The Gateway: Korea’s first panel to kick off Day One featured renowned digital artist Beeple, whose real name is Mike Winkelmann, with nft CEO, now Matt Medved, to discuss the art and evolving dynamics of the NFT world and share insights about his own world. travel and work. The atmosphere was cozy, with dim lighting casting a glow on the two old friends. They talk about how Beeple has now been at three Gateway events with Korea being the third. The audience grew as Beeple’s immense popularity in Korea attracted fans from all over the country.
Medved and Beeple began their dialogue by discussing an exclusive artwork Beeple had created for The Gateway: Korea. Beeple enthusiastically shared details, with conversation moving smoothly to the recent inauguration of Beeple Studios in South Carolina. Beeple painted a picture of the vibrant, industrial-chic workspace, describing it as a place where creativity knows no bounds.
The topic then shifted to the tools and techniques Beeple uses in his studio. Delving into the transformative power of digital artistry, he illustrated how audiences can virtually experience the evolution of a piece, witnessing the dynamic changes in composition or lighting.
Beeple went on to express his vision for the future of digital art, saying, “We will see more people doing digital art, and then something will come out of it. You will see people building more and more interactive experiences, a more entrenched experience rather than a quick coin.”
The discussion about the sometimes controversial world of NFTs was as follows. Medved asks if there is a taboo on the word NFT. Beeple agrees that this is currently the case, but because there are so many bad actors in the space. While acknowledging the growing pains of the NFT world, he reminded everyone of the time and patience it takes to realize value and long-lasting enjoyment. Medved agreed, recalling his own experiences, saying, “We’re early on this and it takes patience to build things that will really add value or enjoyment in the long run.”
“We are early on this and it takes patience to build things that really add value or bring joy in the long run.”
Beep
The conversation took a personal turn when Medved inquired about Beeple’s sources of inspiration and hope. Beeple candidly shared his admiration for artists like Sam Spratt, who have a knack for weaving stories that truly resonate. His honesty was refreshing when he admitted, “Not much on the infrastructure side.”
The subject of artist rights was also discussed. Beeple’s insights were profound. He shared, “Personally, I would love to see royalties come down on everyone, but there needs to be an adjustment of expectations. I think there will be something through a social contract, not a smart contract, that will honor that. If people don’t want to pay it, they don’t want to pay it.”
As the session neared its end, Beeple teased some upcoming projects. Speaking of “Human One,” he revealed his plans to continually update this piece, promising, “I’ll change it for the rest of his life.”
When asked about the legacy he hopes to establish, Beeple says the digital realm is huge and media is constantly changing. He concludes that it is already an enormous privilege to be involved in that discourse.