Interview: Serge Poliakov from 4ARTechnologies
An Art Lover, A Collector, and An Investor
How did you start collecting?
Art is part of my heritage, my father is an artist even though he worked as an architect all his life. But my passion for collecting really started 7 years ago when I received a beautiful artwork as a birthday present. From that moment on, it became a major part of my entrepreneurial activity. I purchased NFTs and digital artworks relatively quickly, making a major investment. Currently NFTs make up about 70% of my art collection.
My first NFT purchase was a CryptoPunk. CryptoPunks, as an asset and investment product with a steadily growing value, are the most pioneering of art projects. They represent the foundation of the NFT movement and therefore an integral part of art history. They should be seen as cultural treasure and heritage.
One of my latest acquisitions is by artist Denis Davydov. I like it a lot and as an art lover, collector, and as an investor, I see very high potential for development.
What criteria do you follow when purchasing art NFTs?
First of all, I must like it. And then, regardless of esthetics, I look into the ideas, the creativity, the role of the artist, and the provenance. Those are all very important to me.
What are the main advantages of NFT as a tool for artists?
I would like to tell you about the tool we developed, NFT+, and its benefits to the art world. With NFT+, for the first time, legally mandatory documents of a digital work are transparently stored in metadata. This guarantees uniqueness and traceability, thanks to the patented forensic watermark and offers an easy connection with the physical work of art it is related to.
What NFT projects would you highlight?
I would like to mention 4ARTechnologies’s inaugural exhibition project "Digital Baroque: History Meets Algorithm.” It’s a collaboration between PALM blockchain and 11 repudiated digital artists and collectives. I also would like to mention "BajBajas" by artists Uta Bekaya and Denis Davydov (Window Project and Instigators).
Do you have a vision for the future of NFT culture?
Our perspective is to keep abreast and to continue to invest and move actively in this exciting field, and to build a network of competent and professional people.
Like any culture, NFT culture will continue to evolve. I suspect that the NFT market will be segmented. One segment that is important to us, NFT art, will certainly reach new meaningful positions in the art industry through growing competence and popularization.
Serge Poliakov is an expert in innovative forms of advertising, drawing from years of experience as a successful entrepreneur online, across Western and Eastern European culture and business practices. He joined 4ARTechnologies, a leader in art security and digitization, as a partner and shareholder in 2018.
