Completely covered with a work of data sculpture composed of a flow of images generated by an Artificial Intelligence system, the Arco della Pace in Milan is the first monument in the world to enter the Metaverse

Completely covered with a work of data sculpture composed of a flow of images generated by an Artificial Intelligence system, the Arco della Pace in Milan is the first monument in the world to enter the Metaverse For three days - 30, 31 December 2021 and 1 January 2022 -, in the symbolic moment of transition between the old and the new year, the international collective Ouchhh covered the Arco della Pace in Milan with an innovative and scenographic 360 ° data sculpture, transforming one of the symbolic monuments of the Lombard capital into a immersive digital artwork.

Composed of images generated by an ever-changing algorithm (thousands of digitized and reinterpreted works of art and culture mixed with NASA data), the installation AI Dataportal_Arch of Light, which includes a experience of VR ( Virtual Reality ), will soon become a NFT, making the great neoclassical arch in Parco Sempione the first monument in the world ever to enter the Metaverse.

What is meant by Metaverse

The Metaverse is a sort of shared virtual reality via the internet, a three-dimensional space of socialization within which people, represented through their avatar, can move, interact, work, share goods and experiences through websites.

A hymn to innovation and wonder, between art, science and technology, physical and digital

The operation, carried out by the start-up Reasoned Art, in collaboration with the Superintendence ABAP of Milan and with the patronage of the Municipality of Milan, was born with the intention of wrapping the Arco della Pace in an embrace of light, innovation and wonder. A hybrid project "that combines the Italian cultural and artistic heritage with an immersive digital work of art that allows you to connect tradition and innovation, physical and digital" explains Giulio Bozzo, CEO and founder of Reasoned Art, an Italian benefit company dedicated to cryptoarte and operating through blockchain technology.

A stream of images generated by AI

Through a flow of images generated by an Artificial Intelligence system , AI Dataportal_Arch of Light covered the Arco della Pace with a second skin in continuous transformation that told the history of Italy . For this occasion, the Ouchhh collective has configured an AI capable of reinterpreting and giving new life to over 20,000 works of art - created by over 320 artists - belonging to the most varied artistic movements, from art Byzantine to Italian contemporary art. The annual data of the map of the Italian firmament collected by NASA and all the digitized literary heritage, belonging to a time span of over 1700 years.

What are NFTs

As part of a project to enhance the Italian cultural heritage, the AI Dataportal_Arch of Light work will soon be certified in NFT - Non-fungible token , unique digital certificates of authenticity representing the deed of ownership based on the blockchain technology register - which will make the Arch of Peace officially the first monument in the world to enter the Metaverse.

When and how the work was visible

The installation was visible to the public live on Thursday 30 December and Saturday 1 January from 18.00 to 00.00. On Friday 31 December, however, the 'digital monument' was only visible in streaming on the Youtube, Facebook and Instagram of Reasoned Art, getting views from more than 30 countries around the world , from the United States to Singapore, from the United Arab Emirates to Hong Kong, from the United Kingdom to South Korea.

The proceeds will go to an experimental training center

The proceeds from the sale of the unique code corresponding to the 'digital monument' will be used to create an educational space of research , experimentation and comparison dedicated to the themes of digital art , science and technology. The project is in fact designed for the benefit of young artists, curators, critics and enthusiasts who will be awarded scholarships in line with existing European projects such as S + T + ARTS and New European Bauhaus.