📖 ABSTRACT/OVERVIEW
Walter Benjamin's essay on the work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction established a foundational theoretical problematic about authenticity, aura, and the ontological status of reproduced art objects that has been transformed but not resolved by digital reproduction technologies. This study develops an original philosophical and empirical investigation of how digital reproduction, non-fungible token certification, and artificial intelligence image generation are transforming the ontological status of art objects within the Nigerian art world. The theoretical contribution is a revised framework for thinking about art object ontology that takes account of the specific conditions of the Nigerian market, where the coexistence of hand-crafted traditional objects, studio fine art originals, digital prints, and blockchain-certified digital works creates a complex ontological field that existing theories do not adequately map. The empirical component uses in-depth philosophical interviews with 25 collectors, 20 artists, 10 gallerists, and 5 digital platform operators, combined with discourse analysis of how authenticity and originality are discussed in Nigerian art market communications. The study examines how Nigerian collectors conceptualise the value and authenticity of non-fungible token artworks relative to physical paintings, and whether the ontological categories applied reflect global digital art discourse or distinctively Nigerian value frameworks. The theoretical framework draws on the philosophy of art objects, Benjamin's reproduction theory, and the emerging digital art ontology literature. Findings contribute to art philosophy, digital humanities, and the study of Nigerian art market value systems. Keywords: art ontology, digital reproduction, NFT, authenticity, Nigerian art market
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