Interactive Art Installation ‘CryptoPong Participate’ Fuses the Past and Present of Gaming

CryptoPong Participate is a site-specific, interactive art installation created by the renowned artist group Kvetny&Velasco, as part of the CryptoPong exhibition at Nikolaj Kunsthal in Copenhagen.

Today marks the beginning of ‘CryptoPong Participate’ by Kvetny&Velasco – a unique art installation in the heart of Copenhagen, Denmark.

The installation, which is being held at the iconic contemporary arts venue Nikolaj Kunsthal, runs from September 16, 2022 to January 22, 2023.

As part of the experience, 50 unique CryptoPong Participate NFTs will be minted using the energy-efficient Tezos blockchain.

However, to claim one of these rare NFTs, you will need to seek out the NFT artwork on a ping-pong ball at the art installation in Nikolaj Kunsthal.

Thus, the installation will blend the physical and digital worlds and will present an interesting choice for participants in the process.

The CryptoPong Participate installation

CryptoPong Participate is part of a larger exhibition, which explores art on the blockchain, curated by Radar Contemporary.  

In the Upper Gallery of Nikolaj Kunsthal, you will discover an artistic exploration of new aspects of consumerism and digital behavior.

Moreover, the installation delves into the world of transparency of transactions, NFT collectibles, gamification, and how we relate to a new reality that combines the physical and virtual worlds with digital assets.

In particular, CryptoPong Participate is a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the pioneering computer game, ‘Pong’, which symbolizes the beginning of the digital age – and whose significance on several levels is reflected in the installation. 

The influence of CryptoPunks and Pong

Each CryptoPong Participate NFT has a unique artwork by the Danish artist Ida Kvetny.

Those who attend the installation and discover the NFT art will be presented with a choice –  to either redeem a physical or virtual version of the artwork.

If the participant chooses to receive an NFT, they can deliver the ping-pong ball to the designated place at the exhibition and receive further instructions.

Pong’s highly pixelated aesthetics bear some resemblance to the contemporary, popular NFTs, such as the now immortalized CryptoPunks.

These blue-chip NFTs have played a central role in the spread of NFTs as a phenomenon, and they were the inspiration behind the name ‘CryptoPong’.

The CryptoPong Participateinstallation also draws inspiration from some of the earlier interactive film installations from the 1960s, such as Valie Export’s legendary work ‘Ping Pong’from 1968 and later Agnès Varda’s work ‘PingPong Tonget Camping’ from 2006.

Where to view the NFTs

You can see the CryptoPong Participate NFTs here, but neither the artists behind the installation, nor the venue or Radar Contemporary can be held responsible for the blockchain or any technical aspects.

After the exhibition period, all remaining NFTs and ping-pong balls will be donated to the artist-driven ‘Museum of Nordic Digital Art – MoNDA.’

Looking ahead, the goal for Kvetny&Velasco is to have multiple CryptoPong Participate events, and to take the installation on tour to new art venues in different countries.