Takashi Murakami is the next artist to ride the NFT wave by releasing a collection of 24-by-24-pixel works based on his signature smiley face flowers, according to ArtNet.
The collection titled Murakami.Flowers is a series of 108 digital flowers each with a different facial expression — very much like emojis.
“I’m groping in the dark, so I’m sure I will make many mistakes, but please bear with me,” wrote the Japanese artist in his Instagram post announcing the NFT auction which is hosted on OpenSea.
The total value of the auctions have crossed the US$200,000 mark, according to the ArtNet in the article it published on March 31.
Murakami did his part for the global pandemic: Supreme x Takashi Murakami Covid-19 Relief Box Logo Tee
Murakami cites observing his children and their schoolmates admiring virtual fireworks on the “Animal Crossing” game over Zoom and, of course, digital artist Beeple’s US$69 million NFT transaction at Christie’s, as reasons that inspired this move to releasing blue-chip art.
The world is changing and Murakami knows it. Sometime in July last year, Murakami announced his business was on the brink of bankruptcy so hopefully this is the bounce back his ailing business needs.