Digital artist Mike Winkelmann, better known as Beeple, has made headlines again. His most recent cutting-edge creative display thrilled crowds last month at Art Basel Miami Beach. The exhibition focuses on the artist’s most recent work “Regular Animals.” It includes Tabor Robak’s captivating self-portrait with hyper-realistic robotic dogs that look like famous people including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. This temporary installation will be open to the public all week long, and today is a perfect day to visit!
In this politically charged environment, Beeple’s decision to include his own likeness among the installation’s statues has garnered attention for its audacity. Twitter went crazy about the move, which Soares himself characterized as “ballsy,” making the decision another milestone in his already illustrious career. Beeple, who lives in Charleston, South Carolina, has since emerged as one of digital art’s biggest stars. His historic auction of a digital collage in Christie’s for an eye-popping $69 million four years ago shot him into stardom. That historic sale was one of the major driving forces behind the NFT craze that peaked a year later.
The “Regular Animals” project has included these robotic dogs that go for some $100,000 a pop. Beyond his incredible three-dimensional masterpieces, Beeple has designed 256 special non-fungible prints. Included with each print is a QR code that grants collectors access to a corresponding, free NFT. These NFTs are jokingly presented in bags marked “Excrement Sample,” a reflection of Beeple’s signature style that seamlessly marries satire and art.
As we see with Beeple’s work, he brilliantly combines technology with classical art ideas. It’s this radical approach that’s catapulted him into the contemporary art world’s green-room. His installations have been known to cause tension and stir debate, but that’s often the intent from which he pushes boundaries. In so doing, he joins an exclusive group of influential figures. This decision significantly cements his role as the most influential character on the national art scene.
