Visitors to the esteemed Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, will be treated to a rare and groundbreaking display as the digital artist Mike Winkelmann, known by his pseudonym Beeple, presents “Human One” (2021), his first-ever sculpture. This exciting exhibition marks the sculpture’s debut in the United States since it fetched a staggering $29 million at Christie’s auction in 2021.
The awe-inspiring “Human One” was acquired by Swiss venture capitalist Ryan Zurrer, who has been a prominent figure in bridging the gap between the digital and traditional art worlds. Zurrer, in collaboration with Christie’s, has organized philanthropic auctions benefiting his nonprofit organization, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). In addition to his philanthropic efforts, Zurrer generously lent “Human One” to various art institutions worldwide.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Zurrer said in a press release, “We are very excited and deeply honored to work with Crystal Bridges for the American debut of HUMAN ONE. Audiences will be captivated by the remarkable detail and innovative mixture of technology and craft that makes Beeple such a renowned artist.” After its acquisition, “Human One” traveled to the Castello di Rivoli in Italy and the M+ Museum in Hong Kong. It was in Hong Kong that LGDR sold the sister piece of “Human One,” titled “S.2122 (2023),” to the Deji Art Museum in Nanjing, China. Now, the highly sought-after “Human One” will captivate audiences in Arkansas until January 2024.
The sculpture itself is a rectangular box equipped with screens that depict an astronaut navigating through diverse landscapes. Remarkably, Beeple retains control over the content displayed on the screens and plans to leverage this feature to engage Crystal Bridges attendees in an interactive experience. Winkelmann has devised a captivating scavenger hunt within the artwork, where visitors can discover hidden clues to unlock exclusive NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) created by the artist in his North Carolina studio.
Describing the dynamic nature of his creation, Winkelmann stated, “A traditional work of art is more akin to a finite statement, frozen in time at the moment it was completed. With the ability to update this artwork, it is more akin to an ongoing conversation that I can continue to add new meaning to over time.”
The inclusion of “Human One” at Crystal Bridges exemplifies the growing influence of digital art in the contemporary art world. This unprecedented exhibition showcases the fusion of technology and artistic expression, as well as the evolution of traditional art forms into dynamic and interactive experiences. Visitors to the museum will undoubtedly be captivated by Beeple’s visionary creation and the unique opportunity to unlock exclusive NFTs, adding an exciting dimension to their encounter with “Human One.”