Reinventing Loyalty with Web3.0 tech: Irina Karagyaur Invites Museums to Participate
As part of BQ9’s partnership with Culture For Causes Network, CEO Irina Karagyaur shares insights about herself, her projects, and a new initiative inviting museums to participate.
Irina Karagyaur is a well known figure in the blockchain and Web3.0 space, particularly known for her advocacy for decentralisation, privacy, and the empowerment of communities. As the Co-Founder and CEO of BQ9, Ecosystem Growth Agency, and an active member of the Polkadot Ecosystem, she is deeply involved in the development and implementation of blockchain technology and digital assets, with a focus on education for the democratisation of the open metaverse.
The non-profit organization Culture For Causes Network, which organises MuseumWeek, began collaborating with Irina Karagyaur in November 2022 to create a digital art exhibition focused on biodiversity.
Today, we invite the museum community to join an innovative Web3.0 loyalty program. This initiative explores how cultural organizations can leverage Web3 for ticketing solutions, virtual merchandising, and engaging youth. If you are interested in participating and becoming part of our cohort, please express your interest by filling out the form below.
Discover more about Irina Karagyaur and her passionately developed projects by reading her interview.
Irina, could you tell us about your background?
Since a very young age I have always been fascinated by the artists of the renaissance period, particularly by Michelangelo who worked almost till the last day of his life. This artist, apart from being one of the greatest architects of all time, also left us the lesson that the meaning of life is to create. We are unique as individuals but that's what we all have in common. He left a strong impression on me, and I decided to study Architecture & Arts Academy, and later I did a M.Sc. in Urban Planning and Policy Design.
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Architecture has always been related to technology, from the great pyramids to humble cabins, our available technology always defines the environments we build for ourselves. In the early 2000s the use of digital tools in architecture and urban environments gained a lot of traction. For example, Dame Zaha Hadid, known for her innovative and avant-garde architectural designs, used advanced design software to create her groundbreaking works. I remember how excited we were to push the boundaries of the existent possibilities of constructing new buildings. That encouraged me to delve deeper and learn how technology can serve our societies with my M.Sc. thesis which focused on Erlang data as a promising tool for micro scale analysis of urban fabric.
Thanks to that experience, I realized how our mobile devices are powerful tools carrying a lot of sensitive data about us. Our data should always be used ethically (such as Erlang data, which is aggregated and anonymous) to dramatically improve the way we interact with our cities and governments, and with our public and private structures.
How did your early career in architecture shape your professional journey and lead you into the world of Web3.0?
Curiosity always makes us fall into the rabbit hole. Back in London, in 2020, I began working on a consulting assignment for the tokenization of real estate. This project led me to deep research into blockchain technology and to benchmarking various blockchain ecosystems. The Polkadot blockchain, co-founded by Dr. Gavin Wood, was recently launched that year with an outstanding value proposition. I joined the community to learn more about the potential of this technology and fell into an amazing parallel world filled with brilliant minds. The spirit felt very similar to that described of the Avant-Garde movement.
Additionally, I must highlight that Web3.0 is a very positive space, driven by the open knowledge community, open-source software, and open governance. The Web3.0 community is nothing less than a soul to technology. Once you’re in, you can't stop learning, networking, and creating projects.
What inspired you to pursue a career in the Web3 industry?
Diving deeper into projects, learning the basics of blockchain programming languages, and exploring the business opportunities of blockchain technology made me realize the tremendous potential this technology offers to various industries, including the arts and culture sectors.
It is not an overstatement to say that the Web3.0 industry represents a paradigm shift in how we think about ownership, value, and trust. The decentralized nature of blockchain technology aligns with my belief in creating systems that empower individuals and communities rather than central authorities. While centralization might work in some cases, it has become an obsolete approach for managing a set of economic, artistic, and human rights values that we cherish. Art and creativity require equitable and transparent systems. Our whole survival as a species depends on our capacity to express ourselves. In line with Descartes' "I think, therefore I am," we confirm our existence through our creations, and that guarantees our continuity.
Can you share insights on what opportunities are there for museums with the new Web3 tools? How can museums leverage these tools to enhance visitor experiences and engagement?
More than a hundred years ago, in his Futurist Manifesto, F.T. Marinetti wrote, "Museums, graveyards!... They’re the same thing, really, because of their grim profusion of corpses that no one remembers." He viewed museums as cemeteries, describing them as places where art is buried and stagnates. Today, in 2024, this statement could not be further from reality, as museums have come alive thanks to innovation and technology. In the past year, I visited several museums: The Museum of Art and Photography (MAP) in Bengaluru, M+ in Hong Kong, the Museum of the Future in Dubai, and Bombas Gens, the digital arts center in Valencia. In all of them, I witnessed how this new generation of museums offers immersive digital experiences that blend the boundaries of our physical and digital spaces. For instance, in Valencia, we can now experience Dalí in the metaverse and interact with the latest VR and AR experiences.
The impact of Web 3.0 on the art world has been profound, validated by Beeple's digital collage "Everydays: The First 5000 Days," which sold for $69.3 million at a Christie's auction in March 2021. Major institutions like the British Museum and Moco Museum in Amsterdam have also embraced NFTs, offering digital collectibles and exhibitions that attract new audiences. Museums like the Museum of Crypto Art (MOCA) and the Louvre are exploring blockchain technology to enhance transparency and engagement in the art world.
However, all this innovation we’re witnessing is just the first layer of the new relationship between museums and visitors. Immersive experiences will be complemented by an additional layer of ownership. After all, as individuals or at a collective level, our feeling of belonging is driven by meaning, which is an emotional tie. In the near future, we will build a new emotional tie with museums, our loyalty with them will be redefined.
Since massive asset tokenization is expected to happen this decade, the transformative potential is very high, particularly for initiatives to document artwork provenance, offer membership benefits, and create interactive exhibits. In general, Web 3.0 allows museums to extend their reach beyond physical walls, offering a personalized and enhanced sense of belonging. As museums evolve into dynamic institutions, they will continue to reinvent their relationships with the public, revolutionizing how we perceive ourselves and art in general.
Can you tell us about the Polkadot and MuseumWeek collaboration?
In tune with the times we’re living in, we have a great initiative between MuseumWeek and Polkadot: "Reconciliation with the Living," the first-ever NFT art traveling exhibition launched at UNESCO HQ in November 2022. This art exhibition focuses on harmonising humanity with nature and addressing environmental issues through art.
After its inauguration in Paris, it traveled to Florence, Lisbon, and Dubai, bringing together digital and generative artists like Zancan, Entangled Others, Geoffrey Pugen, Phaust, and Paweł Grzelak. The artworks explore themes of life, evolution, and the impact of human activities on the environment. By leveraging the growing influence of digital images and online platforms, the exhibition seeks to shape public sentiment and facilitate a global conversation around sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Polkadot envisions a future where digital infrastructures inherently protect user interests by design. By creating a fully decentralised web where users have control over their own data and digital interactions, it completely safeguards our fundamental human rights.
Interview by Benjamin BENITA
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