Renowned auction house Christies dips its toes into the weird wide world of Web3 once again with a new NFT-focused auction. Titled Cartography of the Soul, the curated selection – in collaboration with collector hub 1OF1 — aims to establish the Multidisciplinary Society for Psychedelic Studies (CARDS), a non-profit organization dedicated to researching and promoting psychedelic therapies.
Presented by Christie’s 3.0 – Christie’s on-chain auction platform designed specifically for exceptional digital art – proceeds from Cartography of the Soul will be donated to MAPS’ further research and public education initiatives. This new venture, which opens June 21 at 6 p.m. ET, follows the 2022 initiative, Cartography of the Mind, which saw historic sales of pieces from NFT100 awards Sam Spratt, IX Shells, Beeple, and others.
Over 30 new digital artworks will be showcased in this iteration Speech And Ix Shells making a return along with other leading Web3 artists including DeeKay Kwon, Killer sour, Klara Vollstaedt, Summer Wagner, Justin Aversano, Mad Dog Jonesand Nadya Tolokonnikova (Pussy riots).
The auction has a combined estimate of approximately 234 – 333 ETH, offers a range of price points and aesthetics to potential buyers, and ensures accessibility for all art lovers. Nicole Sales Giles and Lydia Chen, representing Christie’s Digital Art Department, expressed their enthusiasm for working with 1OF1 and MAPS. They highlighted the success of their previous collaboration and the overwhelming support from collectors.
“Last June, we had the honor of working with 1OF1 to put together a curated digital art sale to benefit MAPS, and we were thrilled with the results. Not only did collectors rush to bid on high-quality digital artwork, but there was overwhelming support for the charitable component of the sale,” said Sales Giles and Chen in a press release.
Coinciding with the Psychedelic Science 2023 conference, Cartography of the Soul will be exhibited June 21-23 in Denver, Colorado. Select highlights from the auction will also be on display at Christie’s New York from June 23 to 27, where art enthusiasts and collectors can personally appreciate the digital artworks.
The Cartography of the Soul auction not only offers collectors the opportunity to acquire remarkable digital works of art, but also supports MAPS’s work in advancing psychedelic therapies. With its fusion of art, technology and philanthropy, this auction exemplifies the ever-changing landscape of the art market in the digital age.
Editor’s Note: This article was written by an nft now contributor in collaboration with OpenAI’s GPT-4.