This Designer is Turning NFC Tech into Digital-Physical Sculptures

Art That Owns Itself

Art has always been about storytelling, capturing emotions, history, and identity. But what if an artwork could tell its own story? What if, over time, it could record its history, prove authenticity, and evolve through interaction?

That’s the concept behind Near Field Circuit, a sculptural artifact designed to self-authenticate using blockchain. Crafted from brass, its NFC isn’t hidden inside but forms part of the artwork itself, blending technology with design in a way that feels organic. By linking each piece to a dynamic NFT on LUKSO, Near Field Circuit creates a link between the physical and digital world, turning authentication into an artistic feature.

LUKSO, a blockchain built for the creative economy, makes this vision possible. Its tools for digital identity, provenance tracking, and ownership verification give artists like Jim Hannon-Tan the ability to experiment beyond traditional mediums, redefining what art can be.

Jim Hannon-Tan’s Vision: Blurring the Line Between Physical & Digital

For Jim Hannon-Tan, design isn’t just about form and function, it’s about the stories objects tell. His long career in industrial design has been influenced by his work in a wide range of industries, including technology, custom furniture, and luxury goods, always pushing boundaries in how materials and ideas come together.

Near Field Circuit started from a simple but radical question: What if the NFC tag itself became the artwork?

“Rather than hiding the NFC technology, the antenna pattern itself becomes the object’s identity,” Jim explains. “A true phygital artifact where form and function are inseparable.”

This approach challenges how we think about digital ownership and authentication. Instead of a generic chip embedded into an artwork, the sculpture is the NFC tag, designed to be both a functional security feature and an aesthetic statement.

Supported by the LUKSO Grants Program, Jim and engineer Aureliano Alarcón successfully integrated ARX Halo chips with LSP8 NFTs, allowing Near Field Circuit to function as a self-authenticating digital-physical object.

Jim’s careful design process included a great deal of material research. Because of its inherent capacity to acquire patina over time, brass came out as the perfect material, ensuring that the artifact records digital interactions and changes physically as it is handled. Each piece undergoes precision CNC milling and fine-tuning to resonate at 13.56MHz, maximizing NFC performance while preserving an elegant, minimal design.

The Technology Behind Near Field Circuit 

Near Field Circuit introduces a scan-to-own model, where ownership isn’t just about possession but also about interaction. By physically scanning the NFC tag, users can prove ownership, and the blockchain logs these authentication events. Since the item narrates its own history over time, authentication becomes a dynamic process.

But how does this work under the hood? Traditional NFC chips store static information, like a URL or serial number. Near Field Circuit takes it further, integrating LUKSO’s LSP8 NFTs to enable on-chain authentication, upgradable metadata, and provenance tracking, all without relying on third-party verification. Unlike traditional certificates, which can be lost or forged, each scan updates the NFT’s metadata, creating a verifiable timeline of engagement.

This mechanism turns ownership from a one-time transaction into an ongoing relationship. Owners are encouraged to interact with the piece regularly, scanning it at least once every six months. If left unscanned, the NFT resets, allowing new ownership to be established. This dynamic process transforms collecting into an interactive experience, where owning art becomes an active, evolving process rather than a passive investment. The artwork ages, the brass develops a patina, and each scan adds to its on-chain history, mirroring how physical objects naturally change over time.

LUKSO’s blockchain infrastructure makes sure that these processes happen securely and efficiently. Because the blockchain is decentralized, tamper-proof, and designed for long-term verification, its authentication is far superior to that of QR codes. This means Near Field Circuit doesn’t just authenticate ownership once, but rather reinforces it continuously, making counterfeiting nearly impossible. Universal Profiles link objects directly to their owners, eliminating the need for centralized platforms or middlemen. 

To elevate security even further, Near Field Circuit integrates ARX Halo chips. Unlike conventional NFC tags that are easily cloned, these cryptographic chips ensure each artifact remains unique and tamper-proof. This combination of blockchain and secure NFC technology reinforces trust between creators and collectors, guaranteeing that every piece carries its own digital proof of authenticity.

The Future of Phygital Art: Beyond Galleries & Traditional Collecting

What happens when objects can “speak” to their owners through blockchain-based authentication?

Near Field Circuit isn’t just about art, it’s a glimpse into a future where authentication is woven into design itself. Imagine a world where jewelry and fashion pieces verify their own authenticity through NFC and blockchain. Luxury furniture contains hidden NFC markers that link to digital certificates of origin. Wearables and accessories interact with the blockchain, unlocking exclusive experiences based on verified ownership. Self-authenticating passports, collectibles, and heirlooms track their provenance over generations.

By integrating LUKSO’s identity standards with NFC technology, Near Field Circuit lays the foundation for a future where authentication is smooth, beautiful, and intrinsic to design.

Artists can create interactive exhibitions, where visitors contribute to an artwork’s history by scanning objects. Brands are able to create unique experiences where the authenticity of their products can be confirmed directly. The uses are numerous, extending far beyond traditional art into fashion, furniture, and luxury goods.

Final Thoughts: The Emergence of Blockchain-Powered Interactive Art

Jim Hannon-Tan has created a living, breathing object that tells its own story by fusing blockchain technology with sculpture. This is made possible by LUKSO’s blockchain infrastructure, which provides a framework for creators to rethink the way that digital and physical identities coexist.

The project represents a change in our relationship with art, objects, and digital ownership as it approaches the release of its Genesis Edition. Near Field Circuit aims to establish a deeper connection between the physical and digital worlds instead of just proving authenticity. Art is no longer only seen or collected in this new “world.” It has been shaped, experienced, and engaged with over time. The question now isn’t just who owns an artwork, but how an artwork owns itself.