What is Beeple's Net Worth?
Beeple, born Michael Joseph Winkelmann, is a renowned American graphic designer, digital artist, and animator. Widely known for his humorous and surreal multimedia works that often carry social and political messages, Beeple has amassed a net worth of $50 million. His notable NFT collage, "Everydays: the First 5000 Days," sold for nearly $70 million at Christie's in 2021, placing it as the fourth most expensive artwork sold by a living artist. This monumental sale has cemented Beeple's place at the forefront of the non-fungible token (NFT) movement in digital media.
Early Life and Education
Michael Joseph Winkelmann was born on June 20, 1981, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. His mother worked at a senior center, and his father was an electrical engineer. Winkelmann pursued higher education at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, where he graduated in 2003 with a degree in computer science.
Art Career
On May 1, 2007, Winkelmann embarked on his groundbreaking "Everydays" project, inspired by artist Tom Judd's commitment to daily creations. For over 5,000 consecutive days, Winkelmann has produced a piece of digital art each day. He dedicates different years to specific media and programs, such as Adobe Illustrator in 2012 and Cinema 4D in 2015. His artwork, often featuring dystopian futures and iconic pop culture or political figures, provides sharp social commentary. In 2019, some pieces from his "Everydays" project were incorporated into Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer ready-to-wear collection.
(Photo by Jason Bollenbacher/Getty Images for SXSW)
NFTs
In November 2020, Winkelmann began selling non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on the digital art auction platform Nifty Gateway. NFTs are unique digital assets verified via blockchain, granting exclusive ownership. One of his notable pieces, "Crossroad," which would transform based on the 2020 US presidential election outcome, originally sold for $66,666.66 and was later resold for $6.7 million in February 2021.
Beeple's most iconic NFT, "Everydays: the First 5000 Days," compiled from his daily art project, was auctioned at Christie's in 2021 for $69.3 million. This record-breaking sale made it one of the most expensive works ever sold by a living artist and the priciest NFT to date. The buyer, Singapore-based programmer Vignesh Sundaresan, paid for the artwork using 42,329 Ether, a popular cryptocurrency. Sundaresan has since displayed the high-resolution work in a digital museum.
Other Projects
Winkelmann also explores other creative mediums, including short films, Creative Commons VJ loops, and virtual/augmented reality works. His concert visual creations have been used by top artists such as Katy Perry, Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Zedd, One Direction, Wiz Khalifa, Janet Jackson, and Imagine Dragons. On a corporate level, his clients include major companies like NBC, Apple, Samsung, Nike, Sony Pictures, Coca-Cola, and SpaceX.
Personal Life
In 2017, Winkelmann relocated from Wisconsin to North Charleston, South Carolina. He currently resides there with his wife and two children.
