Last year, in a first of its kind for the region, the Firetti Contemporary gallery in Dubai held an exhibit titled 'NFT/ IRL' (in real life), which displayed artworks side by side to with their digital counterparts, NFTs (non-fungible tokens). 

"NFTs are already changing the way that art is bought and sold, and as we move towards the future, where this will be increasingly mainstream, it is important to embrace these changes," said Mara Firetti, the gallery's founder and CEO, at the time.

The Firetti's current show, Breaking Boundaries, (Feb. 4 - Apr. 15) again explores the platform between the crypto art world and the traditional. One can fully embrace the metaverse's connectivity from home or through the virtual gallery (VR headsets optional). If one cannot visit in person, the 3D space can be explored via a viewing room accessible through their website.

A trip to the gallery took on a new perspective through a VR headset. For example, inspired by internet history, one of the artworks is a mosaic based on a meme that punctuates the difference between two generations. A voiceover for the latter says he spent his life savings on a digital salmon. But, of course, in the metaverse, these things are possible.