Metaplex Backtracks, apologizes after announcing Beeple NFTs on Solana

Editor’s note: This Nov. 6 story was updated after Metaplex CEO Stephen Hess apologized for a “miscommunication” regarding the alleged partnership.

The children terrible of the NFT art world, Beeple, is coming to Solana. At least that’s what Stephen Hess, CEO of Metaplex Studios – creator of Solana’s NFT standard – announced at Solana’s Breakpoint conference in Lisbon, Portugal on Sunday.

But on Monday, Mike “Beeple” Winkelmann contest the announcementand claimed on Twitter that there was “nothing stipulated or externally agreed upon” between himself, Metaplex and Render Network.

Soon after, Hess publicly apologized to Beeple for a “miscommunication” between companies, seemingly confirming that — at least for now — Beeple NFTs aren’t headed to Solana.

“I want to sincerely apologize here,” Hess tweeted in response to Beeple. “This was the result of a miscommunication between the organizations involved, but these were my words in the keynote, so I should have confirmed the agreement, directly with you, of what was announced.”

Hess further apologized to Beeple for “the confusion I caused here for you, your fans and the community.”

Earlier on Monday, founder and CEO Jules Urbach of OTOY – creator of the Render Network, a decentralized computing platform – further described the collaboration between OTOY, Beeple and Metaplex for Solana-based NFTs.

In another message DecryptHess declined to elaborate on where the “miscommunication” occurred between the partners. Decrypt have also contacted OTOY representatives and Beeple themselves for further clarification.

Beeple on Solana?

On Sunday, Hess announced what was framed as a done deal to bring Beeple’s work to Solana. “In partnership with Render Network, we’re excited to welcome Beeple to Metaplex and Solana,” Hess said at Breakpoint, adding that Beeple would “debut the future of streaming and immersive 3D NFTs.”

A slide accompanying Hess’ announcement offered some clues; users will be invited to “create your own unique NFT with a Beeple Everyday,” using a “randomized set of objects and time to create with.” (EVERYDAYS: THE FIRST 5,000 DAYS was the title of Beeple’s Ethereum NFT pastiche that Beeple sold for over $69 million in 2021.)

On Monday, ahead of Beeple’s tweet, OTOY’s Urbach provided more details about the alleged partnership at Breakpoint. “Mike is excited about this technology,” Urbach asserted. “There’s going to be a time next year when we put this out there. This is how we both see the future of NFTs developing.”

Beeple is already closely involved with the Render Network, having served as an advisor to the platform, which provides creators with a decentralized, peer-to-peer network that allows users to leverage remote rendering power.

In December, Render Network raised $30 million in a funding round with participants including the Solana Foundation and Alameda Research.

Since his headline-grabbing $69 million NFT sale last year, Beeple has branched out into tokenized physical artwork with a “kinetic video sculpture” alongside an NFT, and begun work on a digital art studio to host work by himself and others creators.

Talking to Decrypt earlier this year, Beeple revealed that he expects to see NFTs increasingly focus on “emotional connection or utility” rather than “pure widespread speculation.”

He added that in his future works, “having these things will be of some use” and that he is interested in exploring the possibilities offered by dynamic NFTs.