Documentary Review: ‘Minted’ – Art, Ownership, and the Revolution on the Blockchain.

What does it mean to truly own art in the digital age?

‘Minted‘ is a striking new and informative documentary by Nicholas Bruckman that tries to answer this question. The film takes us through art galleries, virtual marketplaces and even into political resistance, all the while sharing with us the stories of some artists who have found some level of success in this present-day art space. The film also breaks down the story of NFTs (Nonfungible Tokens), the promise they bring as well as the pitfalls artists have had to face with this new wave of consuming and appreciating art.

The film begins with a time in March 2021, when Michael Winkelmaan, also known as Beeple, sold a digital collage at the auction organised by Christie’s for a mind-blowing $69 million. That sale didn’t just make headlines then; it made history. Beeple became the third-highest-earning living artist overnight. But the real story, ‘Minted‘, shows us isn’t just about one man’s meteoric rise; it is about how the creative world was shaken up.

The film explains what ‘Mint‘ means in this digital sense. That is, to ‘create a unique token on the blockchain’. As technical as this sounds, it simply means that artists digitally create a one-off art piece that can be sold and resold.

The documentary introduces us to various artists, including painters, photographers, animators, and musicians, all with their own stories of how NFTs transformed their lives. And in doing so, ‘Minted‘ makes one thing clear. NFTs aren’t just for digital art. Even music videos to performance pieces can be minted, sold, and resold.

Latasha, one of the artists featured, speaks to this power beautifully. She explains that her music videos aren’t just audio-visual formats of what she does. They are performance art pieces that now have life and value and can be owned and experienced by others on the blockchain. For artists like her, NFTs offer a way to finally be seen, valued, and, importantly, paid.

But ‘Minted‘ doesn’t just stay in the celebratory lane. The film takes a powerful political turn when it features Kina Matahari, a Cuban artist who found liberation in NFTs. She recalls how, under Cuba’s Decree 349, passed in 2018, artists could be censored or punished for creating work critical of the government. For her, the blockchain became a form of rebellion, a space where her voice could not be silenced. It’s a poignant reminder that art has always been political, and now, technology is giving it new weapons.

Interestingly, the film also points out how some governments have still found ways to censor creatives even in digital spaces. Depriving them not just of their freedom to express themselves through art, but also of the opportunities available for them to make life-changing money.

The film also dives into the economics behind NFTs, specifically the game-changing concept of secondary royalties. Photographer Justin Aversano, another one of the artists the film highlights talks about this. He has been able to earn royalties on the works that he has minted. Unlike the traditional art market, where artists usually make money only on the first sale, NFTs allow creators to earn a percentage every time their work is resold. For many like Justin Aversano, this represents a dream of sustainability finally realised.

‘Minted‘ also does a fine job distinguishing between the fine art sector and the “PFP” (profile picture) sector, where collectable avatars often overshadow digital artists who are in many ways closer as creators to actual painters and artists. Your eyes are opened to another interesting reality. In the real-world art market, the less an artwork trades, the better. In the NFT world, the more it trades, the better. This captures a fascinating inversion of value systems.

But this new frontier isn’t without its dangers. The film doesn’t shy away from the dark side of all this. It hints at the damage that pirated artworks, scam projects, and million-dollar frauds have caused several artists as well are art lovers. With no solid legislation in place to protect artists or prosecute theft, creators often find themselves vulnerable in the very space that promised them freedom. But, despite the risks, there is no denying the transformative impact of NFTs. For digital artists who have long been ignored by the traditional gatekeepers of the art world, NFTs offered them both profit and validation.

‘Minted‘ is more than just a tech explainer or something to nerd about. Whether you’re a blockchain sceptic or an NFT evangelist, the film leaves you with questions about ownership, value, and the future of creativity. In my opinion, that is exactly what a good documentary should do.

You can stream Minted now on Netflix. If you’re curious about the technology driving the digital art revolution, or simply want to hear powerful stories about art reclaiming its worth, this one’s for you.

I will score this documentary film 4 out of 5 stars.

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