NFTs
FC Barcelona displays its first two NFTs at the Moco Museum with the ‘Masterpiece’ exhibition. A digital tribute to Johan Cruyff and Alexia Putellas’
FC Barcelona is displaying its first two NFTs, In a Way, Immortal (starring Johan Cruyff) and Empowerment (dedicated to Alexia Putellas), at the Moco Museum. They are part of the ‘Masterpiece’ collection made up of ten works, which are presented piece by piece. These audiovisual works pay homage to emblematic Barça moments and figures that enrich its legacy and historical heritage, and the renowned museum will display them in two of its rooms dedicated to digital art. The exhibition can be visited in Barcelona from tomorrow, Thursday, April 25th, until June 25th, and soon in Amsterdam.
The exhibition that opens to visitors at the Moco Museum in Barcelona (C/ Montcada, 25) starting tomorrow, – on Johan Cruyff’s late birthday – on Thursday, April 25th and is called ‘Masterpiece. A digital tribute to Johan Cruyff and Alexia Putellas. A launch event was held today at the museum to present the exhibition, which was attended by the vice-president of the Institutional Area of FC Barcelona, Elena Fort, as well as executives, other representatives of FC Barcelona and the former Barça player, Jesús Angoy. Also present were Lionel Logchies and Kim Logchies, co-founders of the Moco Museum, and Birthe Faessen, Director of Exhibitions and Collections at the Moco Museum, among other members of the renowned museum.
They were joined by artists and creators of NFTs, Eric Sas and Alan Company, founders of BCN Visuals, who collaborated with Barça and the World of Johan Cruyff’s involvement in the production of the play In a Way, Immortal, as well as Danny Cruyff, widow of Johan Cruyff, as well as representatives from the World of Women and Rhiana Madeline, creator of the masterpiece Empowerment.
The Moco Museum is an independent museum with a wide range of inspiring modern, contemporary and digital art in Barcelona and Amsterdam, opening in London this summer. His collection includes works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Damien Hirst, Kaws, Jeff Koons, Yayoi Kusama, Andy Warhol and more and now also FC Barcelona. In this sense, this exhibition of two Blaugrana digital works highlights the Club’s clear strategic commitment to adopting technology and innovation, while creating unforgettable cultural moments – past and present, male and female – with the aim of inspiring its millennial generation, Xennial and Generation Z followers, among others.
‘The Flying Dutchman’ recreated as an NFT
The club’s first NFT recreates Johan Cruyff’s legendary stadium moment when the iconic Dutch player ‘flew’ to score a crucial goal past Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Miguel Reina on December 22, 1973. It was acquired by U.S. $693,000 in a live auction held at historic Sotheby’s in New York, the world’s premier destination for art, luxury and collectibles.
The piece entitled In a certain way, immortal (inspired by a quote by Johan Cruyff) will be shown from tomorrow on a large screen in the main room dedicated to digital art at the Moco Museum, where one of the Blaugrana legend’s many inspiring works can also be found. . On its walls there will be phrases, namely “It is better to fall with your vision than with someone else’s”.
The production on display recalls the iconic moment in poetic molten gold animation and was created by a team of 40 of Hollywood’s most talented computer graphics (CG) and visual effects (VFX) artists. Lasting 40 seconds, the film is accompanied by an original soundtrack performed by a 30-piece orchestra and incorporates real sounds from Spotify Camp Nou and FC Barcelona fans.
Empowerment of women in sport
The second Barça NFT masterpiece, titled Empowerment, represents Alexia Putellas’ exceptional performance in that Champions League semi-final against Wolfsburg in front of a record crowd of 91,648 fans, when she scored two goals and continued to champion women’s empowerment in the sport. It was purchased for $300,231.36 in a digital auction on OpenSea, the leading marketplace for digital collectibles.
The second room that the renowned museum allocated to the ‘Masterpiece. A digital tribute to Johan Cruyff and Alexia Putellas showcases Barça’s first female player and the Club’s commitment to empowering women in sport. FC Barcelona leads this movement, through which it defends gender equality and offers equal opportunities to women and girls in sport and society as a whole, and where talent, passion and determination stand out.
The color ‘Barça Lilac’, a symbol of equality and created from the mixture of the Club’s original blue and brown colors, covers the walls of the space that displays Putellas’ digital sculpture, enriched with digital painting, special effects and authentic songs of the passionate Barça supporters. Furthermore, the different screens display images praising the character of the player and the Club’s commitment to women’s football. It also features one of the two-time Ballon d’Or winner’s best-known phrases: “Football has no gender”.
Statements by Elena Fort, vice-president of the Institutional Area of FC Barcelona
“For FC Barcelona it is a source of pride to be able to have an exhibition in such a renowned museum as the Moco Museum, continuing the Club’s clear strategic commitment to adopting technology and innovation, whilst creating unforgettable cultural moments with the aim of inspiring your followers. This exhibition is also an example of the Club’s clear commitment to the empowerment of women in sport and women’s football.”
Statements by Lionel Logchies, founder of the Moco Museum
“Through this partnership, we are fortunate to present the digital artworks of legends Johan Cruyff and Alexia Putellas. This collaboration merges the realms of contemporary art and sport, uniting the two worlds. Shown in Barcelona and Amsterdam, this temporary exhibition is a testament to the power of unity and self-empowerment. It reflects Moco’s values as a modern museum, echoing the voice of a new generation.”