Cast your mind back to the bygone days of 2021, cryptocurrency’s most recent boom, a time when the mainstream media was scrambling to explain NFTs to the masses and monkey JPEGs were fetching millions at auction. Two years later, crypto prices have cratered, and the market for online apes has cooled considerably. But through the ups and downs of the hype cycle, digital artists have continued to experiment, and now a new platform, Tonic, is launching with the goal of translating (and selling) their work to a lay audience. The twist? Interior designers are invited to the party.
First announced at Future of Home last September, Tonic was founded by Mariam Naficy (founder of Minted) and Susannah Maybank (Gagosian’s former head of digital), who say the platform aims to be a “safe space” for the curious-if-not-seasoned collector of digital art. “We believe incredible work is being done in this space,” Maybank tells Business of Home. “We’re trying to increase access for new participants, and create a welcoming community for both crypto and non crypto natives.”