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Meet James Matthewson (Fine art and digital pioneer).
About James
James A. Matthewson is celebrated as one of the UK's true Internet pioneers, with a career spanning over three decades through Web1, Web2, and now Web3. He is also a long-standing friend whose serial success has been an inspiration to me for over 25 years.
In our interview, I created a "fantasy cultural year" for James, packed with unexpected twists, personal anecdotes, and lively conversational detours.
As Founder and CEO of SUPERLUXE & Partners, James is reshaping the digital art world through SUPERLUXE.io, a Web3 platform merging art with blockchain innovation.
His leadership at SUPERLUXE is transforming art tokenisation, providing $ARTX token holders with exclusive “phygital” benefits, including preferential access to premier artworks, VIP streaming of PETS ROCK: The Movie, (when it’s released) and via a unique Metaverse lounge.
SUPERLUXE & Partners, headquartered in Jersey in the Channel Islands, is an artist representation platform bringing new and renowned artists to the market, via its high-end art events, art advisory and consulting, and through educational programs in digital and web3 innovation.
Known for discretion, privacy, and trust, the company serves UHNW art collectors, celebrities, and the global crypto community. SUPERLUXE’s key areas encompass fine art events for their six globally exclusive artists, art consulting, web3 educational programs, and digital art initiatives.
James is an acclaimed thought-leader, author, and the youngest-ever Fellow of the Institute of Direct & Digital Marketing. He also served as a Professor at the International University of Monaco teaching Luxury Masters programmes. His extensive portfolio includes collaborations with global giants like American Express, Meta and the Richemont Group, underscoring his influence across the digital and luxury spaces.
Through SUPERLUXE & Partners, James is building a disruptive art ecosystem on the Solana blockchain, incorporating their own NFT minting technology, crypto payment integration, and a governance-centered SUPERDAO.
SUPERLUXE.io’ s $ARTX token offers holders exclusive access to its $45 million art collection and connects them to unique digital and physical art experiences, collectible art toys, films, and more.
James continues to redefine the intersection of art and technology, forging a visionary pathway between traditional fine art and the dynamic Web3 world.
Interview summary and James's fantasy cultural year
In my interview with James, we embarked on an imaginative journey through his "fantasy cultural year," mixing dreams with insight, humour, and some unexpected twists.
We kicked off at a cozy New York café outside the Flatiron Building, where James envisioned himself with a copy of Atomic Habits and a cold beer in hand.
The setup perfectly set the stage for his next adventure: an offer from a prestigious New York family foundation to conduct a global research project on the impact of digital technology on fine art.
His year would begin with immersive research in Rome, exploring how blockchain and NFTs are reshaping the fine art market.
ome became the backdrop for James’s cultural explorations, from hip-hop performances staged amid ancient ruins to enjoying a Michelin-starred Italian pizza. His music for the year? Opera—a nod to his childhood, as his father played it often. Yet, James also stepped beyond his comfort zone by exploring Rome's newly unveiled VR gallery to immerse himself in Leonardo da Vinci’s studio.
In a cultural whirlwind, James time-traveled through iconic moments: an Oasis concert, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at the Globe, Jersey Boys on Broadway, and an opera—Carmina Burana, echoing his father’s influence. The week's finale was a film night with Hitch, embracing the charm of Will Smith’s romantic classic.
This fantasy year also featured unforgettable dinner company: a young Muhammad Ali and the Pope, sharing perspectives over Argentinian-Italian fusion. And finally, freed from his year-long opera constraint, James envisioned himself relaxing on his flight home, celebrating with 50 Cent playing in his headphones.
Through laughter, stories, and a touch of nostalgia, this fantasy year brought us an intriguing look at how James’s passions for art, culture, and innovation intersect in both the real and imagined worlds.
You can find James on LinkedIn here.
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Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM
Chief Culture Vulture
Arts & Culture Network
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This was great fun.