NFTs are reshaping the art world, allowing many artists to explore a new level of art-making. As artworks, NFTs have found their way to the world's most prestigious auction houses, where they have broken sales records.

However, NFTs have been a source of contention, with even the editors of Wikipedia — the world's largest online encyclopaedia – debating whether non-fungible tokens qualify as art.

The Wikipedia dispute began when editors began evaluating the list of the most expensive living artists' works, which included digital artist Beeple's NFTs but omitted another popular artist and NFT vendor Pak.

Beeple and Pak have both successfully sold non-fungible tokens, and their artworks are featured on a list of the most valuable non-fungible tokens.

"I see that Pak's Merge has been removed, but Beeple's Everyday Sale has been retained; shouldn't that also be removed from this list?" Additionally, this is an NFT sale; therefore, if Merge does not qualify, should Beeple? Additionally, the Beeple art is composed of numerous pieces and is not a singular work, as a Koons sculpture is. Although it is a collection of works - sold as a whole - does that constitute it a single work of art? If we include Beeple's Everydays on this list, other NFT works become eligible," one editor suggested.

"Generally, it is not about Wikipedia editors or individual contributors defining what is or is not art, but rather about consensus from third-party sources," another editor remarked.

The crypto community is outraged by Wikipedia's decision to exclude NFTs from art, with several tweets urging the NFT community to "rally and inform the Wikipedia editors that NFTs are, in fact, art!"

On the Other Hand

* NFTs are a general-purpose media. Some NFTs are works of art, while others are not.

* It is currently unclear whether or not NFTs will be classified as art on Wikipedia. However, the outcome is crucial, as Wikipedia is the primary source of information on the planet.

Support us!