Mike Winkelmann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Winkelmann
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| Born |
Michael Joseph Winkelmann
June 20, 1981 Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, U.S.
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| Other names | Beeple |
| Alma mater | Purdue University |
| Occupation | Digital artist |
| Years active | 1999–present |
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Notable work
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"Everydays", Everydays: the First 5000 Days |
Michael Joseph Winkelmann (born June 20, 1981), known as Beeple, is an American digital artist. He is also a graphic designer and animator. Beeple is famous for selling NFTs, which are unique digital items.
His art often uses different types of media. He creates funny and dream-like works. These artworks comment on politics and society. He often uses characters from pop culture in his art. A famous auction house, Christie's, called him "A visionary digital artist". Beeple learned about NFTs in October 2020. He credits another artist, Pak, for teaching him about selling NFTs.
One of his most famous NFTs is Everydays: the First 5000 Days. It is a collection of images from his "Everydays" series. This NFT was sold on March 12, 2021, for $69 million. It was bought with cryptocurrency by an investor. This was the first time Christie's sold a digital-only NFT.
Contents
About Beeple's Early Life and Education
Mike Winkelmann was born on June 20, 1981. He grew up in North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. His father was an electrical engineer. His mother worked at a place for older people. Mike went to Purdue University. He studied computer science and finished in 2003.
Beeple's Amazing Art Career
The "Everydays" Project
Mike Winkelmann started his "Everydays" project on May 1, 2007. This project means he creates a new piece of art every single day. He has been doing this for over 5,000 days in a row! He even made art on his wedding day and when his children were born.
He got the idea from an artist named Tom Judd. Tom drew every day for a year. Mike thought it was a great way to get better at drawing. In later years, he focused on one skill each year. For example, he used Adobe Illustrator in 2012 and Cinema 4D in 2015.
Beeple's art often shows dark or difficult futures. He frequently uses well-known people from pop culture or politics. He uses them to make fun of current events. Some of his artworks were even used by the fashion brand Louis Vuitton.
Beeple's Art with Louis Vuitton
In 2019, Beeple's "Everydays" art was part of Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2019 collection. Nine of his "Everydays" artworks were shown. This happened during Paris Fashion Week at the famous Louvre museum.
Beeple was surprised to see his art on the clothes. He said it was "crazy surreal" to see models wearing his creations.
VJ Loops: Art for Live Shows
Between 2009 and 2019, Beeple made "VJ Loops." These are short, abstract digital art videos. He shared them for free under Creative Commons. This means anyone can use them.
Millions of people have downloaded these loops. They are used at thousands of live events around the world. These clips are meant for other artists to use. There are hundreds of them available.
Understanding NFT Art Sales
In February 2021, Winkelmann started selling non-fungible tokens (NFTs). NFTs are like digital certificates of ownership for art. Their ownership is recorded on a special digital ledger called a blockchain.
His first two NFTs were sold at an auction called ETHDenver. More were sold on Nifty Gateway in November 2020. One NFT, called Crossroad, could change its animation. It depended on who won the 2020 United States presidential election. It first sold for about $66,000. Later, it was resold for $6.7 million in February 2021.
The NFT for Everydays: the First 5000 Days was auctioned at Christie's. It sold for $69.4 million on March 11, 2021. This was the first NFT sold by a major auction house. It was also the first time Christie's accepted Ether (a type of cryptocurrency) for payment. In March 2021, Beeple said NFTs were in an "irrational exuberance bubble."
On January 30, 2024, another artwork by Beeple was sold. It was made in 2021 with TIME. The piece, "TIME: The future of Business", sold for $177,800 at Sotheby's.
Human One: A Unique Sculpture
On November 9, 2021, one of Beeple's artworks, "Human One," was sold. It went for almost $29 million at Christie's. This artwork is a 7-foot-tall sculpture. It is a special kind of art that changes over time. It combines both physical and digital parts.
Beeple called it "the first portrait of a human born in the metaverse." It's his first big work that has both a sculpture and an NFT. After it was sold, "Human One" was shown in museums. It was in Italy in April 2022. Then it went to the M+ Museum in Asia.
The Tree of Knowledge Sculpture
In 2024, Beeple showed his new sculpture, "The Tree of Knowledge." It was at Italian Tech Week. The sculpture has four video screens. They form a tall, rectangular shape. The screens show an endless video of a tree mixed with industrial parts.
This sculpture changes based on real-time information. This includes news, stock prices, and cryptocurrency values. It comments on modern society. It also asks people to care about the environment. Viewers can change the display from "Signal" (order) to "Noise" (chaos). An investment company bought the piece. The money will help non-profit groups worldwide.
Beeple Studios: A Creative Hub
In 2021, Beeple started building a team. They worked in different places in Charleston, South Carolina. In the fall of 2021, they found a home at Beeple Studios. Beeple Studios is a huge 50,000 square foot space in Charleston.
It has offices, lab areas, and a gallery for art. It also has a special room to show digital art in an exciting way. People have called it "a weird mix of Warhol’s studio and Bell Labs." The studio officially opened on March 11, 2023. Many important people from the art and crypto worlds were there. Beeple still hosts events and plans new ones at the studio.
Beeple's Personal Life
Mike Winkelmann lives in North Charleston, South Carolina. He moved there from Wisconsin in 2017. He is married and has two children.
See also
In Spanish: Mike Winkelmann para niños
- List of most expensive non-fungible tokens
