We secure the past with future technology, preserving heritage for generations to come. Perfectly captured in professional scans, our cultural treasures find dual sanctuary: in the quiet, Arctic vaults of the Arctic World Archive and in the eternal blockchain network. This unique combination of offline and online archiving ensures that our art will endure - protected by nature, brought to life by code, accessible anytime and anywhere.

Bank Pekao S.A. has been associated with art almost since the beginning of its operations, possessing more than 1,200 works in its collection, including pieces by the most eminent Polish artists. As a patron of the arts, it makes them accessible and promotes them in the Virtual Gallery, museums, outdoor exhibitions, the mobile app, and even on credit cards. Since 2022, by utilizing modern technological solutions, the bank has also been transferring its art to the digital world. It was in Pekao’s Private Banking division that the world’s first tokenization of art in a universal financial institution took place.

The ARCHIV3 project uses several modern technologies to permanently secure Polish cultural heritage for future generations. The first stage in this process was the creation of professional and certified scans of 10 paintings, known as museum reproduction scans. Using an ultra-sensitive camera, it was possible to obtain almost perfect digitized copies of the originals, which can be used for conservation and reconstruction purposes in the future. The next stage was the creation of an NFT collection—non-fungible tokens recorded on the blockchain. This solution guarantees transparency, durability, and immutability of data. Blockchain (distributed ledger) is currently one of the most durable data recording technologies available. For tokenization, the bank opted for the eco-friendly Aleph Zero blockchain, which generates the lowest possible carbon footprint during the process. The final and main stage of the project was recording the scans on photosensitive rolls, which, appropriately secured, were deposited in the Arctic World Archive.

Project ARCHIV3 was prepared and carried out in collaboration with Degen House, which provided support in consulting, marketing, and delivering technological solutions, along with the Aleph Zero blockchain.

Read more about Art Frozen in Time:

www.pekao.com.pl/archiv3/en/