Held on July 27, 2025.

Speaker: Stan Berger, independent researcher, historian, art critic.

Stan Berger began by reframing the NFT discourse: the market has matured from speculative mania toward utility‑driven tokens, such as event tickets, fractional ownership shares, and provenance certificates for physical artworks. He cited several major museums that now issue blockchain‑based authenticity records, effectively turning NFTs into trustworthy digital passports for heritage items.

Berger then moved to immersive experiences, showing how VR/AR installations have evolved from carnival‑style novelties into a legitimate curatorial genre – he highlighted the “Dalí in the Metaverse” project, where visitors could literally step inside “The Persistence of Memory” and manipulate the melting clocks in real time. However, he did not shy away from the persistent problem of digital divide: many institutions lack the hardware and technical know‑how, while audiences without headsets or high‑speed connections are left out.

His proposed solution was a hybrid model – augmented reality over a smartphone as a low‑threshold entry point, combined with physical gallery spaces for deeper engagement. Berger summarised that digital tools do not threaten the aura of physical art; instead, they multiply the channels for storytelling and reinterpretation, provided that accessibility remains a priority.