Who is NFT artist Beeple and why is he famous?

Carefully! Lots of text.

Beeple is an American graphic designer and internationally renowned digital artist. His NFT works are sold at art auctions, and he is one of the three most sought-after contemporary artists. According to many supporters, Beeple proved that art can be digital and doesn't have to be physical. The popularity of his work is due not only to the aesthetic value, but also to the innovation of the NFT space and the structural aspects of the market.

Introduction

With his digital paintings, Beeple has brought a lot of attention to non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and is therefore playing an important role in the mainstream adoption of NFTs. Among other things, his creations are a practical example of the use of NFTs that can inspire other artists.

Who is Beeple

Beeple, or Mike Winkelmann, is an American graphic designer and digital artist. Before he gained fame in the NFT art space, his work was featured at concerts by popular artists such as Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, and Childish Gambino.

Beeple achieved success without a decades-long career in traditional arts or extensive experience with non-fungible tokens (NFTs). NFTs were more of an experiment for him, to which he was pushed by advice and recommendations to try this method of publishing paintings. Beeple now has over 2 million followers on Instagram and is one of the top three most in-demand artists today.

Beeple's NFT works often reference politicians, pop culture figures, and the like: most are filled with satire and provide opinionated commentary in response to current world events, culture, and politics. Through animated NFTs, he creates not just an artistic work, but also a political or social statement.

How Beeple became famous

Beeple began selling NFTs in February 2020. His first works became a sensation in the world of art and technology: digital paintings sold for tens of thousands of dollars. One of his first NFT works sold is called Crossroad. It was created in such a way that the image would change depending on the results of the US presidential election in November 2020. This blockchain-registered piece of art sold for $66,666.66 and then resold for $6.7 million.

Beeple's real fame came when the reputable auction house Christie's put his NFT painting up for auction, becoming the first auction house to sell a digital work of art. At the same time, Christie's accepted payment in ETH for the first time.

The painting sold was called Everydays - The First 5000 Days and cost more than $69 million. It consists of 5,000 individual images that Beeple created every day for over 13 years.

Perhaps Beeple’s success is due to a lucky moment: the artist began creating NFT works when this area was just beginning to gain popularity. Another reason is large-scale socio-economic changes in the world, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. People spent more time on digital devices, worked from home, and used new mobile apps more often.

Beeple sold Everydays during the NFT boom. However, like any popular trend, the hype around this area subsequently subsided.

How Beeple changed the landscape of NFTs

Beeple actively popularizes digital art through successful NFT projects. The public sale of digital paintings at Christie's showed that NFTs can become part of the so-called "elite" culture. She also proved to the general public that art can be digital and does not have to be physical. Many people learned about the combination of art and blockchain technology, as well as the endless possibilities of this field.

Many artists have become interested in NFTs during the pandemic, seeing it as an opportunity to make money right from home. At the same time, they found a new way to share their creativity. Not only independent artists, but also celebrities like Paris Hilton, Edward Snowden and Eminem have started selling NFTs.

For example, Snoop Dogg announced his first NFT collection called A Journey with the Dogg, which chronicles the artist's early memories in the form of NFT art. In addition, Canadian artist Grimes created an NFT collection of 10 paintings on the theme of futurism and future worlds, earning millions in a matter of seconds.

Although more and more celebrities are joining the NFT space, Beeple can still be considered the main popularizer of digital arts. First, he became one of the highest paid artists in the world and proved that creators can make money without the help of traditional publishing houses and media. Secondly, his debut works were created in an artistic style that is only possible in digital form. Finally, he has been making art long before the advent of NFTs: his success in the digital environment proves that the NFT space not only offers earning opportunities, but also a platform to showcase your work.

The future of NFTs

Beeple has become world famous thanks to his NFT paintings. The scarcity and uniqueness properties of NFTs make them suitable not only for paintings, but also for games, music and finance. For example, in-game NFTs are used to authenticate unique in-game items such as weapons and land. And NFT games in the play-to-earn format (play and earn) allow you to earn income while playing.

In addition, an NFT can contain not only an image, but also an audio recording, resulting in the creation of a collectible piece of music. Few musicians manage to make a living from their music, and NFTs offer creative people the opportunity to get paid fairly for their work. NFTs can be used on blockchain streaming platforms to earn royalties.

In addition, they can also act as tickets to concerts and events, forming a secondary market for NFTs that provide access.

While the excitement in the NFT market has begun to gradually wind down in 2022, the NFT space continues to evolve and innovate, so we'll likely see more new use cases for NFTs in the future.

You can create an NFT yourself. If you're already an artist or other creative person, NFTs will allow you to earn royalties without the need for an agency or manager. Unlike traditional art galleries, anyone can list their work on an NFT marketplace. This is how blockchain technology makes the NFT space inclusive. Additionally, since NFTs exist in the digital space, artists can showcase their work to audiences anywhere in the world. Share your creativity and maybe you will become successful like Beeple.

Summary

Beeple has proven that NFTs are a viable way to distribute and own art. NFTs can be used in digital art, gaming, music and finance. It is likely that in the future the NFT ecosystem will give us many more projects with new opportunities for use and income.