The Financial Times and Nikkei have announced a new collaboration in digital art. The two news publishers have commissioned Rhizomatiks, the Japanese digital creative team, to create a new art installation using new data on cryptocurrency from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF).
Taking the rich storytelling of FT and Nikkei combined with Rhizomatiks data-led and immersive approach, Rhizomatiks will create an unique experience for audiences in Tokyo. The piece will explore the energy consumption required for Bitcoin mining and asks questions like what is ‘mining’ and how and why does it require so much energy? Rhizomatiks will be drawing on data produced by the CCAF, part of the University of Cambridge Judge Business School.
The work will be unveiled on 27 September 2020 in Tokyo at the Wall & Wall Gallery where visitors will be able to see the work for the first time. It will be open to the public from 27-28 September.
This digital work is the latest in the FT Standpoint series, an award winning series of collaborations between arts and the FT newsroom that aims to explore the biggest stories of our time in original formats and from new perspectives.
Juliet Riddell, Head of New Formats at the FT said: “We wanted to collaborate with Rhizomatiks to tell the story of one of the most disruptive financial technologies we have seen. We hope to engage and inform audiences with new data and original visuals; bringing the best of the newsroom and the arts together”
Ryoichi Emura, Head of Data Visual Center at Nikkei said: “We are delighted to be working with Rhizomatiks to explore this topic and expand our editorial collaboration with the FT.”
Daito Manabe, Rhizomatiks said: “Technologies such as cryptocurrency and AI are being implemented into society at great speed. What is the impact of innovation on the environment? What actions should we take now to prepare for the future? We look forward to sharing with audiences these insights and important questions.”
About the Financial Times
The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. The FT has a record paying readership of 1.2 million, more than one million of which are digital subscriptions. It is part of Nikkei Inc., which provides a broad range of information, news and services for the global business community.
About Nikkei
Nikkei Inc. is a world-renowned media brand for Asian news, respected for quality journalism and for being a trusted provider of business news and information. Founded as a market news provider in Japan in 1876, Nikkei has grown into one of the world’s largest media corporations, with 37 foreign editorial bureaus and approximately 1,500 journalists worldwide. Nikkei acquired the UK-based Financial Times in 2015. Our combined digital and print circulation totals over 2.5 million, and we are continually deploying new technologies to increase our readership.
About Rhizomatiks
Rhizomatiks explores new possibilities of technology and expression focusing on experimental projects which involve R&D heavy approach, while taking responsibility in every process of the project from hardware and software development to operations. Rhizomatiks execute R&D projects and creation with elaborate research on the relationship between humans and technologies. Additionally, the company keeps presenting more cutting-edge research and works through collaboration with other artists, researchers, and scientists.
TOP image: “Watt is Money?” (2022) Visual created by rhizomatiks