland.
The Ezel team is working to fix it, but they are currently focused on storytelling and archiving to allow users to interact with culture and art.
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