Read a blogpost on the history of The Met's education initiatives.

A ledger is a term that has become synonymous with Web3—a new, decentralized version of the internet built on blockchain technology—though it has been used for centuries to describe systems of record-keeping. The objects in this week’s selection were chosen because they function as repositories of information. Whether through accumulations of data in Howardena Pindell’s Untitled #2, deposits of archival materials in Kurt Schwitters’ Plan of Love, or the ornate insignia of an Ottoman sultan, each piece preserves or communicates information. A literal ledger, such as the account book created by John Carlin, exemplifies the benefits of blockchain—a digital ledger that stores transaction data in a decentralized network, not controlled by a single entity. While Carlin’s book reflects financial transactions, calligraphy practices, and sketches, with amended entries over time, blockchain would preserve the amendments without altering the original records (though, there would be no space for doodles!). With this in mind, blockchain can be understood as a new approach to how we store and protect information in an increasingly digitized world.

From the World of Web3

Record-keeping & Ledgers

Art Links