To mark its 75th anniversary the Walker Art Center is reinventing itself with an eclectic approach to online shopping. Its aptly named Intangibles concept store presents a curated collection of art objects that take no physical form; from a ringtone strung together by musician Nico Muhly to Snapchat photography by Alec Soth. All which further blurs the thin line keeping art, commerce, media and PR apart.  

“As an art center, the Walker is constantly presenting and contextualizing intangible experiences,” says the museum’s design director Emmet Byrne, who created the idea with retail director Michele Tobin. Intangibles puts a digital twist on the saturated art collectors market. "The idea of selling Intangibles felt very comfortable to us, and felt like a great equalizer through which we express our multidisciplinary mission"

The concept, sees artists taking a more entrepreneurial role, working collaboratively to negotiate commerce and value, much like the New Museums collaboration withNew Inc – a not-for-profit incubator where artists, designers and technologists can collaborate, learn business skills and launch new platforms. The difference here is the museum shop itself is part of the art project; a move which mirrors Tate and other arts organisations, move away from static exhibitions to new immersive realms.