Art in unusual places trend: Digital tattoos that are only visible with a mobile device

Artist Anthony Antonellis has implanted a Near field communication (NFC) chip in his arm for use as a wireless storage device. The re-writable chip – a passive device that does not require a battery – contains an animated GIF file that can be read by compatible smartphones and tablets when placed next to the skin. As a form of micro-curation, the artwork will be rotated out to exhibit new artists and artworks on a regular basis. Future artworks may come in various file formats such as GIFs, JPGs, MIDI music, or ASCII art. An Android app that's now in development will allow views to download the GIF from the chip, and will display information about the artwork.