Page 128 - Four Art Projects by Petru Russu: Catalogue 2024

the birth of art addiction in 1992

the dawn of digital art

The Success Story:
ArtAddiction.net, Artoteque.com and Saatchi Art, are three online art platforms that share
some common origins and influences, but have different visions and goals.

Saatchi Art was launched in 2006 as Saatchi Online, a spin-off of the Saatchi Gallery, a
London-based physical gallery for contemporary art founded by Charles Saatchi in 1985.

Artoteque.com was founded in 2004 as Artoteque Online Art Gallery by Petru Russu and
Marta Dimitrescu, fine artists, art editors and contemporary art publishers. Artoteque.
com is also a London-based online contemporary art platform, marketplace, and online
art gallery, but with a different approach and focus. Artoteque.com features over 2,560
contemporary artists in several online annual and biennial exhibitions, as well as project-
based international exhibitions and competitions. Artoteque.com also publishes books on
contemporary art, and offers art advisory services. Artoteque.com is more interested in
presenting all types of media, and in stimulating the art viewer’s sensitivity and aesthetic
vision for collecting art.

ArtAddiction.net was launched from Stockholm in 1992 by Petru Russu, making it the
first-ever online art gallery on the World Wide Web. ArtAddiction.net is an online art
galleries that showcase over 10,000 artworks from 1,952 member artists. ArtAddiction
also organizes online art exhibitions, awards, and events, and publishes art books and
magazines. Art Addiction is dedicated to promoting and supporting contemporary artists,
and to providing them with exposure and recognition in the online art community.

Saatchi Art, Artoteque and Art Addiction were inspired by each other in some ways, but
also developed their own identities and niches in the online art scene.

Saatchi Art was influenced by Artoteque’s model of creating an online platform for
emerging artists, but also leveraged its connection to the Saatchi Gallery and its reputation
in the high-end art market.

Artoteque.com was inspired by ArtAddiction.net’s pioneering role in launching the first
online art gallery, but also expanded its scope and scale by hosting online annual and
biennial exhibitions, and by publishing art books and magazines.

Art Addiction.net was the original innovator in the online art field, but also maintained
its focus and mission of supporting contemporary artists and providing them with
opportunities and resources.

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