This unique artistic partnership is said to connect the two very different art scenes from which the creators have hailed - it is a present day manifestation of the punk rock movement, in the form of crypto art.
Not too sure what crypto art is? More information can be found here https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/mar/05/what-is-cryptoart-how-much-does-it-cost-and-can-you-hang-it-on-your-wall
Nifty Gateway uses NFTs or Non-Fungible tokens - similar to Bitcoin. More information on NFTs can be found here https://www.theverge.com/22310188/nft-explainer-what-is-blockchain-crypto-art-faq
“Hack the Borders” pays hommage to the artist Andy Warhol. Blondie front-woman Debbie Harry and her friend Warhol created an everlasting cultural moment with the Commodore Amiga in 1985, as Debbie became the subject of his very first digital portrait, an image that is just as significant today as it was then.
Hackatao explains: “We like to think of our art as something timeless and universal, much like Blondie’s music and iconic legacy. Doing a project with Blondie is not just a collaboration with a band, it is a collaboration with the history of music and art.
Andy Warhol has similarly been an artistic inspiration to us for his use of colours and trademark way of making art accessible for everyone. For Hack the Borders, we chose to release the project on 6 August, which is not only the birthday of Andy, but also of S. of Hackatao. We felt it was a perfect way to pay homage to his genius, and connect us further to the project.”
36 years later, Hackatao and Blondie have joined forces in the hopes of creating their own one-of-a-kind artwork, which will drop on what would have been Warhol’s 93rd birthday (6 August).
A spokesperson for the project said: “Hack the Borders” itself symbolises a true act, from both Hackatao and Blondie, of hacking all borders and boundaries, and ultimately the limits of narrow-mindedness. And like Warhol’s iconic image of Debbie Harry, Hackatao’s digital artwork showcases Debbie’s legacy with pop-art colours, albeit with their own signature style, covered in drawings that often represent our inner demons and most hidden voices.”
This collaborative creation will be made available in multiple editions, with each featuring musical accompaniment by Chris Stein, and a poem, written and spoken by Debbie Harry.
Stein said: “I heard of Hackatao early on when the NFT phenomena went mainstream. Andy, who embraced modern technology, would certainly have been minting Warhol NFT’s. I am attracted to the lack of gatekeeping that thus far is a significant factor in all this.” explains Blondie’s Chris Stein. Debbie Harry adds, “Techno expansion and discovery has always fascinated me as did Andy. I love the idea of honouring his memory on his birthday this year with our collaboration with Hackatao.”
Eleonora Brizi, Digital and Crypto Art Curator said: “Curating a project like Hack the Borders is an honour, first of all, due to the creative forces involved. But even more than that, was the constant discovery of how such two different art worlds, eras, manifestations of creativity can be so connected.
We tried to go at the essence of Blondie’s art, beyond the icon, straight to the core of the spirit. Is that spirit still alive today? What were they doing at the time through their music and creativity and what are we doing today specifically through Hackatao’s art and more generally in the crypto art space? The answer was: they were, they still are and we are hacking the borders.”
A preview teaser can be found at https://www.instagram.com/p/CR3sQfLhRVF/