10:10
The Physical Language Workshop has launched their OPENSTUDIO project in alpha version. They describe it as follows:
Using an online paint environment users can create artworks, which they then trade in exchange for “Buraks”, the currency of OPENSTUDIO. Records of trades are kept. By creating new works, users increase their potential capital and can in turn accumulate attractive works by other artists. The net result is a virtual economy trading in symbolic value. Much like the commercial art world, in other words.
Similar projects come to mind: Vectorama by Lehni, Lehni & Koch is still the undisputed champion of collaborative drawing works, combining technical elegance with designer style. There was also a project in the mid-90s where someone set up a monetary exchange system for artists, by which they could trade capital objects online for a virtual currency. Unfortunately, the name of the artist escapes me, but I believe it was developed at the Kunsthochschule in Cologne.
OPENSTUDIO is currently in testing, non-registered users can browse but not participate.
