A website offers original, downloadable art from renowned artists, allowing them to use the digital medium in creative ways and reach a broader audience.
S(edition), which launched last week, has commissioned several modern artists to produce original creations that can be downloaded and displayed on phones, tablets, televisions and computers.
The site lets artists gain a broader audience for their works without having to use gallery space, and allows them to create work in a new and emerging medium while accessing new distribution channels.
So far, artists seem enthusiastic about the project, and prominent artists like Michael Craig-Martin, Wim Wenders and Shepard Fairey, who created President Obama's "Hope" poster, have signed on.
"When you are an artist and you get to a certain level, it means that you have forced yourself out of the market for a lot of people, and this makes pure art available," says Tracey Emin, who created work for the site. "I like the idea of original pieces of art going to people directly for a low price."
The digital platform also allows consumers who covet expensive artwork to purchase a less expensive version from their favorite artists. Wall pieces from Emin's neon light series sell for up to $80,000, but S(edition) members can download a picture of her work for around $70.
The choice of how to display their collections is limited, but for modern art fans, the prices are still a bargain.
The mobile works will also be limited editions. Between 2,000 and 10,000 downloads will be released per piece, costing anywhere from $6 to $600. The numbered and authenticated artwork can then be stored in an online "vault" and accessed from mobile devices. Customers who purchase more than one work can set their collection as a screen saver, allowing them to show it off on multiple screens.
Robert Norton, co-founder of the new site, hopes the venture will make "contemporary art accessible to a whole new world of collectors at prices most people can now afford."
So far, Norton's hunch has proved correct. By Friday morning, 18 people had already purchased a diamond-encrusted skull piece by Damien Hirst for nearly $600 per download, implying that art and technology have only begun to develop their future relationship.
