Visting Researcher (Oct-Nov 2023)
Michael Assis is a doctoral candidate at the Bard Graduate Center in New York. He specializes in the philosophy and theory of digital art and (new) media and is currently writing a dissertation on blockchain-based art. His dissertation, “Decentralized Objects: Non-Fungible Tokens in the Age of Web3,” explores philosophical issues and sociopolitical aspects of blockchain-based art. In his research, Michael argues for new image theories and ontological structures that emerge as a result of the unique affordances of the blockchain as a new artistic medium. Before entering the metaverse, Michael was engaged with European Medieval and Renaissance art, and holds a BA and MA in Art History and Philosophy from Tel Aviv University. Beyond academia, Michael is also the co-founder of Artistoric, a gallery specializing in decorative arts, and the co-founder of Artfora, a Web3 platform that pairs physical objects with non-fungible tokens.