Fragments of the HANNON house distributed as free NFT’s at Brussels’ Antica Art fair

Belgium’s Art Nouveau architecture is known for its intricate designs and stunning beauty, and one of its finest examples is the Hannon House in Brussels. However, the Hannon House is currently in need of restoration and preservation efforts, and to support these efforts, a Belgian startup called ARTTS is presenting a unique collection of 289 NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) created from an exceptional photograph of the house’s stairwell. These NFTs will be distributed for free to visitors at the Antica Brussels fair, held at Tour&Taxis from April 19th to 23rd, 2023.

The NFT collection is the result of a collaboration between ARTTS, the Hannon House, and the Media Innovation and Intelligibility Lab (MIIL) at the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL). Through this project, ARTTS aims to raise awareness of new technologies and promote Belgian heritage. By distributing free NFTs to visitors, ARTTS hopes to familiarize them with digital art and encourage them to explore the Hannon House in person after its opening on June 1st.

To obtain one of these NFTs, visitors must express their interest in the collection to ARTTS via email, receive a confirmation, and visit the ARTTS booth at the fair to choose a part of the photograph and receive their NFT. The NFT will also serve as the visitor’s entrance ticket to the Hannon House.

The photograph, entitled “The Hannon Stairs. The impossible picture”, is a reconstructed image of the fresco adorning the stairwell of the Hannon House. The photograph was created using various photography techniques and software, which enabled the reconstitution of the fresco in a rectangular format despite its spiral shape. Salvatore Bordonaro, a researcher at MIIL, emphasizes the importance of using image editing and distortion techniques such as perspective transformation and distortion correction to achieve this feat.

In addition to the Hannon House NFTs, ARTTS is also exhibiting digital works created from original pieces by Félicien Rops and Didier Comès, in collaboration with the King Baudouin Foundation. Furthermore, the booth also features the first digital collection of Catalan artist Maria Corte, titled “Cuerpos divinos” (Divine bodies). This exclusive work is a limited series of 10 NFTs certified by LOGION, and its title is inspired by the posthumous novel of the Cuban writer Guillermo Cabrera Infante.

The Hannon House is a symbol of Belgian Art Nouveau, combining both Belgian and French Art Nouveau in a dreamlike universe. It was built in 1902 by architect Jules Brunfaut for Marie and Édouard Hannon. The curator of the Hannon House, Grégory Van Aelbrouck, believes that integrating new technologies in the house’s mediation efforts will help reach a wider audience and promote Brussels’ Art Nouveau beyond its borders.

By offering free NFTs to visitors at the Antica Brussels fair, ARTTS aims to promote Belgian heritage and raise awareness of new technologies. This project not only offers visitors the chance to discover the Hannon House’s exceptional beauty but also supports its restoration and preservation efforts.