TL;DR

Beeple is a world-famous American graphic designer and digital artist. His NFT work was sold at a traditional art auction and he is among the top three artists today. Many believe that Beeple proved that art can also be digital and does not necessarily need to have physical characteristics. In addition to his aesthetically impressive work, several other developments in the NFT sector and structural aspects of the market have contributed to Beeple's rise in popularity.

Introduction

Through his digital art, Beeple has brought community attention to non-fungible tokens (NFTs). As such, he is considered an important figure in the adoption of NFTs. Furthermore, his works are notable examples of one of the use cases for NFTs, which may spark the interest of other creative professionals.

Who is Beeple?

Beeple, or Mike Winkelmann (real name), is an American graphic designer and digital artist. Before his fame with NFT art, Beeple featured work on celebrity shows like Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, and Childish Gambino.

His fame didn't come from a long career in traditional art galleries or specialization in non-fungible tokens (NFTs). His path to NFTs was, in some ways, an experiment, as more and more people recommended this new way of publishing art. Today, Beeple has more than 2 million followers on Instagram and is among the three most valued artists today.

Many Beeple NFTs reference politicians, pop culture icons, and the like to satirize current world events and create interpretations of modern politics and culture. Interestingly, with his animated NFTs, he has found a way to attract the attention of the traditional art sector by providing a form of visual expression of political and social commentary.

What made Beeple famous?

Beeple began selling NFTs in February 2020. His early work took the art and technology worlds by surprise. Digital art sales have reached tens of thousands of dollars. One of the first NFT works Beeple sold is called Crossroad. It is designed to change depending on the outcome of the November 2020 US presidential election. This art registered on a blockchain was sold for US$66,666.66 and later resold for US$6.7 million.

Beeple's big moment was when traditional auction house Christie's announced its NFT artwork, becoming the first major auction house to sell an all-digital NFT artwork. Furthermore, this was the first time that Christie's accepted Ether as a payment method.

The artwork titled Everydays – The First 5000 Days sold for more than $69 million. It looks like a group of colored pixels, but in reality, it is a set of 5,000 individual images, which were created daily by Beeple for more than 13 years.

Beeple's rise may be due to his good timing. Beeple decided to explore NFTs at a good time, just as the sector began to gain traction. Another systemic reason may be associated with the major socioeconomic changes in the world that occurred with the COVID-19 pandemic. People started working from home and spending more time on digital devices. Since then, there has been a growing interest in new digital applications.

Beeple's NFT Everydays sale came during the NFT boom cycle. However, as with any period of hype, subsequently, the NFT craze has seen a decline.

How Beeple Changed People's Perceptions of NFTs

Beeple has been attracting a lot of attention to the digital art sector through several successful NFT projects. For example, Christie's announcement about selling digital art showed how NFTs can become part of what is usually considered elite culture. He also proved to the public that art can be completely digital and does not need to have physical characteristics. All of this has increased the public's level of awareness about the combination of art with blockchain technology and the new possibilities provided by this combination.

During the pandemic, many artists began experimenting with NFTs, which allowed artists to earn a living without the need for physical interactions. Plus, they offer a new way for artists to showcase their creativity. Not only small independent artists but also celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Edward Snowden and Eminem have started publishing NFT projects.

Snoop Dogg announced his first NFT collection "A Journey with the Dogg", which demonstrates his earliest memories in the form of NFT artworks. Canadian musician Grimes created a 10-piece NFT art collection exploring futuristic worlds and made millions of dollars in just a few seconds.

With so many big names emerging in the sector, we see that Beeple's work was very important for the rise of NFTs. Firstly, he became one of the highest paid artists in the world and proved that artists can make money without relying on publishers and traditional media. Secondly, his early artworks showcased styles that were only possible in digital format. Beeple was creating art long before the emergence of NFTs. His move into this new industry has shown that it's not just about the money. NFTs offer artists new discoveries and ways to promote their work.

Expectations about NFTs

Beeple became world famous because of his NFT art. However, the scarcity and uniqueness of NFTs make them suitable for several other use cases, such as gaming, music, and finance. For example, gaming NFTs allow users to prove the authenticity of exclusive in-game items like weapons and terrain. Additionally, NFT play-to-earn games allow users to earn money while playing games.

You can also attach an audio file to an NFT to create a collectible piece of music. It's not news that only a minority of musicians manage to earn enough from their music. NFTs have the potential to transform the music industry's business model, making it fairer. NFTs can solve this problem through streaming platforms and royalty tracking with blockchain technology.

It is also possible to use an NFT as a ticket to concerts and events, creating a secondary market for NFTs based on the access they provide.

Despite the slowdown in NFT markets in 2021, the sector continues to develop and reinvent itself. We will likely see many new iterations and use cases for NFTs.

In fact, even you can become an NFT creator. If you're already an artist or creator, NFTs allow you to earn royalties without needing an agency or manager. Unlike traditional art galleries, many NFT markets (marketplaces) are accessible to any user. Blockchain technology makes NFTs inclusive. Plus, since NFTs are digital, you can showcase your creations anywhere in the world. Like Beeple, you might get recognition overnight when you publish your art.

Final considerations

Beeple has proven that NFTs offer viability for distributing and owning works of art. In addition to their usefulness for digital art, NFTs improve processes in current industries such as gaming, music and finance. The NFT ecosystem is likely to witness many new projects with unique use cases and value-adding approaches.