Beeple’s Viral Installation at Art Basel Miami Beach
Mike Winkelmann, the digital artist known as Beeple, has placed himself at the center of the pack — literally — with his latest viral installation at Art Basel Miami Beach, and there’s still time to see it through Sunday.
Introducing “Regular Animals”
Beeple’s innovative project, titled “Regular Animals,” showcases $100,000 robotic dogs with hyper-realistic heads resembling prominent figures such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos. The installation also features artistic legends like Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol as part of its diverse lineup.
These robotic dogs roam in a plexiglass pen, capturing images through chest-mounted cameras. The images are then processed by artificial intelligence, and in a unique twist, they are “pooped out” onto prints. According to the Wall Street Journal, out of the multitude of prints produced, 256 come with QR codes that offer collectors a free NFT, humorously packaged in bags labeled “Excrement Sample.”
Beeple’s Bold Move
In a daring self-referential move, Beeple himself is represented within this exclusive group of digital personas. He described this decision as “ballsy,” a testament to his confidence in his creative vision. Surprisingly, his self-portrait dog sold first, a development that caught even Beeple off guard, as he recounted in an interview with the Journal.
A Journey Through the Art World
This project isn’t Beeple’s first foray into the limelight of the art world. Four years ago, he gained significant attention when his digital collage sold at Christie’s for an astounding $69 million. This pivotal sale played a major role in igniting the NFT boom, which peaked the following year before experiencing a pronounced decline.
Beeple continues to captivate audiences with his thought-provoking works and technological advances, establishing himself as a leading figure in contemporary art.
For more details on this intriguing installation and Beeple’s artistic journey, you can read the full article here.
Image Credit: techcrunch.com
