Mike Winkelmann | |
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Born | Michael Joseph Winkelmann June 20, 1981 Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, U.S. |
Other names | Beeple |
Alma mater | Purdue University |
Occupation | Digital artist |
Years active | 1999–present |
Notable work | "Everydays", Everydays: the First 5000 Days |
Website | beeple-crap |
Michael Joseph Winkelmann (born June 20, 1981), known professionally as Beeple, is an American digital artist, graphic designer, and animator known for selling NFTs.[1] In his art, he uses various media to create comical, phantasmagoric works that make political and social commentary while using pop culture figures as references. British auction house Christie's has called him "A visionary digital artist at the forefront of NFTs".[2] Beeple was introduced to NFTs in October 2020 and credits Pak for providing his first "primer" on selling NFTs.[3][4] The NFT associated with Everydays: the First 5000 Days, a collage of images from his "Everydays" series, was sold on March 12, 2021, for $69 million in cryptocurrency to an investor in NFTs.[5][6] It is the first purely non-fungible token to be sold by Christie's. The auction house had previously sold Block 21, an NFT with accompanying physical painting for approximately $130,000 in October 2020.[7]
The digital artist known for NFTs is showing paintings and prints IRL at a Manhattan gallery.