The deal will give the digital and fine arts world access to the works of two revered National Artists
Abdulmari Imao Sr. and Federico Aguilar Alcuaz’s works are now accessible to digital collectors, thanks to the signing of a partnership between their estates and Artifract.io, a pioneering Fine Arts NFT (non-fungible token).
The signing ceremony was held last year, 2022, at Kondwi in Makati City. The event was attended by Artifract.io heads with Web3 KOLs, leaders, and stakeholders.
Award-winning multimedia artist Toym de Leon Imao expressed his excitement for the collaboration during the signing ceremony. The partnership will endeavor to transform his late father’s masterpieces into NFTs.
"Dr. Imao’s body of works has always trailblazed in the history of Philippine visual arts with regards to promoting Mindanao art and culture," Toym said.
“The Sarimanok motif is an acknowledged folk art of the Maranaos. It has been re-imagined into the modern Imao “Sarimanok”” and “Sarifish” compositions of Dr. Imao in both sculpture and painting," he added.
Toym also acknowledges their family's commitment to promoting their father's legacy through graphic arts, product design, theater, and now, digital works through limited NFT.
"We firmly believe that bringing Dr. Imao’s works across the digital divide makes his works accessible and establishes a digital footprint regarding the continued awareness of his contribution to Philippine Art through digital and tech-based platforms," he said.
"We look forward to the opportunities and possibilities that this collaboration of Imao x Artifract will bring," Toym added.
Dr. Imao received the Presidential Medal of Merit in 2005, the Gawad CCP para sa Sining in 1990, the Gawad Patnubay ng Sining from the City of Manila in 1985, and the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM) in 1968 before being inducted into the Order of National Artists in 2006.
This January, everyone will have access to the fractionalized archival pieces of Abdulmari Imao via https://artifract.io/. Visit the website and join the waitlist to get preferential access to the drop at https://artifract.io/.