The definition of art has been a subject of debate for ages. With the introduction of NFTs to the mainstream culture, it was expected to have that same debate again. In a recent series of events, editors from Wikipedia shared consensus on this issue and decided not to classify NFT as art. The debate arose while compiling the list for the most expensive art sales in history. If we count NFTs as art, that would mean their dominance in the list. However, not all editors were ready to perceive NFTs as art. When the voting on the issue concluded, it was clear that a major chunk of editors feel NFTs do not qualify as works of art.
While there is controversy regarding the subject, it is also clear that Wikipedia editors have a point. Wikipedia is the world’s largest user-generated encyclopedia and has entries on almost every subject. According to some editors, NFTs better qualify as digital tokens than art. There is merit to the argument since the underlying art is not what makes an NFT. It is only the encryption technology and the unique owner and creator addresses that give NFTs their true meaning. Keeping with this line of argument means that NFTs and their underlying art are two different phenomena. As it stands now, NFTs would not fall under any list that documents the past and present of art. Instead, they would qualify as digital tokens with encryption technology.
