The David Bowie estate is launching NFTs with OpenSea next week, but many Bowie fans aren’t impressed.
Nine different visual artists have created Bowie inspired NFTs as part of the “Bowie on the Blockchain” NFT launch, with 100% of proceeds donated to CAREa non-profit organization focused on fighting world hunger and global poverty.
Before his passing in 2016, Bowie was married to supermodel Iman, who is a global advocate for CARE.
Artistic director Andrew D. Keller’s new company We Love the Arts also worked on the “Bowie on the Blockchain” project, along with filmmaker Joaquin Acrich.
“On September 13, David Bowie’s undying influence will impact yet another new frontier as nine of the world’s leading crypto artists come together to celebrate his legacy and put #BowieOnTheBlockchain,” OpenSea wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.
“This incredible collection brings together some of NFT’s most groundbreaking artists with Bowie artefacts to bring a new generation of fans together in Web3“, OpenSea vice president of business development Ryan Foutty said in a statement.
NFTs are unique blockchain tokens that indicate ownership over an asset – usually that asset is digital art. But a number of pop culture NFT releases, such as Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ NFTs earlier this summer, has caused a stir among fans who dislike the technology.
As for the Bowie NFTs, social media users are not happy to see the legendary star’s likeness attached to blockchain tokens. While a few expressed support for NFT technology, others told the Bowie property, “Don’t do this.”
“How about we just don’t do it with the NFT goof,” wrote one critic.
Perhaps ironically, Bowie’s son, filmmaker Duncan Jones, is also a critic of NFTs, calling them a “fad”.
Jones has previously toyed with the idea of sharing someone’s NFT, joking about it because he was able to save and repost the image of Beeples”The first 5000 days“, it had been “lost”. Jones has also previously called the Christie’s auction – where the NFT sold for a staggering $69.3 million – “suspicious.”
“Do you think the guy who bought it lost it?” Jones asked NFT he right click saved. “I feel a little guilty and that I should probably return it to them.”
Skeptics aside, artists like 19-year-old Fewocious are thrilled to be working on Bowie-inspired NFT art for charity.
“I can’t wait to show you the rest of the piece when it’s revealed this Thursday,” Fewocious said of his Bowie sculpture.
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