Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 launched a new digital art section called Zero 10, featuring works like Beeple's robotic dogs with billionaire heads and Tyler Hobbs' generative art. The fair aimed to attract tech-sector buyers, with sales including IX Shells' interactive video installation for $140,000 and Jack Butcher's pay-what-you-wish installation drawing hundreds of new collectors. The section had surprisingly few screens, emphasizing conceptual engagement over spectacle.
This matters because Art Basel's embrace of digital art signals a major shift toward integrating tech-based practices into the traditional art market. After the NFT bubble burst in 2021-22, the industry is now adapting to digital-native artists on their own terms, moving beyond hype to focus on generative authorship and web-native practices. Institutional acceptance, such as MoMA's 2023 acquisition of Refik Anadol's work, has helped legitimize digital art, potentially opening new collector bases and reshaping how the art world values digital creation.