Million Dollar JPEGs Photo courtesy of Mike Winkelmann (Beeple) WORDS HEATHER VAN DOORN DESIGN CHELSEA CALLAS
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y now everyone has heard of Beeple, the creator of “Everyday: The First 5,000 Days,” a digital piece recently auctioned by Christie’s for $69 million. At the time of writing this article, Mike Winkleman’s (Beeple) sale holds the spot for the third highest-priced work of art paid to a living artist. Even more astounding than the price is the fact this art is a JPEG. Like other graphic designers and digital artists, Winkleman felt stuck. Digital art can be reproduced an infinite number of times, making the work worth only the price of the piece
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of paper it is printed on. A new platform is being used to give contemporary artists a way to sell digital art, which just a few years ago had no market. This is known as nonfungible-tokens (NFTs) that use blockchain technology and has changed how these assets are handled. One-of-a-kind digital “provenance” that cannot be forged is created as proof that the work is genuine and belongs to the buyer. It can be compared to an artist’s signature or autograph. If you are still scratching your head, think of it as painting a perfect reproduction of the Mona Lisa on a wall.
Spring 2021 | The Bleed | Volume 12
