With five digital drawings by the legendary pop artist Keith Haring currently for sale As NFTs, auction house Christie’s has collaborated with affiliated fashion brand MNTGE to release a physical patch inspired by one of the works, with its own technical twist.
The Christie’s Auction, Keith Haring: Pixel Pioneeris currently working on digital paintings created on a Commodore Amiga computer in 1987 and minted as Ethereum NFTs from the Keith Haring Foundation. MNTGE has one of the drawings (“Keith Haring: Untitled #2” by April 16, 1987) in a vintage-style patch.
Each patch is equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology and has an embedded chip linked to a unique Ethereum NFT that takes the form of a blockchain-based digital certificate or proof of ownership.
While estimates for the auction – open for bidding through September 20 – range from $220,000 to $500,000 per work, the price of the patches is eminently more accessible: only $39.99 each.
From today, tThe patches are available for a limited time via the MNTGE website.
The patches are an extension of The most recent drop in MNTGE. It was called Patchwork and featured a collection of NFT patches that were redeemable for physical versions, complete with built-in NFC chips. Each room is custom designed by one of eleven contemporary artists.
Christie’s and @keithharingfdn are happy to collaborate with @mntge_io to launch a physical patch based on one of Haring’s digital artworks created on a 1987 Amiga computer. pic.twitter.com/eJNjOa5A8A
— Christie’s (@ChristiesInc) September 14, 2023
The collaboration with Christie’s and the Haring Foundation originated in July when MNTGE hosted a dinner for the Christie’s Art + Tech Summit, presenting guests with exclusive jackets with NFC chips.
“It really is a rare opportunity when you get a call to be part of a project launch with the Keith Haring Studio,” said Nick Adler, co-founder of MNTGE. Declutter. “The natural synergy between our three teams made this collaborative project come together seamlessly, and we couldn’t be happier to see the exclusive patch become a reality.”
Speak with Declutter Earlier this month about the digital art auction, Nicole Sales Giles – Christie’s vice president and director of Digital Art Sales – joked that if Haring were alive today, she believes he would be “a big believer in bridging the gap.” Web3 and traditional art worlds.”
“Haring’s art appeals to such a broad audience,” she added, expressing confidence that “this sale will introduce more traditional art collectors to Web3 – and vice versa.”
With the addition of the patches the effect can become even more pronounced. The pricing also aligns with Haring’s belief that “art is for everyone.”
Even as he was praised by the establishment, Haring continued to chalk versions of his famous designs on the New York subway for a wider audience than the traditional gallery visitor to enjoy.
“Keith Haring defined a generation in which art appealed to the masses. His subway drawings in New York City in the 1980s brought art to the streets, and his aesthetic became iconic,” said Sales Giles. “His ability to bring the art world to everyone made him a pioneer of his time.”
