3 mins readBeeple, a world-renowned digital artist and respected graphic designer hailing from the United States, has made waves with his groundbreaking NFT creations. His NFT artwork has been sought after in traditional art galleries, propelling him to become one of the most valuable living artists, with his works fetching staggering prices. Beeple's revolutionary digital art has defied traditional notions of art being tactile and has highlighted the unique possibilities that NFTs offer in the art world.
Who is Beeple?
Beeple, whose real name is Mike Winkelmann, is an American graphic designer and digital artist. Before being famous for his NFT art, he had his work featured in concerts by celebs such as Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, and Childish Gambino. He has worked in the fields of design and advertising or companies such as Nike, Apple, Louis Vuitton and Verizon.
Mike Winkelmann, the artist known as Beeple
His renown did not stem from a long career in traditional art galleries or specialized knowledge of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). His journey to NFTs was more of a spur of the moment experiment as more and more individuals suggested he attempt the new technique to publish art. Beeple now has over 2 million Instagram followers and is considered one of the three most valued living artists.
Beeple's NFT art frequently satirizes current world events and creates interpretations of modern politics and culture through references to politicians, pop-cultural celebrities, and the like. Interestingly, he was able to capture the attention of the traditional art industry with his animated art NFTs while also creating a platform for visual political and social criticism.
What made Beeple famous?
In February 2020, Beeple began selling NFTs. His initial releases astounded both the art and technological industries, with digital art sales reaching tens of thousands of dollars. Crossroad was one of the first NFT pieces that Beeple marketed. It was intended to change based on the outcome of the November 2020 U.S. presidential election. That blockchain-registered art work was first sold for 66,666.66 US dollars before being resold for 6.7 million.
Beeple's big break came when Christie's announced that his NFT art piece will be auctioned, making it the first major auction house to offer a fully digital NFT piece of art. Furthermore, this was the first time Christie's accepted ether as payment.
The artwork, titled Everydays - The First 5000 Days, was sold for more than 69 million US dollars. It appears to be an aggregation of bright pixels, but it is actually made up of 5,000 separate photos that Beeple generated every day for almost 13 years.
"Every Day: The First 5,000 Days"
How Beeple Revolutionized the Perception of NFTs?
Through several successful NFT projects, Beeple has attracted a lot of popular attention to digital art. Christie's public announcement about selling digital art, for example, demonstrated how NFTs may become part of what has hitherto been considered elite culture. It also demonstrated to a wider audience that art does not have to be physical. Furthermore, it increased public awareness of the intersection of art and blockchain technology, as well as the new possibilities it opens up.
During the pandemic, many artists began to examine NFTs since they allowed artists to make a career without physically performing. Furthermore, they provide a fresh approach to demonstrate their creative pursuit. Celebrities such as Snoop Dogg, Banksy, Paris Hilton, Edward Snowden, and Eminem, as well as small indie artists, began publishing NFT work.
Fragments of Beeple's Fragments of Beeple's "Every Day: The First 5,000 Days"
Beeple has been instrumental in bringing NFTs into the mainstream. He has demonstrated that creators can live outside of traditional publishers and media as one of the world's highest-paid artists, altering the landscape of art ownership and commercialization. His breakthrough computer artwork has pushed the frontiers of creative genres, demonstrating the digital medium's unique capabilities. Furthermore, as a seasoned artist who was creating digital art long before NFTs became popular, Beeple's switch to NFTs has underlined that this arena is about artists finding new routes to promote their work, not only financial rewards.
