Encompassing the entire NFT ecosystem from algorithmic art to avatars and AI, the first major art historical survey of this field is now available in an updated, unlimited edition and includes 11 additional artists. With 10 academic essays and 111 artists in total, the book offers an extensive insight into digital art on the blockchain today.

Formerly published as a Collector's Edition, the first major art historical survey on the most compelling, disruptive area of contemporary art is now available in an updated, more affordable edition which includes 11 additional artists. A rigorous examination of all facets of the NFT ecosystem, it takes a multidimensional, artist-led approach to give a richer understanding of a topic often shrouded in pixelated mystery.

Featuring insight from the leading voices in art and the blockchain, including Hans Ulrich Obrist, On NFTs celebrates unlikely and thought-provoking connections from across art history. Expect to find Rembrandts examined alongside CryptoPunk avatars, and 10 extensive essays explaining the nitty-gritty of NFTs-including Sol LeWitt's influence on today's artistic algorithms-plus behind-the-scenes glimpses of the creative processes of pioneering artists, from Beeple and Emily Xie to Snowfro and Refik Anadol.

In examinging the evolution of NFTs from the 1960s onwards, the author references artists and projects electrifying the digital art space up to the present day. With about 1,400 images and nearly 200 QR codes, readers can explore the works interactively and in rich visual detail. In addition to a glossary of terms, and a comprehensive exhibition history and timeline, there's a survey of 111 key practitioners working today, with each profile uniquely authored by experts, including curators, critics, artists, and AI.

On NFTs captures a seismic shift in art history, inviting both natives and newcomers to experience the bold, boundary-breaking future of creativity.

Details

ISBN13: 9783836593458
Format: Hardback
Number of Pages: 656
Edition:
Publication Date: 13 Apr 2026
Publisher: Taschen GmbH
Publication City, Country: Cologne, Germany
Dimensions (cm): 25.5(H)x19.6(L)x4.4(W)2184
Weight (gm): 2184

Author Biography

Robert Alice makes art, exhibitions, and books that explore blockchains and their histories. The first artist to auction an NFT at a major auction house, their work Portraits of a Mind (2019–) was pivotal to the NFT space’s growth. In 2023, the Monnaie de Paris held one of the first European museum solo NFT shows on their work. In 2022, Alice, who lectures globally, co-produced the first academic conference on NFTs at the University of Oxford. Alice’s work is part of the permanent collections of several institutions, including the Centre Pompidou, Paris.

Reviews

[This] near 700 page artist-led book is filled with striking and alternative images that could only take place in the virtual world of cryptoart. * It’s Nice That *
A deep and illuminating survey of the technology from its infancy to the current day. * Dazed *
On NFTs provides an art-historical overview... On the one hand, the book provides basic knowledge about blockchain, algorithms, and the logic of digital ownership. On the other hand, it builds bridges between art history and current trends. Rembrandt meets CryptoPunks. * Rolling Stone *
The publication provides a comprehensive history of the NFT and is akin to a catalog raisonnée. * The Art Newspaper *